★ Brightview Homes · Reference

Building Permit Timelines by City in Central Florida

Which office permits a new home in each city we build in, and how long it takes.

★ The short answer

A new single-family home in Central Florida is permitted by the city if the lot sits inside city limits, and by the county if it does not. Across the 31 cities Brightview builds in, permitting takes 6–12 weeks from application to issued permit, and construction runs 7–9 months after that.

★ City by city

Who permits your home, by city

The office named here is the one that reviews a new single-family home on a lot inside that city. A parcel with the same mailing address but outside city limits is permitted by the county instead — the parcel decides it, not the address.

CityCountyPermitted throughTypical permit window
MelbourneBrevard CountyCity of Melbourne Building Department6–12 weeks *
Palm BayBrevard CountyCity of Palm Bay Building Division6–12 weeks *
TitusvilleBrevard CountyCity of Titusville Building Department6–12 weeks *
Palm CoastFlagler CountyCity of Palm Coast Building Division6–12 weeks *
ClermontLake CountyCity of Clermont Building Services6–12 weeks *
EustisLake CountyCity of Eustis Building Department6–12 weeks *
GrovelandLake CountyCity of Groveland Building Department6–12 weeks *
LeesburgLake CountyCity of Leesburg Building Department6–12 weeks *
Mount DoraLake CountyCity of Mount Dora Building Department6–12 weeks *
ApopkaOrange CountyCity of Apopka Community Development Department6–12 weeks
OcoeeOrange CountyCity of Ocoee Building Department6–12 weeks *
OrlandoOrange CountyCity of Orlando Permitting Services6–12 weeks *
Winter GardenOrange CountyCity of Winter Garden Building Department6–12 weeks *
Winter ParkOrange Countythe City of Winter Park's Code Enforcement & Permitting Services8–14 weeks
CelebrationOsceola CountyOsceola County Development Review6–12 weeks *
KissimmeeOsceola CountyCity of Kissimmee Building Division6–12 weeks *
PoincianaOsceola CountyOsceola County Development Review6–12 weeks *
St. CloudOsceola CountyCity of St. Cloud Building Department6–12 weeks *
DavenportPolk CountyCity of Davenport Building Department6–12 weeks *
Haines CityPolk CountyCity of Haines City Building Department6–12 weeks *
LakelandPolk CountyCity of Lakeland Building Inspection Division6–12 weeks *
Winter HavenPolk CountyCity of Winter Haven Building Department6–12 weeks *
Lake MarySeminole CountyCity of Lake Mary Building Department6–10 weeks
LongwoodSeminole CountyCity of Longwood Building Department6–12 weeks *
OviedoSeminole CountyCity of Oviedo Development Services Department6–10 weeks
SanfordSeminole CountyCity of Sanford Building Department6–10 weeks
Daytona BeachVolusia CountyCity of Daytona Beach Building Division6–12 weeks *
DeLandVolusia CountyCity of DeLand Building Department6–12 weeks *
DeltonaVolusia CountyCity of Deltona Building Department6–12 weeks *
New Smyrna BeachVolusia CountyCity of New Smyrna Beach Building Department6–12 weeks *
Port OrangeVolusia CountyCity of Port Orange Building Department6–12 weeks *

Last updated 2026-09-02. Windows marked * are the 6–12 week range Brightview sees across that county; the other 5 are windows we track for that city specifically. These are our own build experience, not a published municipal service standard, and they exclude time spent in revisions. Fee schedules and review queues change.

★ What moves the timeline

Why one city takes longer than another

  • Design review. Winter Park reviews new construction and accessory structures for architectural compatibility, which adds weeks a neighbouring city does not.
  • HOA architectural review. Where a subdivision has one, it runs before the city will accept the permit application — typically another 2–4 weeks.
  • Septic vs sewer. A septic parcel adds a county health department review that a sewered lot never sees.
  • Flood and coastal. Near-coast parcels in Volusia, Brevard and Flagler carry wind-load and sometimes flood-zone review on top of the standard set.
  • Unincorporated parcels. County review is often faster than a city’s, but the impact fees are the same and HOA covenants still apply.
★ Straight answers

Permit questions

Who issues the building permit for a new home in Central Florida?+

The city, if the lot sits inside city limits, and the county if it does not. A Deltona address is permitted by the City of Deltona Building Department; an unincorporated Volusia address goes to Volusia County Building & Zoning. The mailing address does not decide it — the parcel does.

How long does a new-home building permit take in Central Florida?+

Typically 6–12 weeks from application to issued permit across the eight counties Brightview builds in. Winter Park runs longer, 8–14 weeks, because accessory and new-construction plans go through design review. Lake Mary, Oviedo and Sanford typically run 6–10 weeks.

How long does the house take to build once the permit is issued?+

Roughly 7–9 months of construction for a production plan. Lot work — clearing, fill, septic or utility taps — can add time on an unimproved parcel, which is why Brightview quotes it separately rather than averaging it into the plan price.

Do I have to pull the permit myself?+

No. Brightview files the application, pays the impact and tap fees, and carries every inspection through certificate of occupancy.

Are impact fees included in the price?+

Yes. Every plan price Brightview publishes includes that county's impact and tap fees, which is not the industry norm — most builders quote a base price and bill fees separately at permit. See the cost-to-build page for the county-by-county breakdown.

★ Keep going

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