How long does a building permit take in Fort Lauderdale?
As of November 2026 in Fort Lauderdale, 118 new-home applications are in review now, waiting a median 102 days so far; from application to the first foundation record, recent builds took a median 214 days.
From application to certificate of occupancy.
Each step, for the homes that finished it in the last year. The city’s records here don’t say when a permit was issued, so the first step runs from the application to the first foundation record, review included.
118 applications waiting on the city.
New-home applications Fort Lauderdale hasn’t issued yet, with nothing built. Half have waited longer than 102 days; 38 have waited more than six months, the longest 35 months. Applications with no city record for a year are left out as quiet.
Permit times where we track them.
| City | Application to permit | In review now | Waiting so far |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Lauderdale | — | 118 | 102 days |
| Pompano Beach | 144 days (9) | 20 | 163 days |
| Boca Raton | 122 days (60) | 52 | 55 days |
| Delray Beach | 127 days (47) | 49 | 78 days |
Application to permit: the median for permits issued in the last six months, with how many. A dash where a city’s records don’t say when its permits were issued.
How long the build takes
From the permit to the certificate of occupancy, stage by stage and by builder: how long it takes to build in Fort Lauderdale.
What it costs
Build cost per square foot, what lots sell for, and two houses priced out: the cost to build in Fort Lauderdale.
Planning a build
Get a lot report for any address, then match builders who have built where you want to.
How it’s measured: new houses, duplexes and townhouse units with their own permit, from the day the new-home permit application was filed. A gap of more than three years is left out as a renewal or a revived application. Stage dates are the first document the city recorded for each stage. Figures as of November 2026, from LauderBuild. How the data works.