# Palm Beach County, FL Site Plans — Type 3 Exemptions, Coastal Rules, and the 39-City Maze
Palm Beach County is Florida's third-most populous county, but from a permitting perspective, it functions like 40 different counties. There is the county itself — which oversees unincorporated areas through its ePZB system — and 39 incorporated cities, from Jupiter down to Boca Raton, each with its own building department, fee schedule, and site plan rules.
If your property is in unincorporated Palm Beach County, your permit experience depends entirely on whether your project is classified as a Type 3 or a Type 5. Here is what you need to know before you draw your plan.
Do You Need a Site Plan for a Small Permit in Palm Beach County?
Yes. In unincorporated Palm Beach County, you need a site plan for virtually every residential permit, including fences, sheds, pools, and additions.
The difference lies in who can draw it.
Type 3 Permits (The Homeowner Advantage)
Type 3 permits cover 1- and 2-unit residential additions, alterations, detached accessory buildings, pools, and modular homes. For these, Palm Beach County generally accepts a non-certified, drafted site plan. It must accurately show property lines, existing structures, proposed improvements, setbacks, easements, and flood zone information, but it does not need a surveyor's stamp.
Type 5 Permits (The Professional Requirement)
Type 5 permits cover new single-family homes. The county requires a construction survey less than 1 year old paired with a signed and sealed construction site plan. This plan must show the proposed finish floor elevation (minimum 18″ above lowest adjacent road crown, plus FEMA zone requirements).
Who Runs Into This in Palm Beach County
- West Palm Beach homeowners assuming they use the county portal, only to find the city uses its own Enterprise Permitting and Licensing (EPL) system
- Contractors building coastal additions who hit the Coastal Construction Control Line (CCCL) requirement and have to pause for FDEP review
- Pool installers in unincorporated areas working through the ePZB portal and navigating the strict 5-foot water's edge setbacks
- Owner-builders pulling Type 3 permits who need a clear, accurate site plan but don't want to pay $1,500 for a fresh survey
What Needs a Site Plan in Unincorporated Palm Beach County
- Fence permit site plan — Required. Site plan must show property lines, fence location, height (6 ft max rear/side typical), and materials.
- Shed permit site plan — Required for all sheds, including pre-fabricated. Must show minimum 5-foot setback from property lines.
- Deck permit site plan — Required. Handled under accessory structure rules.
- Pool permit site plan — Required. Processed as a Type 3 permit. Must show pool location, 5-foot rear/side setbacks to water's edge, barriers, and flood zone notation.
- Garage permit site plan — Required. Detached accessory building rules apply.
- Addition permit site plan — Required. Processed as a Type 3 permit. Must show expanded footprint and lot coverage.
- ADU permit site plan — Required. Processed as a Type 3 permit. Show footprint, setbacks, and parking.
Why This Trips People Up in Palm Beach County
Mailing addresses lie. A "West Palm Beach" or "Boca Raton" mailing address does not mean the property is inside city limits. Thousands of homes with city mailing addresses are actually in unincorporated Palm Beach County. If you submit an ePZB application for an incorporated property, it gets rejected. Always check the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser (PAPA) site first to confirm your jurisdiction.
Flood zone and CCCL notation. Palm Beach County is a coastal zone. Your site plan must explicitly state your flood zone. Furthermore, if you are building on the barrier island or along certain Intracoastal stretches, your property may cross the Coastal Construction Control Line (CCCL), requiring a separate state permit from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) before local approval.
Easement blindness. Unincorporated Palm Beach County has strict rules about building in recorded drainage, utility, and access easements. Your site plan must show these easements; if your proposed shed or pool deck encroaches on one, the permit will be flagged.
The 1-year survey rule for Type 5. If you are building a new house, you cannot use the survey you got when you bought the lot three years ago. The county explicitly requires a construction survey that is less than one year old.
Zoning and Setbacks in Unincorporated Palm Beach County
For standard RM (Residential Medium) zoning in unincorporated areas:
| Structure Type / Location | Minimum Setback |
|---|---|
| Front yard | 25 ft |
| Rear yard | 25 ft |
| Interior side yard | 7.5 ft |
| Corner lot side street | 15 ft |
| Accessory structures (sheds) | 5 ft rear and side |
| Pool water edge | 5 ft rear and side |
| Fences (rear/side) | 6 ft maximum height |
Always verify your specific zoning district using the county's myGeoNav tool before finalizing your layout.
How the Tool Handles This — 5 Steps
Our site plan generator webbased software loads Palm Beach County parcel data so you're starting from your actual property boundaries:
- Enter your address — Lot lines and existing building footprints load from county records.
- Place your project — Add your shed, pool, or addition to the lot.
- Set the required setbacks — The tool calculates distances to property lines so you can hit that 5-foot accessory minimum or 7.5-foot side setback.
- Adjust required notations — Add flood zone data, CCCL notations (if coastal), and label your easements.
- Export a scaled PDF — Download a titled, scaled plan ready for ePZB upload for your Type 3 permit.
Where This Tool Fits — and Where It Doesn't
| Situation | Best path |
|---|---|
| Shed, pool, or addition (Type 3 permit, unincorporated) | SitePlans.ai for the required site plan; non-certified plans accepted |
| New single-family home (Type 5 permit) | Licensed surveyor required (construction survey < 1 year old, sealed plan) |
| Property inside West Palm Beach or Boca Raton | SitePlans.ai for layout; verify city-specific sealed plan requirements |
| Property on the CCCL | SitePlans.ai for preliminary layout; licensed pro needed for FDEP coastal permit |
| Property line dispute or unclear boundaries | Licensed land surveyor |
| Plan rejected by ePZB | SitePlans.us for human-reviewed revision |
What This Doesn't Replace
Our Siteplan Maker webtool helps create preliminary, conceptual, permit-style site plans for smaller residential projects where local rules allow homeowner- or contractor-prepared drawings (like Palm Beach County's Type 3 permits). It is not a licensed land survey, sealed engineering drawing, PE/PLS/architect stamp, or a guarantee of permit approval. Properties in flood zones may require elevation certificates, and Type 5 permits require a surveyor's seal. Where a jurisdiction requires a licensed professional's certification, that requirement must still be followed.
Comparison: Your Options for a Palm Beach County Site Plan
| Method | Cost | Time | Stamp | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hand sketch | Free | 1–2 hrs | ✗ | Often rejected if scale or easements are inaccurate |
| SitePlans.AI | Free first plan | Minutes | ✗ | Pulls Palm Beach parcel data; perfect for Type 3 permits |
| CAD drafter | $300–$800+ | 1–2 weeks | Sometimes | Better for complex additions or tight lots |
| Licensed surveyor/engineer | $500–$2,000+ | 1–3 weeks | ✅ | Mandatory for Type 5 permits (new homes) and elevation certs |
| SitePlans.us (done-for-you) | Custom | 1–3 days | ✗ (human-reviewed, non-certified) | Best for responding to ePZB correction notices |
Common Mistakes That Delay Palm Beach County Permits
- Applying to the wrong office — Check the Property Appraiser (PAPA) site first to confirm whether you are in the county or a city.
- No flood zone notation — Required on all site plans, even for a shed.
- Ignoring the CCCL — Coastal properties must address state environmental rules before county building rules.
- Old surveys for new homes — Type 5 permits require a survey under 12 months old.
- Building in an easement — Pools and sheds placed in recorded drainage easements will trigger an immediate rejection.
- Missing parcel control number — Your site plan must include your property address and the exact parcel control number from your tax bill.
- Scale not shown — Site plans must be drawn to a legible scale and explicitly labeled.
Support and Local Resources
- Palm Beach County ePZB Portal — pbcgov.com/epzb — unincorporated permit applications
- Palm Beach County Property Appraiser (PAPA) — pbcpao.gov — check jurisdiction and parcel boundaries
- myGeoNav GIS Viewer — maps.co.palm-beach.fl.us/cvgis/mygeonav.html
- City of West Palm Beach EPL System — wpb.org
- FEMA Flood Maps — msc.fema.gov
- FDEP Coastal Construction — floridadep.gov
Nearby Counties
- Florida permit site plan requirements
- Broward County site plan guide
- Miami-Dade County site plan guide
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Does Palm Beach County accept homeowner-drawn site plans?
For unincorporated Palm Beach County, yes — for Type 3 permits (residential additions, pools, sheds, detached garages). The site plan must be accurate, drawn to scale, and show all required elements (setbacks, easements, flood zones), but it does not need a professional seal.
2. What is a Type 5 permit and why does it need a surveyor?
A Type 5 permit is for a new single-family home. The county requires a high level of precision for new construction, mandating a construction survey less than 1 year old and a signed, sealed construction site plan showing finish floor elevations.
3. How do I know if I'm in unincorporated Palm Beach County or a city?
Look up your address on the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser (PAPA) website. The "Municipality" field will tell you exactly which jurisdiction controls your property. Do not rely on your postal city name.
4. What is the CCCL and does it affect my permit?
The Coastal Construction Control Line (CCCL) is a state jurisdictional line protecting Florida's beaches. If your property is east of this line, you must obtain a permit from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) before the county will issue a building permit.
5. What are the setbacks for a shed or pool in unincorporated Palm Beach County?
For most residential zones (like RM), accessory structures (sheds) and the water's edge of a pool require a minimum 5-foot setback from the rear and side property lines. Verify your specific zoning district via myGeoNav before designing.
6. Do I need to show easements on my site plan?
Yes. Palm Beach County is very strict about encroachments. Your site plan must show all recorded drainage, utility, and access easements.
7. Can I use SitePlans.ai for a Palm Beach County permit?
Yes. For Type 3 permits in unincorporated areas, SitePlans.ai is an excellent tool to pull your parcel data, layout your project, mark your setbacks and flood zones, and generate the PDF required for the ePZB portal.
8. What if my property is in West Palm Beach?
The City of West Palm Beach runs its own building department and uses the EPL (Civic Access) portal. You must follow their specific checklists and setback requirements, which differ from the county's.
9. What is SitePlans.us and when should I use it?
SitePlans.us is our done-for-you drafting service. If your ePZB application is rejected for site plan inaccuracies, or if you simply don't want to draw it yourself, our team will draft a permit-ready (non-certified) plan fast.
10. What if my property lines look wrong in SitePlans.ai?
GIS parcel data is a representation, not a legal survey. If your boundaries look significantly off in the tool, verify them against PAPA or myGeoNav. If you are building very close to a setback line or have a boundary dispute, you must hire a licensed land surveyor.
---
Start Your Palm Beach County Site Plan
Check your jurisdiction on the PAPA site first. If you're ready to draft your Type 3 permit plan, enter your address below to pull your property lines, place your project, verify your 5-foot setbacks, add your flood notation, and download the site plan you need for the ePZB portal.
Create My Palm Beach County Site Plan →
Got a correction notice from the county? Send the comments to SitePlans.us and we'll draft the revision for you.
---