ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit) permit in Coral Springs, FL
Yes — you need a permit for adu (accessory dwelling unit) work in Coral Springs.
You need a building permit to construct an accessory dwelling unit (garage apartment, casita, etc.); it is a new dwelling unit and the Florida Building Code exempts no Building work from a permit. Note a separate zoning limit: the city allows an accessory dwelling unit only in the Limited Agricultural (A-1) district on lots of at least two acres, so an ADU is not permitted in ordinary residential districts.
| Permit needed? | Yes |
|---|---|
| Where the line falls | You need a building permit to construct an accessory dwel… |
| Fee | A deposit of $100 per single-family residential unit is due with the building permit application and is credited toward the permit cost; the permit fee itself is set by city commission resolution, not printed in the code. |
| Review time | Not in the ordinance |
| Code section | FBC 105.2 (new dwelling requires permit); Land Development Code Sec. 250172 (ADU allowed only in A-1, min 2 acres) |
| Based on | Florida Building Code, Building, 2023 (8th ed.), as adopted by City of Coral Springs; zoning per Land Development Code Ch. 25 |
How to pull the permit
- Put together a site plan showing where the work goes, with dimensions.
- Apply through the Coral Springs building department.
- Pay the permit fee when the permit is issued. Work done before that isn't covered.
- Book each inspection listed on the permit as the job reaches that stage.
Either of you can pull it. When a contractor does the work, it is normally their job.
If you skip it
Coral Springs's code doesn't set a specific fine for this work. In practice the department can issue a stop-work order, and unpermitted work tends to surface during a sale, when the buyer's inspector or the title company asks for it.
Nearby cities, same job
Rules stop at the city line. If your lot is near a boundary, or you work across several towns, this is where they differ.
| City | Distance | Permit? | Where the line falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coral Springs | — | Yes | You need a building permit to construct an accessory dwel… |
| Tamarac | 5 mi | Yes | No size threshold in the code |
| Sunrise | 7 mi | Yes | Building a garage apartment, casita, or other accessory d… |
| Lauderhill | 8 mi | Yes | Building a garage apartment, casita, or other accessory d… |
| Deerfield Beach | 9 mi | Yes | No size threshold in the code |
| Plantation | 10 mi | Yes | No size threshold in the code |
See every Florida city on adu (accessory dwelling unit) work
Other work in Coral Springs
Questions people ask
How much does a adu (accessory dwelling unit) permit cost in Coral Springs?
A deposit of $100 per single-family residential unit is due with the building permit application and is credited toward the permit cost; the permit fee itself is set by city commission resolution, not printed in the code.. Valuation-based fees mean the number depends on what the job is worth, so the department quotes it when you apply.
I already built it without a permit. What now?
Coral Springs can issue a stop-work order and require you to apply after the fact, sometimes with an extra fee. Work that was covered up may have to be opened for inspection. Full walkthrough here.
Does unpermitted work cause problems when selling the house?
Often, yes. A buyer's inspector or the title company may flag it, and lenders can balk at financing a home with open or missing permits. What to do about it.