“How long until we can start?” is the first question almost every client asks, and the honest answer is: it depends on the scope, the jurisdiction, and how complete your application is. But “it depends” is not very useful when you are trying to plan a project. So here are realistic 2026 ranges for Broward County, and — more importantly — what actually moves the timeline.
Realistic 2026 timelines
These are typical review windows once a complete application is submitted. They assume no major revisions are required.
- Simple residential permits (water heater, re-roof, like-for-like window replacement): a few days to 2 weeks. Many qualify for expedited or even same-day over-the-counter review.
- Residential additions and remodels (structural work, new square footage): 3–6 weeks for first review.
- New single-family home: 6–10 weeks for first review.
- Commercial build-out / tenant improvement: 6–12 weeks, depending on occupancy change and life-safety scope.
- New commercial construction: 3–6 months, often longer with multiple agency reviews.
Two things to keep in mind. First, Broward County and each municipality (Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale, Pembroke Pines, and the rest) run their own building departments — your timeline depends on which one has jurisdiction. Second, these are review times, not total times. Each round of corrections resets part of the clock.
What actually causes delays
In our experience, permits rarely stall because the building department is slow. They stall because of comments — the reviewer flags something, the application goes back to the design team, and the resubmittal goes to the back of the queue. Each cycle can add weeks.
The most common reasons we see applications get kicked back:
- Incomplete drawings — missing details, no product approvals, unsigned or unsealed sheets.
- Missing Notice of Acceptance (NOA) documentation for windows, doors, and roofing in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone.
- Energy code (Florida Energy Conservation Code) forms missing or incorrect.
- Zoning conflicts caught late — setbacks, height, or use issues that should have been resolved before the building application.
Three things you can do up front
You cannot control the review queue, but you can control how many times you land in it.
1. Submit a genuinely complete package. The single biggest lever. A complete, well-coordinated submittal that clears in one round will almost always beat a rushed submittal that takes three. This is where a contractor who knows the local reviewers earns their fee.
2. Resolve zoning before you apply for the building permit. Confirm setbacks, allowable use, and any variance or board approval first. Discovering a zoning problem during building review is the most expensive kind of delay.
3. Line up your product approvals early. Have NOAs and Florida Product Approval numbers in hand for every exterior product before submittal, not after the reviewer asks.
The bottom line
For a straightforward residential project with a clean application, plan on a few weeks. For new construction or commercial work, plan in months, and build that into your schedule from day one. The teams that finish on time are almost always the ones that did the unglamorous coordination work before hitting “submit.”
At MTC we handle permitting end to end — drawings, product approvals, submittal, and reviewer comments — across Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach. If you want a realistic timeline for your specific project and jurisdiction, get in touch and we will map it out with you.
This article is general guidance, not legal or code advice. Always confirm requirements with the authority having jurisdiction over your project.