Commercial services

Permits and code on the Space Coast

The material below is public information about how tenant improvements, commercial renovations and repairs are permitted in Brevard County and Orlando. It describes agencies and published requirements, not any one contractor. Each statement links to the page that supports it; fees, forms and portals change, so confirm them with the department.

How is a tenant improvement permitted in Melbourne?

The City of Melbourne’s Building Section handles permitting, plan review and inspections for building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing codes, and its FAQ lists tenant build-outs and new commercial buildings among the projects that typically need a permit. The city runs permits and inspections through an online system and states that plans are reviewed in the order received (Melbourne Building Section, Melbourne building FAQ). Its fee schedule bases the construction permit fee on estimated construction cost, so the value stated on the application matters.

What about commercial space in unincorporated Brevard County?

Brevard County issues commercial building and development permits for unincorporated areas, and its permit page notes that applicable commercial permits carry Fire Prevention Review fees that increased on October 1, 2025. Online permitting there is limited to licensed contractors (Brevard County building permits). A tenant should confirm the property’s jurisdiction before assuming the county is the permitting body, using the Taxing District on the property appraiser’s record as the county’s FAQ describes (permit FAQ).

Are there other Brevard departments that matter for a buildout?

Each city keeps its own. Palm Bay publishes commercial permit forms and an online portal, including an option for commercial foundation-only permits that lets early work start while full review continues, at the applicant’s own risk and only after the building permit application has been submitted first or at the same time (Palm Bay). Cocoa Beach’s Development Services Department accepts building permits through an online portal, and the city states that the property owner, not the contractor, is ultimately responsible for obtaining the permit (Cocoa Beach Development Services). Indian Harbour Beach posts commercial permit checklists alongside its building application forms (Indian Harbour Beach Building Department).

How does a tenant improvement work in Orlando?

The City of Orlando offers a program called Permitting Express for small commercial projects, with a shortened review and a designated review team, and commercial interior projects of 5,000 square feet or less are eligible. Its permit pages also describe a temporary certificate of occupancy for commercial projects, which lets a space open before final inspection, and note that Florida law lets owners use private providers for plan review and inspection services (City of Orlando, Get a Permit for Your Business).

Which code governs commercial alterations statewide?

The Florida Building Code is adopted by the Florida Building Commission under Part IV of Chapter 553, Florida Statutes, and enforced by state and local government agencies (Chapter 553, Florida Statutes). The Florida Building Code Online site publishes the current text and the product approval system (Florida Building Code Online).

What happens at inspection and handover?

Melbourne states that the permit holder is responsible for scheduling required inspections before moving to the next phase of work, and that plan check is charged as a share of the base permit fee (Melbourne Building Section). Indian Harbour Beach’s Building Official handles inspections and certificates of occupancy (Indian Harbour Beach Building Department). Orlando’s temporary certificate of occupancy exists for commercial projects that need to open before every final inspection is complete (City of Orlando permits).

What if work begins before the permit is issued?

Melbourne warns that work started without a permit can lead to higher costs, delays or removal of the work (Melbourne building FAQ). Cocoa Beach says an owner may be cited when work starts without a permit (Cocoa Beach Development Services). For a tenant, that makes the landlord and the property owner part of the permitting conversation from the beginning, since the owner carries the responsibility.

Do products need approval?

Palm Bay’s forms for windows, doors, shutters and garage doors require product approvals and a floor plan showing where each unit goes, and the state’s product approval system is part of the Florida Building Code Online site (Palm Bay, Florida Building Code Online). A storefront or entry replacement in Melbourne, Palm Bay or Satellite Beach is therefore a permitted product decision, not only a finish decision.

Which Brevard towns publish their own commercial guidance?

Several do. Indian Harbour Beach posts commercial permit checklists, Melbourne explains tenant build-outs in its building FAQ, and Palm Bay lists commercial foundation-only permits among its forms (Indian Harbour Beach commercial checklists, Melbourne building FAQ, Palm Bay). A checklist is the most direct way to learn which drawings, product approvals and trade permits a department expects with a commercial application, and each one should be read as of the day it is downloaded because departments revise them.