Owner-Builder Permit Info

Owner- Builder Permitting

The City of Niceville’s Building Department is here to support your building ideas and help foster the community’s preservation, growth, and development.

We encourage you to reach out to us before starting any improvements or changes to your property. Our team can guide you through potential requirements and assist at each stage of your project to ensure a smooth process and compliance with City Codes and the Florida Building Code.

Qualifying

Per Florida State Statutes Chapter 489.103 (7)(a), owners may pull permits for their project as long as they meet the following requirements:

For residential properties (one- and two- family buildings), you must intend to use the property as your personal residence for at least one year after completion of your project. You may not build or alter such residence for sale or lease. 

For commercial properties that are for your personal business use only and are not for sale or lease, you may pull permits as the business owner on projects up to $75,000 in cost, However, the building must be owned in your name. An LLC is not accepted as an owner-builder. 

Jurisdiction

The first step in the permit process is confirming that your property is located within the City of Niceville’s jurisdiction. Keep in mind that even if your mailing address says “Niceville,” your property may still be outside the city limits in Okaloosa County or another nearby jurisdiction.

To verify, please use the City Limits Map in the Niceville GIS Map Gallery. Simply enter your property address—if your property is inside City limits, it will appear in pink on the map.

If your property is located in Okaloosa County, please contact their Growth Management Department at (850) 651-7180 for assistance.

Documents

Permits require specific documents in order to be approved. 

All owner-builder permits require the owner to complete an Owner Builder Exemption Affidavit.

Some projects may require you to provide a copy of engineered drawings.  

Projects with construction costs over $5,000 ($15,000 for HVAC changeouts) require a Notice of Commencement.

Please note this must be recorded with Okaloosa County prior to us receiving a copy. 

Other required documents may be found on our Building Department page.

For more information, please contact the Building Division.

Plan Review

Projects that include engineered drawings, site plans, or similar documents require a plan review before a permit can be issued. This review typically takes about 1–2 weeks, depending on the scope of work and which departments need to be involved.

During the review, staff will provide you with comments and updates—letting you know if your project is approved as submitted, if revisions are needed, or if additional documents must be provided.

Payment

Payments are processed via credit card through the City's Municipal Online Payments portal. 

If you need to pay in person, you can visit City Hall Utility Billing Department located at 208 Partin Drive N., Monday through Friday, 8:15AM to 4:30PM.

Requirements

For help with permit requirements, please contact the Building Department. Our staff will walk you through the process.

Inspections

To request an inspection, please email or call the Building Department. Once your inspection is complete, we will email you the results. If corrections are required, you can address them on-site and then contact us again to schedule a re-inspection.

Beware of the dangers of working with an Unlicensed Contractor

Be aware of unlicensed contractors. Protect yourself and your property—verify your contractor is licensed. To verify a license, submit a complaint, or report unlicensed activity, visit Florida DBPR’s Report Unlicensed Activity page.

Please find informational flyers below from the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulations (DBPR):

Risks of pulling an Owner-Builder Permit

Construction Licensing tips

Trust, but Verify Contractor Licensing

What maintenance repairs require a state-licensed contractor?