How to Resolve an Open or Expired Permit in Collier County

What Is an Open Permit?

An open permit is a building permit that was issued by Collier County but never received a final inspection approval. The work may have been completed, partially completed, or never started. Either way, in the county’s records the permit remains active or expired without closure. Until it receives final inspection sign-off, it stays on the property’s record indefinitely.

Open permits are tracked by the Growth Management Department and are visible through the CityView portal. They attach to the property, not the person who pulled them. If you buy a home with an open permit, it becomes your problem.

Why Open Permits Matter

Open permits are not just an administrative nuisance. They carry real consequences.

Real estate transactions. Title companies and closing agents in Naples, Marco Island, and throughout Collier County routinely search for open permits. An unresolved permit can delay or kill a sale.
Insurance. Some insurers will not write or renew a policy if open permits suggest incomplete or uninspected work, particularly for roofing and electrical.
Code enforcement. Collier County Code Enforcement can cite property owners for open permits, especially if the unpermitted or uninspected work creates safety concerns.
Lenders may flag open permits during appraisal and underwriting, complicating refinance applications.
The county may decline to issue new permits on a property with unresolved open permits until the existing issues are addressed.

Selling a home in Golden Gate, Immokalee, Ave Maria, or anywhere in Collier County? Resolve open permits before listing. It saves time and protects your closing date.

How to Search for Open Permits on Your Property

Before you can resolve an open permit, you need to confirm it exists and understand its scope.

Option 1: CityView Portal Search by property address or folio number on the Collier County CityView portal. The system displays all permits associated with the property, their status (open, expired, closed, finaled), and the inspection history. For a walkthrough of the system, see our guide on Navigating the CityView Permit Portal.

Option 2: Call the Building Department Contact the Growth Management Department at (239) 252-2400 and request a permit history for your property. Staff can tell you which permits are open, what inspections are outstanding, and what the original scope of work was.

Option 3: Title Search During a real estate transaction, the title company will run a permit search as part of due diligence. This is often how open permits are discovered, sometimes just days before closing.

Common Scenarios That Create Open Permits

Open permits don’t happen randomly. These are the most frequent causes in Collier County.

Contractor pulled a permit but never called for final inspection. The work was completed, but the contractor moved on to another job without scheduling the final. This is the most common scenario by far.
Project was abandoned or scope changed. The homeowner started a renovation, ran out of budget, or changed plans. The permit stayed open.
Hurricane damage repairs under emergency permits. After major storms, emergency permits are issued rapidly. In the rush to restore homes across Naples, Marco Island, and inland communities, final inspections are often missed.
Previous homeowner’s work. You inherited someone else’s open permit when you bought the property. The prior owner may not have disclosed it, or may not have known about it.
The licensed contractor who pulled the permit is no longer active, making it harder to close out the work under the original permit.

The 180-Day Expiration Rule

In Collier County, a permit expires after 180 days with no approved inspection activity. This means if no inspection has been requested and passed within six months, the permit status changes from “open” to “expired.” An expired permit is still an open permit — it just adds a layer of complexity to the resolution process.

Expired permits cannot simply be renewed. Depending on how long the permit has been expired and whether the work was completed, you may need to apply for a new permit or an after-the-fact permit to close it out. The Florida Building Code edition in effect at the time of the new application applies, which may differ from the code under which the original permit was issued.

For more on how permit timelines work, see our guide on Understanding the Residential Permit Process.

How to Close an Open Permit in Collier County

The process for closing an open permit is not complicated, but you’ll need the right documentation and some patience. These are the steps.

Step 1: Identify the Permit Number and Original Scope

Pull up the permit record on CityView or request it from the Growth Management Department. Note the permit number, issue date, description of work, the contractor of record, and which inspections have been completed versus which remain outstanding.

Step 2: Contact the Building Department

Call (239) 252-2400 or visit the Growth Management Department in person. Explain that you need to close an open permit and provide the permit number. Staff will review the record and tell you exactly what’s needed. Sometimes it’s as simple as scheduling a final inspection; other times additional steps are involved.

Step 3: Determine What Inspections Are Still Needed

The building department will identify the remaining inspections. If only the final inspection is missing and the work appears complete, you may be able to schedule it directly. If intermediate inspections were skipped (framing, rough-in, etc.), the county may require those areas to be made accessible for inspection — which can mean opening walls or ceilings.

Step 4: Hire a Licensed Contractor if Needed

If the original contractor is unavailable, out of business, or their license has lapsed, you’ll need a new licensed contractor to take over the permit. The new contractor must agree to accept responsibility for the work and submit a contractor change request through CityView. Most contractors will want to verify the existing work before putting their license on the line.

Step 5: Schedule Required Inspections

Once you have a contractor of record and know which inspections are outstanding, schedule them through the CityView portal or by calling the building department. Make sure the work is ready and accessible before the inspector arrives. Failed inspections add re-inspection fees and delays.

Step 6: Obtain Final Inspection Approval

When all required inspections pass, the permit status changes to “finaled” or “closed” in CityView. Request written confirmation of permit closure for your records. If you’re in a real estate transaction, provide this documentation to the title company immediately.

Expired Permits vs. Open Permits

The terms are related but not identical.

An open permit was issued and has not received final inspection approval. It may still be within its active period (last inspection within 180 days) or it may have expired.
An expired permit is an open permit where no inspection activity has occurred in over 180 days. The permit has lapsed, but the obligation to close it remains.

An open permit that’s still active is easier to resolve because you can just schedule the remaining inspections. An expired permit often requires reapplication, updated plans, and fees based on the current code and fee schedule. The longer you wait, the more complicated and expensive it gets.

After-the-Fact Permits

If the original work was completed without proper inspections, or if the permit expired so long ago that the county requires a fresh start, you may need an after-the-fact (ATF) permit. ATF permits are new permits for work already done. They carry higher fees (often double the standard permit fee) and require the existing work to meet current Florida Building Code 8th Edition (2023) requirements.

ATF permits may also require destructive inspection (opening walls, removing finishes) so inspectors can verify concealed work. This is particularly common for electrical and plumbing rough-in inspections that were never completed.

How Open Permits Affect Real Estate Transactions

Open permits frequently surface during title searches before closing in Collier County. The typical sequence looks like this:

The title company discovers an open permit and notifies the buyer and seller
The seller is usually responsible for resolving the permit before closing (per most contracts)
If the permit cannot be closed before the closing date, the parties may negotiate an escrow holdback to cover the estimated cost of resolution
In some cases, buyers walk away from deals rather than inherit permit risk

Sellers should search for open permits before listing. Buyers should insist on a permit search as part of due diligence and not rely solely on the seller’s disclosure.

Timeline and Costs for Resolving Open Permits

Resolution timelines vary widely:

Simple closure (final inspection on completed, code-compliant work): 1-2 weeks
Moderate cases (contractor change, partial inspections needed): 2-6 weeks
Complex cases (expired permits, ATF permits, code upgrades required): 1-3+ months

Costs depend on whether you need a new permit, contractor fees for remediation work, re-inspection fees ($50-$100 each), and any code upgrades to bring the work into compliance. A straightforward final inspection may cost nothing beyond a small re-inspection fee. An ATF permit with contractor remediation can cost several thousand dollars.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if my property has an open permit? Search by address or folio number on the Collier County CityView portal. All permits (open, expired, and closed) are listed with their current status and inspection history. You can also call the Growth Management Department at (239) 252-2400.

Can I sell my house with an open permit in Collier County? Technically yes, but most title companies will require open permits to be resolved or escrowed before closing. An open permit is a title defect that can delay or prevent the sale. Resolve it before listing if possible.

Who is responsible for closing an open permit — the current or previous owner? The permit attaches to the property, not the individual. As the current property owner, you are responsible for resolving any open permits regardless of who pulled them. You may have legal recourse against the previous owner or contractor, but the county holds the current owner accountable.

What if the contractor who pulled the permit is no longer in business? You’ll need to hire a new licensed contractor willing to take over the permit. The new contractor submits a change request through CityView and becomes the contractor of record. They may need to verify the quality of the existing work before accepting responsibility.

Do open permits expire and just go away? No. Open permits never disappear from the property record. They expire after 180 days of inactivity, but “expired” does not mean “resolved.” The permit stays on the property’s history until it receives final inspection approval or is formally voided by the county.

Open permits are fixable, but they get more expensive the longer they sit. Collier Permitting Services handles the entire resolution process for homeowners across Naples, Marco Island, Golden Gate Estates, and all of Collier County — permit research, contractor coordination, inspection scheduling, and final closure. Call us at (239) 289-5630 to get your permits resolved.