Hillsborough County permits: status, inspections and expiration
- Permit portal
- HillsGovHub (Accela Citizen Access)
- Run by
- Hillsborough County Development Services
- Phone
- (813) 272-5600
- Official page
- hcfl.gov
Which permits does Hillsborough County issue?
Hillsborough County Development Services permits construction in unincorporated Hillsborough County, which covers communities such as Brandon, Riverview, Valrico, Lutz, Apollo Beach and Ruskin. The City of Tampa, Temple Terrace and Plant City each run their own building departments, so an address inside those city limits needs a city permit instead.
How to check a permit's status
- Without signing in: search HillsGovHub (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 are scheduled and managed in HillsGovHub, on the permit's record, and the results show on the same record. Check the county's Development Services page for current plan review times and inspection guidance.
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 county'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 Hillsborough County Development 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 Hillsborough County Development Services.
See every Hillsborough County permit on one list
PermitGlance signs in to your Hillsborough County 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 county account.