FEMA 50% Rule, Substantial Improvement, Substantial Damage, and Structure-Only appraisals for properties throughout Broward County.
Tell us about the property. We'll confirm your jurisdiction and send pricing.
Permitting in Broward County may be administered by the County or by the applicable municipality, depending on where your property is located — and Broward's structure has a few extra layers worth understanding.
Broward County's official term for its unincorporated area is the Broward Municipal Services District (BMSD), formerly known as Unincorporated Broward County. Properties in the BMSD are generally permitted through Broward County's Building Code Division. We format reports for that submission path.
Most incorporated Broward municipalities administer their own building permits. A number of cities also permit through Broward County's Building Code Division under interlocal service agreements, rather than running an independent building department. We confirm the correct department for your property before your report is finalized.
For properties in a Special Flood Hazard Area, the applicable building department — Broward County or the municipality with jurisdiction — evaluates the FEMA 50% Rule by comparing the cost of improvement or repair to the structure's market value. Broward County does not publish a single countywide FEMA 50% Rule or SI/SD guidance page; where published, that guidance generally comes from the applicable municipality. Our appraisal provides the building-value evidence used in the review.
Five report types. One specialty. Every report is built to support Broward building department review.
Market value determinations used in the applicable building department's compliance review.
Pre-renovation valuations that support permit applications for planned structural improvements.
Post-storm and post-flood valuations used after a damage event.
Building value separated from land value and excluded site components, for use in SI/SD review.
Depreciated replacement-cost valuations used in insurance and compliance determinations.
Every incorporated municipality, plus the Broward Municipal Services District.
Broward's official term for its unincorporated area — formerly known as Unincorporated Broward County. Properties here are generally permitted through Broward County's Building Code Division. We prepare reports formatted for that submission path.
Don't see your city listed? Request a quote above and we'll confirm your exact jurisdiction's requirements.
Direct links to official Broward County building, flood-zone, and property-record resources.
Permitting, plan review, and inspections for the Broward Municipal Services District and contract cities.
Visit Building Code Division →Current FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps and flood zone lookup for Broward County.
Visit Flood Zone Maps →Public property records and tax-assessed values, for reference.
Visit Property Appraiser →PermitClear Appraisals is an independent appraisal firm and is not affiliated with Broward County or any municipal government.
Straight answers on jurisdiction and what a Broward County FEMA appraisal requires.
It depends on where the property sits. Properties in the Broward Municipal Services District (BMSD), Broward's official term for its unincorporated area, are generally permitted through Broward County's Building Code Division. Most incorporated municipalities administer their own permits, though a number of cities permit through the County's Building Code Division under interlocal service agreements rather than an independent city department. We confirm the correct department for your property as part of preparing your report.
Broward County does not publish a single countywide FEMA 50% Rule or Substantial Improvement/Substantial Damage guidance page. Where such guidance exists, it is generally published by the applicable municipality's building department. We confirm your property's jurisdiction and provide the market-value appraisal used in that department's review.
The BMSD is Broward County's official designation for its unincorporated area, formerly referred to as Unincorporated Broward County. Properties in the BMSD are generally permitted directly through Broward County rather than a city building department.
If your property sits in a Special Flood Hazard Area, the authority having jurisdiction generally compares the cost of proposed improvement or repair to the structure's market value to determine whether the FEMA 50% Rule applies. Our appraisal provides the building-value evidence used in that determination.
Substantial Improvement applies to voluntary renovations, additions, or upgrades. Substantial Damage applies after a storm, flood, or other casualty event. Both are evaluated by comparing cost of work to the structure's market value, though Substantial Damage is measured against the property's value immediately before the damage occurred.
A Structure-Only appraisal separates the building's value from land value and excluded site components, such as landscaping or driveways. It provides valuation information commonly used in Substantial Improvement and Substantial Damage review by the applicable building department.
Yes. We serve properties throughout Broward County, including all incorporated municipalities and the Broward Municipal Services District. Request a quote and let us know your municipality, and we'll confirm the applicable jurisdiction's requirements.
No. We prepare the appraisal report used to support the applicable building department's Substantial Improvement or Substantial Damage review. Filing the permit application itself is handled by your contractor, architect, or permit expediter.
Building department–ready reports. Countywide Broward coverage.