Florida home permits fall 21% in September

Florida recorded 6,184 new residential permits in September, with declines across five regions but pockets of growth in Polk, Pasco and Duval counties.

Florida’s residential permitting activity slowed in September, reversing much of August’s increase, although several counties recorded gains, the DeBary-based building permit data company HBW found.

HBW reported the new residential construction permits totaled $2.16 billion across the five Florida regions it tracks. The permit count fell 21.1% from August’s 7,842, following that month’s 28% increase. September’s total was slightly above July’s 6,127 permits. A comparison with HBW’s August figures shows declines across all five regions.

The monthly swings warrant caution when assessing the direction of new-home construction, HBW said.

“Monthly permit activity is inherently volatile, and experienced construction professionals know that a single month rarely tells the entire story,” HBW wrote in its September report.

The figures cover HBW’s Tampa, Southwest Florida, Jacksonville, Orlando and Southeast Florida reporting regions. Permits offer an indication of potential future housing supply, but they do not establish when construction will begin or homes will become available.

Regional breakdown

Tampa remained the busiest region, while Southeast Florida continued to have the highest average reported construction value. Local results showed that a regional slowdown did not mean every county lost ground.

• Tampa recorded 1,898 permits totaling $639.8 million. Polk County had 577 permits, up from 510 in August, while Pasco increased to 524 from 517. Pasco’s construction value reached $202.8 million, slightly exceeding Polk’s $199.5 million even with fewer permits.
• Southwest Florida recorded 1,660 permits totaling $565.9 million. Lee County led with 593 permits, down from 789 in August. Collier followed with 368 permits and generated nearly as much construction value as Lee.
• Jacksonville recorded 1,031 permits totaling $284.8 million, down about 20% in volume from August. Duval County moved in the opposite direction, increasing to 451 permits from 431. St. Johns County declined to 241 from 338.
• Orlando recorded 1,009 permits totaling $385.3 million. Brevard County had 298 permits, down from 408 in August, while Lake declined to 259 from 360. Their September construction values totaled approximately $131 million and $72.8 million, respectively.
• Southeast Florida recorded 586 permits totaling $287.6 million. St. Lucie County had 237 permits, down from 353 in August. Palm Beach County fell to 104 from 349, contributing to the region’s sharp monthly decline.

Average construction values also differed considerably. Southeast Florida’s average was $490,704 per permit, compared with Jacksonville’s $276,273, the lowest among the five regions. Those figures represent reported construction values, not asking prices or final sale prices.

© 2026 Florida Realtors®