Do I need a permit for a new window or door opening in
Hollywood, Florida?

Hollywood window and door openings — the key details

The Florida Building Code, adopted by Hollywood, explicitly requires a permit for all new window or door openings (FBC 105.2 and Chapter 4 HVHZ). This is not a gray zone or exemption — if you are cutting a new opening where none existed, you need a permit. The only exemption is a like-for-like replacement of an existing window in its current opening, and even that must meet current code (impact-rated glazing in the HVHZ). A new opening, by contrast, involves structural wall modification, header design, lintel sizing, and bracing recalculation — all of which require an engineer or builder's stamp and City plan review. The permit application must include a plot plan showing the opening location, a framing detail showing the header size and material, calculations or tables demonstrating that the header can support the load above (IRC R612 governs distributed loads), and flashing/exterior detail showing how water will be shed. If the opening is in a load-bearing wall (which most exterior walls are), the header is critical; if it is in a non-load-bearing partition, the requirements are lighter but still require documentation.

Hollywood's HVHZ overlay changes everything for windows and doors. If your property is in the High Velocity Hurricane Zone (confirmed by City GIS or your property appraiser), your glazing must carry a HVHZ certification mark from the Florida Product Approval Board or equivalent testing body, and the manufacturer's specification sheet must cite the Design Wind Speed (DWS) that the window meets — typically 130+ mph for Miami-Dade, or 140+ mph for some beachfront parcels. Standard double-hung or casement windows with non-impact-rated glass will be rejected by the City's plan reviewer. The cost difference is significant: impact-rated windows run $60–$150 per square foot installed, versus $20–$50 for standard glazing. Additionally, the opening itself (the frame and trim attachment) must be designed to resist the uplift and pressure forces inherent in a hurricane; this is spelled out in FBC Table 4-2 and requires either a builder's engineer or reference to pre-approved window installation details from the window manufacturer (these are often called 'HVHZ-compliant installation' guides and are free from the maker). If you are not in the HVHZ (some inland properties west of I-95 and north of Stirling Road fall outside), you can use standard impact-rated glass; confirm your zone by calling the City or checking your property appraisal district's flood/hazard map.

The header and bracing calculation is the most common plan-review rejection in Hollywood. When you cut a new opening, you are removing a span of wall that formerly shared load with the walls beside it. The new header must be sized to carry the load above (roof, second floor, attic) plus live loads. IRC R612 and FBC Chapter 6 give prescriptive tables for header sizing based on span, load class, and wood species. A 4-foot opening in a wall carrying roof load might need a double 2x10 or a 2x12 depending on joist spacing and snow load (which is minimal in Hollywood, but wind uplift is significant). For door openings, the math is simpler — doors rarely span more than 4 feet — but you still need to show the calculation or a reference to prescriptive tables. If the opening is 8 feet or wider, or if the wall carries unusual loads, an engineer stamp is nearly mandatory. The City's plan reviewer will ask for this on day one if it is not in your submittal. Additionally, if you are cutting out studs, the remaining studs on either side of the opening must maintain their bracing capacity per IRC R602.10; this sometimes requires adding vertical or diagonal bracing, or installing let-in bracing, or using sheathing in a specific pattern. Many DIY applicants forget this and get a rejection. Have a framer or engineer confirm the bracing strategy before you apply.

Flashing and exterior weather-sealing details are non-negotiable in coastal Florida. The City will ask for a detail drawing showing how the window flange is sealed to the exterior wall, where the flashing pan sits (below the sill), and how house-wrap or building paper laps over the flashing. In Florida's hot-humid climate, wind-driven rain penetration is a leading source of mold and rot, so the details matter. Most plan reviewers want to see that the flashing is continuous metal or rubber, that it overlaps the rim board or band board, and that sealant (polyurethane or silicone) is applied per the window manufacturer's instructions. If the exterior is stucco (very common in Hollywood), the opening also requires a properly installed and sealed stucco frame, with mesh and weeps below. If the wall is vinyl cladding or fiber-cement board, similar logic applies. The City's standard detail sheets are often available on the permit portal or from the Building Department; use them as a template. Failure to show this detail is a recipe for a plan-review re-submit.

The inspection sequence and timeline in Hollywood typically runs: framing inspection (header in place, bracing confirmed, opening dimensions verified), then exterior cladding/flashing inspection (after the wall is closed up, stucco or cladding applied, flashing installed and sealed), and final inspection (glazing installed, operation tested, exterior sealed). Total time from permit approval to final sign-off is usually 2–4 weeks if you are on the contractor's schedule and City reviewers are not backlogged. Plan-review turnaround is typically 5–7 business days for a complete submittal; incomplete applications (missing header calc, no flashing detail, no HVHZ cert) can add 2–3 weeks of back-and-forth. Permit fees in Hollywood run $200–$800 depending on the opening size and whether an engineer stamp is required (engineer stamp typically adds $300–$500 to the project cost, but not the permit fee itself). The City does not charge plan-review fees separately; the permit fee is a flat rate or a low percentage of the window cost. Call the City Building Department to confirm the exact fee for your opening size before you apply.

Three Hollywood new window or door opening scenarios

HVHZ glazing, impact ratings, and design wind speed in Hollywood

The Florida Building Code HVHZ overlay (Chapter 4) mandates impact-rated glazing for all windows and doors in High Velocity Hurricane Zones, which includes most of Hollywood near the coast and several pockets inland where sustained wind speeds exceed 130 mph. An impact-rated window must carry the HVHZ product-approval mark from the Florida Product Approval Board (FPAB) or be tested and certified to ASTM 1996-11 or newer. The mark appears on the window label or specification sheet and cites the Design Wind Speed (DWS) that the unit meets. For Hollywood beachfront and near-beach properties, the DWS is typically 140–150 mph; for slightly inland properties, it might be 130 mph. Standard double-hung or casement windows without impact rating cost $20–$50 per square foot; HVHZ-rated equivalents cost $60–$150 per square foot. This $40–$100 difference per foot is non-negotiable in the zone. The City's plan reviewer will not approve any window plan that shows non-rated glass in an HVHZ address. If you are unsure of your zone, use the Miami-Dade County interactive GIS map (Hollywood uses similar zone definitions) or ask the City directly. Some homeowners buy windows online thinking they are HVHZ-rated only to discover that the model sold nationally is not FPAB-certified for Florida — this is a painful mistake late in the project. Confirm the certification before you order.

Installation and fastening in the HVHZ is equally strict. A certified impact-rated window is only effective if it is installed per the manufacturer's HVHZ-compliant installation guide, which specifies fastener spacing, anchor locations, and sealant type. Most window makers provide free HVHZ installation PDFs on their websites; your contractor must follow these to the letter. The City's plan reviewer may ask to see this guide in your submittal, especially if the opening is near a roof line or corner (high wind pressure points). Additionally, the opening itself — the frame, header, sill, and trim — must be designed to transfer the window's wind load to the building's lateral-force-resisting system (typically the shear wall formed by sheathing and bracing). For small windows in simple walls, this is prescriptive and requires only the correct fastener spacing and sealant. For large windows or unusual openings, an engineer may need to evaluate the connection. Bottom line: in the HVHZ, the window itself is only part of the cost and complexity; correct installation and fastening are equally critical and add time (3–4 days) and cost ($500–$1,500 per opening) to labor.

The City of Hollywood's plan reviewers are experienced with HVHZ submissions and generally expect you to include the window specification sheet, the HVHZ product cert (a 1-page PDF from the maker), and a framing detail showing the header. If you are submitting a complete package, turnaround is 5–7 business days. If the window spec is missing the DWS or the HVHZ mark is not visible, or if the header calc is absent, expect a request for additional information and a 2–3 week delay. Many DIY applicants try to save time by calling the Building Department to ask 'Is my window OK?' — the answer is always 'bring the spec sheet in and we'll review it' — so avoid this back-and-forth by including the complete spec in your initial permit app.

Header sizing, structural calculations, and when you need an engineer

The most common plan-review rejection for window openings in Hollywood is a missing or undersized header. IRC R612 provides prescriptive tables for header sizing in residential walls based on roof load, opening width, stud spacing, and wood species. For a 4-foot opening carrying roof load in a wall with 16-inch stud spacing and No. 2 grade southern pine (common in Florida), the prescriptive table calls for a double 2x8 or single 2x10. For a 5-foot span, you jump to double 2x10 or a single 2x12. If you exceed the prescriptive table limits (usually spans wider than 8 feet or walls carrying unusual loads like a second floor), you must have an engineer calculate and stamp the header. The City requires a structural engineer's stamp (a licensed Florida P.E. or structural engineer) for any opening wider than 8 feet, any opening in a wall carrying a second floor or complex roof, or any opening in a wall that is visibly damaged or modified. If your opening is straightforward — say, 4 feet wide, single-story house, standard roof — you can use the prescriptive table and get a framing detail blessed by your local building inspector. If there is any doubt, hire an engineer for a $300–$500 structural letter or drawing; it saves you a plan-review rejection cycle.

The header itself must be installed correctly: the ends of the header must sit fully on the supporting walls (typically the studs on either side, or bearing blocks if the studs are not adjacent); the header must be attached to the top plate and sill with framing connectors or nails per IRC R602.3; and the studs on either side must be able to carry the load without buckling. In walls where the opening is near a corner, this can get tricky — the load path must be verified so it does not get pinched or redirect unexpectedly. For the vast majority of Hollywood residential windows, this is straightforward, but it is worth sketching out or having your framer confirm. The City's framing inspector will verify header size, bearing, and connection during the framing inspection (the first inspection after rough framing is complete). If the header is undersized or not fully bearing, the inspector will call it out and you will have to fix it before moving forward — a costly and schedule-disrupting error.

For load-bearing walls in older Hollywood homes or multi-story homes, confirm that the header is not being undersized to save money. A 3-foot-wide opening in a 1950s-era bungalow might have minimal load (just roof over one story), but a 4-foot-wide opening in a concrete-block two-story might have significant load from the second floor and roof. The prescriptive table accounts for this, but many DIY homeowners try to squeeze by with a smaller header to save $200 in materials. This does not pass inspection and is a liability risk in a hurricane. Pay the extra cost for the correct header upfront.

Common questions