Who sent my notice in Orlando?

Orlando is an incorporated municipality, so code enforcement is normally run by the city itself, although some local governments contract it out. The office handling your case is named on the notice, and that is who to call about deadlines, hearing dates, fines or liens.

The work was already done without a permit. Can it still be permitted?

Work already done without a permit generally has to be permitted after the fact. That can involve drawings, inspections and opening up finished surfaces so the work can be inspected. We pull after-the-fact permits under our licence and schedule the inspections.

Will fixing the building stop the fines?

We are a contractor, not a law firm. What happens with fines, liens, hearings and appeals is decided by the code enforcement board, special magistrate or local government named on your notice, so ask that office. Legal questions go to a Florida attorney.

My condo near downtown had a milestone inspection. Do you handle the repairs?

Yes. Under section 553.899, Florida Statutes, condominium and cooperative buildings of three or more stories require milestone inspections by a licensed engineer or architect. The repairs identified in that report are permitted and carried out through the local building department, and we do that permitted repair work.

What drives the cost of an unsafe-structure repair?

It depends on what the building official found, how much framing, concrete or stair and railing work is involved, whether an engineer's plans are required, and whether electrical or plumbing trades are needed. We look at the property, give you a free estimate and agree the price in writing before work starts.

Keep people clear of the damaged area

Unsafe structure or building in disrepair in Orlando, FL

An unsafe-structure notice means a building official looked at the property and found a condition that makes the building, or part of it, unsafe to use. Common findings are structural damage, rotted framing, spalling concrete, broken stairs, railings or balconies, fire or storm damage, or a building left open and unsecured. Read the notice first, all the way through. Note what it says was found, the date you are given to correct it, and any hearing date. Then contact the code office named on the notice with questions about your case. Keep people away from the affected area — children above all — follow any instruction the building official gave you, and do not try structural or roof repairs yourself.

Call now · (954) 906-7864

Call us or send your notice details · free estimate

A sagging aluminum carport beside a Florida home with temporary wood shoring under one corner, a contractor seen from behind checking a post with a level.

Orlando is an incorporated municipality, so code enforcement here is normally run by the city itself, though some local governments contract it out. The notice names the office that is handling your case, and that is the office to call. Across Florida, code enforcement works under Chapter 162, Florida Statutes, which lets a city or county use a code enforcement board or a special magistrate. The process generally starts with a notice of violation that identifies the problem and gives a reasonable time to correct it; if it is not corrected, the case is set for a hearing, and the board or magistrate issues an order with a compliance date. A fine may be imposed for each day a violation continues past that date, and a certified copy of an order imposing a fine can be recorded in the public records, where it becomes a lien on the property. The exact steps, deadlines and amounts are stated on your notice and vary by city and county.

While your case is open, don't

Do not use the damaged area. An unsafe-structure finding is about people's safety first, so keep everyone out of the affected part of the building until it is repaired and inspected.
Do not let the dates slip by. Put the compliance date and any hearing date on your calendar the day you get the notice, and call the code office named on it if anything on those dates is unclear.
Do not start work before the permit is in hand. Section 105.1 of the Florida Building Code requires a permit for most construction, alteration and repair work, and unpermitted work generally has to be permitted after the fact.
Do not tear out damaged framing or finishes yet. The building department may want to see the damage, or may require an engineer's plans, before repairs begin, so wait until it is clear what the file needs.

What we do

We read the notice with youWe go through the notice or unsafe-structure order and look at the property, so we can see exactly what the building official found and what the file calls for. The estimate is free.
We make the area safe and securedWhere the finding involves an open or unsecured building, or a failed stair, railing or balcony, the first step is securing the area so nobody can reach it.
An engineer where plans are requiredIf the building department requires structural plans for the repair, we bring in an engineer to produce them before permitting.
Permits pulled and the repairs doneWe pull the permit under our Florida Certified Building Contractor licence CBC1267336, after-the-fact permits included, and carry out the repair work. Electrical and plumbing are done by our Florida-licensed subcontractors, who pull that trade's permit.
Inspections and close-outWe schedule the inspections and work to get the permit closed out. An open or expired permit stays on the property record until it is properly closed.
Paperwork for the code officeYou get the permit and inspection paperwork to show the code office named on your notice. We agree the price in writing before any work starts.

Work by 360 Home Improvements, Florida Certified Building Contractor CBC1267336. Electrical, plumbing and AC work goes to our Florida-licensed subcontractors, who pull that trade's permit.

How it works in Orlando

Orlando sits inland in Central Florida, so the problem here is not salt spray — it is constant humidity, UV and heavy rain. Afternoon thunderstorms run daily from June through September, and hurricane season, June 1 through November 30, brings damaging wind, wind-driven rain and spin-up tornadoes well inland. Storm damage left unrepaired is a frequent source of code enforcement notices across the state once the season passes, and a damaged roof, a failed balcony or an opening left unsecured can all read as an unsafe condition.

Housing in Orlando runs from 1920s–1950s bungalows near downtown through large waves of 1970s–2000s suburban subdivisions to ongoing new construction on the south and east sides. Concrete block and stucco walls, asphalt shingle or tile roofs and slab-on-grade foundations are the norm, with a significant condo, townhome and apartment share near downtown and the tourist corridor. For condominium and cooperative buildings of three or more stories, section 553.899, Florida Statutes, requires structural milestone inspections by a licensed engineer or architect; repairs identified in that report are then permitted and carried out through the local building department. We work throughout Orlando and the rest of Florida — the CBC certification is valid in every Florida county.

Questions people ask

Who sent my notice in Orlando?: Orlando is an incorporated municipality, so code enforcement is normally run by the city itself, although some local governments contract it out. The office handling your case is named on the notice, and that is who to call about deadlines, hearing dates, fines or liens.
The work was already done without a permit. Can it still be permitted?: Work already done without a permit generally has to be permitted after the fact. That can involve drawings, inspections and opening up finished surfaces so the work can be inspected. We pull after-the-fact permits under our licence and schedule the inspections.
Will fixing the building stop the fines?: We are a contractor, not a law firm. What happens with fines, liens, hearings and appeals is decided by the code enforcement board, special magistrate or local government named on your notice, so ask that office. Legal questions go to a Florida attorney.
My condo near downtown had a milestone inspection. Do you handle the repairs?: Yes. Under section 553.899, Florida Statutes, condominium and cooperative buildings of three or more stories require milestone inspections by a licensed engineer or architect. The repairs identified in that report are permitted and carried out through the local building department, and we do that permitted repair work.
What drives the cost of an unsafe-structure repair?: It depends on what the building official found, how much framing, concrete or stair and railing work is involved, whether an engineer's plans are required, and whether electrical or plumbing trades are needed. We look at the property, give you a free estimate and agree the price in writing before work starts.

This page is general information about Florida code enforcement, not legal advice. For questions about your own case (deadlines, hearing dates, fines or liens), contact the code enforcement office named on your notice, or a Florida attorney.

Send us the notice

The estimate is free and the price is agreed in writing before any work begins — call (954) 906-7864 or send a request through the form on this website. Questions about your case itself, including deadlines, hearing dates, fines and liens, go to the code office named on your notice.

Call now · (954) 906-7864

Request a free estimate

Tell us what the notice says and where the property is. We'll look at what the violation needs and agree the price with you before any work starts.

NamePhoneEmailProperty address (the property on the notice)CityZIP code (Florida)What does the notice say?Compliance date (if the notice gives one)Hearing date (if any)Anything else (optional)I agree that 360 Home Improvements may contact me about this request by phone call, text message and email at the number and email I gave, including with automated technology and an AI assistant. Consent is not a condition of any purchase. Message and data rates may apply; reply STOP to opt out of texts.

We use your details only for this request. Not legal advice; for legal questions about your case, contact the code office named on your notice or a Florida attorney. See the privacy page.

Same violation in nearby cities

Unsafe structure or building in disrepair: every Florida city we cover

Other violations in Orlando

Code Violation Solver is run by 360 Home Improvements, a licensed Florida contractor. We fix the condition behind the violation; the code office named on your notice decides the case.