Florida HOA architectural review is separate from the permit counter
A Florida HOA architectural approval and a city or county permit can both matter, but they are not the same yes.
In a community covered by Chapter 720, an HOA approval and a local permit answer different questions. Your project may need both.
The HOA review comes from the recorded declaration and its allowed design rules. If the HOA denies a request, the written notice must point to the exact rule or covenant. It must also say which part of the plan does not fit that rule.
The city or county has a different job. It may check zoning, setbacks, building code, drains, wiring, flood rules, trees, roads, or inspections. An HOA approval is not a building permit. A permit does not erase a valid HOA rule.
Since July 1, 2026, the HOA may not make you get the building permit before it reviews the plan. The same rule covers its design committee. This changes the order of the papers, but not the final approvals you may need.
Read the declaration and current design rules. Give each reviewer the same plans, then keep the HOA letter beside the permit and inspection papers. Before work starts, check that both paths for the address are complete.
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Sources
Last checked against these sources: July 29, 2026.
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