Do You Need a Permit for Gutters or a Pool Cage in Florida?

Most homeowners ask about the permit last, usually right before the work starts. It is worth asking first, because the answer changes with the job, the county and, since July 1, 2026, the price of the work.

Here is the short version for our area. Regular rain gutters and rescreening usually do not need a permit in Hernando or Pasco County. A super gutter change out does. A new pool cage is structural work, and structural work keeps its permit. The rest of this guide shows where each answer comes from, so you can check it for your own home.

The Short Answer, by Job

Job	Hernando County	Pasco County
New rain gutters	No permit (non-structural gutters)	No permit (rain gutters)
Super gutter change out	Permit required	Permit required (structural super gutters are not exempt)
Rescreening a pool cage	No permit	No permit
New pool cage or screen room	Structural work, so plan on a permit	Structural work, so plan on a permit

Sources: Hernando County’s Residential Building Permit Exemption List (August 6, 2026) and Pasco County’s Permit Exemptions list (July 2026). One note for Hernando: its whole exemption list does not apply to homes in a flood zone, which is covered below.

Citrus County is left out of the table on purpose. Its Building Division page explains the new state exemption below, but it does not list gutters or rescreening either way. If you live in Citrus, call the Building Division at (352) 527-5310 before the job, or ask your contractor to.

What Changed on July 1, 2026

Florida passed a law this year that changed the permit question for a lot of small home jobs. House Bill 803 became law in May 2026 as Chapter 2026-63, and the rule took effect July 1.

The new rule says a local government “shall exempt an owner of a single-family dwelling or the owner’s contractor from the requirement to obtain a building permit to perform any work valued at less than $7,500 on the owner’s property” (HB 803, enrolled text).

That sounds broad, but the same law sets limits:

• It does not cover structural work. The exemption does not apply to “any electrical, plumbing, structural, mechanical, or gas work.”
• It does not cover flood zones. Work on a property “partially or entirely located in a flood hazard area” is left out.
• You cannot split a job. A project “may not be divided into more than one project” to get under the limit.
• It is not automatic. The owner or the contractor has to send the county a written request, with a copy of the contract or other proof of the work and its value.

Each county handles that request its own way. Hernando and Pasco each have a request form. Citrus asks for a notarized copy of its form. Pasco adds that items with structural requirements, including “siding and soffits,” still need a permit no matter the cost.

The practical takeaway: the $7,500 rule helps with small, simple jobs. It does not help with a super gutter or a new pool cage, because those are structural.

Super Gutters: The One That Needs a Permit

A super gutter is the large gutter your pool cage roof is fastened to along the house. Hernando County defines it plainly: a super gutter “means a wide aluminum channel running along the roofline where your screen enclosure meets the house.” Right under that definition, its list says “Super Gutters shall require a permit.”

Pasco says the same thing a different way. Its list of work that needs no permit includes “Rain Gutters (does NOT include structural Super Gutters).”

The reason is what the super gutter holds up. It carries one side of the cage roof, so changing it means taking the screen and beams off that side and building them back. That is structural work, and it is why the HB 803 exemption does not reach it either.

Our answer: on every super gutter change out, we pull the permit before any work starts, so you do not have to. Our post on the signs a super gutter needs replacing shows what to look for.

Super gutter sagging or leaking? Call (727) 857-3714 or get a free estimate. We handle the permit as part of the job.

Rescreening: Usually No Permit

Rescreening an existing cage is on both counties’ no-permit lists. Hernando lists “Rescreening.” Pasco lists “Re-screening.” Hernando’s older list says it the long way: “Re-screening of existing window screens or screen enclosures” (Hernando County).

There is one catch. Hernando’s list says its exemptions are limited to projects that “do not alter structural components.” Swapping the screen and spline is not structural. Replacing bent or broken frame members can be. If your rescreen turns into frame work, the permit answer can change, so ask before the job starts.

Both counties also leave room for some screen work under an existing roof. Hernando lists “Aluminum/Screen Enclosures (under existing roof)” as exempt, though “extending the existing entryway roof will require a permit.” Pasco exempts vertical aluminum screen inserts on an existing block lanai under the framed roof of a permitted structure.

Our answer: we do full rescreens only, every wall and roof panel, with Phifer screen and new spline. Our guide to pool cage rescreening cost lists what a fair rescreen quote should include, and our pool cage rescreening page shows the job.

Gutters: Usually No Permit, With Two Catches

Regular rain gutters are on both lists. Hernando lists “Gutters (non-structural).” Pasco lists “Rain Gutters.”

The first catch is flood zones. Hernando’s whole exemption list does not apply to “properties located within a Special Flood Hazard Area (Flood Zone).” The state’s $7,500 rule leaves flood zones out too. If you live near the coast or a river, check your flood zone before you assume no permit.

The second catch is the wood behind the gutter. Both counties list fascia and trim as needing no permit. Pasco treats siding and soffits as structural under the $7,500 rule, though. If a gutter job grows into soffit work, ask about the permit again.

Citrus County, again, does not list gutters on its building page. Ask the county, or ask your installer to.

Our guide on do you really need gutters in Florida helps if you are still deciding, and our gutter installation page shows how we put them up.

New Pool Cages and Screen Rooms

A new pool cage is a structure, with its own frame and roof. That is structural work, so the state’s $7,500 exemption does not apply to it, and neither county lists a new cage as exempt.

The license matters here too. Florida’s specialty structure license lists “screened enclosures” and “pool enclosures” in its scope, along with gutters, soffit and fascia (Florida Administrative Code 61G4-15.015, via Cornell Law School). You can check any contractor’s license at myfloridalicense.com.

Rain Storm Solutions is a Florida Certified Specialty Contractor, license SCC131154760. Our guide on how to choose a gutter contractor walks through checking a license, insurance and a written estimate.

No Permit Does Not Mean No Rules

A job that needs no permit still has to be done right. Hernando’s list says “all exempt work shall continue to comply with the Florida Building Code, applicable zoning regulations, floodplain requirements, and all other applicable local and state laws.” Pasco says the same: the work “must still conform to all relevant technical codes.” HB 803 adds that a local government “has no legal duty” for exempted work. In other words, no county inspection stands behind it.

That makes the contractor’s skill more important on a no-permit job, not less.

On jobs that do need a permit, skipping it can follow you. Florida’s licensing agency, DBPR, warns that a lack of proper permitting can make a home hard or impossible to sell (Florida DBPR).

The county permit and your HOA’s approval are also two separate things. A job that needs no permit may still need the HOA’s OK. If you live in a deed-restricted community like Timber Pines, ask whether your contractor helps with the HOA paperwork. We do. Our guide to gutter colors and HOA approval covers the rest.

Questions to Ask Before the Work Starts

• Does this job need a permit in my county?
• If it does, who pulls it, and is that in the price?
• If it does not, is that because the job is on the county’s list, or because of the $7,500 rule? If it is the $7,500 rule, who sends the written request?
• Is my home in a flood zone?
• Does my HOA need to approve it first?

When you are not sure, call the county before the job, not after. Hernando County’s Building Department is at 352-754-4050, Pasco County’s Building Department is at (727) 847-8126, and Citrus County’s Building Division is at (352) 527-5310.

Rain Storm Solutions installs gutters, changes out super gutters and rescreens pool cages across Hernando, Pasco and Citrus counties, from Spring Hill and Brooksville to Hudson and Inverness. We take 10% off for military members and veterans, first responders, and seniors 65 and up. Call (727) 857-3714 or get a free estimate, and have Chris look at the job.