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 Melbourne mailing address does not always mean the City of Melbourne. West Melbourne, Palm Bay and Satellite Beach run their own city offices, and Brevard County handles unincorporated areas—including many Viera addresses.
| Where the home is | Office | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Inside Melbourne city limits | City of Melbourne Building Section | 900 E. Strawbridge Ave., Melbourne, FL 32901. 321-608-7900 |
| Inside West Melbourne city limits | City of West Melbourne Building Department | 2240 Minton Rd., West Melbourne, FL 32904. 321-837-7776 |
| Inside Palm Bay city limits | City of Palm Bay Building Department | 120 Malabar Rd., Palm Bay, FL 32907. 321-953-8924 |
| Inside Satellite Beach city limits | City of Satellite Beach Community Development | 1390 S. Patrick Dr., Satellite Beach, FL 32937. 321-773-4409 |
| Unincorporated Brevard County (incl. many Viera addresses) | Brevard County Building Permits | 2725 Judge Fran Jamieson Way, Bldg. A, Room 114, Viera, FL 32940. 321-633-2187 |
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 | The City of Melbourne’s post-storm permitting guide lists “Replacing screens” among work that does not require a permit. Confirm with your city if you are in West Melbourne, Palm Bay or Satellite Beach. |
| Full rescreen, frame left as it is | Ask your building office | Mesh-only replacement is often treated as maintenance. 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. Brevard County lists new, repair or replace aluminum structures—including screen enclosures—as permitted work. Ask who pulls the permit and schedules inspections. |
| A new enclosure, or making one bigger | Permit with plan review | Expect sealed plans and a plot plan. Brevard County also requires a recorded Notice of Commencement when the job value exceeds $5,000. 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. The City of Melbourne posts an exemption process: the owner or contractor submits a written exemption request through the city’s permitting portal before work starts.
- 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. Ask your building office how to apply.
- City ordinance permits (such as some accessory-structure or zoning permits) can still apply even when a building permit is exempt—confirm both.
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.
- Brevard County requires sealed plans for residential aluminum structures such as screen enclosures, and a Notice of Commencement when the job value exceeds $5,000.
- The City of Melbourne notes that aluminum construction that must meet wind-load requirements typically needs signed and sealed plans.
- 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.
- Viera 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 Melbourne, West Melbourne and Palm Bay 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.