Certificate of appropriateness

A certificate of appropriateness, often called a COA, is a design approval. It is separate from a building permit. A historic board reviews the look of the exterior before work starts.

The City of Tampa takes applications for a certificate of appropriateness for new construction, additions and exterior repairs through its online permit system. The rule applies inside a local historic district. The approval comes before or alongside a building permit. Plan time for the review in your schedule. See building on your lot in Tampa for how history fits into site checks.