Plain-English glossary · Land & entitlements
Impact fee
Impact fees are one-time charges Florida counties and cities levy on new construction to fund the infrastructure it demands — roads, schools, parks, utilities. They're set by county-specific formulas based on use and size, and they're due before the permit issues, not at closing.
In plain English
Most builders meet the number on an invoice after the plans are stamped — which is the one moment nothing can be done about it. The formula inputs (use category, square footage, credits for prior uses) are all design decisions if someone runs the math early.
That's the entire premise of our impact fee reduction service: on one Sarasota County project we adjusted layout during zoning verification and legitimately cut $3,000 from the calculated fee — see the case study.
Why it matters on a Florida build
Impact fees are among the few permit costs that respond to design. The savings window closes when the plans are finalized — after that, the formula just is what it is.