Where to compare AC quotes in Palm Beach County, and what each town's permit office says
Describe your AC project once with photos and a written scope, and check Palm Beach County's permit rules and building-office contacts on this page.
Post your AC request in Palm Beach County
InstaBids is in an early pilot in Broward and Palm Beach counties. We are still building our contractor network, so a job may not get bids yet. Your request page shows whether any bids have come in.
How does InstaBids work, in one paragraph?
Describe your job once on InstaBids, with photos and a written scope, and contractors who take part can bid on it. Contact details stay hidden until the homeowner picks a contractor and they confirm the connection. Homeowners in Broward and Palm Beach counties can start a request. InstaBids is not a government-contract tool, auction site or construction company.
Why compare several AC bids?
Two AC bids for one house can describe different work: a capacitor swap in one, a new condenser and air handler in another. When each bidder prices the same written scope, you can ask each one whether the gap between the numbers comes from cost or from plan.
How do written bids from photos work?
Describe the job with photos and a short written scope, and contractors who take part can price that scope without a site visit. Homeowners pay InstaBids nothing. The contractor you pick may visit once before settling the final price against the percentage the bid stated. How InstaBids works sets out the rule.
What should my AC photos and notes include?
Photograph the nameplate label on each unit; the contractor reads the model and capacity from it. Add the condenser outside, the air handler inside and the thermostat. In the notes, say what is going wrong, since when, any fixes tried, and whether you want repair pricing, replacement pricing or both.
My AC stopped working today. Should I post a request?
No, for a same-day breakdown, call a service company directly. A written scope on InstaBids suits work you can schedule, such as a replacement you have been putting off. If an elderly relative or a baby is at home in the heat, phone for service at once.
Does an A/C change-out need a permit in Palm Beach County?
Yes, in every town below that publishes a rule: each row is that jurisdiction's published A/C requirement under the Florida Building Code and applicable local amendments. For unincorporated property, the county Building Division lists an A/C change-out as a permit type and exempts only repairs and part swaps that neither alter the system's listing nor make it unsafe.
Each town's A/C permit rule
Each row is that jurisdiction's published A/C requirement under the Florida Building Code and applicable local amendments, cited to its permit page, form or checklist with the day it was read; unincorporated property goes to the county Building Division. Tapping a number dials the office, and the source link beside it opens the page that prints it; on a phone, swipe the table sideways for the last two columns.
| Town | Building office phone | What the town publishes | Where it says so (checked) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palm Beach County (unincorporated) | 561-233-5108 (county Building Division) (source) | Lists "A/C Change-Out" as a permit type for one- and two-unit homes; only a repair, or replacing a part without altering the system's listing or making it unsafe, needs no permit. | Permit types list and items not requiring a permit, checked 29 Sep 2026 |
| Atlantis | 561-965-1744, ext. 112 (source) | Requires a building permit filed with its Air Conditioning Replacement Data form; air conditioners skip its Architectural Review Committee. | Forms page and general permitting guidelines, checked 29 Sep 2026 |
| Belle Glade | 561-996-0100 (source) | Its permitting documents list an AC change-out form, filed with the building permit application. | Permitting documents, checked 29 Sep 2026 |
| Boca Raton | 561-393-7930 (source) | Handles a change-out as a "Mechanical AC Changeout" permit with an A/C replacement data form; owner-builders follow extra requirements. | Mechanical HVAC checklist and A/C replacement data form, checked 29 Sep 2026 |
| Boynton Beach | 561-742-6350 (source) | An exact change-out, with no larger condenser, air handler, heat strips or wire size, gets a turn-around permit on its A/C Change-Out form; a new disconnect needs an electrical sub-permit. | A/C change-out form, checked 29 Sep 2026 |
| Briny Breezes | 561-272-5495 (Town Hall) (source) | Air-conditioning units are on the Town's permit list; the application goes to Briny Breezes, Inc. first, and the Town's Building Official issues the permit. | Building permit packet, checked 29 Sep 2026 |
| Cloud Lake | 561-686-2815 (Town Hall) (source) | No published A/C-specific rule was found; its 2025 newsletter's floodplain section says any development needs a permit and asks residents to contact the Town Clerk before construction, so confirm with the Town Clerk. | Town documents and 2025 newsletter, checked 30 Sep 2026 |
| Delray Beach | 561-243-7200 (source) | Treats an A/C change-out as an express permit, and an emergency change-out can be accommodated if the permit is submitted within 24 hours of the work. | Building permit applications, checked 29 Sep 2026 |
| Glen Ridge | 561-697-8868 (source) | Its permit forms include an HVAC form required when a condenser or air handler is replaced, and it says almost any work on a property needs a permit. | Building permit information and HVAC form, checked 30 Sep 2026 |
| Golf | 561-732-0236 (Village Hall) (source) | Its fee schedule names AC Replacement as a permit category, and its minor-work exemption does not cover mechanical work. | Permitting page and fee schedule, checked 30 Sep 2026 |
| Greenacres | 561-642-2052 (source) | Its checklist says an exact change-out permit is issued the same day; a brand-new system needs load calculations and plan review. | A/C change-out package, checked 29 Sep 2026 |
| Gulf Stream | 561-278-4540 (Highland Beach Building Department) (source) | Highland Beach issues its building permits under an interlocal agreement, on Highland Beach's A/C replacement form; Gulf Stream zoning must be met first. | Town permits page and Highland Beach A/C form, checked 30 Sep 2026 |
| Haverhill | 561-689-0370, ext. 2 (source) | Its residential A/C checklist covers replacements and ends with a mechanical final inspection; permits must be issued before work starts. | A/C checklist and Building Department page, checked 29 Sep 2026 |
| Highland Beach | 561-278-4540 (source) | Its A/C replacement form calls for a final inspection and a mandatory electrical inspection, and its small-job exemption does not cover mechanical work. | A/C replacement form and exemption policy, checked 29 Sep 2026 |
| Hypoluxo | 561-582-0155 (source) | An exact like-for-like change-out gets a turn-around permit with its A/C Change-Out form, and permit applications are submitted in person. | A/C change-out form and Building and Zoning page, checked 29 Sep 2026 |
| Juno Beach | 561-626-1122 (source) | Wants both the condenser and the air handler changed, a change-out form showing the old and new system, and a survey or aerial view marking the condenser's spot. | Permits FAQ, checked 29 Sep 2026 |
| Jupiter | 561-741-2286 (source) | Has its own residential "Air Conditioning Change Out" permit type, equipment only with no ductwork, filed with a change-out form and the AHRI certificate. | Air Conditioning Residential package, checked 29 Sep 2026 |
| Jupiter Inlet Colony | 561-746-3787, ext. 1 (source) | Requires a separate mechanical (A/C) permit and its own A/C Change Out Form, and gives change-outs a three-month permit term. | 2025 permit application, Building permit fees page and A/C change-out form, checked 29 Sep 2026 |
| Lake Clarke Shores | 561-964-1515 (Town Hall) (source) | Requires a permit for air-conditioning work, including repairs, and the permit must be posted on site before work starts. | Building permits page, checked 29 Sep 2026 |
| Lake Park | 561-881-3300 (source) | A change-out needs a mechanical permit, and its checklist asks for an A/C data sheet and tie-down details. | A/C change-out checklist, checked 29 Sep 2026 |
| Lake Worth Beach | 561-586-1647 (source) | Its permit application says a separate permit must be acquired for air conditioners; the only A/C item on its no-permit list is a window unit in an existing window opening, with its existing cord and plug. | Permit application and Building permits page, checked 29 Sep 2026 |
| Lantana | 561-540-5780 (source) | Lists "A/C Projects including exact changeouts" as permitted work, and its change-out form asks for an AHRI certificate and tie-down details. | Building permits page and A/C change-out form, checked 29 Sep 2026 |
| Loxahatchee Groves | 561-807-6675 (source) | Has its own A/C change-out packet, asking for tie-down or attachment details, and requires a final inspection for all equipment replacement. | A/C change-out packet, checked 29 Sep 2026 |
| Manalapan | 561-585-9477 (source) | An A/C change-out needs its own standalone permit, for homes and commercial buildings, with tie-down or attachment details. | Separate permit requirements and A/C change-out checklist, checked 29 Sep 2026 |
| Mangonia Park | 561-848-1235 (Town Hall) (source) | Its permit application says air conditioners need a separate permit, and no work may begin until the permit is issued. | Building permit application, checked 29 Sep 2026 |
| North Palm Beach | 561-841-3365, option 1 (source) | Lists AC replacement as permitted work, filed with an "Exact A/C Change Out Form"; in an emergency, work may start before the application only after the Building Department is notified, and the application is due by the next business day. | Permit submittal requirements and Exact A/C change-out form, checked 29 Sep 2026 |
| Ocean Ridge | 561-732-2635 (source) | Lists air conditioners among jobs that need a building permit; its like-for-like HVAC form, listing the old and new equipment, stays on site for the inspector. | General permitting information and HVAC form, checked 29 Sep 2026 |
| Pahokee | 561-924-5534, ext. 2003 or 2004 (source) | Handles a change-out as a mechanical permit, with a signed A/C change-out affidavit, the AHRI certificate and tie-down details. | Mechanical permit checklist, checked 29 Sep 2026 |
| Palm Beach (town) | 561-838-5431 (source) | Its permit checklist lists an "HVAC Changeout (same location)" as a Mechanical permit. | Permit application checklist, checked 29 Sep 2026 |
| Palm Beach Gardens | 561-799-4210 (source) | Has a dedicated "Residential - A/C Changeout" permit with mechanical review, an AHRI certificate, tie-down details and its change-out form. | Permit info guide, checked 29 Sep 2026 |
| Palm Beach Shores | 561-844-3457 (Town Hall) (source) | Lists "Air Conditioner" and "Air Handler" as permitted work, filed with its A/C Change-Out Form on the Town's own application, not the county's universal one. | General permitting information and A/C change-out form, checked 29 Sep 2026 |
| Palm Springs | 561-584-8280 (Planning, Zoning & Building) (source) | Its permit application says air conditioners need a separate permit, and its change-out form is filed once for each system. | Building permit application and A/C change-out form, checked 29 Sep 2026 |
| Riviera Beach | 561-845-4020 (Permit Center) (source) | Its A/C Change-Out Compliance Form, tied to a permit number, lists the old and new air handler and condenser for the inspector. | A/C change-out compliance form, checked 29 Sep 2026 |
| Royal Palm Beach | 561-790-5128 (source) | Its building FAQ lists A/C change-outs among the improvements that need a building permit. | Building FAQ and HVAC card, checked 29 Sep 2026 |
| South Bay | 561-996-6751 (source) | Lists central air as work that needs a permit and an A/C repair as work that does not; its change-out form goes with every A/C replacement application. | Building permit requirements and A/C change-out form, checked 29 Sep 2026 |
| South Palm Beach | 561-588-8889, press 1 (source) | Installing or replacing an A/C or heating unit needs a permit; repairing an existing unit with no ductwork or new equipment does not. | Permit list, checked 29 Sep 2026 |
| Tequesta | 561-768-0450 (source) | Its "AC Change Out Permit" checklist asks for the change-out form, an installation affidavit and AHRI sheets. | A/C change-out checklist, checked 29 Sep 2026 |
| Wellington | 561-753-2430 (source) | Its fee schedule has an "HVAC change out" permit class, applied for with its AC Change Out Packet; a final inspection is required for all equipment replacement. | Permit fee schedule and AC Change Out Packet, checked 29 Sep 2026 |
| West Palm Beach | 561-805-6700 (source) | Its A/C Change-Out Compliance Form, tied to the permit number, must be on site for the inspector, and its small-job exemption for houses excludes mechanical work. | A/C change-out compliance form and permit exemption affidavit, checked 29 Sep 2026 |
| Westlake | 561-530-5880, ext. 202 (permit questions) (source) | Its permit application says air conditioners need a separate permit, and its no-permit list covers only A/C repair and replacing a window unit on existing electrical. | Building permit application and When do I need a permit?, checked 29 Sep 2026 |
Does the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone cover Palm Beach County?
No, the zone stops at the Broward County line. The Florida Building Code's section 202 definition covers only Broward and Miami-Dade, the counties where South Florida's post-Hurricane Andrew rules apply, so Palm Beach County towns build to the standard wind rules. Lake Park's and Pahokee's A/C checklists still want tie-down details: ask how each bidder will anchor the condenser.
Why is one AC bid higher than another?
Ask each bidder why their scope differs: repair or full replacement, the unit's size and efficiency rating, duct changes, air-handler work, and whether the permit fee is included. A list of what each bidder priced shows whether a low bid is simply a smaller job.
Who can see my contact details?
Contractors who bid work from your scope card and photos. Contact details stay hidden until the homeowner picks a contractor and they confirm the connection. The contact-detail filter can miss disguised contact details.
Sources for the facts on this page
- Unincorporated A/C permit rule and repair exemption: Palm Beach County Planning, Zoning & Building, permit types list and Items Not Requiring a Permit, checked 29 September 2026.
- Town rows: each row's own source link and checked date, in the table above.
- Outside the wind zone: section 202's definition as the Florida Building Commission reproduces it, naming only Broward and Dade, and the Commission's code overview on why the zone exists, both checked 29 September 2026.
Other Palm Beach County guides
For another trade, start at the Palm Beach County homeowner guides; before you sign anything, work through the Florida hiring checklist.
Last checked: 29 September 2026