Permits that have not been closed, or have expired with having passed all the required inspections, are considered Open Permits. The building departments view this as work in progress that has not been completed and has not had a final inspection. Open permits that are not renewed, canceled or closed-out are subject to fines, and if still not resolved, liens on the owner's property.
It is the responsibility of the property owner to make sure all permits that are acquired by contractors are closed-out at the end of the job. Florida Law does not require the building department to notify the property owner of Open Permits before issuing fines. In addition to paying the fine, the property owner will be responsible for paying additional permit fees and possibly hiring and paying another contractor to renew the expired permit, if the original contractor is no longer in business.
Buyer beware! Before you purchase a property, make sure there are no open permits on the property. You as the new owner will be held responsible for any open permits that were issued to the previous owner's contractors. You will also be responsible for legalizing any work that was performed on the property without applying for the proper permits.
If you need more information, or assistance on resolving open permit issues vist our Blog, or, please feel free to contact us.
