ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit) permit in Lauderhill, FL
Yes — you need a permit for adu (accessory dwelling unit) work in Lauderhill.
Building a garage apartment, casita, or other accessory dwelling unit needs a permit. Lauderhill adopts the Florida Building Code by reference, and the FBC exempt list (105.2) has no Building category, so new accessory construction is not exempt.
| Permit needed? | Yes |
|---|---|
| Where the line falls | Building a garage apartment, casita, or other accessory d… |
| Fee | Not in the ordinance — the department quotes it |
| Review time | Not in the ordinance |
| Code section | FBC 105.2; Lauderhill Code Sec. 6-1 |
| Based on | Florida Building Code, Building, 2023 (adopted by reference, Lauderhill Code Sec. 6-1) |
How to pull the permit
- Put together a site plan showing where the work goes, with dimensions.
- Apply through the Lauderhill 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.
If you skip it
Lauderhill'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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lauderhill | — | Yes | Building a garage apartment, casita, or other accessory d… |
| Sunrise | 2 mi | Yes | Building a garage apartment, casita, or other accessory d… |
| Plantation | 3 mi | Yes | No size threshold in the code |
| Tamarac | 3 mi | Yes | No size threshold in the code |
| Fort Lauderdale | 5 mi | Yes | No size threshold in the code |
| Davie | 7 mi | Yes | You need a building permit to build an accessory dwelling… |
See every Florida city on adu (accessory dwelling unit) work
Other work in Lauderhill
Questions people ask
I already built it without a permit. What now?
Lauderhill 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.