Private Provider Plan Review in Florida: What Architects Need to Know

For architects and engineers working on Florida projects, plan review is one of the most consequential — and most frustrating — parts of the permitting process. Municipal review queues, vague comment letters, and multiple revision rounds consume weeks that projects can’t afford. Private provider plan review is a legally available alternative that changes the experience significantly.

What Is Private Provider Plan Review?

Under Florida Statute §553.791, a licensed private provider can perform plan review in place of the local building department. The private provider reviews submitted plans for compliance with the Florida Building Code and applicable local amendments. Results are submitted to the municipality, which is legally required to accept them. Permit issuance follows private provider approval.

How Tew & Taylor’s Plan Review Process Works

• Submission: Plans are submitted electronically to Tew & Taylor along with required supporting documentation.
• Assignment: Your project is assigned to a licensed reviewer with expertise in the relevant disciplines (architectural, structural, electrical, mechanical, plumbing).
• Review: First-round review is completed within 2 days on average. Comments are organized by discipline, numbered, and written to be actionable — not just code citations.
• Communication: You have direct access to your reviewer for questions about specific comments. No phone trees, no waiting for callbacks.
• Revisions: Revised plans are reviewed within 2 days of resubmission.
• Municipal submission: Once plans are approved, Tew & Taylor submits results to the municipality for permit issuance.

What Architects and Engineers Notice

The most common feedback from architects working with Tew & Taylor for the first time: the comment letters are actually useful. Municipal review comments are often written as bare code citations without context — “FBC Section 1603.1.4 — provide wind load calculations.” Private provider comments explain what’s needed and why, which means architects can resolve issues in one revision rather than going back and forth three times to understand what the reviewer actually wants.

Disciplines Covered

Tew & Taylor’s plan review covers all disciplines required for a complete Florida building permit, including architectural/structural, mechanical (HVAC), electrical, plumbing, and energy compliance (Florida Energy Code). We also have expertise in Florida-specific requirements including wind resistance, product approvals, flood zone compliance, and HVHZ (High Velocity Hurricane Zone) for South Florida projects.

How Does This Compare to Municipal Review?

In Florida’s highest-activity markets, municipal plan review for residential projects typically takes 3–5 weeks for initial review. Commercial projects may take longer. Each revision round adds more time. The same process with Tew & Taylor averages 2 days for initial review and 2 days per revision round. For a project with two revision rounds, that’s a difference of 6–9 weeks.