Leon County Life Safety and Fire Protection Permitting Process
All New Commercial Building Permits in Leon County must go through a Fire review conducted by the City of Tallahassee Fire Plans Review. This review evaluates compliance with the Florida Fire Prevention Code and any other applicable state and local regulations to ensure the safety of lives and property.
The Fire and Building plans review will begin concurrently once Leon County's Development Services and Environmental Division approves the initial Site Plan review. The Leon County Building permit will be issued once both reviews are approved.
Fire Protection Subcontractors who need to submit their Post Issuance Fire Protection Information as part of a Leon County Building Permit must do so by emailing DSEM_Intake@leoncountyfl.gov. When submitting, you must follow these naming conventions:
- Automatic Sprinkler
- Fire Alarm
- Hood Suppression
- Underground Fireline
- Bi-Directional Amplifier (BDA)
Your submission must also include the Leon County permit number, address, professional name, license information, and all required plans and documents to be submitted to DSEM_Intake@LeonCountyFL.gov.
After the Leon County staff receives all the necessary information, plans, and documents for the fire review, they will notify the City of Tallahassee (COT) Fire Plan Review team. Once the review is approved, they will inform the fire subcontractor and Leon County staff. Leon County staff will then process an approval report, which the applicant can download and keep onsite for inspections.
Standalone Fire Alarm and Suppression Permits for existing buildings will also require a building permit in Leon County. If these permits are submitted according to HB 327, no plan review is required. However, plans must still be submitted with a statement in accordance with HB 327. This detail must be displayed on the plans, documents, and the permit application summary.
Leon County plan review staff will complete the City of Tallahassee Fire Review Workflow Tasks in Accela, noting: Approved per Proxy for COT Fire Review per HB 327. This process is intended to expedite the issuance of permits per state statutes. Additionally, these plans must be available onsite for inspections.
If the project changes and the plans no longer comply with HB327, the City of Tallahassee Fire Plans Review must review and approve new plans before the permit can be re-issued or inspected.
Fire Protection Inspections can only be scheduled through the City's dispatch office at 850-891-7040. Fire inspections cannot be scheduled through Leon County's IVR system. City dispatch will arrange a specific time and date. If you have trouble scheduling fire-related inspections, please call the City’s Permit Service Center at (850) 891-7040.
For more information on Fire Protection Systems, please visit the City’s Fire Plans Review and Inspections page. For immediate assistance regarding the status of the fire review, please contact the City of Tallahassee Fire Review staff listed below:
Supplemental Documents/Guidelines per City of Tallahassee Fire Review & Inspections