Sec. 320.402. - Application for permit.

(a) If, in the opinion of the Building Official, the valuation of building, alteration, structure, electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing systems appears to be underestimated on the application, the permit shall be denied, unless the applicant can show detailed estimates to meet the approval of the Building Official. Permit valuations shall include total cost, such as electrical, gas, mechanical, plumbing equipment and other systems, including materials and labor based on fair market value. (b) The qualifications of an applicant shall be determined as follows: (1) Except as provided in subsections (b)(2) and (3) of this Section, an application for a permit shall be accepted from and a permit may be issued only to a contractor who is qualified to perform the kind of work included in the particular permit for which application is made. Where applicable, the contractor shall be qualified by holding a current certificate of competency issued by the Construction Trades Qualifying Board pursuant to Chapter 342 and shall be registered with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, or hold a current certificate of competency issued pursuant to F.S. Ch. 489. Only a general, building or residential contractor (as defined in F.S. Ch. 489) who holds a current certificate of competency issued pursuant to F.S. Ch. 489 or who was registered pursuant thereto prior to September 17, 1973 or under a file number lower than RG0015500 shall be deemed to meet the qualification requirements of this Part as applied to general, building or residential contractors. Only a roofing contractor, commercial pool, residential pool or swimming pool service contractor who holds a current certificate of competency issued pursuant to F.S. Ch. 489, or who was registered pursuant thereto prior to the April 15, 1985 (or August 4, 1987 for a roofing contractor), or a commercial pool, residential pool or swimming pool service contractor who held a local occupational license as such as of April 15, 1985, shall be deemed to meet the qualification requirements of this Part as applied to a roofing contractor or commercial pool, residential pool or swimming pool service contractors; provided, however, in order for a roofing contractor, who is registered pursuant to F.S. Ch. 489, to obtain a permit after August 4, 1987, he shall be required to obtain the same types and amounts of insurance coverage as are required for a certified roofing contractor under the Florida Statutes and shall submit satisfactory proof of such insurance at the time the permit is requested. The insurance company providing such insurance shall notify the Chief at least 15 days in advance of the lapse or cancellation of any such insurance policy. Certified general contractors having a file number of CG007837 or less may be granted roofing permits without meeting the provisions herein contained if they are prequalified as both general and roofing contractors by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation under such file numbers. Where a master craftsman, qualifying agent or other person is specifically required by law to supervise or perform the work to be included under the permit, the application shall be signed by this person. (2) A maintenance craftsman may obtain a permit for work to be done by him where the work is in the same category as the craftsman certificate held by the maintenance craftsman and where the work is limited to the maintenance and minor repairs to systems, apparatus and equipment, provided the work is limited to the premises at one location or one address owned or occupied by his employer. (3) Stand Alone active permits of all trades and Base Building active permits that have gone over 180 days without an approved inspection will be suspended. Suspended permits may be reactivated for a maximum of an additional 180 days upon a showing of just cause and payment of a reactivation fee as found in www.coj.net/fees . The Building Inspection Division shall not accept applications for permit from contractors who have more than four suspended permits until such time as the contractor has reactivated all of the suspended permits, and the contractor's qualifier has appeared in person at the Building Inspection Division Office and paid a Reinstatement Fee as found in www.coj.net/fees . The Reinstatement Fee shall be separate from and in addition to any fees paid for reactivation of suspended permits. The provisions of this subsection may be waived by the Chief upon a showing of good cause. (c) An application for a permit may be accepted from a contractor, however, no permit shall be issued for a use which requires a certificate of use, without first obtaining a valid certificate of use for the proposed use. (d) In addition to the foregoing procedures, the following procedures shall further govern applications for sign permits required under Chapters 320 and 326: (1) No person shall apply for a sign permit unless he or she first has obtained the written permission of the owner, authorized agent of the owner or other person(s) in lawful possession of the site designated as the location of the sign in the permit application; and the Division shall process no sign permit application without such written permission being attached to it. (2) A permit shall be required for each sign. As part of each sign application, the applicant shall certify in a notarized statement that: (i) All the information provided in the application is true and correct; and (ii) The written permission of the owner or other person in lawful possession of the site designated as the location of the sign in the application has been obtained and is attached to the application. (3) Permit applications shall be acted upon by the Division within ten working days after their submission. The Division shall verify that all proposed signs meet the requirements of this Chapter; that the proposed construction specifications and standards also meet the requirements of The Florida Building Code and Part 2 of Chapter 326; and that the signs are permissible for the zoning district involved under the provisions of Chapter 656 , Part 13, before a permit is issued. (4) Signs exempt under Chapter 656 , Part 13, and under Section 326.103 , also are exempt from the application and permit process of this Chapter unless specific size or location limitations are established for them in a zoning district in Section 656.1303 , in which latter case the application and permit process shall apply. (e) All repairs, renovations or alterations of existing swimming pools and spas, including water falls, water features and fountains must be contracted by a State of Florida certified or registered swimming pool/spa contractor or a swimming pool/spa servicing contractor and must be permitted by the Building Inspection Division. (Ord. 2001-1160-E, § 1; Ord. 2005-1355-E, § 1; Ord. 2008-702-E, § 1; Ord. 2017-665-E , § 19)