If your metal carport will be secured in place, then it qualifies as a permanent structure and requires a permit in Florida. You should contact your local building department for their application requirements. Also, there is a small permit fee. The application process is usually less complicated for a freestanding metal carport than one that will be attached to an existing structure. 

    Maybe you’re willing to gamble, but if you decide to erect the carport without a permit, there is a risk that it’s location on the property or construction may not meet zoning or code standards. Sometimes an after-the-fact permit will satisfy the local government agency, but removal might be required. Also, if you live in a neighborhood with a homeowner’s association (HOA), you might be subject to both fines and removal if it does not comply with their standards or was not approved by a review committee.

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Field Guide for Home Inspectors, a quick reference for finding the age of 154 brands of HVAC systems, water heaters, and electrical panels, plus 210 code standards for site-built and manufactured homes, and the life expectancy rating of 195 home components. Available at amazon.com for $19.95.
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Here’s links to a some of our other articles about CARPORTS AND GARAGES: 

• What is the difference between a carport and a garage? 

• Do I need a permit enclose a carport into a garage?

• What are the common problems when a homeowner converts a garage to conditioned living space, such as a family room? 

• Why is my garage ceiling sagging? 

• Why are there score line grooves in the concrete floor of the garage?  
 
 • What are the code requirements for fire separation between an attached garage and the house?

• Can a bedroom door open into the garage?

• Does an attached garage that is only used for storage or as a workshop, and not for parking a car, still have to comply with building code requirements for a garage?

• How far apart should electric receptacle outlets be placed in a garage? 

• Why is a garage floor sloped?

• Why if the garage door track a white tube? 

• Why is it a dangerous mistake to attach a carport, porch, or room addition directly to the roof of a mobile home? 

• Why do I have to hold down the button to close the garage door? 

• How can I check my garage door to make sure it is safe? 

• What does a home inspector check on an electric garage door? 

• Can the a garage door header bracket and torsion springs be mounted through drywall? 

• How can I tell if cracks in the garage floor are a problem or not? 

• Is tempered/safety glass required by the building code for windows and doors? 

• Why can't I use my home's central air conditioning system to cool the garage? 

• What is the unusual garage door opener mounted on the wall above the door and marked "Wayne Dalton”?

• When were GFCI receptacle outlets first required in the garage?

• Why are most pull-down attic ladders not approved by building code for installation in a garage?

• Is the wood anchor pad for a garage door rail and torsion spring supposed to be nailed or bolted to the wall? 

• Is a ceiling receptacle outlet for a garage door opener required to be GFCI protected? 

• What is the minimum slope for a garage floor slab?

• Can you run exposed NM-cable (Romex) in a garage?  

• What causes a garage floor to crack?

• What is the difference between an attached and detached garage? 

• What is code for the fire rating for garage walls?

• What is code for the fire rating for a garage ceiling? 

• What is code for air conditioning a garage?

• Can I use plywood between garage and living space of my house? 

• Is an attached garage required to have a door to the house or exterior?

• How can I make my garage cooler in the Florida heat? 

• Does a garage door opener need its own separate dedicated circuit?

• Is a ceiling required in a garage by code? 

• Can PVC water pipe be used in a garage? 

• When did the code change from minimum one receptacle per garage to one receptacle per garage vehicle bay?

• What are the minimum code requirements for a residential garage? 

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 
Field Guide for Home Inspectors, a quick reference for finding the age of 154 brands of HVAC systems, water heaters, and electrical panels, plus 210 code standards for site-built and manufactured homes, and the life expectancy rating of 195 home components. Available at amazon.com for $19.95.
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