How Do I Find the Permit History for a Florida Property?
Every building permit in Florida is a public record, but there's no single statewide database. Each city and county maintains its own records, in its own system, with its own search quirks. Here are the three ways to get a property's permit history.
Option 1: Search the local permit portal
Most Florida jurisdictions have an online permit portal where you can search by address. Quality varies widely — some portals return complete history in seconds, others only show recent permits, and a few cities have no working portal at all. You also need to know which jurisdiction handles the address: properties in unincorporated areas file at the county level, not with the nearest city.
Option 2: Contact the building department
Calling or visiting the building department works everywhere, including jurisdictions with no online portal. Expect to provide the property address and sometimes a records request form. Turnaround ranges from same-day to several weeks, and some departments charge records fees.
Option 3: Get an instant report
A PermitVista report compiles permit history for any Florida address in one PDF — permit numbers, descriptions, dates, statuses, and flags for items that may need attention, plus a direct link to the local portal for verification. It covers jurisdictions across the state and clearly distinguishes "no permits found" from "this jurisdiction isn't covered," so you know exactly what the search did and didn't include.
What to look for in the results
Focus on status. "Final" or "Closed" means the work passed inspection. "Expired," "Open," or "Issued" with no final inspection date may mean the permit was never closed out — worth resolving before a sale, refinance, or insurance renewal.