Florida Notice of Commencement and Building Permits

A Notice of Commencement is a recorded document used in Florida's Construction Lien Law for many improvements to real property. Section 713.13 describes the notice and the information it must contain when the requirement applies.

The notice is separate from the building permit itself, but the two can be connected during the permit and inspection process.

Section 713.13 requires the owner or authorized agent to record the Notice of Commencement before actually starting the improvement when the statute applies and to post the required copy or statement at the job site.

The project file should keep the recorded notice with the property, permit, contractor, and job information so the team can retrieve it when the jurisdiction or inspector needs it.

Section 713.135 requires permit-issuing authorities to place a Notice-of-Commencement warning on the permit card. The 2026 statute states that the notice must be recorded and posted on the site before the first inspection when the requirement applies.

That makes the Notice of Commencement an important pre-inspection document for permit tracking rather than something to address only at the end of the project.

The Notice of Commencement includes property and project information, so the permit team should confirm that the recorded document belongs to the correct property and improvement and is available in the project file.

For projects with changes in ownership, contractor, financing, scope, or timing, the team should review whether the existing recorded notice still fits the project before relying on it.

Clear Property Records can keep the recorded Notice of Commencement, permit number, application records, inspection activity, and other municipal documents organized in the same project file.

That helps prevent a missing administrative document from becoming an avoidable inspection or Permit Closure delay.