Tallahassee permits are 100% online. A permit is needed for work over $7,500 or anything structural. Growth Management: 850-891-7001.

Last checked Oct. 10, 2026. Facts on this page come from the City of Tallahassee Growth Management Department, its FAQ and the Tallahassee-Leon County Planning Department.

Inside the city limits, the Growth Management Department issues building permits, inspects the work and reviews site plans. Rezoning and the comprehensive plan belong to the joint Tallahassee-Leon County Planning Department. Outside the city limits, Leon County handles permits. Not sure which side of the line you are on? The Land Information Map lists the jurisdiction for every address.

Who to call

  • Growth Management (permits, zoning questions): 850-891-7001; Renaissance Building, 435 N. Macomb St.
  • Planner of the Day: 850-891-7001, option 4, or zoning@talgov.com
  • Building permit review times: 850-891-7001, option 2
  • Schedule an inspection: 850-891-1800 (automated) or the Customer Permit Portal
  • Rezoning: Tallahassee-Leon County Planning Department, 850-891-6400
  • Report illegal construction: 850-891-7007 or the DigiTally app

When you need a permit

From the city’s building FAQ:

  • Building permit: any new construction, addition, alteration or repair costing more than $7,500 in labor and materials, or any structural work. Replacing windows or doors counts as structural.
  • Roofing: any repair or new roof over 100 square feet.
  • Electrical: new or extended circuits, or a service change.
  • Plumbing: new piping, re-piping or new fixtures, including backflow devices.
  • Mechanical: heating or air conditioning equipment extended, moved or changed out, including ductwork. Window units need no permit.
  • Gas: new or extended gas piping, or installing or replacing a gas appliance.
  • Sheds: a shed built on site always needs a permit; a store-bought portable shed needs one if it is over 100 square feet.
  • Fences: a masonry fence with a footer taller than 2 feet, or any other fence taller than 10 feet.

Each trade needs its own permit.

How to apply

The city’s permit process is 100% online. Create an account on the Customer Permit Portal, file the application, then upload plans through ePlan Review. Approved plans and certificates come back electronically; there are no paper stamped copies. Fees are on the Growth Management fee schedule.

How long it takes

The city’s FAQ gives these general review times:

Permit Review time
Residential, minor (under $25,000) 5 workdays
Residential, major (over $25,000) 14 workdays
Residential Guarantee Program (single-family, townhome or duplex) 7 workdays
Commercial, expedited (qualifying projects) 7 workdays
Commercial, standard 21 workdays

Zoning: what you can build

Look up your zoning on the Land Information Map: enter your address and turn on the Zoning layer. The city’s Zoning Uses Lookup Tool shows which districts allow a given use. A rezoning must match the comprehensive plan’s Future Land Use Map, the city says; call the Planning Department at 850-891-6400 before applying. The city also has a page on accessory dwelling units and a Live Local Act height map.

Who decides, and when they meet

  • Type A Review Meeting: city staff review site plans that meet every code standard. Next: Thursday, Oct. 15.
  • Development Review Committee: senior staff review Type B site plans, subdivisions and deviations. Next: Monday, Oct. 12 and Monday, Oct. 26.
  • Board of Adjustment and Appeals: nine members appointed by the city and county commissions hear variances for one- and two-family homes and signs, on the second Thursday of the month. Nothing is scheduled at this time.
  • Tallahassee-Leon County Planning Commission: recommends on zoning code changes. Its 2026 calendar lists 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10, and 9 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18, if needed. Confirm at 850-891-6400.
  • City Commission: approves zoning code changes and final subdivision plats.

Agendas for the staff meetings are on the city’s project review meetings page.

How neighbors hear about a project

Projects that need more than a Type A review must post a sign on the site with the hearing date and a QR code, mail a notice to tenants, owners and registered homeowner associations within 1,000 feet, and advertise in a newspaper, the city’s Talk With Us page says. The Current Projects Map shows every open application.

What this means for you

  • Replacing a window, a door or a gas appliance? You need a permit.
  • Check city or county on the map before you call anyone.
  • Watch the Current Projects Map for anything planned near your home.

Related: who to call at City Hall, Leon County property taxes and moving to Tallahassee.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a permit for home repairs in Tallahassee?

Yes, for any construction, addition, alteration or repair over $7,500 in labor and materials, or any structural work, including replacing windows or doors. Roofing over 100 square feet needs its own permit.

How do I apply for a building permit in Tallahassee?

Online, through the city’s Customer Permit Portal. The city’s permit process is 100% online, from application to plan review to fees.

Do I need a permit for a fence in Tallahassee?

Only for a masonry fence with a footer taller than 2 feet, or any other fence taller than 10 feet, according to the city’s Growth Management FAQ.

How do I find my zoning in Tallahassee?

Type your address into the Tallahassee-Leon County Land Information Map and turn on the Zoning layer. The same map shows whether you are in the city or the county.

How do I schedule a building inspection in Tallahassee?

Through the Customer Permit Portal, or by calling the automated inspection line at 850-891-1800.