On June 27, 2016, the City of Maitland adopted local amendments to Chapter 1 of the Florida Building Code, and the minimum housing code, 2015 International Property Maintenance Code ( IPMC ) with Maitland amendments. (View the City’s Building Codes.) The City enforces the following Codes:
Applying for permits just got easier. The Maitland Community Development Department now provides the speed and convenience of online permitting services. Submit permit applications and plans, track inspections, search records and make payments. Submittals can be reviewed and approved without the need to mail in paperwork or to visit our offices in City Hall.
A customer account is required for permit submissions and other services. Register through our Online Permitting website to get started.
You can also view a list of Maitland's current building permit fees, which became effective October 1, 2020 or use our Fee Estimator to estimate Permitting or Planning fees prior to submitting an application.
In our ongoing effort to improve the service we provide to our development community, the City of Maitland offers a variety of ways to submit your permit and associated plans, including online digitally signed and sealed submittals.
Submittal Documents (i.e. Architectural/Engineering drawings and specifications), if required, shall be provided minimally in compliance with the requirements of the currently adopted Florida Building Code, Section 107, and correct industry practice.
Online Permitting Options
The electronic permit application process depends on the authenticity of information. Certain documents such as plans/drawings are required to contain digital signatures which ensure that documents have not been altered since they were signed by design professionals (i.e. Architects and Professional Engineers). In lieu of submitting professional documentation with a Digital Sign and Seal/signature, a Professional Signature Submittal (PSS) form may be submitted at time of submitting the permit application, and a hard/wet seal of all professional documentation must be provided after review and prior to issuance of permit.
All uploaded files must follow a set of requirements in order to be accepted by our Online Permitting website and speed up the review process. Use this checklist to make sure you are ready to upload your plans and documentation.
Architectural or Professional Engineered drawings are considered Plan Files.
Tip: Resubmittals are required to use identical naming conventions to the previous version being replaced.
Any supporting document that is not a Site Plan/Survey/Checklist/NOC is considered to be “Supporting Document”. These files should follow the below requirements.
Professional Signature Submittals
If a professional is submitting documentation through the online portal for review, and would like to submit the documentation at final acceptance with a hard/wet seal a PSS document must be included with the initial submittal in order to process. This document can be found here.
Once the permit documentation has been reviewed and approved, the documents will be available for the applicant to download with the City of Maitland approval stamps. This must be returned to the City of Maitland, with the wet/hard sign and seal prior to issuance of permit.
What is The Difference Between an Electronic Signature and a Digital Signature?
These two terms are often used interchangeably, but in the context of electronic plans submission when using City of Maitland’s electronic submittal process, we would like to clearly differentiate the two. City of Maitland only accepts the use of a Digital Signature. City of Maitland Permitting Services has implemented digital signature requirements on electronic plans in order to comply with State of Florida statutory requirements & administrative codes such as, but not limited to Professional Engineers FS‐471.025, Architects FAC 61G1‐16 , FS‐481.221 and FAC 61G15‐ 23.004. City of Maitland cannot approve plans attached to a permit application until we receive plans signed and sealed utilizing a third-party certificate authority if using the Digital Signature, or by using the PSS (Professional Signature Submittal) if submitting hard/wet seal sign and seal documentation.
Electronic Signature (Not accepted by City of Maitland):
Digital Signature (Accepted by the City of Maitland):
Plans/Drawings/Documentation may only require the first page to be digitally signed and sealed. If submitted in separate files, each file must have the appropriate digital sign and seal. For information on the appropriate digital sign and seal, please see the Signing section below.
Using the ‘File, Save As’ command to rename a signed document can remove or invalidate signatures. To rename a digitally signed document and avoid invalidating the digital signature certificate, right click the file in its stored location and select “Rename” in the pop-up dialogue.
1. Digital Certificate: The Digital Certificate provides proof of identity in online transactions. A Digital Certificate is unique to the individual and the specific time a document is signed. The typical Digital Certificate includes the signer's full name, email address, professional qualifications for signing and a certificate authority file, token key or serial number unique to the digital ID.
2. Unique Identifier (hash): When the design professional clicks “sign” in Adobe Acrobat, a unique digital fingerprint (called a hash) is created using a mathematical algorithm that will be specific to this particular document. The slightest change to the document would result in a different hash. The hash is encrypted using the Professional Engineer’s private key from the Digital Certificate. The encrypted hash and public key are combined into a Digital Signature, which is applied to the document.
3. Accuracy Statement: An accuracy statement must be included on all plans developed by a Professional Engineer. Other design professionals such as Registered Architects, Registered Landscape Architects and Professional Surveyors and Mappers do not require this statement. Additional information about the accuracy statement and information that must be included with it when a seal is not present may be found in the section, Accuracy Statement Requirement for Professional Engineers, below.
The signer's identity, digital seal and signature must be validated by a third-party Certificate Authority. Self-signed documents are not accepted.
An example of a Self-Signed document that would not be accepted:
The professional of record may obtain a Digital Signature certificate from any valid third-party Certificate Authority. Below are a few examples of commonly used third party certificate authorities.
Please note that these are examples and City of Maitland does not require you to use any specific product.
City of Maitland Building Division uses Bluebeam as a tool to verify digital signatures. All digital signatures must be successfully validated in order to be approved. City of Maitland reviewing divisions cannot accept electronic plans that were submitted without being digitally signed using a third-party certificate authority and verified successfully. When the signature is verified, reviewers are assured that the data in the document has not been altered since the signature was applied. Even the slightest change to the original document will cause a validation failure to occur.
Verify your digitally signed drawings in Adobe or Bluebeam before submitting your plans online to be sure the Digital Signature will be considered valid. This will help you avoid the process of being denied on the basis of invalid certificate and having to re-upload your plans.
When opening a signed plan file, the blue signature bar should be displayed at the top if a signature is attached. Clicking on the Signature Panel button will allow you to verify the necessary signature components.
Engineers who are digitally signing documents must include an accuracy statement, however the seal itself is not required. If the seal is not present, additional information must be included along with the accuracy statement. Here are examples of each format from Florida Administrative Code 61G15-23.004:
1. When a digitally created seal is used:
2. When a digitally created seal is not used:
Signing with a digital signature issued to you by a 3 rd Party Certification Authority.
Place a digitally created image of your seal and the following sentences where an original signature would appear if the item were being physically signed, dated and sealed. The sentences can be part of the digital signature custom appearance available in the signing tool, or they can be placed on the document outside of the digital signature block.
This item has been electronically signed and sealed by [Licensee, RA or RLA] on the Date and/or Time Stamp shown using a digital signature.
Printed copies of this document are not considered signed and sealed and the signature must be verified on any electronic copies.
This item has been electronically signed and sealed by [Licensee, PSM] on the Date/Time Stamp shown] using a digital signature.
Printed copies of this document are not considered signed and sealed and the signature must be verified on any electronic copies.
This item has been electronically signed and sealed by [Licensee, PG] on the Date/Time Stamp shown using a digital signature.
Printed copies of this document are not considered signed and sealed and the signature must be verified on any electronic copies.
For additional information regarding sign and seal requirements please refer to the Governing Boards and Florida Statutes below:
Please use this list to ensure that your documents are signed correctly prior to submission. Remember to test your signature using Adobe or BlueBeam to ensure that your signature is valid.
A Professional Engineer’s Digital Signature must follow Florida Statute 471.025, and Florida Administrative Code 61G15-23.004.
Please double check prior to submission and make sure that your signature contains these elements:
Submittals/Resubmittals: For submittals under the Florida Building Code and the Florida Fire Prevention Code, the Maitland Building Division will accept plan sets digitally in .pdf file format only. Each/any plan set will include all disciplines/trades (i.e., Structural, Architectural, Accessibility, Electrical, Fuel Gas, Fire Protection/Alarm, Life Safety, Mechanical, Plumbing, Tele/data/video/security Communications, etc.) as applicable, together in a single .pdf file document. Plans can only be submitted with a “Digital” signature and seal from the Design Professional; “Electronic” signature and seals cannot be accepted by our system. The plan files must have their permissions set to “Restricted” which will allow for Maitland to properly comment/stamp/approve the individual sheets as deemed appropriate. The concerns of supporting documentation being properly sealed, i.e. Florida product approvals, manufacturer installation instructions, and manufacturer NRTL Listing/Labeling information, does not apply.
All documents within a plan set should follow the Drawing Naming Convention, and all plan sets should follow the Document Naming Convention schemes as shown in the Standard Naming Convention For Drawings & Documents information table on this website.
For Resubmittals only: Resubmittals prior to permit issuance shall be submitted as a complete set regardless of how many or few sheets within the set are revised, together in a single .pdf file document. The revised plan set will have the revisions clouded, and the cloud delta-callout numbers will coincide with the revision numbers in each plan sheet title block and with the revision matrix on the cover sheet of the full plan set. The revised plan set shall be accompanied by a Response to Comments Form providing a narrative, listed by page, of all revisions made in response to staff comments or revisions elected by the design professional.
IMPORTANT: Resubmitted .pdf plan sets and documents must be uploaded with the same file name as the original submittal. By doing so, the system will automatically recognize and rename the file as a subsequent version of the previous submittal. Doing this will expedite the review process.
Approval: When a plan set review is completed and approved, the Building Division will stamp the plan set and make same available to retrieve through the City’s CSS Portal. The responsible contractor, engineer or architect will print a copy of the released stamped and digitally sealed plan set to be kept on the job site. This set must be present at all times for inspection. If an inspection is scheduled and there is not a copy of the released stamped and digitally sealed plan set on the job site, the inspector will fail the inspection and a re-inspection fee will be assessed.
Issued Plan revisions: Plan revisions submitted after permit issuance follow the same process as a new submittal, and shall be accompanied with a Revision Application Form uploaded with the revised plan set. The Revision Application Form narrative and outline must match the plan sheet(s) within the plan set which are being modified. The revised plan set(s) will have the revisions clouded, and the cloud delta-callout numbers will coincide with the revision numbers in each plan sheet title block and with the revision matrix on the cover sheet of the full plan set.
Hard Copy (Paper) Plan – Until further notice, the City of Maitland still accepts plans submitted via hard copy (paper set). Please note, to reduce review time and accelerate the permit issuance timeline, the City will utilize our electronic review software to review your plans if an electronic version (.pdf document) is submitted along with the hard copy plan sets. The Document sets may be produced on varying paper sizes, from ISO sizes of ‘A0’ all the way down to ‘A4’, or ANSI sizes of ‘E’ all the way down to ‘A’, however all sheets within the set must be the same size. All documents shall be clear, rational, and legible. The document sheet size should be properly assigned according to the information being presented, office standards, type of project, and so on.
Submittal/Resubmittals: Hard copy submissions require two (2) hard copies “wet” signed and sealed consistent with Florida State Statute requirements. If after plans examination a resubmission is required, the revised plan set will have the revisions clouded and the cloud delta-callout numbers will coincide with the revision numbers in each plan sheet title block and with the revision matrix on the cover sheet of the full plan set. The revised plan set shall be accompanied by a Response to Comments Form providing a narrative, listed by page, of all revisions made in response to staff comments or elected by the design professional.
For Seal requirements refer to:
Architectural plans signed and sealed with raised seal. (F.S. 481)
Engineered plans signed and sealed wet or embossed. (F.S. 471)
Approval: If the permit is ready to be approved without revisions, the hard copy plan set will be stamped by the City of Maitland and made available for pick-up upon permit issuance. If a resubmittal is required, the applicant will resubmit two (2) complete hard copy Plan Sets. When the permit is ready for approval, a hard copy set is stamped as “Approved” by the City of Maitland, which will be made available for pick-up upon permit issuance.
Plan revisions after permit issuance: follow the same process of two (2) signed and sealed paper copies of the complete plan set along with the Revision Application Form submitted for review. The Revision Application Form narrative and outline must match the plan sheet(s) within the plan set which are being modified. The revised plan set(s) will have the revisions clouded and the cloud delta-callout numbers will coincide with the revision numbers in each plan sheet title block and with the revision matrix on the cover sheet of the full plan set.
Released "Approved" Plan Availability
Once released, the “APPROVED” plan(s) bearing the design professional’s signature and seal along with the City’s approval stamp, are at all times, to be on-site at the job for use by the field inspection staff.
Final "As-Built" Plan Set
Upon conclusion of the project, prior to requesting Final Inspections, the applicant must provide an digital copy of the “As-Built” drawings for the permanent record.
Scheduling building, fire and right-of-way inspections just got easier. Property owners and contractors can schedule their inspections in one of the following ways:
Building and related trade inspection hours are from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm , Monday through Friday. After-hours inspections are not available.
For Fire Inspections: To streamline the inspection process, the Fire Department schedules all final inspections simultaneously. To ensure efficiency, kindly request all fire-related inspections, including fire alarm, fire sprinklers and fire final inspections at the same time. After receiving all requests, the Fire Marshal will schedule the finals accordingly.
For Site Construction Inspections: Please contact Karina Clune at (407) 875-2846 or kclune@itsmymaitland.com to schedule your site construction permit inspections.
Your inspector will arrive in either a City of Maitland or Universal Engineering vehicle and will have property identification. Due to the mix of staff and contracted inspectors, we are unable to provide the name of your inspector at this time.
For non-scheduling questions or concerns please feel free to contact one of the building division supervisors list below.
Building Department hours of operation 7 am to 6 pm Monday through Thursday. Our offices are closed on Fridays. Inspection request for next day inspections (building trades only) cut off time is 5 pm . Any inspection requests received after 5 pm will roll over to the next business day.
You can search a variety of development information such as permits in review, approved permits, code enforcement cases, etc. by visiting our Online Permitting website and clicking on the green "Search Records" button or the search icon in the toolbar. Once you find the records you are looking for, you can export the information by clicking on the blue "Export" button and save the information.
The following day after your inspection is conducted, you can view the result your inspection by logging on to the Maitland Online Permitting website and viewing your permit.
Fill out this form for property inquiries regarding open permits, liens or code enforcement cases.