City of Tampa permits: status, inspections and expiration
- Permit portal
- Accela Citizen Access
- Run by
- City of Tampa Construction Services
- Phone
- (813) 274-3100, option 1
- CSDHelp@tampagov.net
- Official page
- tampa.gov
Which permits does the City of Tampa issue?
The City of Tampa permits work inside city limits. Addresses in unincorporated Hillsborough County, such as Brandon or Riverview, are permitted by Hillsborough County on its own portal, and Temple Terrace and Plant City run their own building departments. A Tampa mailing address doesn't always mean a City of Tampa permit, 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.
Building permits use record numbers that start with BLD; right-of-way permits start with ROW.
Inspections
Inspections are requested on the permit's record in Accela Citizen Access, and results appear on the record's Inspections tab, split into upcoming and completed. The city also offers virtual inspections for some inspection types. The city's Construction Services page has step-by-step Accela guides for scheduling an inspection and finding results and comments.
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 Tampa Construction Services 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 Tampa Construction Services.
See every Tampa permit on one list
PermitGlance signs in to your Tampa 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.