Do you need a permit in Vero Beach? The new under-$7,500 exemption and the jobs that still need one

New cabinets. Fresh flooring. A small project you have been putting off. If you live in Vero Beach, you may have heard that small home jobs no longer need a permit in Florida. That is partly true, and the details matter.

A state law that took effect July 1, 2026, tells local governments to exempt some work on single-family homes from building permits when the job is valued under $7,500. But there are big exceptions, and the flood map is one of them.

What the new law says

The law is House Bill 803, passed in the 2026 session. It passed the Senate 37-0 and the House 109-0. The governor approved it on May 6, 2026, and it became Chapter 2026-63, Laws of Florida. It took effect July 1, 2026.

According to the Florida Senate's bill summary, the law requires local governments, except in flood hazard areas, to exempt from building permits work on single-family residential property valued at $7,500 or less. The same summary says that exemption leaves out any electrical, plumbing, structural, mechanical or gas work. Indian River County's own notice describes it as a permit exemption for a limited scope of work less than $7,500.

The News Service of Florida, in a report carried by WLRN, added two more points. A project may not be divided into smaller pieces to get under the limit. And local governments can still require permits for electrical, plumbing, mechanical, gas or structural work no matter what it is worth.

The same law did a few other things homeowners may notice:

• Building permits for single-family homes expire after one year.
• Permit applications for work valued under $15,000 must get a response within five days.
• Certain temporary hurricane and flood walls or barriers at homes are exempt from building permits.
• A homeowners' association may not require a building permit before it will review construction on a lot.

Who handles permits for a Vero Beach house

This part trips people up. The City of Vero Beach shares its Building Department with Indian River County, and the city's website sends building permit questions to the county. The county Building Division says it serves the unincorporated county and the City of Vero Beach.

The county's Building Division page now lists the 2026 HB 803 changes, effective July 1, 2026. It names two items: the single-family dwelling exemption for limited work under $7,500, and the exemption for temporary hurricane and flood walls or barriers. The page also links a Building Permit Exemption Application.

The law does not make every other city rule disappear. The City of Vero Beach says its Planning and Development Department must sign off on things like site plans, historic preservation certificates, code compliance and zoning before a building permit is issued. If your project touches any of those, ask the city too. City Hall is at 1053 20th Place, 772-978-5151.

The flood zone catch

The exemption does not apply in flood hazard areas. That is a big deal in a town on the lagoon and the ocean. Indian River County's flood maps changed on January 26, 2023, and the county says it reviews permits using those newer FEMA maps.

So before you count on the exemption, find out whether your lot is in a flood hazard area. The county lists a floodplain coordinator, Kari Cundiff, at 772-226-1590, and links its flood zone maps from the Building Division page.

What to do before your next small project

1. Write down the job and get a price. The limit is based on what the work is worth, so know the number.
2. Check the list of exclusions. If the job includes any wiring, plumbing, A/C, gas or structural work, plan on a permit.
3. Look up your flood zone. If any part of your lot is in a flood hazard area, the exemption does not apply.
4. Do not split the job. Breaking one project into smaller ones to stay under $7,500 is not allowed.
5. Call the Indian River County Building Division at 772-226-1260, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Ask whether you need to file the Building Permit Exemption Application before work starts.
6. If you are inside city limits and the job touches zoning, a site plan or a historic property, call City Hall at 772-978-5151.
7. If you live in an HOA, check your community's approval rules. The law changed the permit step, not your HOA's review.

Some Florida cities ask for the exemption request and written approval before any work begins. Fort Lauderdale, for one, says projects there are not automatically exempt. Rules on paperwork can differ from place to place, which is why a five-minute call to the county is worth it.

Need walk-in help? Starting September 28, 2026, the county's Plans Examiner of the Day takes walk-ins from 8:30 a.m. to noon, with appointments from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. through the county's online calendar. Because of its workload, the county also says it is accepting no more than 10 permits a day from any one applicant or company.

A smaller job can mean less paperwork now. Just make sure it really fits the exemption before the cabinets come off the wall.