County Guide
Hillsborough County, FL Building Permits: Who Issues
In Hillsborough County, FL the county permits unincorporated areas while Tampa, Temple Terrace, and Plant City run their own building departments.
In Hillsborough County, Florida, who issues your building permit depends on whether the property sits in unincorporated county land or inside a city. The county's Development Services department covers the unincorporated areas, while Tampa, Temple Terrace, and Plant City each run their own building departments. Here is how the pieces fit together and how to look up a permit.
Who Issues Building Permits in Hillsborough County?
Building permits for unincorporated Hillsborough County are issued by the county's Development Services department. It handles applications, plan review, permits, and inspections, and it is the authority having jurisdiction for construction outside the cities. For background on that role, see what the AHJ is.
The county runs everything through HillsGovHub, its Accela-based online portal. Applications, plan uploads, fee payments, and inspection scheduling all go through the system, and the public search there covers permits by address, contractor license, or parcel number.
What the County Covers vs. the Cities Inside It
Development Services permits the unincorporated county only. Large, fast-growing communities like Brandon, Riverview, Valrico, and Carrollwood are unincorporated, so their permits run through the county portal.
Three incorporated cities run their own building departments. Tampa issues its own permits through Construction Services and its own Accela Citizen Access portal, and Temple Terrace and Plant City each operate separate departments and portals. If a property sits inside one of those city limits, the county record will not have the permit, and you have to search the city instead.
How to Look Up Permits in Hillsborough County
For unincorporated addresses, search HillsGovHub by address, permit number, or contractor to see the official record. For a Tampa, Temple Terrace, or Plant City property, use that city's own portal. Permit records in Florida are public, which we explain in are building permits public record.
To track activity across the whole county at a glance, use Permit Ledger's live Hillsborough County permit tracker, which pulls residential permits from the official feed every week and summarizes the trend.
Permit Activity in Hillsborough County
Permit Ledger tracked roughly 4,000 residential permits in Hillsborough County in the trailing 30 days as of mid-July 2026, down slightly from about 4,400 in the prior 30-day period. That count covers renovation, remodel, addition, solar, and pool work, not new commercial construction.
Volume is still running at a high level, with a modest dip from the month before. A move of that size is normal seasonal noise rather than a trend, so demand across the county held near its recent pace.
Who Uses This Data
Contractors, suppliers, and investors track county permit volume to gauge where remodel and construction demand is heading, and direct mail marketers use fresh permits to reach owners mid-project. Because the records are public, anyone can put them to work. To trace one property, see how to look up permit history by address.
Frequently asked questions
Who issues building permits in unincorporated Hillsborough County?
The county's Development Services department issues permits for unincorporated Hillsborough County. Applications, plan review, and inspections run through the county's HillsGovHub online portal.
Does the City of Tampa use the county portal?
No. Tampa runs its own building department, Construction Services, with its own Accela Citizen Access portal. Permits for property inside Tampa city limits do not appear in the county's HillsGovHub records.
What is HillsGovHub?
HillsGovHub is Hillsborough County's Accela-based online permitting portal. You can apply for permits, upload plans, pay fees, schedule inspections, and search public records through it.
Which Hillsborough County cities run their own building departments?
Tampa, Temple Terrace, and Plant City each operate their own building departments and portals. Unincorporated communities such as Brandon, Riverview, and Valrico are permitted by the county.
How do I search Hillsborough County permits?
Search HillsGovHub by address, permit number, or contractor for unincorporated properties. For a city property, use that city's portal, and for a county-wide view use Permit Ledger's live Hillsborough County permit tracker.
See Live Hillsborough 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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