County Guide
Brevard County, FL Building Permits: Who Issues Them
How Brevard County, FL building permits work: the county department that issues them, which cities run their own, and how to look up records.
Brevard County, Florida runs a mix of unincorporated land and several sizable cities, and each has its own permit authority. Before you apply or look up a record, you need to know which one covers the address. Here is who issues building permits in Brevard County, what the county covers, and how to find the records.
Who Issues Building Permits in Brevard County?
Building permits in Brevard County are issued by the county's Planning and Development department, which reviews applications against the Florida Building Code, issues permits, and inspects the work through final sign-off. It is the authority having jurisdiction for unincorporated parts of the county. For more on that role, see our guide to the AHJ.
The county runs an online portal known as BASS, its Advanced Service Site, built on Accela Citizen Access. Non-registered users can search and view building records there, and registered contractors can apply, upload documents, and schedule inspections.
The County vs. the Cities Inside It
The county department covers unincorporated Brevard, but many residents live inside incorporated cities that handle their own permitting. Those cities are the authority for anything within their limits.
Palm Bay, Melbourne, and Titusville, the county seat, each operate their own building departments. A permit filed with one of those cities will not appear in the county's records. Confirm whether the address is inside a city or in unincorporated Brevard before you apply or search.
How to Look Up Permits in Brevard County
Start with the official source that matches the jurisdiction. For unincorporated property, the county's BASS portal lets you search and view records without an account. For property inside Palm Bay, Melbourne, or Titusville, use that city's portal instead. For a single property, the matching official record is authoritative.
For a wider view of what is being permitted across the county, our live Brevard County permit tracker pulls the county's residential filings every week and summarizes the busiest permit and trade categories. These records are open to the public by law. See are building permits public record for the background.
Permit Activity in Brevard County
Brevard County keeps up a steady flow of residential permitting. Permit Ledger tracked about 1,360 residential permits in the county in the trailing 30 days as of mid-July 2026, roughly flat with the prior 30-day period near 1,330. That count covers renovation, remodel, addition, solar, and pool work.
A near-flat reading like this signals stable demand into the summer rather than a swing in either direction, which is useful context for planning outreach.
Who Uses This Data
County permit data is a working tool for several groups: roofing, remodeling, HVAC, and solar contractors use fresh filings as high-intent leads; investors track active projects and stalled permits; and direct mail marketers build address lists from recent renovation activity. Because the records are public, anyone can use them. To research a single address, see how to look up permit history by address.
Frequently asked questions
Who issues building permits in Brevard County, FL?
The county's Planning and Development department issues building permits for unincorporated Brevard County. It reviews plans, issues permits, and inspects work through final sign-off. Incorporated cities in the county run their own building departments.
Do Palm Bay, Melbourne, and Titusville use the county for permits?
No. Palm Bay, Melbourne, and Titusville each run their own building departments. A project inside those city limits is permitted by the city, and those records are separate from the county's.
How do I look up a Brevard County building permit?
For unincorporated property, use the county's BASS portal to search and view records without an account. For a city address, use that city's portal. Permit Ledger also publishes a weekly county-level permit tracker.
Are Brevard County building permits public record?
Yes. Building permits are public record in Florida, as in every state. You can search them for free through the county or city portals without owning the property or holding a license.
How many building permits does Brevard County issue?
Permit Ledger tracked about 1,360 residential permits in Brevard County in the trailing 30 days as of mid-July 2026, roughly flat with the prior 30-day period near 1,330. That count covers residential renovation, remodel, addition, solar, and pool work.
See Live Brevard County Permit Data →More Florida county permit guides
Related guides
- What Is the AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction)?
- What Is a Parcel Number? Definition and How to Find It
- Unpermitted Work: What Happens If You're Caught
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