“When can I start building?” is the first question every homeowner asks. The honest answer: it depends on your county, the completeness of your package, and whether the plans examiner has questions. Here are realistic 2026 timelines — and how to land on the fast end of them.
Most residential accessory permits clear plan review in 5–20 business days once a complete package is submitted. The engineering drawings take about 5–7 business days to prepare. The single biggest variable is not the county — it is whether your submission is complete and code-compliant on the first pass.
“How long does a permit take” blends three separate clocks. Understanding them tells you where the time actually goes:
These are typical first-review windows for straightforward residential accessory projects. They fluctuate with the county's workload — review times often lengthen right after major storms, when re-roof and repair permits flood the queue.
| County | Typical first review | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Orange (Orlando) | ~10–15 business days | Online submittal via Fast Track |
| Osceola (Kissimmee) | ~7–12 business days | Smaller queue than Orange |
| Polk | ~7–14 business days | Faster in outlying areas |
| Lake | ~7–12 business days | |
| Hillsborough (Tampa) | ~10–20 business days | High volume |
| Lee (Fort Myers) | ~10–20 business days | Longer post-storm |
| Miami-Dade / Broward | ~15–30 business days | HVHZ & NOA review adds time |
The number-one cause of delay is a package that is missing something: unsigned drawings, no wind-load calculations, a missing product approval, or no site plan. Every missing item triggers a rejection and a fresh review cycle. A complete PE-sealed package is the difference between one review and three.
Inland counties like Osceola, Polk, and Lake generally move faster than high-volume metros. Miami-Dade and Broward take longest because HVHZ rules require Notice of Acceptance (NOA) product review on top of the standard code check.
After a named storm, counties are buried in re-roof and repair permits, and review times stretch. Submitting before hurricane season — or early in the week — can shave days off your wait.
If you already built without a permit, expect the timeline to roughly double. The county treats it as an after-the-fact permit, often charging double fees and requiring the engineer to evaluate the existing structure before drawings can even be submitted.
We prepare complete, county-specific packages that are built to clear review on the first pass — quoted same day, drawings usually ready in 5–7 business days.
Start Your Project →For a typical accessory structure — pergola, screen enclosure, slab, patio — plan review runs about 5 to 20 business days depending on the county, plus one more cycle if comments are issued. Most straightforward projects are approved within 2 to 5 weeks of a complete submission.
Submit a complete, code-compliant package the first time: PE-stamped drawings, wind-load calculations for your county, product approvals, and a site plan. Incomplete submissions and unsigned drawings are the leading cause of extra review cycles.
No. Starting work before the permit is issued is building without a permit, which exposes you to stop-work orders, fines, and after-the-fact penalties. Wait for the approved permit card before breaking ground.