Open permit versus no permit

They are different problems. An open permit means work was permitted, inspections began, and a final was never passed — so the municipality's records show unfinished work. Unpermitted work means no record exists at all: a room enclosed, a patio converted, a roof replaced by a crew that never pulled a permit.

Both show up in a Florida municipal lien search. Both affect what a lender will fund and what a carrier will write. And in Florida the insurance dimension is what usually decides the outcome.

Why closing out a permit is harder than it sounds

A final inspection years later often means opening up finished work so an inspector can see what is behind it, and bringing older work up to current code rather than the code in force when it was done. In the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone covering Miami-Dade and Broward, the current code is materially stricter, so an old permit closed today can trigger requirements the original work never had to meet.

Owners price that and stop. We do not ask you to go through it. Tell us what was done and roughly when, and we will account for it.

Post-storm work is the usual source

Florida's open-permit problem is largely a storm problem. After a hurricane, repairs are done quickly, sometimes by crews who leave the state, and permits are pulled and never closed — or never pulled at all.

Roofs are the common case, and a roof permit that was never finalised is precisely the kind of thing a carrier declines over. If your roof was replaced after a storm and you are not certain the permit was closed, that is worth checking with the building department before you assume the house is financeable.

What we buy

  • Open permits from work started and never finalised
  • Roofs replaced after a storm with permits never closed
  • Enclosed patios, converted garages, and carports built without permits
  • Room additions with no permit history
  • Electrical and plumbing work done by the owner
  • Properties where the county record does not match the house
  • Houses with both an open permit and a code case

Disclose it and it stays priced in

Open permits and unpermitted work surface in the municipal lien search and in the permit history. If we know from the start, they are part of the offer. If we do not, the search comes back with a requirement nobody planned for and the date moves.

Florida sellers also have a duty to disclose known facts materially affecting value that are not readily observable. Unpermitted structural or electrical work is exactly that, and an as-is sale does not remove the duty.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to close out an open permit before selling?

No. We buy with permits open and with work that was never permitted at all.

Why does an open permit stop a mortgage?

Because a Florida carrier may refuse to write a policy on a property with an open permit, and a lender will not fund a house it cannot insure.

My roof was replaced after a hurricane and I am not sure the permit was closed. What now?

Check with the building department. It is a common situation and it does not stop us, but it does affect a financed sale.

Will you buy a house with an unpermitted enclosure or addition?

Yes. It does not have to be legalised or removed before closing.

Does unpermitted work have to be disclosed?

Florida requires disclosure of known facts materially affecting value that are not readily observable. An as-is sale does not remove that duty.

This page is general information about selling property in Florida, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Laws change and every situation is different, so talk with a qualified Florida professional about yours.