House Bill 803: What It Means for Cape Coral Residents

House Bill 803 – Permit Exemptions for Small Residential Projects

House Bill 803 is a new Florida law that creates a narrow exemption from building permits for certain small residential projects under 7,500 dollars in value. However, because more than 60% of Cape Coral is in a FEMA mapped Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) and the exemption does not apply for projects that include electrical, plumbing, mechanical, gas, or structural work, this exemption will not apply to most projects in the City.

At a Glance

• HB 803 offers a permit exemption only for qualifying work on single‑family homes.
• Properties in the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) are not eligible. Property owners and licensed contractors can check whether their property is in the SFHA on Forerunner.
• Because more than 60% of Cape Coral is within the Special Flood Hazard Area and the exemption excludes many common types of residential work, relatively few projects are expected to qualify for this exemption.
• Electrical, plumbing, mechanical, gas, and structural work are never exempt.
• Many project types that may qualify under House Bill 803 are already exempt from permitting under existing Florida Building Code provisions or City requirements. 
• Property owners and licensed contractors are responsible for verifying that a project qualifies for a permit exemption before beginning work. Work may not begin until the exemption request has been reviewed and approved by the City. Beginning construction without first obtaining the required permit or an approved exemption is a violation of Florida law.
• Property owners and licensed contractors with questions about specific projects should contact the City of Cape Coral Permitting Services Division at 239-574-0546 or at permits@capecoral.gov.

Learn More about House Bill 803

• What does House Bill 803 do?
• Who does this affect in Cape Coral?
• What types of projects might be eligible?
• How do I find out if my address is eligible?
• If my project qualifies, what do I need to do?
• More Frequently Asked Questions

What does House Bill 803 do?

House Bill 803 allows certain low-value, low-risk residential projects with a total project value of less than $7,500 to qualify for a permit exemption in lieu of obtaining a traditional building permit (See NTI’s for informational Guidance for specific application types), provided all statutory eligibility requirements are satisfied. The intent of the law is to streamline simple home improvement projects that do not involve higher-risk building systems.

To request a permit exemption, applicants shall submit an application through the City's online permitting system using the application type that most closely represents the proposed scope of work. During the application process, the applicant must indicate they are requesting a House Bill 803 permit exemption by selecting the appropriate exemption option. This allows City staff to evaluate the proposed work against the applicable exemption criteria. An administrative review fee will be collected at the time of application to cover the City's review of the exemption request.

The law establishes a required permit exemption review process rather than self-certification. Property owners or licensed contractors must submit documentation describing the proposed scope of work and the total project value for City review.

Submission of an exemption request does not authorize construction. The City will review the request to verify that all statutory eligibility requirements have been satisfied before issuing its determination. Work may not begin until the exemption request has been reviewed and approved by the City. If the proposed work is determined not to qualify for the exemption, the application will continue through the standard permit review process under the selected application type.

Who does this affect in Cape Coral?

Because the law excludes properties in flood hazard areas, it applies to a relatively small share of Cape Coral homes. Over 60% of Cape Coral properties are inside of the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA).

See the map at right for the areas of the SFHA highlighted. The area shaded in pink is the current SFHA in the City of Cape Coral.

• Most property owners and licensed contractors will see no change. The majority of Cape Coral is in FEMA‑mapped flood zones such as AE or VE, which are classified as Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs), so the HB 803 exemption will not apply to those properties.
  • See the map on the right for the Cape Coral’s FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard Area, highlighted in pink.
  • Property owners and licensed contractors can check whether their property is in the SFHA on Forerunner.
• If any portion of a property lies within the SFHA, normal permitting rules continue to apply.

What types of projects might be eligible?

To qualify for the HB 803 permit exemption, all of the following must be true:

• The property is a single‑family home located entirely outside the SFHA.
• The total contract value of the project is under 7,500 dollars.
• The work does not involve electrical, plumbing, mechanical, gas, or structural components of the home.
• The project is not artificially “split” into multiple contracts or phases to stay under 7,500 dollars.

In practice, this means only simple, non‑system, non‑structural improvements on eligible properties may qualify. Any work on electrical wiring, plumbing lines, HVAC systems, gas lines, or structural scopes of work will still require a permit, even outside the SFHA.

How do I find out if my address is eligible?

The first step is to confirm whether your property is located in a Special Flood Hazard Area.

1. Check your flood zone in Forerunner

Property owners and licensed contractors can use the City’s online flood mapping tool, Forerunner, to look up their address and view flood zone information.

1. Visit the Forerunner property search page: Forerunner Property Lookup.
2. Enter the property address and select it from the results.
3. Review the map and details to see whether the property is in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). 
   • If any part of your property is included in a FEMA-mapped flood zone, such as AE or VE, it is included in the SFHA. 
   • The details page of your property will also include a line showing YES or No on whether it is in the SFHA.

2. Confirm with the Building Division

Because eligibility depends on both location and type of work, property owners and licensed contractors should always contact the City’s Building Division before starting any project. Staff can help you:

• Confirm whether your property is in the SFHA.
• Determine if the specific scope of work might qualify for the HB 803 exemption.
• Explain any other local code or floodplain management requirements that still apply.

If my project qualifies, what do I need to do?

Even when work may qualify, “exempt from a permit” does not mean “no notice” to the City.

• Property owners or licensed contractors must submit an exemption request to the City of Cape Coral Building Division, at www.capecoral.gov/energov.
• This request must describe the scope of work and include documentation of the project’s total value, such as a signed contract.
• The City will review the request to verify that all statutory eligibility requirements have been satisfied, including property location, scope of work, project valuation, and compliance with applicable local regulations.
• The exemption applicant, whether contractor or property owner, will receive an email notification when the exemption is approved, or next steps if the proposed work does not meet the permit exemption criteria.

An exemption from a building permit does not exempt a project from compliance with the Florida Building Code, the City of Cape Coral Land Development Code, floodplain management regulations, zoning requirements, deed restrictions, or permits or approvals required by other governmental agencies. All work must still comply with applicable code provisions, manufacturer installation instructions, floodplain regulations, wind resistance requirements, and life-safety standards. Ordinance Permits may still be required to meet compliance with local land development regulations.