Who Handles Permits and Construction for a Commercial Build-Out?

Your licensed general contractor handles both — the permits and the construction. That's the short answer, and it's the one most commercial tenants don't hear clearly until they're already managing two or three separate relationships that don't communicate with each other. If you've just signed a commercial lease and you're trying to figure out who does what, this article explains exactly how the process works — from the first set of permit drawings to the Certificate of Occupancy on your wall.

What "Handling the Permits" Actually Means

Permitting a commercial build-out is not a single form. It's a process, and it has multiple stages — each of which requires someone to own it and push it forward. Here's what a licensed GC actually does when they "handle the permits" on your project:

• Permit drawings: Before a permit application can be submitted, you need construction documents — architectural plans that show the building department exactly what you're building. For most commercial build-outs, this means floor plans, reflected ceiling plans, electrical plans, plumbing plans, and mechanical plans. The GC either coordinates with a licensed architect to produce these or works with your designer to ensure the drawings meet building department requirements.
• Submittal package: The permit application itself includes the drawings, a permit application form, contractor license documentation, insurance certificates, and — depending on the municipality — additional forms like energy calculations or accessibility checklists. A complete, correct submittal package is what gets your project into plan review without being kicked back on day one.
• Plan review response: The building department reviews your plans and will almost always issue comments — corrections or clarifications required before they'll issue the permit. A licensed GC manages these responses, coordinates with the architect or engineer to revise the drawings, and resubmits efficiently. Slow response to plan review comments is one of the most common causes of permit delays.
• Permit issuance: Once plan review is complete and all comments are resolved, the building department issues the permit. Construction can begin once the permit is issued and posted at the job site.
• Inspection scheduling: During construction, the building department requires inspections at specific stages — framing, MEP rough-in, insulation, fire stopping, and others depending on scope. The GC schedules these inspections, ensures the work is ready for each inspection, and addresses any field corrections the inspector identifies.
• Final inspection and CO: At the end of the project, the building department conducts a final inspection covering all trades. Once the space passes, the Certificate of Occupancy is issued — the document that legally allows you to occupy and operate in the space. The GC drives this process to completion.

What Happens If You Try to Do This Yourself or Hire the Wrong Person

Commercial building permits in Florida are not owner-pull permits — meaning tenants and business owners cannot pull their own commercial construction permits. You need a licensed contractor to be the contractor of record. If someone offers to do work on your space without pulling a permit, that's a serious red flag. Unpermitted commercial construction can result in stop-work orders, forced demolition of completed work, fines, and inability to obtain a Certificate of Occupancy — which means you can't legally open your business.

Beyond the unlicensed work risk, there's the "wrong person" problem. Some business owners hire a designer or architect to handle their space and then try to find a separate GC to build it. The design-to-construction handoff is where projects fall apart. The architect produces drawings the GC says will cost 40% more than the budget allows. The GC submits for permit and the drawings aren't stamped correctly for the jurisdiction. The architect submits revisions and the GC hasn't seen them. There's no single party accountable for the entire process. Schedule slips. Costs escalate. Opening dates get pushed.

The right move is a licensed GC involved from the beginning — before the first drawing is produced — so scope, cost, permitting, and construction are coordinated by one party under one contract.

How It Works in Florida Specifically

In Florida, commercial construction must be performed by a licensed contractor. For most commercial build-outs, the applicable license is a Certified Building Contractor (CBC) license issued by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). You can verify any contractor's license at myfloridalicense.com.

The licensed GC is the "contractor of record" on the permit — meaning their license number appears on the permit, and they are legally responsible for the work performed under it. Every subcontractor working on the project — electricians, plumbers, HVAC mechanics — must be properly licensed as well, and the GC is responsible for their work.

In Palm Beach County, commercial permits are issued at the municipal level. The building department with jurisdiction depends on the city or town where your space is located:

• City of West Palm Beach Building Department — handles all TI and build-out permits within WPB city limits
• City of Boca Raton Building Department — jurisdiction over commercial projects in Boca Raton
• Town of Jupiter Building Department — permits for commercial projects in Jupiter
• City of Palm Beach Gardens Building Department — handles PBG commercial permits
• City of Delray Beach Building Department — Delray Beach commercial permitting authority
• Village of North Palm Beach Building Department — permits for projects within North Palm Beach
• Palm Beach County Building Division — handles unincorporated county areas not within a municipality's jurisdiction

Each building department has its own submittal requirements, plan review timelines, and fee schedules. A GC with local experience knows what each department requires and how to navigate each process efficiently.

What to Ask a GC Before Hiring

Before you sign a contract with any general contractor for a commercial build-out, ask these questions directly:

• "Do you pull your own permits?" — The answer should be yes, always. If a GC suggests that someone else handles the permits, or that you should "talk to the landlord about permits," that's a problem.
• "Are you the contractor of record?" — This means their license number is on the permit, and they are legally accountable for the work. Some arrangements use a licensed GC as a "pass-through" while an unlicensed entity does the actual work. This is illegal and puts you at risk.
• "Do you have a CBC license?" — Ask for the license number and verify it at myfloridalicense.com. Check that it's active, not under any disciplinary action, and that the licensee matches the company you're hiring.
• "Have you pulled permits in [specific municipality]?" — Local permit experience matters. A GC that hasn't submitted to the City of West Palm Beach or the Town of Jupiter before will learn that process on your project — which costs you time.

The Single-GC Advantage

When one licensed GC handles design coordination, permit drawings, permit submission, construction, and CO, you get something that's hard to put a dollar value on: a single point of accountability. Nobody is blaming someone else's drawings for the permit delay. Nobody is surprised by what the inspector found in the field because the person who pulled the permit is the same person who built the wall. Nobody is managing a three-way conversation between your architect, your GC, and your landlord.

The design-build model for commercial tenants means your TI allowance is scoped against real construction costs before permits are pulled. It means your opening date is protected by a team that owns the entire timeline — from the first site assessment to the CO. It means you make one call when you have a question, and you get one answer from one person who knows every detail of your project.

That's how the process is supposed to work. And when you hire the right GC from the beginning, that's exactly how it works.