How Florida Private Provider Services Work

How It Works

How Florida Private Provider Services Work

A step-by-step explanation of the private provider process under F.S. §553.791 — from electing a provider to receiving your certificate of completion.

How Private Provider Services Work in Florida

Under Florida Statute §553.791, property owners and builders have the legal right to hire a licensed private provider to perform building inspections and plan reviews instead of the local building department. The statute was enacted to reduce construction delays caused by overloaded municipal building departments.

01
Elect a private provider

The property owner or contractor files a notice of election with the local building department, naming Tew & Taylor as the private provider.

02
Building permit issued normally

The municipality issues a building permit in the normal manner. The permit fee is reduced as required by F.S. §553.791.

03
Plan review on your timeline

Tew & Taylor performs plan review, returning organized comments in 2 days on average — replacing municipal review that can take 3–6 weeks.

04
Inspections on your schedule

Tew & Taylor schedules and performs all required inspections around your crew's readiness. Same-day availability eliminates the municipal queue.

05
Results submitted and CO issued

Tew & Taylor submits all results to the building department. The municipality is legally required to accept them and issues the certificate of completion or occupancy.

6–7wk

Average schedule saved per project

Across plan review and inspection phases, Tew & Taylor clients typically recover 6–7 weeks compared to the municipal building department process.

Key Legal Provisions of F.S. §553.791

  • Every Florida municipality is legally required to accept private provider results
  • Permit fees must be reduced when a private provider is used
  • Private provider results carry the same legal standing as government inspections
  • Available for residential, commercial, and mixed-use projects of any scale
  • Can be elected for inspections only, plan review only, or both

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Private provider services are established under Florida Statute §553.791, enacted in 2002 and revised in 2006. It is a codified, regulated framework.
Yes. The statute applies statewide. Every Florida municipality is required by law to accept private provider results.
Tew & Taylor charges a fee for its services. However, F.S. §553.791 requires the municipality to reduce permit fees when a private provider is used — this reduction frequently offsets the private provider cost. Use our savings calculator to estimate your project.
Yes. The property owner or contractor files a standard notice of election before the permit is issued. Tew & Taylor will walk you through this step.
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Call directly 561-366-0100 or office@tewandtaylor.com