City of Clearwater permits: status, inspections and expiration
- Permit portal
- Accela Citizen Access
- Run by
- City of Clearwater Planning and Development
- Phone
- (727) 562-4567
- Official page
- myclearwater.com
Which permits does the City of Clearwater issue?
The City of Clearwater permits work inside city limits. Some addresses with a Clearwater mailing address sit in unincorporated Pinellas County and need a county permit instead, so check the jurisdiction before you apply.
How to check a permit's status
- Without signing in: search Accela Citizen Access by the record number. The record page shows the record's status, its details and its inspections.
- Signed in: the records on your account are listed under My Records, where each record also shows conditions and fees.
Inspections
Inspections can be scheduled or cancelled online in Accela Citizen Access, by text message, or through the city's 24-hour inspection line at (727) 287-3054; call by midnight for a next-day inspection. Building Inspections can be reached at (727) 562-4580.
Keeping a permit from expiring
Under the Florida Building Code (section 105.4.1), a permit becomes invalid if work doesn't start within six months of issuance, or if work stops for six months after it starts. Work counts as in progress when the permit has an approved inspection within 180 days (section 105.4.1.3). A failed or cancelled inspection doesn't reset the clock.
If the city's record shows an expiration date, that date is the one that counts. Check it after every inspection rather than counting days yourself, and ask the City of Clearwater Planning and Development about an extension before the date passes, not after.
This guide is general information for contractors, not legal advice. Procedures change; confirm with the City of Clearwater Planning and Development.
See every Clearwater permit on one list
PermitGlance signs in to your Clearwater portal account and imports every permit on it, with its inspections and city documents. It warns you before a permit expires and tells you when an inspection fails, alongside your permits in the 16 other jurisdictions we cover. It only reads; it never changes anything on your city account.