In Tarpon Springs, a qualifying small residential project still needs the Building Official’s approval before work starts. The practical document is the City’s stamped exemption request, not an email receipt or a contractor’s description of the work as “minor.” City implementation notice
First establish whether the small-work route fits
The exemption addresses work on single-family residential property valued at less than $7,500, with important exclusions. The City’s notice and the enrolled bill, pages 17–18, use that strict boundary. The Senate summary instead says “$7,500 or less”; do not rely on that summary to include a project valued at exactly $7,500.
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Is any part of the property in a Florida Building Code flood hazard area? | The small-work exemption excludes property partially or entirely in that area |
| Does the work include electrical, plumbing, structural, mechanical or gas work? | Those categories are excluded, regardless of a low price |
| Does the description cover the whole construction project? | The law prohibits splitting a project to evade permit requirements |
| Can the stated value be supported? | The written request needs documentation of the work and value, not just a rounded estimate |
The City notice specifically includes exterior window and door replacement, roofing, soffits and structural modifications among its excluded structural examples. Ask Building Development about an uncertain scope rather than removing a component from the request to make the total fit.
Assemble the actual City request
The Permit Exemption Request form asks for the property address, owner or contractor, contact information, project valuation with supporting documentation, and scope of work. It directs applicants to send the completed and signed form to exemptions@ctsfl.us.
Pair that form with the City’s notice: for this small-work request, the notice calls for a work description and a contract with an itemized cost breakdown. The enrolled law describes a contract or other documentation showing the nature and value of the work. If no contract exists, ask Building Development what alternative it accepts; do not invent a contract or assume an unsupported total will suffice. Local instructions · Enrolled text, page 18
LSL’s useful cross-check is to compare the form’s scope against every line of the attached estimate. Any related demolition, installation or regulated trade work should remain visible. The form’s staff section—not the applicant’s signature—contains the approval/disapproval decision, reviewer, date and comments.
Keep the approved stamp visible on site
The form requires the stamped document to be posted and remain visible for the project’s duration. The notice says failure to keep the approved documentation on site may lead to a stop-work order. Keep the submitted version and attachments, but use the approved, stamped version for posting. Form · Notice, page 2
The City also says it does not inspect work performed under an approved exemption. Approval therefore is not an inspection result or a certification that the completed work complies with every applicable requirement. Owners and contractors remain responsible for compliant work.
Do not combine different exemption routes
The same notice describes a separate temporary hurricane/flood-barrier exemption with its own property, contractor, design and location conditions. It is not simply another application of the small-work price ceiling. Ask the City to identify the applicable branch and required plans before choosing the supporting documents.
A building-permit exemption also does not settle zoning, drainage, easement, association or other approval questions. If the scope or value changes after approval, return the revised proposal to Building Development rather than extending the original decision yourself. The department page provides current contacts and related permit routes.
Review scope
LSL checked the operative City page, both pages of its exemption notice, the complete request form, Senate history and summary, and the relevant small-work provisions on enrolled-bill pages 17–18 on September 21, 2026. The request form and those bill pages were also read in their original layouts. This is not a review of every provision in the 52-page bill or a determination for a particular property. The Senate history records Governor approval on May 6 and chapter assignment on May 7, 2026; July 1 is the effective date, not this article’s verification date.