The Madison County Building Department is dedicated to public safety and construction education.  Through the enforcement of the Florida Building Codes, the safety of our citizens and their structural investments are realized.  We can help you achieve the American Dream!

 Phone:  (850) 973-6785 / (850) 973-6739   Fax:  (850) 973-6727 

Please forward any questions or concerns for the Building Department to Renee at madisonbldg@embarqmail.com.

Hours of Operation:

Physical Address:

Mailing Address:

Driveway Permits

For customers submitting documents to obtain permits for new construction or mobile home placement, it is now possible to obtain the driveway permit at the same time right at the Building Department!  Follow the process below for applying for a driveway permit:

1.  Complete the Madison County Public Works Application (available online)

2.  Apply for an address for the property (vacant property) at the GIS/911 Addressing Office

3.  Pay the necessary permit fees

• $50 - New Driveway Permit
• $15 - Existing Driveway Permit

4.  Contact the Madison County Road Department for further instructions regarding driveway inspections, driveway installation, etc. at (850) 973-2156.  The contact people are Jo Williams, Louise Jenkins, or Debbie Henderson; their office hours are Monday - Thursday 6:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

For driveways located off of state-maintained roads, contact Sherry Craft at the Florida Department of Transportation at (850) 838-5800.  Below is a listing of the state maintained roads:

• NE Colin Kelly Highway
• SR 6
• SR 145
• SR 14 (North of I-10)
• SR 53 (North of I-10)
• US 19
• US 90
• US 221

For further information regarding driveway permitting or to determine if a road is private, please contact Renee at the Building Department or the Madison County Road Department at (850) 973-2156.

New U.S. Department HUD Regulations - Effective October 2008

Effective October 15, 2008,  all mobile / manufactured homes will be required to be placed on a foundation constructed on firm, undisturbed soil or fill compacted to at least 90 percent of its maximum relative density.  A site-prep inspection is required by the Building Department determining where on the property the mobile home will be set up for permanent placement.  For additional information on this change, please click on the attachment entitled Technical Advisory October 2008 shown below.

Code Changes - Effective March 2009

Effective March 1, 2009, the 2007 code changes will go into effect.  This includes Building Code, Residential Code, Plumbing Code, Fuel Gas Code, Mechanical Code, and Existing Building Code.  The complete 2007 collection is available in the office for viewing.  Additionally, both the 2007 Florida Building Code and 2009 Supplement are available online at the web page link below:

http://www.floridabuilding.org/BCISOld/bc/default.asp.

Frequently Asked Questions

1.  Where can I find the 2007 Florida Building Code?  The 2007 Florida Building Code and the 2009 Supplement are availble online for viewing at the web page link above.  The complete 2007 Florida Building Code Collection is available in the Building Department for viewing.  Additonally, the code books can be ordered; contact Renee for assistance.

2.  What is the 2009 Supplement?  The 2009 Supplement to the 2007 Florida Building Code incorporates changes made during the glitch code change process.  Teh glitch code change process followed the code amendment process that produced the 2007 Florida Building Code.  A number of terms used during the code change process such as glitch, and revision, etc. refer to the same document, the 2009 Supplement.  The 2009 Supplement contains changes made to the 2007 Florida Building Code going into effect along with the 2007 Florida Building Code.

3.  When did the new changes go into effect?  Both the 2007 Florida Building Code and the 2009 Supplement became effective March 1, 2009.

1.  There is a wetland on the property where I want to build a residential home, what should I do?

 Please contact the Live Oak Branch office of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection at (386) 362-0417 or (800) 266 1066 (toll free in Florida).

2.  There is a wetland on the property where I want to build a commercial / industrial building, what should I do?

Please contact the Suwannee River Water Management District at (386) 362-1001 or (800) 226-1066 (toll free in Florida).

3.  Do I need a permit before I can build within the Aucilla, Suwannee, or WithlacoocheeRiver floodway?

Please contact the Suwannee River Water Management District at (386) 362-1001 or (800) 226-1066 (toll free in Florida).

4.  How high must my new structure be above the Aucilla, Suwannee and Withlacoochee Rivers, or any inland properties that fall within the 100-year Floodplain elevation?

Pursuant to sections 6.1A-1, 6.1A-10 and 6.1A-5-2 of the MadisonCountyLand Development Code, the lowest structural member must be a minimum of two feet above the 100-year floodplain.

5.  How close can I build a residential structure to the river?

SRWMD maintains a 75 foot setback from the top of the bank.  Please contact the SRWMD Office for any activities within the 75 foot setback.

 6.  What should I do if I want to build a dock to the river?

Request a Works of the District (WOD) application from the Suwannee River Water Management District.

 7.  What is the cost of a Works of the District (WOD) permit?

Please visit the Suwannee River Water Management District’s home page at:  www.mysuwanneeriver.com for a fee schedule.

8.  I have a question about installing a septic tank.

 Septic tank questions should be directed to the Madison County Health Department at (850) 973-5000.  When calling, please select the option for Environmental Health.

 9.  How do I know which FEMA Flood Zone my property is in?

Please contact the Madison County Planning Department at (850) 973-3179, or the Madison County Building Department at (850) 973-6785.  Information is also available on the Planning and Zoning Department page at www.madisoncountyfl.com. Additionally, elevation certificates are available upon request - contact any of the above departments for assistance.

The Madison County Construction Licensing Board meets on the first Tuesday of every month provided that there is an issue to discuss at 6:00 p.m. in the Courthouse Annex.  The Courthouse Annex is located at 229 S.W. Pinckney Street in Madison Florida.  For further information regarding the Madison County Construction Licensing Board, please contact the Building Department at (850) 973-6785.   

Construction Licensing Board Contacts

Gary Williams, Chairman                  Registered Electrical Contractor

Travis Renfroe                                   Certified Building Contractor

Richard Edwards                               Registered Building Contractor

Jayson Williams                                Certified Mechanical Contractor

Curtis Johnson                                  Registered Building, Plumbing, & Roofing Contractor

DeWayne O'Quinn, Alternate           Registered Electrical Contractor    

Wallace O. Bullock                            Non-Voting Executive Officer

Renee Demps                                    Recording Secretary                                     

Madison County is a participating member of the National Flood Insurance Program's (NFIP) Community Rating System.  The Community Rating System (CRS) is a voluntary program for NFIP-participating communities.  The goals of the CRS are to reduce flood losses, facilitate accurate insurance rating, and promote the awareness of flood insurance.

The CRS has been developed to provide incentives for communities to go beyond the minimum floodplain management requirements to develop extra measures to provide protection from flooding.  The incentives are in the form of premium discount points.  Madison County is currently is rated as a CRS Class 8.  This means that properties located in designated Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA), Zones A, AE, A1-30, V, V1, AO, and AH, are eligible for a 10% discount on flood insurance premiums.  Properties located in designated SFHA, Zones A99, AR, AR/A, AR/AE, AR/A1-30, AR/AH, AR/AO, B, C, X, and D, are eligible for a 5% discount on flood insurance premiums. 

To determine what flood zone your property is located in, contact a staff member in the Building Department at (850) 973-6785 / (850) 973-6739 or the Planning / Zoning Department at (850) 973-3179.  The Building / Zoning Departments are also available to provide information about the Flood Insurance Rate Maps to the public (FIRM).  Inquiries can be made via telephone, fax, e-mail, or in person; please provide a legal description / parcel identification of the land in question.

For important facts regarding flooding, please download the information packet below.  You may also visit the following sites for additional details:

http://www.fema.gov

http://www.floodsmart.gov

http://www.floridadisaster.org