Who may install it, and which code edition applies
Section 489.105 puts heating inside both air-conditioning classes: Class A is unlimited, and Class B stops at 500,000 Btu of heating in any one system. Under s.489.115(1), no one may engage in contracting in Florida without being certified or registered in the proper classification.
The Florida Building Commission gives December 31, 2023 as the effective date of the 8th Edition (2023) code. Section 553.73 says the edition in effect on the permit application date governs the work for the life of the permit, and s.553.79 says a single-family permit expires one year after issue or when the next edition takes effect, whichever is later.
Florida furnace replacement: the estimate, permit included
Our Florida estimate for this job comes to $2,925 to $6,450 per installed furnace. That's a model, not a quote, built from national published cost ranges, adjusted by the Florida wage ratio to the US (0.88), with a typical city or county permit fee added for the work.
Our range is $2,925 to $6,450 per installed furnace, which is an estimate and not a quote, and it already includes the middle of published Florida permit fees. The rows below show the pieces.
| Item | Figure | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated range, not a quote | $2,925 to $6,450 per installed furnace | Built from 2 national published ranges, adjusted by the Florida HVAC technician wage ratio (0.88) plus a typical permit fee ($125). Seven Florida HVAC companies publish a price we could count on their own websites; where five or more price the same job, the range is the middle half of their prices, and where two to four do, the estimate is widened to take them in. Coupons, specials and figures a page gives as an average are not counted. Basis: no state company sample (no counted Florida company price for this job), national estimate only. |
| Technician wage, Florida mean | $27.55 an hour | May 2025 BLS pay for Florida HVAC technicians; installation prices include equipment and more than labor. |
| Furnace or AC change-out permit, Florida middle fee | $125 | From 10 Florida city and county fee schedules; indicative, because fee structures differ. |
| A/C and heating equipment replacement, Miami Gardens | $150 | A 7.5% residential technology fee is added to each permit, and the schedule's title reads FY 2026-2027. |
| Tallahassee system change-out (1 and 2 family) | $70.07 application plus $148.90 per unit | Resolution 22-R-42, effective Oct 1, 2026; a $2.50 training surcharge applies to each permit. |
| Heating and cooling rebate with gas heat, Tampa Electric | $40 to $550 by SEER2 | Straight cool with natural gas heat, where a new furnace is required. |
How we estimate costs: the Estimated range row is a model, not a quote. We have no counted Florida company price for this job, so the range is our national estimate alone. Our national estimate takes two published national ranges for this job (cost guides from third-party sites that we have not verified and do not cite) and multiplies them by Florida's HVAC technician mean wage ratio to the US (0.88, BLS OEWS May 2025, heating, air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics and installers) and adds a typical permit fee ($125). The wage and permit rows below are what HVAC technicians are paid and what a city charges, and neither is a price. We have not collected quotes. Full method. Prices as of Oct 24, 2026.
Permits and what the cities print
Fee schedules differ in shape. Tampa lists residential HVAC equal change-outs at $120, and Miami Gardens lists A/C and heating equipment replacement at $150 with a 7.5% residential technology fee added. Tallahassee's October 2026 schedule adds $148.90 for a system change-out to a $70.07 application fee for up to 5 tons or 60,000 BTU. Pompano Beach's February 2026 schedule appears to list $70 for an A/C and furnace change-out up to a 4-ton system, but its two-column layout leaves the pairing of amounts and lines unclear, so confirm the figure with the department.
Notice of Commencement rules change the paperwork. Jacksonville and Hillsborough County set the mechanical threshold at $15,000, and Coral Springs asks for the notice over $15,000 before the first inspection. Jacksonville also takes an owner's request to waive inspections for one- and two-family HVAC replacement at $5,000 or less, with no fee, and it can deny the request.
Rebates that mention a furnace, as of Oct 24, 2026
Tampa Electric's heating and cooling program lists straight cooling with natural gas heat, where a new furnace is required, at $40 for SEER2 15.20 and $550 for SEER2 16.20. FPL's standards cover straight-cool and heat pump systems that replace an electric-driven cooling system. JEA's $200 rebate is for ENERGY STAR central air conditioners, and OUC's rebate is for heat pump A/C systems.
What the furnace quote should itemize
Ask for the equipment's model numbers, the permit, who pulls it and its fee, and the contractor's license number. The Attorney General's advice adds that a contractor collecting more than 10 percent up front must apply for the permit within 30 days and start within 90.
When the heat is out and the clock is running
- Gas odor at the furnace or in the house: leave, then call 911 from outside.
- A carbon monoxide alarm goes off: take everyone out and call 911.
- The old furnace still runs, so there is time to price a replacement properly.
Before you sign
- Take the license number from the quote and verify it on myfloridalicense.com.
- Ask who applies for the permit and when.
- Ask for the rebate paperwork before installation if you plan to claim one.
Is a furnace replacement permit work in Florida?
In the cities cited above, yes: Tampa, Miami Gardens, Tallahassee and Pompano Beach each print a change-out line, and Hernando County's list of items not needing a permit omits replacement. Statewide, s.553.79's $7,500 exemption for single-family owners excludes mechanical work, a point the Hollywood, Miramar and West Palm Beach pages repeat. Phone the permit office for your address.
Florida licenses air-conditioning contractors through DBPR, so before any work starts, get the license number and look it up on DBPR's license search at myfloridalicense.com.
Questions people ask
What does a furnace replacement permit cost in Florida?
It depends on the city: Tampa prints $120, and Hialeah's minimum is $300. Tampa prints $120, Miami Gardens $150, Hernando County $140 for an A/C changeout, and Hialeah $30 a ton with a $300 minimum. Ask the office for the total, since some schedules print a state surcharge apart from the fee.
Does a Class B contractor cover a home furnace?
Class B covers up to 500,000 Btu of heating in any one system. Class A carries no size cap. The class DBPR shows for a license number tells you which applies.
May I put in a new furnace myself?
Florida lets an owner act as their own contractor on a one- or two-family home they occupy, under conditions. The owner supervises the work on site, signs the permit application in person and can't pass the work to someone who isn't certified or registered. Offering the house for sale or lease within a year after completion creates a presumption against the exemption.
Is there a rebate for a new furnace in Florida?
Tampa Electric's program lists straight cooling with natural gas heat where a new furnace is required. Tampa Electric prints $40 and $550 tiers by SEER2 for a ducted system with a new furnace. Check the utility's page for the program year and for whether your unit qualifies.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (SOC 49-9021), Florida, mean hourly wage Read Oct 24, 2026.
- HVACMatch: how we estimate costs, Florida (editorial policy) Read Oct 24, 2026.
- City of Miami Gardens: Building Fee Schedule FY 2026-2027 (PDF) Read Oct 24, 2026.
- City of Tallahassee: Schedule of Permit and Review Fees, Resolution 22-R-42 (effective Oct 1, 2026) Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Tampa Electric: Heating & Cooling program Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Florida Statutes s.489.105 Definitions Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Florida Statutes s.489.103 Exemptions (7) Read Oct 24, 2026.
- DBPR: License Search Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Florida Attorney General: How to Protect Yourself: Contractors Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Florida Building Commission (BCIS): home; Florida Building Code menu; code links Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Florida Statutes s.553.73 Florida Building Code Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Florida Statutes s.553.79 (1)(c)-(f) Read Oct 24, 2026.
- City of Tampa: Trade Permit Fee Schedule Read Oct 24, 2026.
- City of Pompano Beach: Fee Schedule (PDF, updated 2/10/26) Read Oct 24, 2026.
- City of Hialeah: Building Department Fee Schedule effective March 20, 2026 Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Hernando County: Building Fee Resolution No. 2026-037 and Schedule Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Hernando County: Items Not Requiring A Building Permit; Residential Building Permit Exemption List (Aug 6, 2026) Read Oct 24, 2026.
- City of Jacksonville: Residential Permits Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Hillsborough County: Building & Subtrade Permit Resources; Work Exempt from Permits Read Oct 24, 2026.
- City of Coral Springs: A/C Replacement Permit Application Checklist; Building FAQs Read Oct 24, 2026.
- City of Jacksonville: Property Owner Request for Inspection Exemption for Replacement of One- and Two-Family HVAC Equipment (PDF, rev. 3/26/2026) Read Oct 24, 2026.
- City of Hollywood: Building Permit Exemption House Bill 803 Read Oct 24, 2026.
- City of Miramar: Permitting Information Read Oct 24, 2026.
- City of West Palm Beach: Permits - Frequently Asked Questions Read Oct 24, 2026.
- FPL: A/C Rebate; Residential HVAC Program Standards (Sept 1, 2025) Read Oct 24, 2026.
- JEA: Residential Rebates Read Oct 24, 2026.
- OUC: Heat Pump A/C Rebate; Rebates Read Oct 24, 2026.