Hernando commissioners approve permit exemptions for home improvement projects

Hernando County commissioners voted 4-0 to eliminate permit requirements for dozens of low-risk residential improvements, a change that could spare homeowners time in Brooksville and cut the paperwork that comes before a small project even starts.

The county already keeps a formal residential list titled Items Not Requiring A Building Permit (Residential Only), and its Building Division pages still show permits, applications and forms for regulated work. That means the new exemptions sit inside an existing system, not outside it. Work that involves construction, enlargement, alteration, repair, demolition or occupancy changes, along with impact-resistant coverings and electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing systems, remains under the county’s technical-code review process.

For homeowners, the practical payoff is speed. A project that falls inside the exemption list can move ahead without the same round of county review, which means fewer trips to county offices and less delay before repairs or upgrades begin. For projects that do not qualify, the county’s permit packet for single-family residences still points residents to the Building Division at 789 Providence Blvd. in Brooksville, with a listed phone number of (352) 754-4050.

The change comes as Hernando County updates the way it processes permits. The county’s contractor page says it is transitioning to a new Tyler Solutions system, and a Hernando County Government Facebook post said the county would soon be implementing a new Tyler enterprise permitting and licensing system. That makes the exemption vote more than a paperwork tweak. It lands while the county is changing the software and workflow residents use to handle building questions.

The local move also fits a broader Florida shift. WFSU News reported on a new state law that drops permits for some low-cost home projects, and another search result said certain low-value home-improvement projects on owner-occupied single-family dwellings may qualify for an exemption. Hernando County’s vote suggests commissioners wanted to align local rules with that direction, at least for the categories they consider low risk.

Residents still need to check before starting work. Hernando County already uses permit-exemption paperwork for some non-residential farm buildings, and its building-fees page says new impact fee rates became effective Dec. 2, 2024, for work that still goes through the county. The board’s decision narrows the path for minor home jobs, but it does not remove oversight from the projects that still affect safety, code compliance and long-term property records.