How to demolish a house in DeLand, FL
In DeLand, residential demolition permits are issued by the City of DeLand Building Department (application: Demolition record type in the Accela Citizen Portal ("Demolition, Reducing the Existing Square Footage" checklist)). If the house is a designated landmark or sits in a local historic district, review by the DeLand Historic Preservation Board (recommends); DeLand City Commission (decides demolition) comes first.
Demolition permit steps in DeLand
Step 1
Confirm the building's age. Demolition of a building in a designated historic district, a designated historic building, or a building constructed before 1950 needs Historic Preservation Board review and City Commission approval first (LDR Sec. 33-35).
Step 2
Contact Utility Billing (386-626-7051) about sewer and water meter removal and fees.
Step 3
Start a new application in the Accela Citizen Portal, select Demolition as the record type, and complete the owner builder questionnaire.
Step 4
Upload attachments (certificate of insurance, plans, surveys, Notice of Commencement over $5,000, etc.).
Step 5
Submit and pay the application submittal fee; review begins after payment.
Documents DeLand asks for
| Document | What it is |
|---|---|
| Owner/Builder Disclosure form | Signed and notarized in office, if applicable. [2] |
| Workers' compensation exemption or certificate | Updated, certified to the City of DeLand, uploaded with the application. [2] |
| Square footage and current use of the building | Must be indicated. [2] |
| Site plan showing structure(s) to be removed | [2] |
| Rodent Abatement Certificate | [2] |
| Asbestos testing and abatement | As required. [2] |
| Well and septic status information | Abandonment permits may be required. [2] |
| Fixture count | Mandatory if credits are requested for future construction. [2] |
| Notice of Commencement | Upload for work over $5,000. [4] |
If the house is historic in DeLand
Who reviews it: DeLand Historic Preservation Board (recommends); DeLand City Commission (decides demolition).
When it applies
- Building or structure in a designated historic district (LDR Sec. 33-35.01).
- Designated historic building or structure on the local register (LDR Sec. 33-35.01).
- Any building or structure constructed prior to 1950 (LDR Sec. 33-35.01).
- The city's demolition checklist separately states City Commission approval is required for all structures 50 years and older (see notes).
How the review works
- No demolition permit is issued until the applicant shows no other feasible alternative to demolition can be found (Sec. 33-35.01(a)).
- File the demolition application and demolition plan with the building department (application through the Accela Citizen Portal).
- Confer with the historic resource coordinator; a pre-application conference with the Board may be held at the applicant's request.
- The coordinator places a complete application on the Historic Preservation Board agenda within 30 days.
- Notice 7 to 30 days before the meeting: written notice to the applicant and requesters, plus a newspaper ad or a posted sign at least 22 by 28 inches within ten feet of the right of way, one per 200 feet of road frontage.
- Board holds the hearing and forwards a recommendation to the City Commission.
- City Commission approves, approves with conditions, delays 30 to 60 days for more information, or denies.
- An approved demolition expires 12 months after issuance if work has not started, unless extended by the Commission.
What the board can ask for
- Written description or graphic display of the buildings or portions to be demolished.
- Description of the means of demolition.
- Expected start date.
- Estimated number of days to complete demolition and debris removal; demolition, cleanup and any regrading and revegetation may not exceed 100 working days.
- Plans for redevelopment; demolition without definitive redevelopment plans is discouraged.
- Other plans, photographs or reports the historic resource coordinator, Board or Commission requests.
Demolition delay: City Commission may delay approval 30 to 60 days to request additional information (LDR Sec. 33-35.01(b)7).
Utilities, asbestos, septic and trees in DeLand
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 DeLand?
Yes. Residential demolition in DeLand is permitted through the City of DeLand Building Department.
Who can pull a demolition permit in DeLand?
Licensed contractors must be registered with Volusia County to receive a City of DeLand permit. An owner doing the work must answer yes to Owner Builder and come into the office to have the owner/builder form signed and notarized.
What if my house is historic in DeLand?
If the house is a local landmark or in a local historic district, DeLand Historic Preservation Board (recommends); DeLand City Commission (decides demolition) reviews the demolition before a permit can issue. City Commission may delay approval 30 to 60 days to request additional information (LDR Sec. 33-35.01(b)7).
Do I need an asbestos survey to demolish a house in DeLand?
City checklist lists asbestos testing and abatement as required. see the Florida rules on our residential demolition page for the FDEP notice rule.
Can Brightview handle the demolition in DeLand?
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.
- DeLand Building Permits
https://www.deland.org/191/Building-Permits - DeLand Demolition checklist (Reducing the Existing Square Footage)
https://www.deland.org/DocumentCenter/View/313/Demolition-PDF - DeLand Demolition General Requirement
https://www.deland.org/DocumentCenter/View/312/Demolition-General-Requirement-PDF - DeLand Creating a Demolition Permit Application
https://www.deland.org/DocumentCenter/View/353/Creating-a-Demolition-Application-PDF - DeLand Demolition of Historic Structures
https://delandfl.gov/700/Demolition-of-Historic-Structures - DeLand Historic Preservation Board
https://deland.org/502/Historic-Preservation-Board - DeLand Code Ch. 33 LDR, Secs. 33-34 and 33-35 (Municode)
https://library.municode.com/fl/deland/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH33LADERE - DeLand Demolition of structures constructed prior to 1950 (older city PDF)
https://deland.org/DocumentCenter/View/554/Demolition-Rules-and-Regulations-PDF - https://aca-prod.accela.com/deland/Default.aspx
https://aca-prod.accela.com/deland/Default.aspx
What we could not confirm in published sources
Ask the building department about these before you plan around them.
- Demolition permit fee and the historic demolition review fee.
- Whether the 'prior to 1950' code trigger or the checklist's '50 years and older' wording controls.
- Map of DeLand's designated historic districts.
- City tree removal requirements for a demolition site.
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- Residential Demolition