Selling a Home on the Emerald Coast?

Here’s What Unpermitted Work Could Cost You at Closing

Here on the Emerald Coast, homes get updated, improved, and renovated constantly. Screened porches get enclosed. Kitchens get opened up. Bathrooms get remodeled. Roofs get replaced after hurricane seasons. And in many of those cases — more than most sellers realize — nobody pulled a permit.

As a lifelong local and REALTOR® who has guided sellers through transactions across Walton and Okaloosa Counties, I can tell you this: unpermitted work is one of the most common surprises that surfaces mid-contract — and one of the most preventable. Here are the questions I hear most often from sellers, and the straight answers.

Q:  My contractor did the work. Isn’t it their responsibility to pull the permit?

A:  Legally, yes — licensed contractors in Florida are responsible for pulling permits for the work they perform. But once you go to sell, the burden lands on you as the homeowner. If a permit was never pulled, the county has no record of the work.

Before assuming the worst, call your contractor first. Many reputable roofers and remodelers pull permits routinely and simply never hand the homeowner the paperwork. Ask for the permit number and verify it was finaled — meaning a final inspection was completed — with the county. You may be in better shape than you think.

Q:  I had a new roof put on. Does that need a permit in Walton or Okaloosa County?

A:  Yes — roof replacements always require a permit in Florida, in both Walton and Okaloosa Counties. This is one of the most commonly missed permits on the Emerald Coast because homeowners assume the roofer handled it.

This matters especially if your buyer is using FHA or VA financing. Government-backed loan appraisers are trained to look at roofing and can condition a loan on the roof being permitted and approved — or in some cases, replaced entirely. Getting ahead of this before you list is the cleanest move.

Q:  We enclosed our screened porch and never pulled a permit. Is that a big deal?

A:  It can be — particularly in Walton County, where the Coastal Building Zone carries additional requirements. An enclosed porch that added conditioned square footage almost certainly required a permit, and if that square footage was never added to your tax record, there’s likely a discrepancy between what the county thinks your home is and what it actually is.

That discrepancy shows up in the appraisal. Appraisers are required to use permitted square footage in their valuation. If your enclosure added square footage that was never permitted or reflected in public records, an appraiser may exclude it from the gross living area — which can bring the appraised value in below your contract price and create a financing problem mid-transaction.

The path forward is a retroactive permit. Contact the Walton County Building Department at (850) 267-1955 or Okaloosa County at (850) 651-7180 and ask about the permit after the fact process. An inspector will evaluate the work as it currently exists. If it was done well and meets code, there’s a reasonable path to getting it resolved before listing.

Q:  We moved plumbing in our primary bathroom remodel. No permit was pulled. What are we looking at?

A:  This is the most complex of the common scenarios because plumbing work is behind walls. Moving plumbing always requires a permit in Florida, and a retroactive permit on concealed work typically means an inspector needs to see what’s behind the drywall.

Before contacting the county, consider hiring a licensed plumber to do a private pre-inspection first. If everything was done correctly to code, you’re in a much stronger position when the county inspector comes. If there are issues, you can address them on your own terms before the official review.

If the original contractor is still in business, reach out. They may be willing to assist with the retroactive process since they performed the work, and having a licensed contractor involved helps.

🌴  Surfacing a permit issue before listing gives you options. Discovering it mid-contract — during a buyer’s inspection — puts everyone under the clock and dramatically reduces your leverage.

Q:  Can I just disclose the unpermitted work and close without fixing it?

A:  Sometimes yes — but disclosure alone does not guarantee a smooth closing. It protects you legally, but it doesn’t make the issue invisible to everyone else involved in the transaction.

The buyer’s lender — especially FHA and VA — can flag unpermitted work and condition the loan on it being resolved. Cash buyers have no lender, which is why sellers with known unpermitted improvements sometimes price accordingly and market specifically toward cash offers.

The appraiser may exclude unpermitted square footage from the valuation, which can bring the appraised value below the contract price and create a financing gap.

The title company generally won’t block closing based on unpermitted work alone — but an open permit that was never finalized is a different matter. That can create a cloud on title that must be resolved before closing.

Disclosure gets you cleanly to closing most consistently when the buyer is paying cash, the unpermitted work doesn’t affect appraised square footage, and there are no open permits or enforcement actions on record.

Q:  What should I do first if I suspect my home has permit gaps?

A:  Pull your own permit history before your listing appointment. Both Walton County (mywaltonfl.gov) and Okaloosa County (permits.myokaloosa.com) have public permit lookup tools. Know what’s on record and what isn’t before your agent — or a buyer’s inspector — finds it first.

Then have an honest conversation with your REALTOR®. A knowledgeable agent will help you weigh the options: resolve permits before listing for the cleanest transaction, price and market to a buyer pool that accounts for the known condition, or consult a real estate attorney about your disclosure obligations. The worst path is staying silent and hoping no one notices.

Thinking About Listing Your Emerald Coast Home?

Permit history is one of those details that separates a smooth closing from a stressful one. I’m happy to walk through what to look for on your specific property and help you think through the options — before you’re under contract and the clock is ticking.

Reach out anytime at waltoncoast.com. I’m a lifelong local to the Emerald Coast, and this is exactly the kind of conversation I’m here for. 🌴

Jessica Brown

Tide & Timber Properties  |  Emerald Coast REALTOR®

waltoncoast.com

Disclaimer: This post is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, building code, or real estate advice. Permit requirements vary by property location, project scope, flood zone designation, HOA rules, and city or county jurisdiction, and are subject to change. Always verify requirements directly with the applicable county building department before beginning any improvement project. Consult a licensed contractor, real estate attorney, or other qualified professional before making decisions specific to your situation. Jessica Brown is a licensed Florida REALTOR® — not an attorney, building official, or licensed contractor. Tide & Timber Properties and Jessica Brown shall not be liable for any actions taken or not taken based on the content of this post.