Is Your Florida Building Department Ready for HB 667? The Complete Virtual Inspection Compliance Checklist

What Is Florida HB 667 — And Why Does It Matter?

Florida House Bill 667 (effective July 1, 2021) amended Florida Statutes §553.79(6) and §553.791(8) to modernize how building inspections work across the state. It does three things every building department needs to understand:

▸ Requires agencies to accept electronic inspection requests — email, web form, or mobile app — no more phone-only workflows

▸ Authorizes virtual inspections — live video or async photo/video submission in lieu of in-person visits

▸ Imposes a 10% fee refund penalty — if failed inspections go unaddressed in writing within 5 business days

Miami alone processed 26,000+ permit applications and 168,000+ inspection requests in FY 2023-24. With volume at that scale, agencies that are not digitally ready face growing exposure — in staff time, contractor frustration, and legal liability.

The 28-Point HB 667 Compliance Checklist

Use this checklist to assess your agency's readiness. A score of 25–28 indicates full compliance. Anything below 18 means you have critical gaps that could expose your agency to the penalty provisions.

HB 667 explicitly requires that agencis accept inspection requests electronically. Phone-only intake is no longer sufficient.

☐ Agency website accepts online inspection requests — Email, web form, or mobile app — available 24/7

☐ Electronic confirmation sent upon submission

☐ Submissions auto-linked to the permit record

☐ Phone-only requests no longer required by law

Agencies must be able to conduct inspections remotely. This covers both synchronous (live video) and asynchronous (recorded/submitted media) workflows.

☐ Live HD video sessions supported — Inspector guides contractor in real time

☐ Async photo/video submission supported — Contractor submits; inspector reviews later

☐ Geotagging verifies job site location

☐ Offline capability for low-connectivity sites

☐ No proprietary hardware required for contractors

☐ No app download needed — Browser-based access for any device

Not all inspection types qualify for virtual delivery. HB 667 excludes threshold buildings — but most residential and light commercial inspections are fair game.

☐ Eligible inspection types defined per HB 667

☐ Threshold buildings EXCLUDED from virtual — 3+ stories, 50+ ft, 5,000+ sq ft, 500+ occupancy

☐ Roofing, HVAC, electrical, plumbing eligible

☐ Agency can restrict specific types to in-person only

This is where the 10% penalty provision bites. Every failed inspection needs a timestamped written record with specific code citations delivered to the permit holder.

☐ Every session produces a timestamped pass/fail record

☐ Failed inspections include code-cited written reason — Required within 5 business days — triggers the penalty if missed

☐ Fail reason delivered to permit holder automatically

☐ Records stored securely in cloud for audit

☐ Inspection record auto-attached to permit file

South Florida's contractor base is diverse. A compliant platform needs to serve contractors across language and technology access levels.

☐ Multi-language support available — Spanish is critical for South Florida contractors

☐ Accessible from any iOS or Android device

☐ Contractor instructions published on agency website

☐ ADA-accessible contractor-facing interface

HB 667 compliance doesn't require replacing your existing permitting system. The right platform integrates with what you have.

☐ Integrates with existing permitting system — Accela, Tyler Technologies, custom portal — or standalone

☐ Scheduling synced with inspector calendars

☐ Results auto-posted back to permit record

☐ No manual re-entry required

Virtual inspections capture job site media that must be handled according to Florida public records retention rules and basic data security standards.

☐ Data in encrypted, SOC 2-compliant cloud

☐ No media stored on contractor device

☐ Role-based access for inspectors and admins

☐ Compliant with FL public records retention requirements

Not all virtual inspection platforms are equal. When evaluating vendors, look beyond feature lists to Florida track record, implementation speed, and total cost.

☐ Vendor has existing Florida government references

☐ Go-live in 24 hours or less

☐ Free pilot before full commitment

☐ Pricing fits agency volume and budget

☐ AI documentation reduces inspector admin burden

☐ Platform covers Inspect + live citizen support — One contract, one vendor — no tool sprawl

How to Score Your Checklist

How Blitzz Inspect Meets Every HB 667 Requirement

Blitzz Inspect is a browser-based remote visual inspection platform built for government building departments. Here's how it maps to each HB 667 requirement:

▸ Electronic submission — Contractors submit requests via web — no app download, no account creation required

▸ Live + async inspections — Inspectors choose real-time video or async photo/video review for each job type

▸ Automatic documentation — Every session generates a timestamped record with pass/fail status, inspector notes, and code citations

▸ Owlbert AI — AI-powered call summaries and automated written fail reasons — eliminating the 5-day penalty risk

▸ Multi-language support — Built-in Spanish translation for contractor-facing sessions

▸ Zero integration lock-in — Works standalone or integrates with Accela, Tyler Technologies, Salesforce, and more

▸ 24-hour go-live — No hardware procurement. No IT project. Your inspectors are live in one business day

Learn more about Blitzz Inspect — book a demo today and explore all features designed for HB 667 compliance.  

Frequently Asked Questions

Does HB 667 require us to replace our Accela or Tyler Technologies system?

No. HB 667 requires electronic intake and virtual inspection capability — it does not mandate a specific permitting platform. Blitzz Inspect integrates with Accela, Tyler, and custom portals, or can run standalone alongside your existing system.

Which inspection types can be done virtually?

Most residential and light commercial inspection types are eligible: roofing, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, framing, and more. The law excludes threshold buildings (3+ stories, 50+ ft height, 5,000+ sq ft, or 500+ occupants). Individual agencies retain the right to restrict additional types to in-person if they choose.

What exactly triggers the 10% fee refund penalty?

If an inspection fails and the agency does not deliver a written, code-referenced reason to the permit holder within 5 business days, the agency must refund 10% of all permit and inspection fees collected. Blitzz Inspect's Owlbert AI automatically generates these written reasons at the close of every failed session — eliminating the risk entirely.

How does Blitzz handle Miami-Dade's current informal tools like WhatsApp and Teams?

Many South Florida agencies are currently using informal tools that provide no audit trail, no structured fail documentation, and no permitting system integration. Blitzz replaces these with a compliant, purpose-built platform — without disrupting how contractors already interact with your team. The browser-based approach means contractors need nothing new on their end.

What does implementation actually look like?

Setup takes one business day. Blitzz provides remote onboarding, inspector training, and your branded portal. We configure your eligible inspection types, integrate with your permitting system (if applicable), and go live. No hardware. No IT dependencies. No long-term contract required to start.

Next Steps for Your Agency

South Florida is at an inflection point. The City of Miami is evaluating virtual inspection programs now. Miami-Dade, Broward, and dozens of municipalities are watching. Early adopters gain operational advantages — and early compliance means no exposure to the penalty provisions.

Here's what to do today:

▸ Learn more and request a demo at blitzz.co/inspect-video-support

▸ Score your agency across all 28 items

▸ Book a free 30-minute compliance assessment at blitzz.co/schedule-a-demo

▸ Run a pilot — live in 24 hours, no commitment required

 Have questions? Contact us or book a demo to see Blitzz in action.