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Florida’s SB 1080 permitting reform introduces new statutory requirements that directly impact how counties and municipalities manage development permits.
Beginning October 1, 2025, agencies must meet firm application review deadlines or face mandatory refunds of permit fees.
Starting January 1, 2026, new rules also govern impact fee increases, requiring unanimous governing body approval and phased implementation.
These changes are designed to accelerate development approvals, but they also create new operational risks for permitting departments.
Local governments must process permit applications within defined statutory timeframes.
Agencies must refund application fees if statutory timelines are missed.
Refund schedule includes:
Agencies may only request additional information from applicants a limited number of times.
Impact fee increases must receive unanimous approval and be phased in over multiple years.
Local governments cannot require state or federal approvals before processing local development permits unless those permits have already been denied.
SB 1080 doesn’t just introduce new rules. It introduces financial consequences for delays.
Many agencies still rely on:
These inefficiencies can make it difficult to meet statutory deadlines consistently.
Accela’s permitting and development platform helps agencies manage the entire review lifecycle.
With Accela, agencies can:
The result: faster reviews, better transparency, and reduced risk of refund penalties.
