Residential
Any project valued at $10,000 or more will require a State Homebuilders license. Sub-contractors will have to meet license requirements for their trade.

New Homes: Permits are required within the Florence city limits and a 3 miles radius outside of the city limits also known as the planning jurisdiction. A printed set of construction plans are required (which the building department keeps) to be approved with a plot plan which must be prepared by a registered land surveyor indicating the proposed placement of the dwelling on the lot. Review time is generally seven (7) days. The yellow permit card given at the time a permit is purchased is required to be visible at the jobsite. No inspections will be completed if yellow permit card is not posted. If the structure is on a septic tank, the owner/contractor is responsible for giving the Building Department a copy of the septic tank certificate issued by the Lauderdale County Health Department. No work shall be done to any part of a building beyond the point required for each inspection. It is the responsibility of the contractor to call for all required inspections in this order: footing, 1st stage plumbing, slab, 2nd stage plumbing, electrical rough-in, framing, final electrical, plumbing & structure. To obtain a Certificate of Occupancy no personal items may be moved in prior to any final inspections. **NOTE** The City of Florence Building Department does not issue permits or perform any inspections for the following: Center Star, Greenhill, Killen, Lexington , Rogersville, St. Florian or Waterloo.

Commercial, Industrial

Any project valued at $50,000 or more will require a state general contractor’s license. Sub-contractors will have to meet the same license requirements for their trade.

New Construction: All new construction or additions must be approved by the Building Official prior to issuing the permit. Six (6) complete sets of printed plans stamped by an architect or engineer licensed by the State of Alabama have to be submitted to the Building Department for approval. Review time is generally 15 to 20 working days. The yellow permit card given at the time a permit is purchased is required to be visible at the jobsite. No inspections will be completed if yellow permit card is not posted.

Construction Alterations: Four (4) hard copies showing floor plan and proposed alterations are required. Plans are required to be stamped by a licensed architect or engineer, as required by code.
No work shall be done to any part of a building beyond the point required for each inspection.
It is the responsibility of the contractor to call for all required inspections in the following order:
Footing, 1st stage plumbing, slab, 2nd stage plumbing, electrical rough-in, framing, final electrical, plumbing & structure. To obtain a Certificate of Occupancy no items may be moved in prior to any final inspections.

Buildings constructed within the Zoning Jurisdiction must comply with the Architectural Control Standards as referenced in the City of Florence Zoning Ordinance.

Drawings and specifications for all buildings, except single-family dwellings and farm buildings, 2500 square feet or greater, and assembly, educational and institutional occupancies shall be sealed by a State of Alabama architect or engineer.

All information, drawings, specifications and accompanying data shall bear the name and signature of the person responsible for the design. When required, the design professional shall be an architect or engineer legally registered under the laws of this state regulating the practice of architecture or engineering and shall affix his official seal to said drawings, specifications, and accompanying data.

Site drawings shall show the location of the proposed building or structure and of every existing building or structure on the site or lot. In addition, parking, landscaping and the existing and proposed contours must be shown on the site plan. Storm water detention must be addressed. Disturbance of sites, one acre or greater, require Best Management Plan (BMP).

Proposed construction within a flood hazard area requires a special flood hazard development application and permit. Elevation certificates, No Rise certificates, etc. are required.

Plans will be reviewed for compliance with the International Building Code, by the Building Department, and circulated among various other departments within the city.

Signs
A permit is required to erect, alter or relocate a sign. A drawing of proposed signage must be submitted showing the dimensions and location of the sign on the premises, and other pertinent information as the building official may require to ensure compliance with the ordinances. Cost of the permit is based on the sign and installation costs, combined.

In general, the amount of square footage for sign(s), allowed per site, is based upon the linear front foot of the building. Sign regulations vary from zone to zone. Signs on the public right-of-way are prohibited.

It is the intent of the Sign Ordinance to provide for the orderly and harmonious display of signs within the community, to aid in the identification of properties and enterprises for the convenience of the public; to avoid the erection of displays which produce deleterious and injurious effects to adjacent properties and to the natural beauty of the environment; to provide for the safety of the traveling public from distractions, hazards and obstructions; to promote the mental and physical health, safety and welfare of the public.

Please note that “portable signs” are prohibited. The definition of a portable sign is listed below:

A portable sign is a sign of any material, with or without changeable lettering which is designed to be or is portable, or a sign designed to be transported, including, but not limited to, signs designed to be transported by means of wheels; signs converted to A or T-frames; menu and sandwich board signs; inflatable structures; and signs attached to or painted on vehicles parked and visible from a public right-of-way, unless said vehicle is used in the normal day-to-day operations of the business.

Banners are allowed, and do not require a permit. Banner regulations are as follows:

A banner is a sign of canvas, plastic sheeting, paper or cloth without supporting frame, and affixed to a flat surface such as an exterior wall, window or mansard. A banner may be completely attached to a permanent freestanding sign. In no case will a banner be partly attached leaving one or more ends staked to the ground or attached to a pole or any other object. No more than one banner is allowed per site, or per tenant in a group occupancy at a time. The size of a banner shall not exceed thirty-two (32) square feet. Banners displayed off-premise are prohibited, provided that nothing herein shall be construed to prohibit over-the-street banners for special events authorized and sponsored by the City of Florence.

For more information, please contact Derek Poole, Building Department at (256) 760-6336 at dpoole@florenceal.org.