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Private Provider Fee Reductions

Private Provider Fee Reductions in Florida: What Contractors Should Actually Expect

Yes. Under F.S. 553.791, the building department must reduce the permit fee by its cost savings when a private provider performs plan review or inspections. On commercial projects the reduction is at least 25 or 50 percent of the relevant fee. The dollar result still depends on project type, how much review and inspection scope the private provider handles, and the local fee schedule.

Start a ProjectSee Florida Statute 553.791

553.791

Florida Statute Behind The Framework

25% / 50%

Commercial Fee Minimums Tied To Scope

Scope-Based

Savings Depend On Work Assigned

Local

Jurisdiction Still Controls Implementation

Direct Answer

Do private providers reduce permit-related fees in Florida?

Yes. Under F.S. 553.791, the building department must reduce the permit fee by its cost savings when a private provider handles plan review, inspection, or both. On commercial projects, the fee minimums HB 803 added to F.S. 553.791(2)(d) make the reduction at least 25 or 50 percent of the relevant fee. The dollar result varies with the project type, the scope assigned to the private provider, and each jurisdiction's fee schedule. FCC can perform private-provider plan reviews and virtual inspections and file the Certificate of Compliance when appropriate, but FCC does not pull permits, file permit applications, or file the NTBO.

How To Read It
The Three Parts Contractors Need To Separate

Legal framework

The statute requires a fee reduction. It does not mean every job gets the same dollar amount.

  • F.S. 553.791 is the legal foundation for private-provider plan review and inspection work in Florida.
  • For commercial projects, HB 803 added minimum fee reductions to F.S. 553.791(2)(d), effective July 1, 2026.
  • The accurate contractor-facing claim is that the department must reduce its fee by its cost savings, and the dollar amount depends on qualifying scope and the local fee schedule.

Qualifying scope

Fee treatment depends on what the private provider is actually doing on the project.

  • A private provider may handle plan review, inspections, or both, depending on project scope and workflow.
  • For commercial work, the statute sets different minimum fee reductions depending on whether the private provider handles part of the qualifying scope or all required plan review and inspection services.
  • If the scope is limited, the fee story is limited too. This is why project setup matters.

What still stays local

A private provider can change part of the economics without replacing the building department.

  • The jurisdiction still controls permit intake, permit issuance, and local fee implementation.
  • Your team still handles permit applications and NTBO filing.
  • Jurisdiction-retained items such as zoning, fire, public works, utilities, drainage, and similar local requirements can still affect the total permit timeline and cost.
Comparison
Common Assumptions vs Accurate Fee-Reduction Framing

This page works best when the message stays careful. The statute requires the department to reduce its fee, but it does not promise the same dollar amount on every permit. The goal is to explain what the law requires and how to talk about that accurately.

Does every private-provider job get the same fee reduction?
Common Assumption
Yes, using a private provider always cuts permit fees by the same amount.
Accurate Framing
No. The department must reduce its fee by its cost savings, so the amount depends on project type, qualifying scope, and the local fee schedule.
Is the fee story the same for every project type?
Common Assumption
Yes, residential, commercial, and trade permits all work the same way.
Accurate Framing
No. The 25 and 50 percent figures are the commercial fee minimums HB 803 added to F.S. 553.791(2)(d). Other projects fall under the general cost-savings rule.
What changes the fee treatment most?
Common Assumption
Just hiring any private provider is enough.
Accurate Framing
What matters is how much qualifying plan review and inspection scope the private provider actually handles.
Who controls the final permit fee line item?
Common Assumption
The private provider sets or guarantees the jurisdiction fee outcome.
Accurate Framing
The jurisdiction sets its own fee schedule, but the statute requires it to reduce the permit fee by its cost savings.
Does FCC replace permit filing?
Common Assumption
Yes, the private provider takes over the whole permit process.
Accurate Framing
No. FCC handles private-provider plan reviews and virtual inspections. Your team still files the permit application and NTBO.
What is the safest contractor-facing takeaway?
Common Assumption
Private providers always save you money.
Accurate Framing
The building department must reduce its permit fee by its cost savings when a private provider does the work, and shorter review and inspection delays often improve timeline economics.
Related
Related Resources

HB 803 Florida Guide

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Florida Statute 553.791

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Florida Private Provider

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Building Permit Delays Florida

View Page

Private Provider vs Permit Expediter

View Page

Notice to Building Official

View Page

HB 803 Private Provider Fee Reductions

View Page
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
How much can a private provider reduce permit-related fees in Florida?
The building department must reduce the permit fee by its cost savings. For commercial projects, F.S. 553.791(2)(d), added by HB 803, sets minimums: at least 25 percent of the fee portion tied to plan review or inspection when the private provider handles part of that scope, and at least 50 percent when it performs all required services. The dollar result varies with each fee schedule.
Do private-provider fee reductions apply automatically?
The reduction itself is required: the building department must reduce the permit fee by its cost savings and may not charge for plan review or inspections the private provider performs. The amount is not the same on every project. The project type, the assigned review and inspection scope, and the local fee schedule all matter.
Is this mainly a commercial-project issue?
For the 25 and 50 percent minimums, yes: those apply to commercial projects. Residential and trade contractors still care about the page because they hear broad claims about fee savings. Their projects fall under the general rule that the department must reduce its fee by its cost savings, so the result depends on the local fee schedule, not a fixed percentage.
Does FCC guarantee a specific permit-fee reduction?
No. FCC does not set the building department's fees and should not promise a fixed fee result before the project, scope, and jurisdiction are understood. The accurate position is that Florida law requires the department to reduce its permit fee by its cost savings, with minimums of 25 or 50 percent on commercial projects.
What does FCC do in the fee-reduction workflow?
FCC performs private-provider plan reviews and virtual inspections under F.S. 553.791 and files the Certificate of Compliance when appropriate. FCC does not pull permits, file permit applications, file the NTBO, or replace jurisdiction-retained approvals and inspections.
Should contractors care more about fee reduction or schedule reduction?
Usually both, but schedule savings are often easier to feel immediately. Even where fee treatment is limited or project-specific, faster plan reviews and inspections can still reduce carrying costs, crew downtime, and repeat trips.

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