HB 803 Is Now Law: What Changed for Pool, HVAC, Window, and Generator Contractors

If you install pools, HVAC systems, windows and doors, generators, or any other single-trade work on Florida homes, the way you get permits has already changed. Governor DeSantis signed Florida House Bill 803 into law on May 6, 2026, and it took effect on July 1, 2026. The law delivers something Florida single-trade contractors have wanted for years: predictable permit timelines and faster inspections without sacrificing code compliance.

The 5-Business-Day Permit Deadline

Under HB 803, when you use a Florida private provider for single-trade plans review on single-family or two-family dwellings, the local building department has just 5 business days to review the plans or issue the permit. If they miss that deadline, the permit is deemed approved as a matter of law and must be issued the next business day.

Five business days. That is the floor in Florida today.

For single-trade contractors, this is a fundamental change. No more chasing the building department for status updates. No more half-days lost to permit pickups. No more explaining to the homeowner why the install is delayed by two weeks for a permit that should have taken hours of actual review work. The shotclock is the law, and the deemed-approval consequence gives it teeth.

Why This Matters for Your Single-Trade Business

Most single-trade contractors run on volume. You depend on a steady cadence of jobs to keep crews busy and revenue coming in. When permits stall, jobs stall, crews sit idle, and customers wait. HB 803 cuts the variable that has historically been the hardest to control.

For pool contractors juggling 30 jobs at a time across multiple counties, faster permits mean faster starts. For HVAC contractors replacing systems on tight timelines, they mean keeping the customer cool. For window and door contractors who depend on tight install schedules to manage product delivery, they mean fewer scheduling reshuffles. For generator installers working ahead of hurricane season, they mean getting ahead of the rush.

How Florida Private Provider Inspections Work for Single-Trade Contractors

Tew & Taylor handles plans review and final inspection through our virtual platform. You upload your project documents, we complete the plans review within hours, and our inspector handles the final inspection by video. The local building department issues the permit and accepts our certified inspection report. You never set foot in the building department.

For single-trade work, the workflow is even simpler than commercial. We are licensed under Florida Statute 553.791 to perform the plans review and inspections in place of the local building department, on the same Florida Building Code that they use. The framework has been in place for over two decades, and HB 803 strengthened every part of it.

What Is Already in Force

Three things that have applied since July 1:

1. The 5-business-day shotclock applies to any single-trade single-family or two-family permit application that uses a private provider. Deemed approval is automatic if the deadline is missed.
2. Commercial permit fees now carry statutory floors. A local enforcement agency must reduce the fee by at least 25 percent of the portion attributable to plans review or inspection services when a private provider handles part of that scope, and by at least 50 percent when a private provider handles all of it. An agency that fails to apply at least those percentages forfeits the ability to collect any fees for the project. This applies to single-trade work on commercial projects, including apartment buildings, hotels, and mixed-use developments. For pure residential single-trade work, the timeline benefit is the headline change.
3. Local building departments cannot charge separate plans review or inspection fees when a private provider is performing those services, and they cannot charge punitive administrative fees for using one. Those are statewide statutory prohibitions.

Virtual Inspections Are Now Protected by Statute

One change went almost unreported. A local enforcement agency may not prohibit or limit a private provider from using virtual inspections, unless a virtual inspection is prohibited by an applicable code. If a jurisdiction has been telling you it does not accept video inspections, that position no longer has a legal basis.

Get Started With Tew & Taylor

If you are a single-trade contractor working anywhere in Florida and you are not already using a private provider, now is the time to start. Tew & Taylor offers virtual plan review and inspection services for pool, HVAC, window and door, generator, roofing, electrical, plumbing, and other single-trade contractors across Florida, with offices in West Palm Beach, Tampa, Orlando, and Jacksonville.