The Martin County building permit process for commercial work runs through the county’s Accela Citizen Access (ACA) portal, the Digital Plan Room, plan review, fee payment, inspections, and final closeout. The sequence matters because Martin County requires an application before regulated construction begins, and incomplete plans can create avoidable review cycles.
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This guide focuses on unincorporated Martin County and the county Building Department. A project inside Stuart, Jupiter Island, or another municipality may follow a different local process. Confirm the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) before preparing the submittal.
What is the Martin County building permit process?
Martin County accepts building permit applications at the permit counter or electronically. The county directs applicants to ACA for online applications, while the Building Department maintains its own forms and checklists for supporting information.
The online portal has two different access levels. An applicant must register and log in to create a Building, Fire, or Growth Management application. An anonymous user can search permit records and permit status, but cannot create those applications. These rules are stated in the county’s Accela Citizen Access instructions.
| Stage | Commercial project action | Martin County reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Intake | Confirm jurisdiction, assemble the application, and create or access an ACA account. | County application instructions |
| 2. Submittal | Enter project information, acknowledge plan uploads, and submit the required fee. | Digital Plan Room guide |
| 3. Review | Respond to plan comments and upload corrected or revised sheets through the designated workflow. | Corrections form |
| 4. Issuance | Pay outstanding charges, receive the permit, and confirm the approved documents. | Fee schedule |
| 5. Inspections and closeout | Schedule inspections, resolve failed items, and coordinate the final occupancy step. | Inspection instructions |
What should a commercial applicant confirm first?
Start with jurisdiction. County permitting is not automatically the correct path for a property within an incorporated municipality. Confirm the property address, parcel information, and reviewing agency before selecting a record type in ACA.
Next, define the scope. Martin County identifies construction, enlargement, alteration, repair, moving, demolition, occupancy changes, and regulated electrical, gas, mechanical, and plumbing work as activities that generally require a permit. The county points applicants to Section 105.2 of the Florida Building Code for specific exemptions and requirements.
Tenant improvements also appear on the county’s examples of work that requires a permit. A commercial build-out should be evaluated by scope, occupancy, life-safety systems, and trade work. The label “cosmetic” does not determine whether a permit is required. Review the county’s permit determination guidance before assuming that work is exempt.
Also identify the responsible parties early. The county application asks for owner or lessee information, the fee simple title holder when different, contractor information, and designer, architect, or engineer information. It also asks for the contractor’s Martin County or state license number.
Which documents belong in the initial commercial submittal?
Use the county’s Commercial Construction Checklist as the controlling project-specific starting point. The checklist is marked for the Florida Building Code 8th Edition, 2023, and asks applicants to identify why an item is excluded when it does not apply.
- A complete Martin County building permit application with a detailed description of the work.
- Construction information, including total square footage, cost of construction, construction type, building height, utilities, and sprinkler information when applicable.
- Property location information, including the address, property identification number, and subdivision name when applicable.
- Owner, lessee, contractor, and design professional information.
- A complete set of plans with professional signatures and seals when required by Florida law.
- Surveys or signed and sealed site plans showing relevant elevations, drainage, flood zone, setbacks, easements, landscape buffers, and preserve areas.
- Project-specific supporting documents, such as energy, accessibility, product approval, fire protection, or trade forms.
The county’s building permit application form provides the field-level checklist for the application. It includes commercial or residential classification, work description, construction data, project location, owner information, contractor information, and supplemental construction lien information.
Do not treat the form alone as the full commercial package. The separate checklist addresses plan quality, site information, and documents that depend on the proposed work. A complete package should make the scope and code basis understandable without requiring the reviewer to infer missing information.
How does ACA intake and the Digital Plan Room work?
Register for an ACA account, then log in before creating the Building application. The county’s application page directs users to ACA and identifies the Digital Plan Room as the electronic document review solution integrated with that portal.
For records that require plans, the Digital Plan Room workflow begins after the applicant completes the application and pays the permit fee. The applicant acknowledges that plans and supporting documents will be uploaded after payment, continues the application, reviews the information, and pays the fee.
After payment, the receipt or record issuance page provides an “Upload Plans and Documents” action. The county guide says the permit number is needed to check application status. Keep the receipt, record number, uploaded package description, and confirmation details in the project file.
The Digital Plan Room provides feedback about digital signature guidelines, drawing markups, detailed plan review comments, and revised-sheet submissions. The county also recommends Chrome because some features may not work properly in other browsers. These are operational details worth addressing before a deadline-sensitive commercial submittal.
Build the upload package around the county’s file requirements. Use clear filenames, separate revised sheets from superseded sheets, and retain the exact package submitted. That record helps the project team answer reviewer questions and prove which documents were current.
What fees apply to a Martin County commercial building permit?
Martin County’s fee schedule currently identifies a schedule effective July 1, 2026. Fees depend on the cost of construction and may include plan review, building permit, inspection, master plan, revision, and other charges. The county also states that required state or county surcharges are not included in the listed amounts.
| Construction cost | Building fee | Plan review fee | Inspection charge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 25,000. | Fixed amount in current schedule. | Fixed amount in current schedule. | Per inspection amount in current schedule. |
| 25,001 to 50,000. | Fixed amount in current schedule. | Fixed amount in current schedule. | Per inspection amount in current schedule. |
| 50,001 to 150,000. | Fixed amount in current schedule. | Fixed amount in current schedule. | Per inspection amount in current schedule. |
| 150,001 to 500,000. | 0.20% of construction cost. | 0.20% of construction cost. | Per inspection amount in current schedule. |
| 500,001 and above. | 0.20% of construction cost. | 0.18% of construction cost. | Per inspection amount in current schedule. |
For a commercial project, treat the table as a planning reference rather than a quote. The official county fee document controls. Review it before payment.
The fee document says the county uses the greater of the applicant’s construction value or the value established by the most recent International Code Council data. It also lists a revision fee per page after the second submittal. The second submittal is not charged when it addresses changes required by the first review.
The same document states that nonresidential plan review and inspection reductions related to House Bill 803 are 25%, while a combined nonresidential plan review and inspection reduction is 50%. Confirm eligibility and the applicable calculation with Martin County before relying on a reduction in the project budget.
Private provider coordination can also affect the inspection workflow. Martin County publishes a private provider inspection notification form that directs inspection notifications to the county no later than 4:00 p.m. one business day before the requested inspection date. This is a separate workflow from ordinary county inspection scheduling.
How long can commercial plan review take?
Do not use a generic statewide estimate as a Martin County promise. The county pages reviewed for this guide explain submission tools, documents, fees, and inspection steps, but they do not publish one universal commercial review turnaround for every project.
Florida Statute 553.792 establishes statutory review timeframes after a complete and sufficient application is received. For a nonresidential building under 25,000 square feet reviewed by the local government, the statute lists 60 business days. That period covers approval, approval with conditions, or denial unless the applicant waives it in writing.
The same statute requires written notice within five business days when the local government determines that an application is not properly completed under its filing requirements. It also allows more stringent local timeframes and contains exceptions, notice rules, revision periods, and fee-reduction provisions.
Use the statutory framework as a compliance reference, not as a substitute for a complete submittal. Project size, scope, corrections, outside-agency requirements, applicant response time, and written extensions can affect the actual schedule. Read the current Florida Statute 553.792 and confirm project-specific timing with the AHJ.
What happens when the county issues corrections?
Corrections are part of the review workflow, not permission to begin unapproved work. Keep the permit record, plan comments, and correction response together so the design team responds to every comment in the same cycle.
Martin County’s revisions and corrections form separates three situations. They are a condition of approval needed for an inspection, corrections when a permit has not been issued or was denied, and revisions that change an issued permit. The form also says revisions must be clouded in black ink with no colors.
For Digital Plan Room submissions, the county says corrections require only revised sheets to be submitted. Follow the portal’s package instructions and do not remove unchanged sheets unless the county workflow specifically requests that format.
- Read every plan review comment and classify it by discipline.
- Assign each response to the architect, engineer, contractor, or other responsible professional.
- Revise the affected sheet and cloud the change as required.
- Prepare a response matrix that identifies the sheet and response for each comment.
- Upload the corrected package through the record’s Digital Plan Room workflow.
- Track the new review result before scheduling work that depends on approval.
When the proposed work changes after permit issuance, treat the change as a potential revision rather than an informal field adjustment. Ask the county how the revision should be recorded before installing work that differs from the approved documents.
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How are Martin County inspections scheduled?
To schedule a county building inspection, log in to ACA. Martin County instructs users to open Building, select Schedule an Inspection, locate the record, and choose the pending inspection or request an available inspection type.
The county’s published sequence is specific. After selecting the inspection, choose the day, select All Day, verify the location and contact information, add notes when needed, and finish the request. The inspection then appears in Upcoming Inspections as Scheduled.
Schedule only when the site is ready for the requested stage. Confirm that prerequisite work is complete, access is available, approved plans are on site, and trade coordination will not create an avoidable failed inspection.
The county forms page lists inspection-related documents, including private provider request and results forms. If a private provider is part of the project delivery model, follow the notice and documentation requirements for that path instead of assuming ordinary ACA scheduling is sufficient.
After an inspection, record the disposition and any correction. A failed or conditional result should lead to a documented correction, a reinspection request when required, and an updated project schedule.
What does permit closeout and certificate of occupancy involve?
Closeout is more than receiving an inspection date. The project team should reconcile inspection results, approved plans, revisions, trade finals, required documentation, and any conditions that must be satisfied before occupancy.
Martin County provides a dedicated Inspection and Certificate of Occupancy page. Its instructions direct users to submit a request for help or information to request an inspection for a Certificate of Occupancy.
For a commercial project, maintain a closeout register with the permit number, inspection history, outstanding conditions, final documents, and responsible contact. The register gives the owner and contractor a single view of what remains before occupancy can be requested.
Do not represent a project as ready for occupancy solely because construction appears complete. Confirm the county’s current closeout requirements for the specific record and respond to any remaining building, trade, fire, zoning, or outside-agency condition.
How can a commercial team reduce avoidable permit delay?
Delay prevention starts before ACA intake. Use a disciplined internal review that mirrors the county’s checklist and separates design completeness from administrative completeness.
- Confirm the AHJ and project scope before selecting the application type.
- Use the county application and commercial checklist together.
- Coordinate sealed plans, site plans, construction values, and professional information before upload.
- Identify flood, drainage, setbacks, utilities, fire protection, accessibility, and trade issues early.
- Retain every receipt, record number, plan package, and review comment.
- Respond to all comments in one coordinated correction package.
- Schedule inspections only after the site and documentation are ready.
- Maintain a closeout tracker from the first inspection rather than waiting for the final stage.
Permit management can add value when the project includes several disciplines, multiple plan packages, or a tight construction schedule. All Florida Permits provides inspection management, permit coordination, and proposal-based support for Florida construction projects.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Martin County building permit process online?
Yes. Martin County directs applicants to the Accela Citizen Access portal for online Building applications. Registered users must log in to create a Building application, and plan submittals use the integrated Digital Plan Room when the record requires documents.
Can an applicant search a Martin County permit without logging in?
Yes. The county says a login is not required to search permit records or permit status. The search can use the record number, house number or street name, or contractor or professional name.
When are commercial plan documents uploaded?
For records using the Digital Plan Room, plans and supporting documents are uploaded after the application is completed and the permit fee is paid. The receipt or record issuance page provides the upload action.
What is the Martin County commercial plan review fee?
The fee depends on construction cost and the current county schedule. The July 1, 2026 schedule lists fixed fees for lower construction-cost bands and percentage-based building and plan review fees for higher bands. Additional surcharges or project-specific charges may apply.
How do I schedule a Martin County building inspection?
Log in to ACA, open Building, select Schedule an Inspection, locate the permit record, choose the pending inspection or request an available type, select the day, verify contact details, and finish the request.
How do I request a certificate of occupancy inspection?
Martin County provides a dedicated Inspection and Certificate of Occupancy page. Follow its current Request for Help or Information instructions and confirm any remaining closeout conditions for the specific project.
County procedures and fee schedules can change. Before submission, compare the project package with the current Martin County instructions, fee document, and record-specific directions.