Building and Permitting

COVID -19 UpdateS FOR BUILDING 

Face coverings are required for entry and 6-foot social distancing will be enforced.

Building Official Memo on Permitting Operations during COVID-19

PERMIT APPLICATIONS

Monroe County Building Department is open to the public with a phased and changed approach for services. Services will be provided, as indicated below, between 8:30 am and 3:00 pm at the Key Largo Permitting Office, Marathon Permitting Office, Stock Island Office, and Ocean Reef Office. 

A Drop-off and Pick-up system is in place for all offices, accepting all permitting related documents including permit applications, corrections, revisions, and post-issuance related items including but not limited to roof truss plan and permit clarifications.  We will not process the application or other documents when you drop them off. Instead, they will be processed after an overnight “waiting period.” 

All submissions must contain a Transmittal Form

You may also mail your documentation/payment (checks) to the office where your permit is or would be reviewed by plans examiners:

  • Key Largo: 102050 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, FL 33037
  • Marathon: 2798 Overseas Highway, Suite 300, Marathon, FL 33050
  • Stock Island: 5503 College Road, Suite 203, Key West, FL 33040
  • Ocean Reef: 11601 CR 905, Key Largo, FL 33037

Use the MS Excel Fee Estimator to calculate the estimated amount of your payment needed for submittal at drop-off. If the fee amount you submit isn’t exactly correct, this will be adjusted at permit issuance or you will be asked to mail in the difference needed. The estimator tool is found on the Building Permit Fees, Forms and Applications web page.

ISSUANCE OF APPROVED PERMIT APPLICATIONS

Pick-up service is only available for those authorized individuals that have replied to the permit-related County-generated email and provided the location and date they will be present for the pick-up.   

Boxes/ envelopes for pick-up will be identified with the name of the authorized individual, permit number, and pick-up date provided; and placed in a clearly identified area inside each office/building for pick-up.

INSPECTIONS (Select to go to Inspections web page for additional information regarding inspections)

 

The IVR inspection line (305-295-5160) must be used to request an inspection. County inspectors are performing ALL inspections INCLUDING those inside occupied buildings.

  • For both your protection and that of our inspectors, we ask that you use electronic communication and social distancing before and during inspections. Inspectors will call the contact phone # associated with the permit prior to their arrival.  
  • Please have plans ready and open to pertinent pages for all inspections to occur at the site.  
  • Forms and affidavits will not be accepted in the field.  
  • Inspectors may ask for plans, permit conditions, and/or permit cards, to be emailed to them in advance of the inspection.  
  • Inspectors may not sign permit cards.  
  • For items such as AC Change outs, size of the breaker in the panel, a photo may be requested by the inspector.

FLOOD CERTIFICATE OF ELEVATION

Floodplain Management Staff will continue to accept and review electronic copies of Under Construction Elevation Certificates and Final Elevation Certificates for all permits currently applied for or issued

Please note the documents must be provided EXACTLY as noted below: 

  1. All documents must be LEGIBLY scanned in color and sent in PDF format.
  2. All signatures and handwritten dates must be LEGIBLE and in BLUE INK.
  3. For Final Elevation Certificates, any additional required documents (i.e. smart vent product approvals, etc.) must be scanned and attached as part of the submittal.
  4. All electronic submittals must be e-mailed to Karl Bursa, Senior Floodplain Administrator, at bursa-karl@monroecounty-fl.gov.  A confirmation e-mail will be sent when the submittal is received.  
  5. Once the Applicant has e-mailed the submittal, the Applicant must submit the physical copy of the elevation certificate to the Monroe County Building Department’s office via regular mail.  PLEASE NOTE:  THE ORIGINAL COPY OF THE FINAL ELEVATION CERTIFICATE WILL BE REQUIRED TO BE ON FILE PRIOR TO THE ISSUANCE OF ANY CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY.

County staff will make every attempt possible to provide services as staff resources are available for permits with Elevation Certificate requirements.

Please contact Karl Bursa, Senior Floodplain Administrator, at bursa-karl@monroecounty-fl.gov. with any questions or concerns regarding the Elevation Certificate.

6-MONTH PERMIT EXTENSION RELATED TO COVID-19

Governor DeSantis issued Executive Order Number 20-52 on March 9, 2020 declaring a state of emergency because of COVID-19 which allows the Building Official to extend Building Permits and the Planning Director to extend Development Orders.   

All Building Permits and Development Orders active on March 9, 2020 are eligible to receive an additional 6 months to receive a passed inspection (once a passed inspection occurs then the permit would again be subject to the continuing 180-day passed inspection cycle.) 

The permit holder is required to notify the county in writing (email is acceptable) and identify the specific permit/development order of their intent to exercise this extension within 90 days after the termination of the emergency declaration. The termination date will be forwarded once it is known.  

Building Permits, for example, if the permit had an inspection due by April 2 (after March 9,) then the requirement to have that inspection would be extended 6 months to October 2.

Please send Building Permit extension requests to Sebben-Crystal@MonroeCounty-FL.Gov or Monroe County Building Department, 102050 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, FL 33037,  Attn: Crystal Sebben – Permit Extension.

CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY (CO)

Staff will contact those Permit Holders who are ready to receive COs. Contact will primarily be made via email.

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Responsibilities

The Building Department is responsible for administering and enforcing all ordinances applicable to building, construction, blasting, and explosives as defined in the Monroe County Code.

Building officials are charged with administering and ensuring compliance with building codes. They issue building and construction permits and certificates of occupancy and supervise blasting within the county.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Building Department is to protect public health and safety, property, and the environment by providing an efficient, effective, and considerate permitting and code administration system, in accordance with the Monroe County Code and Florida statutes consistent with and furthering the Monroe County Comprehensive Plan.