Frequently Asked Questions
Residential

Q. What department do I go to in order to begin the process for a Residential permit?

A. You need to begin with the Engineering Department.

Q. Do I need to submit a Residential permit for all areas in Port St. Lucie?

A. No. There are several areas that do not require submittal to the Engineering Department.  They are Vikings Landing/Lookout, Sawgrass Lakes, Osprey Ridge, South River Shores, Bay St. Lucie, Charleston Oaks, and Kitching Cove.  These can go directly to the Building Department.

Q. I tried calling the AIRS system to schedule my Engineering inspection.  Why didn’t it go through?

A. The AIRS system is part of the Building Department. To schedule inspections for the Engineering Department, go to http://pslgis.cityofpsl.com/contractors/index.asp or call our department at (772) 871-5177. Inspections will need to be scheduled before 4:00 p.m. for next business day.

Q. I found a rejection slip at my jobsite today.  If I pay the fee before 4:00 p.m., can I get it reinspected the next day?

A. Yes. Be sure to allow the contractor time to fully address all rejection issues.

Q. I have a Residential Engineering inspection scheduled.  How can I find out the results?

A. You will want to check the jobsite to see if your permit card was signed or a rejection slip was left (Permit cards should be in permit box).  If you do not see either of these, you can access results from the website by clicking on the Residential Online Inspection Requests and Results System link in the navigation bar.  You may also call the Engineering Department at (772) 871-5177 after 4:00 p.m. for the results. The results will be posted to the AIRS system after 4:30 p.m.

Q. What payment types do you accept?

A. The Engineering Department accepts only CASH or CHECK.

Q. After I submit my Residential plot plan, will the driveway culvert stakeout be scheduled automatically?

A. No.  You can schedule stakeouts on the website at http://pslgis.cityofpsl.com/contractors/index.asp or you may call the Engineering Department at (772) 871-5177. Stakeouts are completed in the order they are requested.

Q. I noticed that the inspectors came out and did the Residential driveway stakeout.  Where do I get stakeout information?

A. Once the driveway stakeout is completed, you can come to the Engineering Department to pick up the culvert stakeout cutsheet.  They are located in the front lobby of the department on the wall rack alphabetically.

Q. How soon can I come back to pick up the Residential plot plan I dropped off?

A. The turnaround time may take up to 10 business days for approval. The Engineering Department will call or email you once the plot plans have been approved.

Q. I am having drainage issues on my property.  Who do I call?

A. Depending on the location of the issue, certain departments should be contacted:

**Please give at least 72 hours to allow the water to recede properly before calling.

Q. I am a contractor & would like to get a courtesy inspection.  How can I do this?

A. If you are at the Final Grade stage and cannot get the property to slope properly, call the Engineering Department (772) 871-5177 to schedule a courtesy inspection.  An Engineering representative will go to the job, at their earliest convenience, and take a look at the job site.  The Engineering representative will then contact you with several options to get the property to grade properly.  You can then choose which option to use for the job site.  A second inspection does not need to be done at this point.

Q. The sidelot swales are too deep and cannot maintain the 3:1 slope off of the house.  What can I do?

A. Many graders choose to install 6” diameter sch40 PVC pipe to solve the problem.  If you choose to do this, please contact the Engineering Department (772) 871-5177 to have an inspection done, after the pipe has been installed.  Make sure to keep the pipe exposed, since the grades and joints need to be inspected prior to backfill, and prior to any Engineering inspection for the rest of the property.

Q. I would like to modify my driveway.  Do I need to submit to the Engineering Department?

A. Yes. A Driveway Permit is necessary when you modify the driveway in the right-of-way.  You will need to submit a site plan showing the location and the size of the modification.  Please download a copy of the Driveway Modification Application form, which is required with each modification submitted.  Once the paperwork is submitted, it is given to our inspectors, who go to the site to inspect the condition of the culvert pipe.  We will contact you to let you know if the culvert pipe will need to be replaced.  **Please note that the existing driveway cannot be taken out and modifications cannot be done prior to approval of the driveway modification permit. For more information you may also call the Engineering Department at (772) 871-5177.

Q. What requirements are necessary to get a bond on a residential property?

A. A bond is used if there is a critical need, such as no sod available or no liner available to complete the house.  You need to contact the Engineering Department (772) 871-5177 for this request.  Our department will review this, to make sure that it qualifies for a bond.  If it qualifies, we will contact you and let you know the dollar amount of the bond.  Bonding is covered in the City Code under Section 150.402(3).  The amount of the bond is determined by the City Engineer and it will be double the cost of the actual work.  You will then come into our department with a check and a letter of request for the bond.  You should have the name, address and phone number of your company on the letter, along with the legal description and address of the property being bonded.  Once this is completed, you will have 30 days to complete this property (Please contact our department if an extension is required).  When the property is ready, call our department to schedule an inspection.  After our inspection has been signed off, we will release the bond check back to you.  Please allow one to two weeks for the release of this check from our Finance Department.  We will contact you once the check has arrived in our department.