Village of Lazy Lake

A city address is usually permitted by the city, not the county — but not always, and some authorities keep building and hand electrical to someone else. Getting this wrong costs the whole submittal, because every requirement below belongs to whoever actually holds jurisdiction. Check the overlays in the same pass: an HOA, a historic district, a windstorm certification or a system-size cap can reshape the design, and all of them are cheaper to find now than after the array is laid out.

• Is this authority the AHJ for residential solar at this address? No. The Village of Lazy Lake is an incorporated municipality but it operates no building department and issues no building or electrical permits. Broward County's Building Code Division is the operating AHJ for residential rooftop PV inside the Village: the Village's own 24 Sep 2025 Council minutes record a new-construction dispute in which 'Broward County issued building permits' and the Council resolved that 'A Stop Work Order should be requested through Broward County', and the 1 Feb 2024 minutes have an agenda item 'Broward County Building Department Billing' about billing for 'code enforcement building inspections on individual residential properties'. The Village retains land-development/zoning review under its own Land Development Regulations and floodplain administration (Ord. 25-02 names the Mayor as Floodplain Administrator). 88% · authority meeting minutes
• What does this authority permit itself, and what does it delegate? Delegated. Nothing in the building/electrical trades is permitted by the Village itself; Broward County Building Code Division performs building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permitting, plan review, inspection and code compliance. Broward County Administrative Code s.31.123 (Ord. 2026-283, 9 Jun 2026) is the legal mechanism: it authorises the County Administrator to execute interlocal agreements with municipalities for 'Building Full Service Permit Counter', 'Building Guaranteed Partial Service', 'Building Nonguaranteed Partial Service', 'Unsafe Structures Board' and 'Zoning Plan Review and Enforcement', performed by the Building Code Division. The Village keeps zoning/land-development approvals (Concurrency Review Certificate, site plan) and hires a Village Planner and Village Attorney for those; fire is separately contracted to the City of Fort Lauderdale. 85% · county administrative code
• Is a permit required for a residential rooftop PV system? Yes. Broward County Chapter 1 s.105.1 requires a permit before installing or altering any electrical system, and the s.105.2 permit exemptions contain no PV exemption (checked in the full 8th-Edition text). BORA Board Policy 09-02 affirmatively directs that 'Building Departments shall establish an individual master permit for both Solar Thermal and Solar Electric installations'. 88% · adopted code (county amendments to FBC ch.1)
• Is there a separate electrical permit, or is it combined? Master permit with tied subsidiary trade reviews, not a single combined permit and not fully separate stand-alone permits. BORA Policy 09-02(B): 'Building Departments shall establish an individual master permit for both Solar Thermal and Solar Electric installations to which applicable subsidiary categories are to be tied. Adding additional categories to the master permit may not require an additional permit obtained by a separate contractor, but will require a separate trade review in every instance.' Broward's ePermits portal matches this - the application type is 'BCS Master Permit' with sub-permits that each reach 'Permit Final' before the master reaches 'Completed'. Structural and electrical are priced under separate fee schedules (Admin Code 40.29 and 40.30). 80% · BORA board policy (archived capture of official PDF)
• Is a HOA or architectural approval required first? No. The Village has no architectural review board and its Land Development Regulations contain no architectural-approval provision. The Village's own development review does not reach this work in any case: LDR Article 1 s.2.1(3) requires a Concurrency Review Certificate before a building permit 'for all development permitted by this Chapter, except the alteration or addition to an existing single-family home', and s.6.1(3) exempts 'Applications for building permits for existing residential structures which do not result in an increase in the number of dwelling units'. Statewide, FS 163.04(2) bars any deed restriction, covenant or association from prohibiting solar collectors, and permits such an entity only to determine the specific roof location within an orientation south or within 45 degrees east or west of due south, and only where that does not impair effective operation. 75% · village land development regulations (OCR of scanned PDF)
• Is there a historic-district review? No. The Village's Land Development Regulations have no historic-preservation article, no historic district and no certificate-of-appropriateness process; the single occurrence of the root 'histor' in the whole 105-page document is s.2.4, which requires the Village Clerk to keep superseded zoning maps 'for historical reference'. 70% · village land development regulations (OCR of scanned PDF)
• Is a wind or windstorm certification required? Yes in substance, through High-Velocity Hurricane Zone compliance rather than a separate certificate. FBC 8th Edition ch.2 defines the High Velocity Hurricane Zone as consisting of 'Broward and Miami-Dade counties', so the Village is inside it. FBC s.3111.1.1 sends rooftop PV wind design to s.1510.7 and, in the HVHZ, to s.1620. Broward Chapter 1 s.107.3.5 A.14.d requires plans to show 'Wind resistance ratings of modules', and s.107.3.5.4 requires product approvals to be reviewed by the building designer and 'filed with the Building Official for review and approval prior to installation'. 82% · adopted code (FBC 8th Edition)
• Is a Specific Use Permit or Council approval ever required? Not for a rooftop retrofit. LDR Article 1 s.2.1(3) excepts 'the alteration or addition to an existing single-family home' from the Concurrency Review Certificate requirement, and s.6.1(3) excepts building permits for existing residential structures that do not increase the dwelling-unit count. For new construction the Council does engage: on 6 Nov 2025 it approved a resolution issuing a Concurrency Review Certificate for a site plan at 20 NE 24th Street and authorised lifting the stop-work order 'upon submission to Broward County', and on 24 Sep 2025 it set land development application fees of $500 application plus $1,300 application review. 78% · village land development regulations + meeting minutes
• Is there a system-size cap on residential generation? No local cap was found in the Village LDR or the Broward County amendments. The binding limits are FPL's: the system must be estimated to produce less than 115% of the customer's annual kWh consumption; customer generation is limited to 90% of the FPL service capacity (systems exceeding 90% of existing service capacity may incur additional expense); and tier thresholds are Tier 1 up to 10 kW, Tier 2 above 10 kW to 100 kW, Tier 3 above 100 kW to 2,000 kW, with the AC rating taken as the DC array rating multiplied by 0.85. 85% · utility interconnection guidelines

Several authorities require the electrical permit to be pulled by a licensed electrician, or require the contractor to be registered with them BEFORE applying. Registration is not same-day. This is second on the list rather than fourth because it is the step most likely to stop the job before the drawings matter.

• Who is allowed to pull the electrical permit? Per BORA Policy 09-02(C): Certified Solar Contractors may obtain the master permit in either the Solar Thermal or Solar Electric category; Certified or Registered Electrical Contractors may obtain it in the Solar Electric category; Certified or Registered Plumbing Contractors in Solar Thermal; Registered Solar Contractors in Solar Thermal only and residential only. Each may perform all work in their own scope but must subcontract work in another trade. Broward Chapter 1 s.105.3.0.1 accepts applications 'from the owner, qualified persons or firms, or authorized agents', qualified under the Broward County Central Examining Board (Ord. 78-9) and BC Code ch.9, or DBPR under FS ch.489. 85% · BORA board policy (archived capture of official PDF)
• Must the contractor be registered with this authority before applying? Yes. Broward's own ePermits guidance states: 'Qualifier's license must be registered with Broward County Building Code Division. Or Qualifier must hold a Broward County Certificate of Competency or eligible business tax receipt.' General Liability and Workers Compensation coverage must also be current before permit issuance. 90% · county permitting packet
• Is a homeowner permitted to self-install and self-permit? Yes, with conditions. Broward's application information for electrical permits states: 'If you are a homeowner applying for a permit, you will be required to complete an Owner-Builder Affidavit, in the presence of Permitting staff.' Chapter 1 s.105.3.0.1 accepts applications from the owner. The affidavit route is the Florida owner-builder exemption, so the owner must genuinely do or directly supervise the work. 82% · county permitting packet

Almost everywhere wants a site plan, a one-line or three-line electrical diagram, equipment cut sheets with listings, and a structural attachment detail. Build it against the published checklist rather than the last jurisdiction you worked in — the checklist is what the reviewer marks against.

• What documents make up a complete submittal? Broward County Uniform Building Permit Application (current version, showing total job value including labour and materials); two complete sets of plans (one set for eligible ePermits) including an electrical riser diagram and load calculations; site plan; product approvals (filed with the Building Official before installation, Ch.1 s.107.3.5.4); proof of Workers Compensation insurance for contractors, or an Owner-Builder Affidavit signed in front of permitting staff for homeowners; and, where job value is $5,000 or more, a certified copy of the recorded Notice of Commencement submitted before the first inspection can be scheduled. Chapter 1 s.107.3.5 adds the PV-specific plan content: under Building - site plan, roof penetration approval, roof sealing detail, wind resistance ratings of modules, roof live load approval, fire classification of building and modules, rooftop shingle module ratings if installed, design load path; under Electrical - layout plan including combiner box and accessible junction boxes, size of system/number of modules, wire size at the coldest temperature, listing and model numbers of all equipment and racking, inverter rating and location, three-line diagram, connection to utility line side or load side with busbar ratings, grounding, labeling. 85% · adopted code + county permitting packet
• How many copies, and in what format? Two (2) complete sets of plans for residential work; only one set for eligible ePermits. Where more than two sets are submitted a $4.00-per-sheet surcharge is added. Once an ePermit application has been accepted, all subsequent submittals must be uploaded through the ePermit account and no physical documents are accepted. Approved plans, documents and the permit card must be printed to scale for inspections. 88% · county permitting packet
• Is a site plan required, and what must it show? Yes. Chapter 1 s.107.2.5 requires a site plan showing size and location of new construction and existing structures, distances from lot lines, established street grades, proposed finished grades and, where applicable, flood hazard areas, floodways and design flood elevations, drawn to an accurate boundary-line survey (the Building Official may waive or modify it for alteration or repair). For PV specifically, s.107.3.5 A.14.a lists 'Site Plan' as the first PV plan-review item. 85% · adopted code (county amendments to FBC ch.1)
• Is a one-line / three-line diagram required? Yes. Chapter 1 s.107.3.5 B.19.f requires a 'Three-line diagram' as a PV electrical plan-review item, and the general electrical permit application information requires 'two (2) complete sets of building plans that include a riser diagram and load calculations'. 90% · adopted code (county amendments to FBC ch.1)
• Are string and conductor calculations required? Yes. Chapter 1 s.107.3.5 B.19.c requires 'Wire size at the coldest temperature' and B.11 requires 'Load calculations and panel schedules'; the electrical permit handout requires load calculations with the plans. 85% · adopted code (county amendments to FBC ch.1)
• Is a structural PE stamp required, and at what threshold? No PV-specific structural PE threshold is published. Chapter 1 s.107.1.1 requires construction documents to be prepared by a registered design professional where FS ch.471 or ch.481 requires it, and authorises the Building Official to require an RDP where special conditions exist; s.107.3.5 A.8.f lists 'structural calculations (if required)'. Because the Village sits in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, rooftop PV attachment must be designed to FBC s.1620, and plans must carry wind resistance ratings of modules and a design load path (s.107.3.5 A.14.d, A.14.h), which in practice drives signed-and-sealed attachment calculations. 60% · adopted code (county amendments to FBC ch.1)
• Is an electrical PE stamp required, and at what threshold? No numeric threshold is published. Chapter 1 s.105.3.1 E states 'Electrical documents. See Florida Statutes, Section 471.003(2)(h)', and notes that documents requiring an engineer seal are not valid unless signed, dated and stamped by a registered engineer. The threshold is therefore the statutory engineering-exemption boundary, not a local dollar or kW figure. 60% · adopted code (county amendments to FBC ch.1)

Most authorities now take the whole application through a portal, and several states cap or constrain what a residential solar permit may cost. Check whether plan check is billed separately before you quote the job.

• Which permit portal does this authority use? Broward County ePermits OneStop, a Computronix POSSE system at dpepp.broward.org. Applications are made at https://dpepp.broward.org/EPermitsAPP/Default.aspx under the 'BCS Master Permit' type; inspections are requested at https://dpepp.broward.org/BCS/Default.aspx?PossePresentation=SearchForPermitToRequestInspec. The Village of Lazy Lake has no portal of its own. 85% · permit portal landing page
• Can the whole application be completed online? Yes for eligible ePermits, with a live caveat. The County's guidance says the ePermits system 'can be used to apply for a permit, upload plans and documents, and pay fees'; once an ePermit application is accepted 'all subsequent submittals for the application must be uploaded through the ePermit User account. No physical document submittals will be accepted', approved documents are downloaded from the portal and inspections are requested online. The caveat is the County's own notice that ePermits may be unavailable during its website upgrade, with a paper 'Permitting' packet offered instead. 78% · county permitting packet + portal
• What does a residential solar permit cost? Set by Broward County Administrative Code ch.40, not by the Village. Per trade, the fee is the greater of a $125.00 minimum base permit fee or 3.0% of job value (job values $1 to $9,999,999.99). Structural (40.29.b) and electrical (40.30.a) are separate schedules, so a solar master permit with structural and electrical sub-permits attracts the calculation twice. Added to that: a $125.00 nonrefundable Permit Application Processing fee at submittal; plan review fees per the Plan Review Fee Schedule, Exhibit 40A; a training/continuing-education fee of $0.02 per $1.00 of permit and plan review fee; a public awareness fee of $0.005 per $1.00; a DBPR surcharge of 1% (min $2) under FS 553.721; a BCAIB surcharge of 1.5% (min $2) under FS 468.631(1); and a BORA surcharge under Admin Code s.43.1. Working the arithmetic on a $20,000 residential PV job split evenly between the two trades gives roughly $125 processing + $300 structural + $300 electrical + surcharges, before plan-review fees. 85% · county administrative code fee schedule
• How is the fee calculated? Valuation, with a flat minimum. 'Permit fees shall be calculated as the greater of the following: 1. Either the minimum base permit fee $125.00. 2. Or the [structural/electrical] permit fee shall be charged at the rate of 3.0% of the job value for job values of $1 to $9,999,999.99, and 2.5% for job values over $10,000,000.00.' Job value is the greater of RS Means (latest edition) or the applicant's estimate, and the final valuation is set by the Building Official (Ch.1 s.109.3). 92% · county administrative code fee schedule
• Is there a separate plan-check fee? Yes. Admin Code 40.27.d.1 assesses 'a nonrefundable minimum permit fee and any assessable plan review fees per the Plan Review Fee Schedule, Exhibit 40A' at application, and 40.29.b/40.30.a state plainly that 'Permit fees include standard inspections. Permit fees do not include Plan Review(s) or re-inspection(s).' Subsequent plan review fees are paid online through the BCS permit search. 88% · county administrative code fee schedule

Interconnection is a separate process from the permit and usually the longer pole. Where the utility does not depend on the permit being issued, running both at once is the single biggest saving available on a residential job.

• What is the stated plan-review turnaround? Broward County's own published figure is 'up to 15 business days' for plan review (stated on the electrical, plumbing, fence and other permit information sheets, Rev. 10/25). The statutory ceiling is tighter for small residential work: FS 553.792(1)(a)1 requires approval, conditional approval or denial within 5 business days for structural or electrical permits on an existing single-family residential dwelling where the value of the work is less than $15,000, and within 30 business days for residential permits on a structure under 7,500 sq ft. FS 553.792(1)(e) reduces the building permit fee by 10% for each business day the deadline is missed. 85% · Florida Statutes + county permitting packet
• How long is an issued permit valid before it expires? 180 days. Chapter 1 s.105.3.2.1: a permit becomes null and void if work is not commenced within one hundred eighty (180) days from issuance, or if the work is suspended or abandoned for ninety (90) days after commencement. The Building Official may for good cause grant up to two 90-day extensions, not exceeding one year from expiry (s.105.3.2.2); if work has commenced and is progressing substantially, the permit stays in effect until completion (s.105.3.2.3). Extension fee $50.00; expired-permit minimum $125.00, renewable within 180 days of expiry for half the original permit fee. 92% · adopted code (county amendments to FBC ch.1)
• Which utility handles interconnection here? Florida Power & Light Company (FPL). The Village's own 5 Feb 2026 Council minutes discuss the approved FPL rate increase and record that 'The Village will receive slightly increased franchise fee revenue as a result of the rate adjustment' - a franchise fee is paid by the serving utility, so this is city-side confirmation rather than a ZIP-code lookup. 92% · authority meeting minutes
• Where does the utility sit in the sequence? Before permit and before installation, then again after inspection. FPL's Net Metering Guidelines state: 'All interconnection applications must be approved prior to installation and operation of the renewable energy system', and 'The customer on the account must complete an application, interconnect agreement, obtain a building permit, and for Tier 2 and 3, obtain proof of insurance and pay an application fee.' After construction the customer supplies a copy of the approved permit or a screen print from the local authority showing electrical and mechanical inspection signed off, description of work, address, permit number and building department name. Operating the system before the bi-directional meter is installed is 'strictly prohibited'. Independently, Broward Chapter 1 s.112.1 forbids connecting to a utility source until a Certificate of Occupancy or Completion is issued or released by the Building Official. 88% · utility interconnection guidelines

The NEC edition a jurisdiction enforces is often a cycle behind the newest one published, and local amendments sit on top of it. Rapid shutdown, conductor sizing and labelling all change between editions, so the edition in force is the first thing to establish, not the last.

• Which NEC edition is in force? NEC 2020. FBC 8th Edition (2023) Chapter 35 lists 'NFPA 70-20 National Electrical Code (NEC)' as the referenced standard, cited at s.2701.1 among others, and Broward Chapter 1 s.101.4.1 applies 'Chapter 27 of the FBC, Building, NFPA 70, Fire Protection Provisions of this Code, and the FFPC' to electrical work. Broward's Chapter 1 amendments name no NEC edition of their own. 85% · adopted code (FBC 8th Edition referenced standards)
• Which building code edition is in force? Florida Building Code, 8th Edition (2023), with the Broward County Amendments to Chapter 1 (Administration) codified through amendments effective 30 March 2026 (Supp. No. 1, Update 6). Detached one- and two-family dwellings - which is the whole of Lazy Lake's housing stock - fall under FBC Residential plus Broward County Amendments Chapter 1, per Chapter 1 s.101.2 Exception 1. The 9th Edition (2026) is in draft on the state's site and is not in force. 92% · state code portal + county codification
• Which fire code edition is in force? Florida Fire Prevention Code, 8th Edition, with Broward County Local Amendments, codified through amendments adopted 10 July 2025 and effective 21 July 2025 (Supp. No. 1, Update 1). Enforcement for Lazy Lake is contracted out: Village Resolution 2023-09 approved an interlocal agreement with the City of Fort Lauderdale for fire protection and fire rescue services beginning 1 October 2023 for five years with automatic renewals, and the Village's 5 Feb 2026 minutes discuss Fort Lauderdale Fire/EMS invoices. 85% · adopted code + village resolution
• Are there local amendments to any of the above? Yes. Broward County maintains countywide amendments to both the Florida Building Code (Chapter 1, Administration) and the Florida Fire Prevention Code, and Chapter 1 s.101.2 states they 'shall apply countywide in both incorporated and unincorporated areas of Broward County, Florida'. s.102.2.5 adds that 'BORA shall govern the enforcement of Broward County Building and Fire Codes'. The Village of Lazy Lake adopts no building-code amendments of its own. 92% · adopted code (county amendments to FBC ch.1)
• What is the installation judged against? The Florida Building Code, 8th Edition (2023) - Residential for a detached one- or two-family dwelling - as amended by the Broward County Administrative Provisions Chapter 1; NFPA 70 (2020); the Florida Fire Prevention Code 8th Edition with Broward County Local Amendments; High-Velocity Hurricane Zone provisions (FBC s.1620, s.1516) because Broward County is in the HVHZ; and specifically FBC Residential s.R324 (or FBC Building s.3111 for other buildings) for solar energy systems. BORA Policy 09-02 supplies the countywide permitting and inspection framework. 88% · adopted code (multiple)

Ridge setbacks and roof access pathways are fire-service requirements and they constrain the array layout. They are the most common cause of a redesign after the fire department comments on a plan set.

• What ridge setback and access pathways are required? For a detached one- or two-family dwelling, FBC Residential 8th Edition s.R324.6 governs. Not fewer than two pathways on separate roof planes, from lowest roof edge to ridge, not less than 36 inches wide, on all buildings, with at least one on the street or driveway side; and for each roof plane carrying an array, a 36-inch pathway from lowest roof edge to ridge on the same or an adjacent roof plane. Ridge setback: not less than 18 inches clear on both sides of a horizontal ridge where the array occupies not more than 33 percent of plan-view total roof area, and not less than 36 inches where it occupies more (thresholds relax to 66 percent where an NFPA 13D or P2904 sprinkler system is installed). No panels may be placed on the portion of a roof below an emergency escape and rescue opening, and a 36-inch pathway to that opening is required. The requirements do not apply to roof slopes of 2:12 or less, nor where the code official determines rooftop operations will not be employed. For other buildings FBC s.3111.3.4 sends access and pathways to Florida Fire Prevention Code s.11.12.2.2. 85% · adopted code (FBC Residential 8th Edition)

Which rapid-shutdown rule applies follows directly from the NEC edition in force, and the initiation device has to be at a location the fire service can reach and identify. This is inspected, and it is labelled.

• Is rapid shutdown required, and to which NEC edition? Yes, to NEC 2020 (NFPA 70-2020 Article 690.12), which is the edition referenced by FBC 8th Edition Chapter 35 and applied by Broward Chapter 1 s.101.4.1. Broward County has a history of pushing this ahead of the state: BORA Formal Interpretation #14, effective 14 January 2016, amended the local code to impose the then-unadopted NEC 2014 s.690.12 rapid-shutdown requirement while NEC 2011 was still the FBC-referenced edition, and noted that utility-interactive micro-inverters and DC-to-DC converters satisfy it. 72% · BORA formal interpretation (archived) + adopted code

The NEC sets a baseline for permanent markings at the service equipment and the disconnecting means. On top of that, an authority may specify its own wording, and the utility may specify more again. Where any of them writes its own text, a generic off-the-shelf label set will not pass — this is the detail most often fixed on a return visit.

• Which placards does this authority require at the service equipment? The AHJ specifies no placard list of its own. Labeling is a plan-review line item ('i. Labeling', Ch.1 s.107.3.5 B.19.i) and the electrical PV final inspection is to 'Verify proper labeling' (s.110.3 B.10.b.1), but the content of the labels is left to the NEC edition in force (NFPA 70-2020). Separately, FPL requires its own signage at the meter - see q42. 70% · adopted code (county amendments to FBC ch.1)
• Does the authority specify placard wording of its own? No. The full 8th-Edition Broward County Amendments Chapter 1 text contains no placard wording, no specimen label and no signage section. 85% · adopted code (county amendments to FBC ch.1)
• Does it specify letter height, colour or material? No. No letter height, colour, contrast or material specification appears anywhere in the Broward County Amendments to FBC Chapter 1 or in the Broward County Local Amendments to the Florida Fire Prevention Code. 85% · adopted code (county amendments to FBC ch.1)
• Is a site plan / facility map placard required, and what must it show? No local site-plan or facility-map placard requirement. A site plan is required as a PV plan-review submittal (Ch.1 s.107.3.5 A.14.a) but nothing in the county amendments turns it into a posted placard. The applicable requirement is therefore NEC 2020 s.705.10 as adopted through the FBC, unamended locally. 62% · adopted code (county amendments to FBC ch.1)
• Does the UTILITY specify placards beyond the AHJ's? Yes. FPL's Net Metering Guidelines require, for systems with a manual disconnect switch (Tier 2 and Tier 3): 'A sign noting the location of the disconnect switch should be installed at the meter to enable FPL personnel to easily locate the disconnect switch in the event of an emergency. The disconnect switch should also have a warning sign indicating that both sides of the switch may be energized', with FPL approval required for a remote switch location and for the sign verbiage or location before final design. For behind-the-meter battery storage: 'A placard must be permanently affixed to the meter enclosure stating “Battery storage utilized in this facility.”' 85% · utility interconnection guidelines
• Where must the labels be placed? Utility-side: at the FPL meter (disconnect-location sign), on the disconnect switch itself (both-sides-energised warning), and permanently affixed to the meter enclosure (battery-storage placard). AHJ-side: no location is specified locally; NEC 2020 label locations apply as adopted, and the inspector verifies 'proper labeling' at the electrical PV final. 65% · utility interconnection guidelines + adopted code

Where the AC disconnect must sit relative to the meter is usually the utility's rule, not the building department's. Battery storage frequently carries its own permit, its own inspection and its own fire conditions.

• Where must the AC disconnect be, relative to the meter? For Tier 2 (above 10 kW) and Tier 3 systems FPL requires 'a manual disconnect switch of the visible load break type... mounted separate from, but adjacent to, the FPL meter socket', readily accessible to FPL at all times and capable of being locked in the open position with a single FPL utility padlock. It must disengage only the renewable source, not the whole electrical service, must not be locked in a meter room, and a remote location needs FPL approval before final design. For Tier 1 (10 kW AC and below) the guidelines impose no manual disconnect requirement. FPL also prohibits interconnection at the utility transformer or in the meter can. 88% · utility interconnection guidelines
• Must equipment be on a specific approved list? Yes. FBC Residential s.R324.3.1 and FBC s.3111.3.1: photovoltaic panels and modules shall be listed and labeled in accordance with UL 1703, inverters in accordance with UL 1741, systems connected to the utility grid shall use inverters listed for utility interaction, and mounting systems listed and labeled to UL 2703 shall be installed per the manufacturer's instructions and their listing. On top of that, Broward Chapter 1 s.107.3.5.4 requires product approvals to be reviewed and approved by the building designer, to become part of the plans, and to be 'filed with the Building Official for review and approval prior to installation'; s.107.3.5 B.19.d requires 'Listing and model numbers of all equipment and racking' on the plans. FPL separately requires a utility-interactive inverter certified under its net-metering agreement. 88% · adopted code (FBC Residential 8th Edition + county amendments)
• Are batteries permitted, and under what conditions? Yes, with utility conditions and no special local rule. FPL: battery storage behind the customer's meter must be certified by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory to the current UL 1741 standard, or be DC-coupled behind a UL 1741 listed device; a placard must be permanently affixed to the meter enclosure stating 'Battery storage utilized in this facility'; energy stored is for the customer's use only and may not at present be exported to the grid. A backup-only battery that charges from the grid needs no interconnection agreement but must not back-feed. A stand-alone battery designed to charge from and operate interconnected with the grid requires a Small Generator Interconnection Application, and its output is not net metered (Rule 25-6.065(2)(d), F.A.C.). Neither the Broward County amendments to FBC Chapter 1 nor the Broward County Local Amendments to the FFPC contain any energy-storage provision, so the base Florida Fire Prevention Code applies. 78% · utility interconnection guidelines + adopted code
• Is there a separate ESS permit or inspection? No separate ESS permit type or ESS inspection is published. BORA Policy 09-02 creates master permit categories for Solar Thermal and Solar Electric only; the Broward Chapter 1 s.110.3 required-inspection list has photovoltaic entries under Building and Electrical but no energy-storage entry; and the county amendments contain no energy-storage provision at all. Battery work would therefore be permitted and inspected under the electrical trade of the master permit. 55% · adopted code (county amendments to FBC ch.1)
• Is a ground mount treated as a structure? Yes. FBC Residential s.R324.7 requires ground-mounted photovoltaic systems to be designed and installed in accordance with s.R301 (structural design criteria), and s.R324.7.1 subjects them to fire separation distances; FBC s.3111.3.5 routes them to Chapter 16 and the Florida Fire Prevention Code, with s.3111.3.5.1 stating that fire separation distance is 'determined by the local jurisdiction'. On the zoning side the Village LDR s.3.4 requires accessory structures to comply with the setback and other restrictions of their district, caps accessory buildings at two stories or 24 feet, and forbids erecting an accessory building before the principal building; s.3.3 keeps every required yard 'open and unobstructed from the ground to the sky' except for listed minor projections. 72% · adopted code + village land development regulations
• Is there a local rule on service upgrades or busbar sizing? No numeric local rule. Broward Chapter 1 s.107.3.5 B.19.g requires PV plans to show 'Connection to utility line side or load side Busbar ratings', and the electrical PV final inspection covers 'Service change, if required by the design' (s.110.3 B.10.c). The sizing rule itself is NEC 705.12, unamended locally. FPL's guidelines add that 'Interconnections with the utility transformer or in the meter can are not permitted.' 78% · adopted code (county amendments to FBC ch.1)
• Is a specific mounting system or attachment spacing required? No prescriptive local spacing. Plans must show 'Listing and model numbers of all equipment and racking' (Ch.1 s.107.3.5 B.19.d), 'Design Load path', 'Roof Penetration approval', 'Roof sealing detail' and 'Wind resistance ratings of modules' (A.14). The PV building rough inspection checks 'attachments, penetrations on the roof, torque requirements' (s.110.3 A.20.a). FBC Residential s.R324.3.1 requires mounting systems listed and labeled to UL 2703 to be installed per the manufacturer's instructions and their listing, and s.R324.4.3 requires roof penetrations to be flashed and sealed per Chapter 9. 82% · adopted code (county amendments + FBC Residential)

Booking is a portal, a phone call or an email depending on the authority, and the notice required is rarely zero. Book before the work is finished rather than after — the lead time, not the work, is usually what sets the date.

• How is an inspection booked? Portal. After the permit is issued, inspections are requested online through Broward County's BCS screen at dpepp.broward.org, which asks for the permit number plus a 'Phone Access Code' printed on the Fee Statement. The County also publishes building@broward.org and 954-765-4400 for permit matters generally. 82% · permit portal page + county permitting packet
• Are same-day or AM/PM windows offered? No AM/PM or same-day window is published. What is published is the boundary of normal hours: Admin Code 40.27.b charges an overtime fee for any inspection or plan review requested before 7:30 A.M. or after 4:00 P.M. Monday to Friday, or any hour on a holiday, at a minimum of three hours per trade at $132.00 per hour for an inspector and $147.00 per hour for a plan examiner. The Building Code Division's counter hours are Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM. 68% · county administrative code fee schedule

Some authorities inspect their own solar work; some delegate it, and a few do not inspect the PV equipment itself at all. Who is coming determines what they will look at.

• Does this AHJ perform its own final solar inspection? Delegated. The Village of Lazy Lake performs no building or electrical inspections of any kind; Broward County Building Code Division performs them, using BORA-certified inspectors within their specific disciplines (Ch.1 s.110.3). 85% · authority meeting minutes + adopted code
• If delegated, to whom? Broward County Building Code Division, Public Works and Environmental Services Department, 2307 West Broward Boulevard, Suite 300, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312; 954-765-4400; building@broward.org; office hours Monday-Friday 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM. BORA's own 2021 structural CCCO assignment sheet, which the Village republishes on its permitting page, lists 'Lazy Lake' as a jurisdiction alongside the 30 other Broward municipalities and unincorporated Broward County. 90% · department page + county permitting packet

A rough-in or mid-roof inspection, where one is required, has to happen before the work it covers is closed up. Missing a stage means opening something back up, and it is the most expensive kind of correction.

• Which inspections are required, and in what order? Broward Chapter 1 s.110.3 sets two PV inspection sequences that run in parallel. Building, item 20 Photovoltaic: (a) Rough - check specifications, model numbers and layout; check attachments and penetrations on the roof and torque requirements; then (b) Final. Electrical, item 10 Photovoltaic: (a) Rough, before modules are installed - check specifications, model numbers and layout; all wiring for junction boxes, combiner and inverter completed; grounding system completed and torque requirements, with an exception that modules for rail-less systems may not require a rough inspection; then (b) Final, with the module available for inspection - verify proper labeling and test the system; plus (c) service change, if required by the design. BORA Policy 09-02(D) states the same shape for Solar Electric: 'Building/Structural/Roofing - Time of Installation and Final; Electrical - Rough and Final', and recommends departments complete all required inspections within a two-hour timeframe. The Building Official 'shall determine the timing and sequencing of when inspections occur'. 88% · adopted code (county amendments to FBC ch.1) + BORA policy
• Is a rough-in or mid-roof inspection required? Yes. Both the building and electrical PV sequences require a rough: the electrical rough must be before modules are installed, with the single exception that 'The modules for rail-less systems may not require a rough inspection.' 88% · adopted code (county amendments to FBC ch.1)

The approved plan set, the permit, and the equipment listings should be on site and reachable. Inspectors routinely verify that installed equipment matches what was approved, and that the labels are the ones the plan set promised.

• Is there a published inspection checklist? Yes, in the form of the codified required-inspection list. Broward Chapter 1 s.110.3 sets out every inspection by trade including the two photovoltaic entries, and the Village of Lazy Lake republishes that section as a standalone '110.3 Required Inspections' handout on its Permitting Information page. There is no separate solar inspection checklist: the 'Solar Thermal and Solar Electric Matrix' that BORA Policy 09-02(A) adopts as a 'BCBRA Approved Guideline' for permit application submittals could not be found published anywhere on broward.org or in the Internet Archive. 75% · village-published handout of county code section
• What must be on site at inspection? Approved plans, approved documents and the permit card, printed to scale ('Approved plans, documents, and permit card must be printed to scale for inspections'). Where job value is $5,000 or more, a certified copy of the recorded Notice of Commencement bearing the Records, Taxes and Treasury filing stamp must have been submitted to the Building Code Division before the first inspection is scheduled. At the PV electrical final 'The module must be available for inspection'. Chapter 1 s.110.1 also puts the duty on the permit applicant to keep the work accessible and exposed, and s.110.1.6 makes all equipment, material, power, access coordination and labour for the inspection the permit holder's responsibility. 85% · county permitting packet + adopted code
• Does the inspector verify labels and listings? Yes. The electrical PV final inspection is explicitly '1. Verify proper labeling 2. Test system', and the building and electrical PV rough inspections both 'Check specifications, model numbers, and layout'. Separately, product approvals must be filed with the Building Official for review and approval before installation (s.107.3.5.4). 90% · adopted code (county amendments to FBC ch.1)

Passing gives you a final or an equivalent sign-off. That is not the same as permission to operate: PTO comes from the utility, and who tells the utility the inspection passed varies. A system left switched off for weeks is usually waiting on this handover.

• What is issued on pass? A Certificate of Completion. Chapter 1 s.111.2 has the Building Official issue 'a Certificate of Occupancy or Certificate of Completion' once the work has been inspected without violations; a Certificate of Occupancy is tied to use, occupancy or a change of occupancy classification (s.111.1.1), which a rooftop PV retrofit does not involve. The certificate must record the permit number, address, owner, description of the portion certified, the name of the Building Official, the code edition the permit was issued under, and boxes for whether FS 553.791 plan review and inspections were used. Admin Code 40.29.a.1 charges $50.00 for issuing the original certificate, per discipline for inspection. 78% · adopted code (county amendments to FBC ch.1)
• Who notifies the utility for PTO? Installer or customer. FPL requires that 'Once construction is complete, a customer should provide a copy of the approved permit or a screen print from the local authority's website indicating the permit has been approved', showing electrical and mechanical inspection signed off by the local inspector, a description of the work, the installation address, the permit number and the building department name; the bi-directional meter is then installed and operation before that is 'strictly prohibited'. The AHJ does not notify the utility. Broward Chapter 1 s.112.1 runs the other way round - nobody may connect to a utility source of power until a Certificate of Occupancy or Completion is issued or released by the Building Official. 85% · utility interconnection guidelines + adopted code
• Is there a re-inspection fee? $100.00 for a re-inspection for the same violation, escalating in multiples of $100: 2nd re-inspection $200.00, 3rd $300.00, 4th $400.00. A pre-inspection is also $100.00. 92% · county administrative code fee schedule
• How are corrections issued and cleared? Plan review: notification is sent from noreply@broward.org saying whether the review was approved or rejected, and the permit status shows 'Waiting for Customer'. Corrections are cleared by logging into the ePermit account, selecting 'My Application Status' then 'Upload Docs' and 'Upload New Version', and uploading the corrected document under exactly the same document name as the file that drew the comment - the County states this in capitals as an IMPORTANT instruction. Subsequent plan review fees are paid online. Inspections: under Chapter 1 s.110.3 the inspector 'shall either release that portion of the work completed or shall notify the permit holder or their agent of any violations, which shall be corrected in order to comply with the technical codes'. 82% · county permitting packet + adopted code