Florida HB 405: Commercial Construction

Bill Text

CS/CS/HB 405, Engrossed 1 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to commercial construction; amending 2
s. 255.0518, F.S.; requiring certain entities to open 3
certain sealed bids, whether in electronic or paper 4
form, at a public meeting conducted virtually or in 5
person; amending s. 255.0525, F.S.; authorizing the 6
solicitation of competitive bids or proposals for 7
certain construction projects to be advertised on a 8
publicly accessible website instead of in a newspaper; 9
creating s. 255.0994, F.S.; defining the terms 10
"governmental entity" and "public works project"; 11
prohibiting a governmental entity from enforcing 12
certain contract provisions for a public works 13
project; providing construction; providing for 14
severability; providing applicability; amending s. 15
553.71, F.S.; defining the term "commercial 16
construction project"; creating s. 553.789, F.S.; 17
requiring the Florida Building Commission to adopt by 18
rule a uniform commercial building permit application 19
for a specified purpose by a specified date; 20
specifying the information to be included in the 21
application; requiring the commission to adopt by rule 22
additional trade-specific permit application forms for 23
certain trades; requiring a local enforcement agency 24
to use and accept the applications and forms adopted 25

CS/CS/HB 405, Engrossed 1 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb405 -03-e1
Page 2 of 16
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

by the commission; requiring local enforcement 26
agencies to adopt substantially similar forms for a 27
certain purpose; authorizing the local enforcement 28
agency to require additional documentation or plans; 29
authorizing local enforcement agencies to accept by e-30
mail the submission of certain applications and forms; 31
requiring, to the extent feasible, that certain 32
applications be capable of integrating with existing 33
systems and account for local amendments to the 34
Florida Building Code; amending s. 553.79, F.S.; 35
requiring permit fees that are imposed by a local 36
enforcement agency to be limited to the actual and 37
reasonable costs incurred in reviewing, processing, 38
and administering the permit; prohibiting such fees 39
from being based on industry standards, market rates, 40
or comparable retail pricing; requiring that such fees 41
be proportional to the work performed in reviewing, 42
processing, and administering such permits; 43
prohibiting a political subdivision from imposing 44
certain requirements for glazing on certain proposed 45
construction or restoration projects; defining the 46
terms "glazing" and "primary facade"; conforming a 47
cross-reference; amending s. 553.791, F.S.; requiring 48
a local jurisdiction to include a certain reduction in 49
permit fees on its schedule of fees posted on its 50

CS/CS/HB 405, Engrossed 1 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb405 -03-e1
Page 3 of 16
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

website; prohibiting the local jurisdiction from 51
charging fees for plans review services under certain 52
circumstances; prohibiting fees punitive in nature; 53
requiring the local jurisdiction to identify and 54
itemize the services covered by the administrative 55
fees on its website; requiring the local enforcement 56
agency to reduce the permit fee by specified 57
percentages for an owner or a contractor who retains a 58
private provider for specified purposes; providing 59
that a local enforcement agency forfeits its ability 60
to collect any fees for a commercial construction 61
project if it does not reduce its fees by such 62
specified percentages; requiring that a certain 63
surcharge be calculated based on the reduced permit 64
fee; providing construction; creating s. 553.8992, 65
F.S.; requiring the commission to review and make 66
recommendations relating to the incorporation of 67
certain standards into the Florida Building Code for 68
all new construction of commercial pools by a 69
specified date; amending ss. 497.271 and 553.902, 70
F.S.; conforming cross-references; providing an 71
effective date. 72
73
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 74
75

CS/CS/HB 405, Engrossed 1 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

Section 1. Subsection (1) of section 255.0518, Florida 76
Statutes, is amended to read: 77
255.0518 Public bids; bid opening.—Notwithstanding s. 78
119.071(1)(b), the state or any county or municipality thereof 79
or any department or agency of the state, county, or 80
municipality or any other public body or institution shall: 81
(1) Open, whether in electronic or paper