Registry
Mechanical / Electrical / Plumbing
Water heater replacement
Tank or tankless, like-for-like or upgrade.
partialHB 803: excludedreviewed never
Who can pull the permit
- CFCCertified Plumbing Contractor
- RFRegistered Plumbing Contractor
- CGCCertified General Contractor
- CBCCertified Building Contractor
- CRCCertified Residential Contractor
- OWNER-BUILDEROwner-occupied 1–2 family (FS 489.103(7))
Subs under the prime's permit: EC, ER
Decision — first matching row wins
| # | When | Permit | Type | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | fuel ≠ "electric" | yes | Plumbing + Gas / Electrical | Gas water heaters and new-circuit tankless units are permitted work everywhere; HB 803 does not help because plumbing/gas/electrical are carved out. |
| 2 | otherwise | conditional | Collier: Plumbing permit; Lee: exempt (LDC 6-117 — replacement of a water heater) | Lee County lists water-heater replacement as not requiring a permit (LDC 6-117). Collier has no equivalent exemption — a like-for-like swap still needs a plumbing permit there. HB 803's $7,500 waiver does not apply (plumbing is excluded). |
Inputs the rule needs
- fuelFuel
Per-authority differences
- lee-unincorporatedNo permit — LDC 6-117 (water heater replacement)
- collier-unincorporatedPlumbing Permit — water heater change-out
Documents (base)
- Permit application with model/spec
- Contractor registration current with the county (license, GL insurance, workers' comp or exemption on file)
Sources
- Florida Building Code, Building §105.1 (Permits required) & §105.2 (Work exempt from permit)
- Lee County LDC §6-117 — Improvements or repairs not requiring a permit (12-month cumulative $500 cap on listed dwelling items) checked 2026-08-18
- Ch. 2026-63 (CS/CS/HB 803) — FS 553.79(1)(g): single-family work valued under $7,500 exempt on written request; excludes flood-hazard parcels and electrical/plumbing/structural/mechanical/gas work checked 2026-08-18