This question usually comes up right after someone sees a demolition quote and wonders how hard it could really be. Fair question. Below is what Florida law actually says, what your building department is going to ask for, and the parts people don't find out about until it's too late.
What the law says
Florida's owner-builder exemption, in plain English
| Item | What the law says | What it means for a teardown |
|---|---|---|
| Who qualifies | Section 489.103(7) of the Florida Statutes lets property owners act as their own contractor when building or improving a one- or two-family home for their own use, as long as it isn't offered for sale or lease. | The law talks about building and improving and doesn't single out demolition. Some building departments issue owner-builder demolition permits for single-family homes. Others don't, and some cities only accept a demolition permit from a licensed contractor. Call your building department before you plan anything. |
| You have to supervise it yourself | The owner must provide direct, onsite supervision and can't hand that job to anyone who isn't licensed for the work. | You need to be on site running the job, not checking in after work. |
| No unlicensed contractor | You may not hire an unlicensed person to act as your contractor or to supervise the people working on your property. | Paying "a guy with an excavator" to handle the whole thing is exactly what this rule prohibits. |
| Anyone unlicensed is your employee | Anyone working on the job who isn't licensed has to work under your direct supervision and be employed by you. That means withholding income tax and Social Security and providing workers' compensation. | If someone gets hurt, you're the employer. The state's own disclosure warns that you may be held liable for damages. |
| The one-year rule | If you sell or lease a home you built or substantially improved within a year of finishing, the law presumes you did it for sale or lease, which violates the exemption. | If the plan is tear down, build and sell, the owner-builder route usually isn't for you. |
This is a plain-language summary of section 489.103(7), Florida Statutes, and the owner-builder disclosure statement you sign to get the permit. It isn't legal advice.
Still on you
What you're responsible for as an owner-builder
Pulling the permit yourself doesn't make any of the other requirements go away. You become the person handling all of it:
Paperwork
- The demolition permit application and every inspection
- Utility disconnect letters for electric, gas, water and sewer
- A sewer cap, or a permit to abandon the septic tank
- Asbestos paperwork if your county requires it, even for a house
- Tree permits if any trees are protected
The job itself
- Equipment, operators and their safety
- Protecting the neighbors' houses, fences and cars
- Dust control and the city's allowed work hours
- Hauling the debris to a licensed facility, not a vacant lot
- Filling and grading the lot and closing out the permit
Where it goes wrong
The traps owners run into
The "just pull it in your name" pitch
If a crew asks you to pull an owner-builder permit for a job they're running, they're usually unlicensed. Florida's own disclosure statement warns about this exact setup, and you end up holding all the liability.
An injury on your lot
Demolition is one of the more dangerous kinds of construction work. If an uninsured worker gets hurt, you're the employer of record.
Damage next door
Without a contractor's liability policy behind the job, a cracked slab or crushed fence next door is your claim to deal with.
Illegal dumping
Cheap haulers sometimes dump debris where they shouldn't, and without disposal tickets you have no way to show where yours went.
A permit that never gets closed
An open demolition permit can hold up the permit for your new house, or show up when you sell.
If you're still considering it
How to decide
Call your building department first
Ask one question: will they issue an owner-builder demolition permit for your property? If the answer is no, you're done deciding.
Price the whole job, not just the machine
Add up equipment rental, operators, workers' comp, hauling and disposal, fill, permits and your own time. Compare that to a licensed contractor's written quote.
Check your insurance
Ask your homeowner's agent what's covered while you're acting as your own contractor. Many policies don't cover what people expect.
Think about what comes next
If you're selling within a year, or a builder needs a clean, permitted lot by a certain date, a licensed contractor is usually the safer path.
Related
Keep reading
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Can a homeowner pull a demolition permit in Florida?
Sometimes. Florida's owner-builder exemption lets owners act as their own contractor on a one- or two-family home for their own use. Whether a building department will issue a demolition permit under it is a local decision, and some cities only accept demolition permits from licensed contractors.
Can I hire someone to demolish my house under my owner-builder permit?
You can hire licensed contractors for parts of the work. You can't hire an unlicensed person to act as your contractor or supervise the job. Anyone unlicensed has to work under your direct supervision as your employee, with tax withholding and workers' compensation.
Do I still need an asbestos survey if I demolish my own house?
Single-family homes are generally exempt from the federal asbestos demolition notice, but counties can still require asbestos paperwork with the permit. Being an owner-builder doesn't change that.
Can I demolish my house as an owner-builder and then sell the lot?
Be careful. The exemption is for your own use, and if you sell or lease a home you built or substantially improved within a year, the law presumes you did it for sale. Ask your building department and a real estate attorney before planning a tear-down-and-sell project this way.
Is it cheaper to demolish my own house?
Sometimes on paper, rarely in practice. Once you add equipment, operators, workers' comp, hauling, disposal, fill, permits and the risk of damage or injury, a licensed contractor's written quote is often close, and the liability stays with them.
This article is general information, not legal advice. It summarizes section 489.103(7), Florida Statutes, as of October 2026. Local permit rules vary, so confirm with your building department before you start.