General information, not legal, engineering or insurance advice.
Installing shutters or replacing windows and exterior doors changes how your home resists wind, so in Florida this work is regulated. Here are the basics every homeowner should understand before signing a contract. Rules vary by city and county, so always confirm details with your local building department.
Do I need a permit?
In most Florida jurisdictions, yes. Replacing windows and exterior doors, installing permanently mounted shutters, and installing the tracks or anchors for storm panels typically require a building permit and at least one inspection. The Florida Building Code applies statewide and is enforced by local building departments, which set their own application process and fees. Some offer simplified or online permits for window and shutter work.
Unpermitted work can cause problems later: it may not be credited on a wind mitigation inspection, it can come up when you sell, and you may have to permit it after the fact.
Who pulls the permit?
Normally your licensed contractor applies for the permit. That's a good sign: it ties the job to their license. Be cautious if a contractor asks you to pull the permit yourself as an "owner-builder."
Owner-builder rules
Florida allows property owners to act as their own contractor on their own home under the owner-builder exemption (section 489.103(7), Florida Statutes). You must sign a disclosure statement, personally supervise the work, and take on legal responsibility for code compliance. The law presumes that a home built or substantially improved by an owner-builder and sold or leased within a year was not intended for the owner's own use. Using the exemption to cover for an unlicensed contractor is not allowed.
Product approvals
Shutters, impact windows and doors used in Florida must have a Florida Product Approval (listed on the Florida Building Commission's website with an "FL" number) or local approval. In Miami-Dade and Broward, which are in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, products need approval for HVHZ use, commonly a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA). Permit applications usually require the approval numbers, and inspectors check that the installation matches the approval's anchoring instructions.
Hiring a licensed contractor
- Look up the license on the DBPR license search. Certified licenses are valid statewide; registered licenses are limited to the local jurisdictions where the contractor is registered.
- Make sure the business name on the contract matches the licensed business, and that the license is current and active.
- Ask for proof of liability insurance and, where required, workers' compensation coverage.
- Get a written contract listing each opening, the product and approval number, permit responsibility, total price, payment schedule and warranty.
Deposits and payment
Florida law addresses deposits directly. Under section 489.126, a contractor who accepts more than 10% of the contract price as a deposit on a residential job must apply for the permits within 30 days and start work within 90 days after the permits are issued, unless you agree in writing to a different timeline. Large custom orders like impact windows can have long lead times, so ask for the schedule in writing.
Residential contracts over $2,500 must include a written notice about the Florida Homeowners' Construction Recovery Fund, which may help homeowners harmed by certain contractor violations (section 489.1425).
Notice of Commencement and liens
For many improvements, generally when the direct contract price is more than $5,000, Florida's construction lien law requires a recorded Notice of Commencement before the first inspection (section 713.13). It is filed with the county clerk and a copy is posted at the job site. Subcontractors and suppliers can file liens if they aren't paid, even if you paid your contractor. Before making final payment, ask for lien releases from the contractor and any suppliers who sent you a notice.
Inspections and closing out
- Confirm the permit is issued and posted before work starts.
- Make sure required inspections are scheduled and passed (some jurisdictions inspect mid-installation, before trim covers the anchors).
- Don't make final payment until the final inspection passes.
- Keep the permit, final inspection record, product approvals and invoice together for insurance and resale.