Fee basis: Based on project value.
Project value for the formula: low $5,000, typical $7,500, high $16,000.
City of Fort Lauderdale Code of Ordinances Sec. 9-48 General permit fees (current published $131 min / 1.75%), from the City of Fort Lauderdale Development Services Department, Building Services, retrieved Sep 1, 2026, set a valuation-based permit fee for work inside the city limits. These fees are for the City of Fort Lauderdale, not unincorporated Broward and not Miami Beach.
For an HVAC replacement, a permit is required. Sec. 9-48 applies to any master, stand-alone, or trade permit.
The permit fee is the greater of the $131 minimum or 1.75% of the estimated construction cost. The fee band is $131.00 low, $131.25 typical, and $280.00 high.
Walk the typical $7,500 job first. 1.75% of $7,500 is $131.25.
That amount is above the $131 minimum, so the typical permit fee is $131.25. The minimum-permit line is included when 1.75% is below $131.
The 1.75% of estimated construction cost line is included and is used when it is greater than $131. The two lines are not added together.
On a low $5,000 job, 1.75% of $5,000 is $87.50. That is below the $131 minimum, so the $131.00 minimum applies and the low permit fee is $131.00.
On a high $16,000 job, 1.75% of $16,000 is $280.00, so the high permit fee is $280.00. The 1.75% rate passes the $131 minimum at about $7,486 of construction cost.
Dividing $131 by 0.0175 gives $7,485.71. Below that break-even the $131 minimum applies.
Above it the fee is 1.75% of the estimated construction cost. The Florida HB 803 under-$7,500 small-project exemption does not cover mechanical work, so an HVAC change-out still needs a permit even when the job is under $7,500.
System size in tons does not set this fee. The estimated construction cost does.
A larger system does not add a separate permit dollar unless the job cost changes. Engineering review fees in Sec. 9-54 are not added, because no site work is assumed.
A separate electrical permit could apply if the electrical service is changed, and that permit is not in these totals.
City of Fort Lauderdale, not unincorporated Broward and not Miami Beach. Sec. 9-48: any master, stand-alone, or trade permit is the greater of $131 or 1.75% of estimated construction cost. HB 803 under-$7,500 exemption does not cover roofing, mechanical, structural, or floodplain work. Engineering review fees in Sec. 9-54 are not added (site work not assumed).