So what does an AC change-out permit in Broward County need that a Palm Beach County one does not? Start with the rule they share. Florida law makes it unlawful to "construct, erect, alter, modify, repair, or demolish any building" without "first obtaining a permit" [5]. The small-job exemption Florida added in 2026, for single-family work under $7,500, does not cover an AC replacement. It excludes "any electrical, plumbing, structural, mechanical, or gas work" [5] [6].
Direct Cooling is a Florida Certified Air Conditioning Contractor (CAC1819111) with its shop in west Boca, about 9 miles from Coral Springs. Asked in October 2026 about Broward versus Palm Beach County, owner Frank Rey answered in one word: "nothing." On the pad, the code agrees. The anchoring exception is the same sentence in both counties. The paperwork is where they part ways, and no page we read lays the two side by side with the statute and code text. This one does.
This guide reflects the statutes, code sections and city checklists as read on November 2, 2026. The City of Coral Springs says the 9th Edition of the Florida Building Code takes effect December 31, 2026, for permits applied for on or after that date [7]. We will recheck every line then.
Key takeaways
- Your parcel decides the office: a city permits work inside its limits, and Palm Beach County's Permit Center handles the unincorporated area [8].
- Broward jobs file the Broward uniform application and the Board of Rules and Appeals data form, one per system; Palm Beach County jobs use the county's Efficiency Card or a city's own form [9] [2] [10].
- The owner records a notice of commencement on any contract over $2,500; the permit office collects a copy only at $15,000 or more, and Margate sets its own $7,500 line [11] [12] [13] [14].
- Broward is in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone and Palm Beach County is not, yet both anchor the condenser to a rated stand, slab or other approved means [3] [4].
- The jurisdiction table below lines six offices' checklists up against the statute, a comparison no other page we read makes. Replacing in either county? Call or text Direct Cooling at (561) 210-7605.
Who Issues the Permit: County Office or City Hall
The office that permits an AC replacement depends on the parcel, not the mailing address. Inside a city, the city building department issues it. Outside city limits, the county does: Palm Beach County's Permit Center "processes permit applications for building construction in the unincorporated area of Palm Beach County" [8]. A west Boca home with a Boca Raton mailing address is therefore a county permit, not a City of Boca Raton one.
Repairs follow a different rule. Palm Beach County lists "Repair of existing system and/or replacement of any part that does not alter the system listing or make it unsafe" among items that need no permit [15]. A new condenser or air handler isn't on that list. The county files an A/C change-out at a one- or two-unit home as a Type 1 permit, and one in a building of three or more units as Type 2 [16].
| Jurisdiction | Who issues, and where you apply | Application and replacement form | Notice of commencement, as the office states it | Wind zone and anchoring paperwork |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coral Springs (Broward) | City Building Department, through eTRAKiT; paper submittals converted to electronic, for a fee, since January 1, 2026 [1] [17] | Broward building permit application (mechanical), Air Conditioning Replacement Data form, AHRI sheet [1] | "if job value over $15,000, required before 1st inspection" [1] | HVHZ; equipment tie-down specifications [3] [1] |
| Parkland (Broward) | City permit, filed through Broward County ePermits OneStop [18] | Broward County uniform building application, A/C and mechanical replacement information form, AHRI certificate [19] | Over $15,000: recorded and posted before the first inspection [19] | HVHZ; tie-down specifications; engineered drawings for a poured slab or product approval for a prefab one [19] |
| Deerfield Beach (Broward) | City, with CAP Government handling permits, plan review and inspections online [20] | City application online; DFB HOA affidavit on every residential permit [20] | Filed online through Broward ePermits; no dollar line stated on the city page [20] | HVHZ [3] |
| City of Boca Raton (Palm Beach) | City building department, 200 NW 2nd Avenue [21] | Mechanical and electrical applications; city Air Conditioning Replacement Data form with AHRI certificate [21] [22] | Certified copy on mechanical AC change-out permits "greater than $15,000" [21] | Not HVHZ; rooftop units on curbs or engineered stands [3] [22] |
| Unincorporated Palm Beach County (west Boca) | County Permit Center, through the ePZB portal [8] | County application; Florida HVAC Efficiency Card, form PB-O-021 [10] | State rule: a copy before the first inspection at $15,000 or more [13] | Not HVHZ; anchoring under Florida Mechanical Code 301.15 [3] [4] |
| Boynton Beach (Palm Beach) | City, through SagesGov; an A/C change-out at a one- or two-family home is an instant permit [23] | Digital Universal Permit Application built into SagesGov [23] | Notice requests handled in SagesGov; no dollar line stated on the city page [23] | Not HVHZ [3] |
The parcel split shows up in our own records. In unincorporated west Boca, the county's ePZB search lists 17 permits under license CAC1819111 since 2018 (read October 6, 2026); see AC repair in West Boca Raton. In West Palm Beach, the city permitted our 2022 change-out of a 2.5-ton, 16 SEER Rheem system with a 5 kW heat strip, while much of ZIP 33413 with a West Palm Beach address is county territory; see AC repair in West Palm Beach.
Boynton Beach's instant permit is the fast lane; our page on AC repair in Boynton Beach covers when a job needs more. Deerfield Beach wants its HOA affidavit on every residential permit; see AC repair in Deerfield Beach.
The Forms: Broward's Uniform Data Form and Palm Beach County's Efficiency Card
Broward and Palm Beach County ask for the same facts about the old and new equipment, on different forms. Broward's Board of Rules and Appeals data form, Policy 19-02, effective October 1, 2019 and revised July 2, 2024, needs one form per system [2]. Palm Beach County's Florida HVAC Efficiency Card, form PB-O-021, must be "available for the inspector at time of inspections" [10]. The City of Boca Raton uses its own replacement data form [22].
The application comes first. The City of Oakland Park says the Broward County Uniform Building Permit Application "will be the only form accepted for all permit applications" [9]. The Coral Springs and Parkland checklists start from the same county application [1] [19]. On any form, the license number goes on: each certified contractor "shall affix the number of his or her registration or certification to each application for a building permit" [24].
| Line on the form | Broward Policy 19-02 data form [2] | Palm Beach County Efficiency Card PB-O-021 [10] | City of Boca Raton replacement data form [22] |
|---|---|---|---|
| Efficiency rating printed | SEER, SEER2 or EER | SEER or EER | SEER or EER |
| Old and new model numbers and strip heat | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| AHRI certificate | Required | Not on the card | Required |
| Sizing calculation if old unit data is missing | Yes (ACCA Manual N, J) | Not on the card | Yes (ACCA Manual N, J) |
| New stand or curb question | Yes | No | Yes |
| Replaced because of a flood | Yes | No | No |
| Electrical line-side work question | Yes | No | No |
| Refrigerant type | No | No | Yes |
| Signed by | Qualifier | Qualifier, for the installing contractor | Contractor |
Two lines stand out. Palm Beach County's card, revised September 30, 2020, still prints SEER and EER with no SEER2 box; Broward's July 2024 revision prints SEER2 [10] [2]. And only the Broward form asks about line-side electrical work. A memo printed with it explains why. Senate Bill 612, in effect July 1, 2024, lets air-conditioning and mechanical contractors work on the line side of an existing dedicated disconnect on single-phase systems. The memo, from the board's chief electrical code compliance officer to Broward's electrical inspectors, says "an electrical plan review and inspection by an Electrical Inspector must be performed" [2].
Scope, not the county, moves the paperwork cost. An electrical application where the city asks for one, a new slab that needs engineered drawings, and city fees all add to it [1] [21] [19]. Boca Raton, for one, wants 1% of the contract value up front, with a minimum of $100 for the first $500, and the balance when the permit issues [21].
Replacing in Broward or Palm Beach County? We pull the permit under our license in both: call or text (561) 210-7605, or start with AC installation in Boca Raton.
Notice of Commencement: What the Statute Says and What Cities Ask
A notice of commencement is a form recorded in the county clerk's office before an improvement starts; Florida law says recording it "gives constructive notice that claims of lien" may follow [11]. The owner, or the owner's authorized agent, records one before work starts on any improvement whose direct contract price is over $2,500 [11] [12]. Only the owner may sign, and the notice is void if work does not start within 90 days [11].
The signing rule is blunt. "The owner must sign the notice of commencement and no one else may be permitted to sign in his or her stead," says section 713.13 [11]. The $2,500 line comes from section 713.02(5), which exempts any improvement "for which the direct contract price is $2,500 or less" [12].
The $15,000 figure most checklists quote is narrower. Section 713.135 lists the permit office's own duties. One is collecting a copy of the notice "before the first inspection" when the direct contract "is greater than $5,000" [13]. Its last sentence switches that whole subsection off for this job: it "does not apply to a direct contract to repair or replace an existing heating or air-conditioning system in an amount less than $15,000" [13]. So on an AC change-out under $15,000, the permit office doesn't ask for the copy. At $15,000 or more, it does, before the first inspection.
| Source | Dollar line for an AC change-out | What the line controls |
|---|---|---|
| Florida Statutes 713.13 and 713.02(5) | Over $2,500 | The owner records the notice before work starts [11] [12] |
| Florida Statutes 713.135(1) | $15,000 or more | The permit office collects a copy before the first inspection [13] |
| City of Coral Springs checklist | Over $15,000 | Required before the first inspection [1] |
| City of Parkland checklist | Over $15,000 | Recorded and posted before the first inspection [19] |
| City of Boca Raton checklist | Greater than $15,000 | Certified copy on the change-out permit [21] |
| City of Margate permit requirements | $7,500 for AC change-outs | The city's own notice requirement [14] |
Read each city number as that permit office's rule, never as the recording rule. Three of the four cities say "over" or "greater than" $15,000, while the statute already applies at exactly $15,000 [13]. Margate, in Broward, asks for a notice on permits over $2,500 in construction value but sets "$7,500 for AC change outs" [14].
This is the statute as printed in the 2026 Florida Statutes, not legal advice. Your quote should say who pulls the permit and who handles the notice; see the permit line on a quote. In a condo, the association's approval comes first; see the Boca Raton condo permit path.
Tie-Downs and Stands: The High-Velocity Hurricane Zone Line
The High-Velocity Hurricane Zone is a wind region defined in the Florida Building Code, 8th Edition (2023): "This zone consists of Broward and Miami-Dade counties" [3]. Palm Beach County is not named in it. Inside it, Section 1620 sets Broward's design wind speeds at 156, 170, 180 and 185 mph for Risk Categories I through IV [25]. Outside it, the anchoring rule for an outdoor AC unit is the same.
That rule is Florida Mechanical Code 301.15. Exposed equipment "shall be designed and installed to resist the wind pressures" set by the building code [4]. Then comes the exception that matters on a change-out. Equipment "fastened to a roof or installed on the ground in compliance with the code using rated stands, platforms, curbs, slabs, walls, or other means are deemed to comply" [4]. The same sentence sits in Section 1620.1, the building code's HVHZ wind-load section, and in Florida Statutes 553.844(4) [25] [26].
The phrase "deemed to comply" means the condenser cabinet needs no wind calculation of its own; the rated stand or slab and the fastening do the work. Palm Beach County's Building Code Advisory Board read it that way in 2017, with one condition: "the equipment must be adequately anchored to the rated stand, slab, or other approved means so as to resist the wind loads required by the latest Florida Building Code" [27]. The same advisory records Broward's Board of Rules and Appeals Formal Interpretation 16, of September 9, 2016: the equipment itself need not show wind-load compliance [27].
Same strap. Different paperwork.
| Item | Broward (Coral Springs, Parkland) | Palm Beach County |
|---|---|---|
| In the HVHZ | Yes [3] | No [3] |
| Anchoring rule | FMC 301.15 and its rated-stand exception [4] | Same section; the county advisory says the unit must be adequately anchored [4] [27] |
| On the permit checklist | Equipment tie-down specifications [1] [19] | No tie-down line on the county card [10]; Boca Raton asks whether a stand or curb adapter is installed [22] |
| New base | Parkland: engineered drawings for a poured slab, or product approval for a prefab one [19] | Boca Raton: rooftop units go on curbs or engineered stands, Section 19-33(2) [22] |
Our view: the counties differ in what you file, not in how a condenser should be fastened. A unit sitting loose on a pad is wrong in Boca Raton for the same reason it is wrong in Coral Springs. The city detail is on our pages for AC replacement in Coral Springs and AC replacement in Parkland.
Emergency Replacements and the Next-Business-Day Rule
Florida's building code lets a contractor replace failed equipment in an emergency before the permit issues, as long as the paperwork follows fast: "the permit application shall be submitted within the next working business day to the building official" [28]. Palm Beach County's amendments keep that sentence and add that the building official gets the work address, nature of emergency and scope of work "immediately, or by the next business day" [29].
Coral Springs runs the rule through an online Emergency Work Notification form. The qualifier certifies that the work is "necessary to address an emergency condition as permitted under FBC 105.2.1." The form adds: "A permit application must be submitted by the next working business day" [30].
The emergency sequence, as the code and those two documents lay it out:
- The failed equipment is replaced to restore cooling.
- The building official is notified: in Palm Beach County with the address, the emergency and the scope, immediately or by the next business day [29]; in Coral Springs on the city's form [30].
- The full permit application goes in by the next working business day [28] [30].
- The packet matches a planned job. In Broward that means the data form and tie-down specifications [1] [2].
- The inspection is booked, with the forms on site [17] [10].
Under the base code, an AC that dies on a Saturday can be replaced that weekend, with the application in on Monday [28]. Frank Rey says Direct Cooling runs an answering service and does emergency service on weekends (his recorded answer, October 15, 2026). One limit: we did not read Parkland's own administrative chapter, so in Parkland, ask your contractor to confirm the Monday filing in writing.
Inspection Day: What the Inspector Reads Off the Card
At an AC change-out inspection, the inspector checks the installed equipment against the paperwork. Palm Beach County's Efficiency Card lists the new and old manufacturer, air handler and condenser model numbers, voltage, heat strip size, tons, minimum circuit ampacity, breaker and wire size, certified by the qualifier [10]. Coral Springs requires the notice of commencement for new inspections, the permit card and the stamped approved plans [17].
Coral Springs lists "Virtual Final A/C" among the inspections it allows by video call, and an on-site inspection gets "a 2 hour window" set that morning [17]. Boca Raton numbers its mechanical inspections, including 504 for the A/C change-out field final and 513 for curb and stand attachment. It also wants a ladder in place for access [31] [22].
| Jurisdiction | How the inspection is booked | What must be ready |
|---|---|---|
| Coral Springs | Online through eTRAKiT; a two-hour window, or a virtual final A/C [17] | Notice of commencement (new inspections), permit card, stamped approved plans [17] |
| Deerfield Beach | Online by 3:00 PM for a next-business-day inspection [20] | Approved permit package on site; in a condo, the permit card displayed on the unit's front until the final [20] |
| Boynton Beach | SagesGov by 3:00 PM the day before [23] | Approved documents printed from SagesGov [23] |
| City of Boca Raton | Inspection 504, A/C changeout field final [31] | A ladder in place for access [22] |
| Unincorporated Palm Beach County | Through the county [8] | The Florida HVAC Efficiency Card [10] |
The form is the inspector's checklist. Whatever went on the data form or the card is what the inspector holds against the new unit, so check the model numbers on the form against the nameplate before the inspector arrives. For the city side of Boca Raton, see HVAC service in Boca Raton.
Questions About AC Change-Out Permits in Broward and Palm Beach County
Direct CoolingFL Certified AC Contractor CAC1819111 Dispatch 24/7 Hi, this is Direct Cooling. Tap a question below for a straight answer.
Tap a question to ask
- Do you need a permit to replace an AC in Broward County?
- Yes. Florida law requires a permit before a building is altered or repaired, and the 2026 exemption for single-family work under $7,500 excludes mechanical work [5]. Broward cities such as Coral Springs and Parkland ask for the county application, the Board of Rules and Appeals data form for each system, an AHRI certificate and equipment tie-down specifications [1] [19] [2].
- Is Palm Beach County in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone?
- No. The Florida Building Code defines the zone as Broward and Miami-Dade counties only [3]. Outdoor AC equipment in Palm Beach County still has to resist wind loads under Florida Mechanical Code 301.15, and the county's advisory board says it must be adequately anchored to its rated stand, slab or other approved means [4] [27].
- How much does an AC change-out have to cost before a notice of commencement is required?
- Over $2,500. Florida law has the owner record one before work starts on any improvement over $2,500 [11] [12]. The $15,000 figure decides only whether the permit office collects a copy: at $15,000 or more it does, before the first inspection [13]. Some cities post their own line, such as Margate's $7,500 for AC change-outs [14].
The Short Answer for Your Address
Whether the house is in Boca Raton or Coral Springs, the job on the pad is the same and the paperwork is not. Find the office first, by parcel: city or county. Then match the forms: the Broward data form and tie-down specifications south of the county line, the Efficiency Card or a city form to the north. The owner records a notice of commencement on any contract over $2,500, and the permit office wants a copy at $15,000 or more [11] [13]. Save the jurisdiction table, and hold your contractor's packet against it before inspection day.
This guide is general information, not legal advice; the statute, your contract and your building department control.
Direct Cooling is a Florida Certified Air Conditioning Contractor, license CAC1819111, based in west Boca. Call or text (561) 210-7605 to have the permit path for your address checked, or start with our replacement page.
References
- City of Coral Springs Building Department. Air Conditioning Replacement Permit Application Checklist, Form 032.0. Revision date February 5, 2026; read November 2, 2026. coralsprings.gov/files/assets/public/v/10/documents/building/checklist...
- Broward County Board of Rules and Appeals. Policy 19-02, Broward County Uniform Data Form for Residential and Light Commercial Air Conditioning Replacements, with the July 2, 2024 memo on HVAC system contractor limitation changes (copy posted by the City of Oakland Park). Effective October 1, 2019, revised July 2, 2024; read November 2, 2026. oaklandparkfl.gov/DocumentCenter/View/15649/BORA-AC-Replacements-Form-...
- Florida Building Commission. Florida Building Code, Building, 8th Edition (2023), Chapter 2, Definitions: High Velocity Hurricane Zone (UpCodes copy). 2023 edition; read November 2, 2026. up.codes/viewer/florida/fl-building-code-2023/chapter/2/definitions
- Florida Building Commission. Florida Building Code, Mechanical, 8th Edition (2023), Section 301.15, Wind Resistance (UpCodes copy). 2023 edition; read November 2, 2026. up.codes/viewer/florida/fl-mechanical-code-2023/chapter/3/general-regu...
- Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes section 553.79, Permits; applications; issuance; inspections, subsections (1)(a) and (1)(g). 2026 Florida Statutes; read November 2, 2026. leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=05...
- Palm Beach County Planning, Zoning and Building, Building Division. Florida House Bill 803: Building Permits and Inspections (news notice). Posted July 1, 2026; read November 2, 2026. discover.pbc.gov/pzb/building/Lists/Latest%20News%20Building/NewsDispF...
- City of Coral Springs Building Department. Florida Building Code Notice: 9th Edition Takes Effect December 31, 2026. No page date shown; read November 2, 2026. coralsprings.gov/Government/Departments/Building/Florida-Building-Code...
- Palm Beach County Planning, Zoning and Building, Building Division. Permit Center. No page date shown; read November 2, 2026. discover.pbc.gov/pzb/building/pages/permit-center.aspx
- City of Oakland Park. Building Permit Applications and Forms. No page date shown; read November 2, 2026. oaklandparkfl.gov/172
- Palm Beach County Building Division. Florida HVAC Efficiency Card Form, PB-O-021. Rev. September 30, 2020; read November 2, 2026. discover.pbc.gov/pzb/building/Forms/AC%20Change%20Out%20Form.pdf
- Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes section 713.13, Notice of commencement. 2026 Florida Statutes; read November 2, 2026. leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=07...
- Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes section 713.02, Types of lienors and exemptions, subsection (5). 2026 Florida Statutes; read November 2, 2026. leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=07...
- Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes section 713.135, Notice of commencement and applicability of lien, subsection (1). 2026 Florida Statutes; read November 2, 2026. leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=07...
- City of Margate. Permit Requirements. No page date shown (ePermits note dated May 3, 2021); read November 2, 2026. margatefl.com/198/Permit-Requirements
- Palm Beach County Planning, Zoning and Building, Building Division. Items Not Requiring a Permit. Revision April 12, 2013; read November 2, 2026. discover.pbc.gov/pzb/PDF/whennotrequired.pdf
- Palm Beach County Planning, Zoning and Building, Building Division. Permit Application Types. April 27, 2011; read November 2, 2026. discover.pbc.gov/pzb/building/PDF/permit_types.pdf
- City of Coral Springs Building Department. Inspections (virtual and on-site inspection procedures). No page date shown; read November 2, 2026. coralsprings.gov/Government/Departments/Building/Inspections
- City of Parkland. Broward County ePermit Resources. No page date shown; read November 2, 2026. cityofparkland.org/1452/Broward-County-ePermit-Resources
- City of Parkland Development Services. Air Conditioning Replacement/Repair checklist. No date shown; read November 2, 2026. cityofparkland.org/DocumentCenter/View/14092
- City of Deerfield Beach. Building Services. No page date shown; read November 2, 2026. deerfield-beach.com/294/Building-Services
- City of Boca Raton Development Services. Permit Submittal Checklist: Mechanical HVAC for Single Family Home. No date shown; read November 2, 2026. myboca.us/DocumentCenter/View/251/Mechanical-HVAC-PDF
- City of Boca Raton Building Department. Air Conditioning Replacement Data. Digitally signed December 12, 2024; read November 2, 2026. myboca.us/DocumentCenter/View/391/AC-Replacement-Data-Form-PDF
- City of Boynton Beach. Sages Permits. No page date shown; read November 2, 2026. boynton-beach.org/428/Sages-Permits
- Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes section 489.119, Business organizations; qualifying agents, subsection (5)(a). 2026 Florida Statutes; read November 2, 2026. leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=04...
- Florida Building Commission. Florida Building Code, Building, 8th Edition (2023), Section 1620, High-Velocity Hurricane Zones: Wind Loads (UpCodes copy). 2023 edition; read November 2, 2026. up.codes/viewer/florida/fl-building-code-2023/chapter/16/structural-de...
- Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes section 553.844, Windstorm loss mitigation, subsection (4). 2026 Florida Statutes; read November 2, 2026. leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=05...
- Building Code Advisory Board of Palm Beach County. Technical Advisory: Wind Resistance of Exposed Mechanical Equipment or Appliances. Issued March 15, 2017; read November 2, 2026. discover.pbc.gov/pzb/building/BCAB/Wind_Resistance_of_Exposed_Mechanic...
- Florida Building Commission. Florida Building Code, Building, 8th Edition (2023), Section 105.2.1, Emergency Repairs (UpCodes copy). 2023 edition; read November 2, 2026. up.codes/viewer/florida/fl-building-code-2023/chapter/1/scope-and-admi...
- Palm Beach County Planning, Zoning and Building, Building Division. Palm Beach County Amendments to the Florida Building Code, 8th Edition (2023), Section 105.2.1. Effective December 31, 2023; read November 2, 2026. discover.pbc.gov/pzb/building/BuildingCodes/PBC-Amendments-to-the-Flor...
- City of Coral Springs. Emergency Work Notification (online form). No page date shown; read November 2, 2026. forms.coralsprings.gov/251816301637959
- City of Boca Raton Building Department. Private Provider: List of Building Inspections (Mechanical Inspections). Digitally signed March 9, 2026; read November 2, 2026. myboca.us/DocumentCenter/View/22460/Mechanical-Inspections
