The short answer.
Replacing mesh on a sound frame is usually treated as minor, non-structural repair. Work on the aluminum frame itself is structural, and structural work generally needs a permit. The building office for your address has the final word, so a two-minute call before work starts is always worth it.
Florida’s small-job exemption can also let many smaller single-family jobs skip the permit, as long as the job isn’t structural and you request the exemption first. More on that below.
Find the right building office.
A Port St. Lucie mailing address does not always mean the City of Port St. Lucie. St. Lucie County handles unincorporated areas, Fort Pierce and Stuart run their own city offices, and many Jensen Beach and Palm City addresses fall under Martin County.
| Where the home is | Office | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Inside Port St. Lucie city limits | City of Port St. Lucie Building Department | 121 SW Port St. Lucie Blvd., Port St. Lucie, FL 34984. 772-871-5132 |
| Unincorporated St. Lucie County | St. Lucie County Building Division | 2300 Virginia Ave., Fort Pierce, FL 34982. 772-462-1553 |
| Inside Fort Pierce city limits | City of Fort Pierce Building Department | 100 N. U.S. Highway 1, Fort Pierce, FL 34950. 772-467-3718 |
| Inside Stuart city limits | City of Stuart Building Division | 121 SW Flagler Ave., Stuart, FL 34994. 772-288-5326 |
| Unincorporated Martin County (incl. many Jensen Beach & Palm City addresses) | Martin County Building Department | 900 SE Ruhnke St., Stuart, FL 34994. 772-288-5916 |
Not sure which side of the line you’re on? Any of these offices can tell you from your street address.
Mesh-only work vs. frame work.
| The job | What usually applies | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| A few torn panels, same mesh, sound frame | Often counts as minor, non-structural repair | St. Lucie County lists “Rescreening (remove and replace the screening only)” among items that do not require a permit. Confirm with your city if you are inside Port St. Lucie, Fort Pierce or Stuart. |
| Full rescreen, frame left as it is | Ask your building office | County guidance covers screening-only replacement. If the total is under $7,500, the small-job exemption may also apply—ask how to file it. |
| Screen door closer, latch, hinges or sweep | Minor hardware repair | If the cage is your pool barrier, the door has its own safety rules. See the screen door guide. |
| Bent, cracked or corroded aluminum, loose anchors | Structural repair. Expect a permit | Structural work is excluded from the small-job exemption. Ask who pulls the permit and schedules inspections. |
| A new enclosure, or making one bigger | Permit with plan review | The City of Port St. Lucie publishes an aluminum screen enclosure checklist that asks for sealed plans, layout and, for work valued at $5,000 or more, a recorded Notice of Commencement. Ask about it on the call. |
When a row doesn’t quite fit your situation, check with the county or your city. They are used to the question.
The small-job exemption.
Florida’s HB 803 small-job rules let many smaller single-family jobs skip a permit when the work is not structural. St. Lucie County’s own guidance says work valued under $7,500 that is not structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing or gas may be exempt—but an exemption application is still required for verification.
- It covers single-family homes, for work valued under $7,500 in total, including labor, materials, overhead and taxes.
- Structural, electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas work don’t qualify, whatever the cost.
- A job can’t be split into smaller pieces to stay under the limit.
- It isn’t automatic. The owner or contractor submits an exemption request with the written contract.
- Each office has its own form, so ask yours how to apply.
Frame work and the building code.
Local offices build to the Florida Building Code currently in force (the 8th edition, 2023, is widely posted). Frame repairs are built to the wind loads that code sets for your location. Your building office can tell you which design wind speed applies to your address.
- The City of Port St. Lucie requires a recorded Notice of Commencement before the first inspection on aluminum enclosure work valued at $5,000 or more.
- New aluminum screen enclosures in Port St. Lucie need plans signed and sealed by a licensed architect or engineer, plus an as-built location drawing and layout.
- If the enclosure will serve as the pool safety barrier, the City of Port St. Lucie says the aluminum enclosure permit must be submitted with the pool permit.
- Owners can apply for their own permits as owner-builders under Florida law. If a contractor is doing the work, ask them to pull it.
HOA and community rules.
Community approval is a separate step from the permit, and it often comes first.
- Tradition, St. Lucie West and other planned villages: architectural review usually covers mesh color, frame color and visible exterior changes. Ask the association whether a same-color rescreen needs a filing.
- Other deed-restricted neighborhoods: many golf, 55+ and gated communities around Port St. Lucie, Stuart and Palm City have an architectural review step for exterior changes.
A quick note to your association before the contractor’s visit keeps the schedule calm.
Questions to settle on the call.
- Is the frame part of the job, or only mesh, doors and hardware?
- If a permit is needed, will the contractor pull it and schedule inspections?
- What is the written contract total? That decides the small-job exemption and any Notice of Commencement.
- Does the HOA need anything before work starts?
Want the full checklist? See the contractor questions and the repair or rescreen guide.