Guide

Wind and code basics (FBC)

Florida builds under one statewide code, the Florida Building Code (FBC), maintained by the Florida Building Commission. Local building departments review plans and inspect work against it.

Basics

• Design wind loads come from the FBC and depend on your exact site; your engineer of record calculates them. This guide doesn't quote wind speeds.
• Steel and wood homes go through the same permit and inspection process. PLAD Homes, for example, describes its steel homes as site-built under the FBC with local inspections.
• Unincorporated areas use the county building department; most cities run their own. See the county pages.
• Structural work isn't covered by Florida's new HB 803 permit exemptions, as Osceola County explains.

Owner-builders

Rules differ by county. Brevard County, for instance, requires owner-builders to apply in person.

Sources

• https://floridabuilding.org/c/default.aspx
• https://www.osceola.org/Doing-Business/Building-and-Permits
• https://www.brevardfl.gov/PlanningAndDevelopment/BuildingPermits/BrevardCountyBuildingPermits

Sources checked 2026-10-14.