CITY OF CAPE CORAL
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
OWNER/BUILDER AFFIDAVIT PERMIT # _______________
Florida Statute Section 489.103
State law requires construction to be done by licensed contractors. You have applied for a permit under exemption to that law. The
exemption allows you, as the owner of your property, to act as your own contractor even though you do not have a license.
(a)When installing, uninstalling, or replacing solar panels on one-family, two-family, or three-family residences, and the local permitting
agency’s county or municipal government is participating in a “United States Department of Energy SunShot Initiative: Rooftop Solar
Challenge” grant. However, an owner must utilize a licensed electrical contractor to effectuate the wiring of the solar panels, including
any interconnection to the customer’s residential electrical wiring. The limitations of this exemption shall be expressly stated in the
building permit approved and issued by the permitting agency for such project.
(b) To qualify for exemption under this subsection, an owner must personally appear and sign the building permit application and must
satisfy local permitting agency requirements, if any, proving that the owner has a complete understanding of the owner’s obligations
under the law as specified in the disclosure statement in this section. However, for purposes of implementing a “United States
Department of Energy SunShot Initiative: Rooftop Solar Challenge” grant and the participation of county and municipal governments,
including local permitting agencies under the jurisdiction of such county and municipal governments, an owner’s notarized signature or
personal appearance to sign the permit application is not required for a solar project, as described in subparagraph (a)3., if the building
permit application is submitted electronically to the permitting agency and the owner certifies the application and disclosure statement
using the permitting agency’s electronic confirmation system. If any person violates the requirements of this subsection, the local
permitting agency shall withhold final approval, revoke the permit, or pursue any action or remedy for unlicensed activity against the
owner and any person performing work that requires licensure under the permit issued. The local permitting agency shall provide the
person with a disclosure statement in substantially the following form:
DISCLOSURE STATEMENT
1. I understand that state law requires construction to be done by a licensed contractor and have applied for an owner-builder permit
under an exemption from the law. The exemption specifies that I, as the owner of the property listed, may act as my own contractor with
certain restrictions even though I do not have a license.
2. I understand that building permits are not required to be signed by a property owner unless he or she is responsible for the
construction and is not hiring a licensed contractor to assume responsibility.
3. I understand that, as an owner-builder, I am the responsible party of record on a permit. I understand that I may protect myself from
potential financial risk by hiring a licensed contractor and having the permit filed in his or her name instead of my own name. I also
understand that a contractor is required by law to be licensed in Florida and to list his or her license numbers on permits and contracts.
4. I understand that I may build or improve a one-family or two-family residence or a farm outbuilding. I may also build or improve a
commercial building if the costs do not exceed $75,000. The building or residence must be for my own use or occupancy. It may not be
built or substantially improved for sale or lease. If a building or residence that I have built or substantially improved myself is sold or
leased within 1 year after the construction is complete, the law will presume that I built or substantially improved it for sale or lease,
which violates the exemption.
5. I understand that, as the owner-builder, I must provide direct, onsite supervision of the construction.
6. I understand that I may not hire an unlicensed person to act as my contractor or to supervise persons working on my building or
residence. It is my responsibility to ensure that the persons whom I employ have the licenses required by law and by county or
municipal ordinance.
7. I understand that it is a frequent practice of unlicensed persons to have the property owner obtain an owner-builder permit that
erroneously implies that the property owner is providing his or her own labor and materials. I, as an owner-builder, may be held liable
and subjected to serious financial risk for any injuries sustained by an unlicensed person or his or her employees while working on my
property. My homeowner’s insurance may not provide coverage for those injuries. I am willfully acting as an owner-builder and am
aware of the limits of my insurance coverage for injuries to workers on my property.
8. I understand that I may not delegate the responsibility for supervising work to a licensed contractor who is not licensed to perform
the work being done. Any person working on my building who is not licensed must work under my direct supervision and must be
employed by me, which means that I must comply with laws requiring the withholding of federal income tax and social security
contributions under the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) and must provide workers’ compensation for the employee. I
understand that my failure to follow these laws may subject me to serious financial risk.
revised 10/30/2018
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