How to demolish a house in Lake Wales, FL
In Lake Wales, residential demolition permits are issued by the City of Lake Wales Building Department (application: Demolition Permit Application (with instructions and Asbestos Notification Statement)). If the house is a designated landmark or sits in a local historic district, review by the Historic District Regulatory Board comes first.
Demolition permit steps in Lake Wales
Step 1
If the property is in a designated historic district, obtain a Certificate of Appropriateness for demolition first; no demolition permit may issue without it or an exemption verification (Code sec. 23-227.1(c)).
Step 2
If there is a septic tank, obtain the separate abandonment permit from the Polk County Health Department before the demolition permit is issued.
Step 3
Submit the demolition application, site plan (not needed if all structures are being demolished), asbestos disclosure statement and recorded Notice of Commencement to PERMITTING@LAKEWALESFL.GOV.
Step 4
The building department processes the application and obtains the required disconnects; utility connections are discontinued and capped per each provider's rules.
Step 5
Permit is reviewed, approved and issued; it expires in 180 days.
Step 6
After demolition, request a final inspection to close the permit.
Documents Lake Wales asks for
| Document | What it is |
|---|---|
| Demolition permit application | Utility sign-off table: Frontier, Duke Energy, Central Florida Gas, City of Lake Wales Utilities (water and sewer), Lake Wales Reclamation, NOC (Polk County Clerk), Building Official. [1] |
| Site plan | Not required if all structures on the site are to be demolished. [1] |
| Asbestos Disclosure statement | F.S. 469.003 notification; owner-builder exemption disclosure under FBC 8th Edition 105.3.6. [1] |
| Recorded Notice of Commencement | Listed as a required document. [1] |
If the house is historic in Lake Wales
Who reviews it: Historic District Regulatory Board.
When it applies
- Property in a designated (locally adopted) historic district; a certificate of appropriateness is required before demolition or removal of a significant exterior feature (sec. 23-227.1(a)(2), marked "Demolition delay only").
How the review works
- Pre-application conference with the administrative official is required for new construction, additions or exterior alterations, and may be requested for other work (sec. 23-227.2(a)).
- Apply on the city Certificate of Appropriateness Application with the fee per Table 23-242 (sec. 23-227.2(b)).
- Staff determines completeness within ten working days (sec. 23-227.3.a(1)), then forwards to the board with a report.
- Board holds a public hearing (sec. 23-227.3.b). Board meets 3rd Thursday of the month as called, 5:15 p.m., 201 W. Central Avenue.
- For demolition, the board may only delay issuance, up to 60 days, to explore alternatives including relocation; the City Commission may grant one more 60 day delay on the board's request. A demolition certificate shall not be denied (sec. 23-227.3.b(2)).
- Delay decision is guided by sec. 23-653.3 criteria: historic or architectural significance, importance to the district, difficulty of reproduction, last remaining example, definite reuse plans, whether reasonable measures can save it from collapse, and whether it can earn a reasonable economic return.
- Appeals under sec. 23-244 (sec. 23-227.4).
What the board can ask for
- Project narrative.
- Reduced site plan (8.5 by 11).
- Photos of the existing building or site (required for all projects).
- Renderings of proposed work (form says required for all projects).
- Other information requested by the Administrative Official (sec. 23-227.2(b)).
Demolition delay: Up to 60 days by the Historic District Regulatory Board, plus one additional 60 days by the City Commission at the board's request; demolition certificate cannot be denied (sec. 23-227.3.b(2)).
Relocation, salvage and donation: Relocation is an alternative to be explored during the demolition delay (sec. 23-227.3.b(2)). No salvage or donation rule found.
Utilities, asbestos, septic and trees in Lake Wales
The office that issues it
State rules apply on top of the local ones
The asbestos notice, septic and well abandonment, owner-builder limits and the Notice of Commencement come from state law. See the Florida rules that apply to every demolition.
Straight answers
Do I need a permit to demolish a house in Lake Wales?
Yes. Residential demolition in Lake Wales is permitted through the City of Lake Wales Building Department. Fee: Ordinance 2025-20 (as presented on a city agenda item) sets Demolition Permit $121.50 for demolition of any building or structure; adoption not confirmed. Starting work without a permit: 100% of the usual fee or $238.03, whichever is greater, for second and subsequent violations..
Who can pull a demolition permit in Lake Wales?
Demolition contractor (license number on form) or owner; owner and applicant signatures are notarized. Owner-builder asbestos exemption requires the owner to personally appear and sign.
What if my house is historic in Lake Wales?
If the house is a local landmark or in a local historic district, Historic District Regulatory Board reviews the demolition before a permit can issue. Up to 60 days by the Historic District Regulatory Board, plus one additional 60 days by the City Commission at the board's request; demolition certificate cannot be denied (sec. 23-227.3.b(2)).
Do I need an asbestos survey to demolish a house in Lake Wales?
Asbestos Notification Statement required (F.S. 469.003); owner-builder exemption for owner-occupied residential building not for sale or lease (FBC 8th Edition 105.3.6).
Can Brightview handle the demolition in Lake Wales?
Yes. Brightview Homes (CRC1334100) pulls the permit under its Florida contractor license and runs the asbestos survey and notice, utility disconnects, historic documentation when it applies, tear-down, haul-off and final inspection. Demolition is quoted per job, typically $12,000 to $24,000.
Where this comes from
Every fact on this page comes from the official sources below, read on the date shown. Rules change; the building department has the final word.
- Lake Wales Demolition Permit Application
https://lakewalesfl.gov/DocumentCenter/View/4267/Demolition-Permit-Application - Lake Wales Code sec. 23-227 Certificate of appropriateness (eLaws, current through Ord. 2023-17)
https://lakewales.elaws.us/code/23-227 - Lake Wales Code sec. 23-653
https://lakewales.elaws.us/code/23-653 - Lake Wales Code sec. 23-652 Criteria for historic designations
https://lakewales.elaws.us/code/23-652 - Historic District Regulatory Board
https://www.lakewalesfl.gov/206/Historic-District-Regulatory-Board - Certificate of Appropriateness Application
https://www.lakewalesfl.gov/DocumentCenter/View/4523/Certificate-of-Appropriateness-Application - Ordinance 2025-20 (agenda item, fee schedule)
https://www.lakewalesfl.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/16204?fileID=20713 - https://lakewales.elaws.us/code/23-214
https://lakewales.elaws.us/code/23-214
What we could not confirm in published sources
Ask the building department about these before you plan around them.
- Names and map of designated historic districts not found on an official page; a 2026 agenda item refers to a Downtown Historic Overlay District, not read.
- Sec. 23-227 points to sec. 23-652 for demolition criteria, but the criteria appear at sec. 23-653.3 on eLaws; eLaws text is current through Ord. 2023-17, so later amendments are possible.
- Whether Ordinance 2025-20 (demolition fee $121.50) was adopted.
- COA fee amount (Table 23-242) not read.
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- Residential Demolition