Commercial Driveway Permits · Florida

Commercial driveway
permits in Florida.

When a city, county, or state agency tells you that your commercial site plan needs a driveway permit, the next question is usually: what does that actually mean? The answer depends on which road your driveway connects to and which agency controls it. We help you figure that out and get the permit approved.

Request a Review

Tell us about your project.

We'll tell you what's required

We typically reply within one business day.

Just getting started

Your site plan was approved — now the agency wants a driveway permit.

This is the most common starting point. We'll tell you which agency has jurisdiction, what they require, and what a complete application looks like for your project type.

Mid-process

You've submitted something but you're not sure what comes next.

We can review what you've submitted, identify any gaps before the agency does, and help you put together a package that moves through review cleanly.

Dealing with comments

The agency sent a comment letter and you need help responding.

Comment letters have specific language that points to specific standards. We translate that language, identify what needs to change, and author the response memo.

§ 01 / Three layers of permitting

State, county, and city.
Each one is different.

A commercial site in Florida can require permits from up to three separate agencies depending on which roads it accesses. The standards don't overlap — each jurisdiction applies its own rules, and passing one doesn't help you with the others.

State highways

FDOT Connection Permit

Any driveway onto a state-maintained highway requires a connection permit from FDOT under Florida Rule 14-96. The roadway's access management classification determines everything — connection type, spacing, median access, and whether a traffic study is required.

  • All seven FDOT districts
  • Rule 14-96 & Design Standards Index 301
  • Form 850-040-01 (Connection Permit Application)
  • Access management classes 1–6
County roads

County Driveway Permit

Driveways onto county-maintained roads are permitted by the county public works or engineering department. Standards vary significantly by county. Some adopt state standards by reference; others maintain their own design criteria for spacing, radii, and sight distance.

  • Miami-Dade County
  • Broward County
  • Palm Beach County
  • Orange County
  • Hillsborough County
  • Pinellas, Duval & more
City streets

Municipal Driveway Permit

Cities control access onto their street network. Many Florida municipalities have adopted driveway and access management ordinances that go beyond state or county standards. A site plan approved by one agency may still require a separate city permit for the same driveway.

  • City of Miami
  • City of Orlando
  • City of Tampa
  • City of Jacksonville
  • City of Fort Lauderdale
  • City of St. Petersburg & more
§ 02 / Project types

Commercial sites we
work with regularly.

01 — FUEL RETAIL

Gas stations & fuel sites

High-volume uses that almost always trigger traffic studies and turn-lane warrants. Multiple driveways, often on corner lots with two jurisdictions involved.

  • Traffic study threshold
  • Turn-lane warrants
  • Corner clearance
  • Multiple access points
02 — RETAIL

Shopping centers & strip retail

Shared access, cross-access easements, and consolidated driveway requirements are common. Larger centers often require coordinated submittals across multiple agencies.

  • Shared & cross-access
  • Spacing to adjacent drives
  • Median opening eligibility
  • Throat length analysis
03 — MULTIFAMILY

Apartments & mixed-use

Florida's dense multifamily market frequently encounters access issues as infill parcels have limited frontage and constrained sight lines.

  • Limited frontage constraints
  • Sight distance on urban streets
  • One-way access configurations
  • ADA-compliant apron design
04 — INDUSTRIAL

Warehouses & distribution

Large design vehicles, turning radii, and heavy-vehicle sight distance requirements distinguish industrial driveway permits from standard commercial work.

  • WB-67 turning movements
  • Heavy vehicle sight distance
  • Apron width & geometry
  • Queuing & stacking analysis
§ 03 / Process

From first question
to approved permit.

01

Tell us where you are

Send your site plan, the road the driveway connects to, and whatever the agency told you. We'll figure out which jurisdiction applies, what they require, and what you need to prepare.

02

We review the package

We check the application against the governing standard for your jurisdiction — state, county, or city. Every finding is cited to the specific section the reviewer will flag.

03

Markup & narrative

You get a marked-up plan set, a written review memo, and a cover narrative ready for submittal. Issues are prioritized — what the reviewer is most likely to flag comes first.

04

Submittal support

Optional but recommended. We stay on call through the agency review cycle to respond to comments, attend pre-application meetings, and keep the permit moving toward approval.

§ 04 / FAQ

Commercial permit questions,
answered.

Who issues commercial driveway permits in Florida?
It depends on which road your driveway connects to. Driveways onto state highways go through FDOT under Florida Rule 14-96. Driveways onto county roads are permitted by the county public works or engineering department. Driveways onto city streets are permitted by the municipality. Many commercial sites connect to more than one jurisdiction, which means more than one permit.
Does every commercial site in Florida need a driveway permit?
Any new driveway, modified driveway, or change in use that increases traffic to an existing driveway generally requires a permit. This includes new commercial construction, redevelopment, and changes of use that trigger a traffic study. The permit requirement applies regardless of whether the road is maintained by the state, county, or city.
What does a commercial driveway permit application require?
Requirements vary by agency but typically include a site plan showing the proposed driveway location, a sight distance analysis, documentation of the access management classification (for FDOT), and a traffic study if the project exceeds the agency's trip generation threshold. Some agencies also require a drainage analysis and turning movement exhibits.
Does my commercial site need more than one driveway permit?
Yes, frequently. A commercial site with driveways onto both a state highway and a county road needs a separate permit from each agency. Sites on corner lots may need permits from two different entities for two different driveways. Each permit follows the standards of its respective agency.
What triggers a traffic study for a commercial driveway permit?
Most agencies set a trip generation threshold above which a traffic study is required. For FDOT, the threshold is typically 100 peak hour trips. County and city thresholds vary. High-volume uses like fuel retail, drive-throughs, and shopping centers almost always trigger a study. The study affects connection type, turn-lane warrants, and median opening eligibility.
How are engagements priced?
Every engagement is scoped and priced in writing before any work begins. You know exactly what you are committing to before we start. Send us your package and we will return a written scope and fee within a few business days.
§ 05 / Get started

Send the package.
We'll tell you what's next.

Share your site plan, the road it connects to, and what the agency told you. We'll come back with a clear scope and a path forward.

Service area
Florida statewide
Jurisdictions
FDOT, county & city
Hours
Mon–Fri, 8a–5p

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Scoped and priced in writing before we start.