Demolition permit guide · Polk County

How to demolish a house in Bartow, FL

In Bartow, residential demolition permits are issued by the City of Bartow Building Department (application: City of Bartow Permit Application, class of work Demolish). If the house is a designated landmark or sits in a local historic district, review by the Historic Architectural Review Board comes first.

Verified 2026-10-12 from 4 official sourcesHistoric review applies to some houses
Residential lot
CRC13341008 Central Florida counties480 N Orlando Ave, Suite 236, Winter Park, FL 32789(407) 543-1739
The process

Demolition permit steps in Bartow

  1. Step 1

    If the property is a contributing property in a historic district, get a decision from the Historic Architectural Review Board first.

  2. Step 2

    Complete the permit application with class of work Demolish; the form has a Historical District check box.

  3. Step 3

    Get the Notice of Commencement form from the Building Department at City Hall on request.

What to submit

Documents Bartow asks for

DocumentWhat it is
Permit applicationIncludes Core Improvement Area, Flood Zone and Historical District check boxes and a Demolish class of work. [2]
Historic houses

If the house is historic in Bartow

Who reviews it: Historic Architectural Review Board.

When it applies

  • Contributing property within the designated boundaries of a Bartow historic district.

How the review works

  • The Board has authority to review and render a decision on all proposed alterations, demolitions and relocations for contributing property.
  • Meets at 4 pm on the first Thursday of the month, only when items need review, in City Commission Chambers, City Hall, 450 N. Wilson Avenue.
  • Contact the Planning Department for application fees and forms.

Sources: [3]

Before the machine shows up

Utilities, asbestos, septic and trees in Bartow

Good to know
  • City Hall main line: 863-534-0100.
Where to file

The office that issues it

City of Bartow Building Department

195 South Broadway Ave., Bartow, FL 33830 (mailing: P.O. Box 1069)

863-534-0157

Department website

Online permit portal

Demolition application

Who may apply: Contractor, or a homeowner who owns and occupies a one or two family dwelling (may not use or hire unlicensed persons), per the Building Department FAQ.

Florida rules

State rules apply on top of the local ones

The asbestos notice, septic and well abandonment, owner-builder limits and the Notice of Commencement come from state law. See the Florida rules that apply to every demolition.

Questions people actually ask

Straight answers

Do I need a permit to demolish a house in Bartow?

Yes. Residential demolition in Bartow is permitted through the City of Bartow Building Department.

Who can pull a demolition permit in Bartow?

Contractor, or a homeowner who owns and occupies a one or two family dwelling (may not use or hire unlicensed persons), per the Building Department FAQ.

What if my house is historic in Bartow?

If the house is a local landmark or in a local historic district, Historic Architectural Review Board reviews the demolition before a permit can issue.

Can Brightview handle the demolition in Bartow?

Yes. Brightview Homes (CRC1334100) pulls the permit under its Florida contractor license and runs the asbestos survey and notice, utility disconnects, historic documentation when it applies, tear-down, haul-off and final inspection. Demolition is quoted per job, typically $12,000 to $24,000.

Sources · verified 2026-10-12

Where this comes from

Every fact on this page comes from the official sources below, read on the date shown. Rules change; the building department has the final word.

  1. Bartow Building Department
    https://www.cityofbartow.net/159/Building-Department
  2. Bartow Permit Application
    https://www.cityofbartow.net/DocumentCenter/View/659/BUILDING-PERMIT-APPLICATION-PDF
  3. Bartow Historic Architectural Review Board
    https://www.cityofbartow.net/291/Historic-Architectural-Review-Board
  4. https://www.cityofbartow.net/443/Permit-Application
    https://www.cityofbartow.net/443/Permit-Application

What we could not confirm in published sources

Ask the building department about these before you plan around them.

  • Names and maps of Bartow's local historic districts not found on an official page.
  • Demolition fee, utility disconnect, asbestos and septic requirements not found on city pages.
  • The permit application PDF is dated 2008; current form not confirmed.
Start here

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