What Florida law allows
Section 489.103(7) exempts owners who act as their own contractor and provide direct, onsite supervision of all work not performed by licensed contractors. It covers one- or two-unit residences and farm outbuildings, and commercial buildings costing up to $75,000, built or improved for the owner's own use or occupancy and not offered for sale or lease (as of 2026).
If the owner sells or leases the structure, or offers it for sale or lease, within one year after completion, the law presumes the work was done for sale or lease. The owner must personally appear and sign the permit application and sign a disclosure statement before the permit is issued.
- The owner may not hire an unlicensed person to act as their contractor or to supervise workers.
- Unlicensed workers must be employed and directly supervised by the owner, who is responsible for tax withholding and workers' compensation for them.[1]
City of Boca Raton requirements
The City's permit process page lists the owner-builder conditions inside city limits: the property must be a single-family home, the applicant must be listed as the owner (a property owned by a business does not qualify), and the owner must live at the property and not rent it out. Sections 7 and 8 of the permit application must be signed and notarized by the owner regardless of job value, and sub-permit applications filled out by a contractor are not accepted.
Applications are filed through the City's Boca eHub portal, with plans uploaded to Boca ePlans for review; inspections are also scheduled through eHub.[2]
Unincorporated West Boca
Many homes with a Boca Raton mailing address are in unincorporated Palm Beach County. There, the County's owner-builder guidelines require the owner to personally appear at the Building Division to submit the application and sign an Owner/Builder Affidavit notarized by Building Division staff. The County also requires a recorded Notice of Commencement for permits valued over $5,000 ($15,000 or more for an HVAC replacement) before the first inspection.[3]
Key takeaways
- Florida's owner-builder exemption covers a home the owner will occupy, not one built or improved for sale or lease.
- Selling or leasing within one year of completion creates a presumption the work was for sale or lease.
- Inside Boca Raton city limits the home must be single-family, owned in the owner's name and lived in by the owner.
- The owner signs the application personally; the City requires notarized Sections 7 and 8.
- West Boca homes apply in person to the Palm Beach County Building Division.
Sources
- [1]Florida Statutes § 489.103 — Exemptions (subsection 7, owner-builders)
- [2]City of Boca Raton — Permit Process Information
- [3]Palm Beach County Planning, Zoning & Building — Owner/Builder Guidelines (PDF)
Reviewed October 14, 2026. General real-estate information for Florida, not legal, tax, lending or insurance advice. Laws, rates and deadlines change — confirm property-specific facts with the agency cited, a Florida real-estate attorney, CPA or licensed insurance agent.