Registry
Site & Exterior
Chickee hut / tiki hut
Open-sided, palm/palmetto-thatched-roof hut — tribal-built chickee vs. a non-tribal 'tiki hut' structure.
verifiedHB 803: ambiguousreviewed 2026-08-18
Who can pull the permit
- NONENo contractor license
- CGCCertified General Contractor
- CBCCertified Building Contractor
- CRCCertified Residential Contractor
- OWNER-BUILDEROwner-occupied 1–2 family (FS 489.103(7))
Decision — first matching row wins
| # | When | Permit | Type | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | tribal_builder is yes AND true_chickee is yes | no | Exempt from the Florida Building Code — FS §553.73(10)(i) | A true chickee — open-sided, palm/palmetto (or other traditional material) thatched roof, no electrical, plumbing, or non-wood features — built by a member of the Miccosukee or Seminole Tribe is expressly exempt from the entire Florida Building Code, not just from a permit requirement. This is a narrow, specifically-defined exemption: the builder must be a tribal member AND the structure must meet the statutory definition exactly. |
| 2 | otherwise | yes | Building — Accessory Structure (treated as a standard tiki/palapa structure, not a chickee) | A non-tribal-built hut — commonly marketed as a 'tiki hut' or 'palapa' — does not qualify for FS §553.73(10)(i)'s chickee exemption regardless of how closely it resembles one. It is reviewed like any other roofed accessory structure: wind-load engineering for the thatch/roof system and, if enclosed or wired, the same permit stack as a pergola or pool cabana. |
Inputs the rule needs
- tribal_builderConstructed by a member of the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida or the Seminole Tribe of Florida?required
- true_chickeeOpen-sided, thatched palm/palmetto roof, NO electrical/plumbing/non-wood features?required
Documents (base)
- Owner authorization / signed permit application (owner or agent signature, notarized where the authority requires)
- Site plan / survey showing property lines, setbacks, easements, septic and the proposed work
- If claiming the exemption: documentation of tribal-member builder status
- If not exempt: engineered wind-load plans for the roof structure
- Contractor registration current with the county (license, GL insurance, workers' comp or exemption on file)
Sources
- Fla. Stat. §553.73(10)(i) — chickees built by Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida or Seminole Tribe of Florida members are exempt from the Florida Building Code; 'chickee' = open-sided wooden hut with a thatched palm/palmetto (or other traditional material) roof and no electrical, plumbing, or other non-wood features checked 2026-08-18
- Florida Building Code, Building §105.1 (Permits required) & §105.2 (Work exempt from permit)