2026 Legislative Session Highlights

Because builders often work across multiple cities and counties, the wide variation in local building permit forms can create confusion and delays. Application resubmittals and denials slow down projects and increase costs, which is why HB 803 was introduced to create a more standardized and streamlined permitting process.

This Bill:

• Directs the Florida Building Commission to create a uniform building permit application for both residential and commercial construction.
• Exempts permitting requirements on projects costing $7,500 or less, excluding areas in flood zones and projects relating to structural, electrical, or plumbing.
• Extends the expiration of single-family dwelling building permits to 1 year or until the next Florida Building Code edition, whichever is later, and allows local governments to grant further extensions.
• Prohibits charging fees for inspections in excess of actual costs of the inspection.

HB 803 also addresses the use of private providers in the building inspection process. This bill prohibits local governments from discouraging the use of private providers and supports the continued role of private providers while establishing clear guidelines to ensure safety and accountability.

• Prohibits officials from charging punitive, administrative, or additional fees when an owner uses a private provider.
• Removes previous restrictions and now allows property owners the choice to use a private provider at any time after construction has commenced.
• Improves building timelines by forbidding duplicative review by a local building official of construction documents that have been determined by a private provider to be compliant with the applicable codes.

This bill is meant to bring relief to unnecessary building delays by fixing long wait times for septic tank permits, which can take more than 100 days in some areas and hold up the entire homebuilding process. HB 589 would allow a builder to get a building permit for a single-family home as long as they’ve applied for the septic permit. This legislation also creates a transition period before new advanced technology or regulatory requirements kick in, giving builders time to adjust without disrupting existing contracts.

This Bill:

• Allows building permits to be issued once a builder or applicant provides proof that they have applied for a Septic Tank (Onsite Sewage Treatment and Disposal System, or OSTDS) permit.
• Establishes that newly adopted rules for onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems do not apply to permit applications submitted within 90 days of such rules being adopted.

How local governments collect and spend fees is always under scrutiny, from overall budgets to impact fees. HB 1329 increases transparency by requiring final budgets to be posted on a countywide public website. The bill also addresses the definition of “extraordinary circumstances,” which has been used to justify impact fee increases far above statutory caps. To improve predictability, HB 1329 sets stricter standards for adopting or raising impact fees, including requiring a plan-based methodology and limiting how much fees can increase under those claims.

This Bill:

• Requires counties and municipalities to post tentative budgets online at least 5 days before public hearings, and final budgets must remain posted for at least 5 years.
• Creates new definitions of “impact fee” and “plan-based methodology,” and states how impact fees may be spent.
• Defines “extraordinary circumstances” and caps impact fee increases under that designation at 100% over a four-year period.

SB 848 creates a system that helps builders meet the stricter stormwater requirements passed in recent legislative sessions by allowing them to purchase credits from approved projects that improve water quality elsewhere. When these credits are used, the responsibility for meeting those standards shifts from the builder to the entity that created the credits. The bill also directs the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to finalize rules, while allowing projects to move forward in the meantime through temporary permits so credits remain available.

This Bill:

• Allows builders to use water quality credits to meet stormwater requirements, and the responsibility for compliance shifts to the company that generated the credits.
• Provides more credit options to meet regulations, including using regional systems or alternative treatment methods when site conditions make compliance difficult.
• Increases the availability of credits by allowing temporary approvals now, helping builders comply with stricter stormwater rules without delaying projects.

This bill helps builders move projects forward faster by streamlining the development permitting process and reducing delays at the local level. It requires larger local governments to offer preapplication meetings, sets clear deadlines for approvals, and allows qualified third-party contractors to assist with reviews to keep projects on track. It also adds accountability by requiring refunds when deadlines are missed and ensures builders can begin work earlier in the process under certain conditions.

Key Points:

• Requires local governments to offer preapplication consultations with set timelines, with automatic approval if deadlines are not met.
• Allows qualified contractors to assist with permit reviews and creates a registry to help supplement local government staff and reduce bottlenecks.
• Expands options for faster permitting, including issuing some building permits before final plat approval and preventing unnecessary delays tied to infrastructure completion.

Throughout the session, the FHBA legislative team worked closely and constructively with stakeholders to address provisions that could have unintended consequences on the building industry.

FHBA Advocacy Included:

• Collaborating with the Department of Agriculture and the Senate sponsor to help reach a workable agreement on prompt payment issues.
• Protecting key policies like SB 180, passed in the 2025 Legislative Session, that support rebuilding efforts after hurricanes and prevent local moratoriums.
• Working to improve the language of proposals that would have created significant challenges for builders, including overly stringent wind speed requirements for new construction.
• Helping ensure harmful legislation did not advance when proposed changes would have imposed unnecessary burdens on the industry.
• Engaging with stakeholders and bill sponsors in good-faith discussions to better communicate the realities facing Florida’s home building industry.