Restaurant Permits in Orlando: MEP Engineering for Orange County

The Orlando metro area — including the City of Orlando and Orange County — is one of Florida's most active restaurant markets, driven by tourism, a growing residential population, and a robust food service industry. Opening a restaurant in Orlando or unincorporated Orange County requires MEP engineering drawings signed and sealed by a licensed Florida PE, submitted to the City of Orlando Permitting Services or Orange County Building Division.

Orlando and Orange County Plan Review

The City of Orlando uses an electronic permitting system for commercial projects. Restaurant MEP drawings are reviewed concurrently with architectural plans, with separate reviewers for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing disciplines. Orlando's commercial plan review timeline is typically 4–6 weeks for a complete submittal. Orange County Building Division processes permits for unincorporated areas and has a similar electronic review process.

A key consideration in the Orlando market is the high volume of restaurant projects competing for plan reviewer attention. Well-prepared, complete MEP submittals with all required calculations and code references move through review faster. Pineland Engineering's Orlando restaurant MEP drawings are formatted to address common reviewer comments before they're raised.

NFPA 96 Requirements in Orlando

Orlando and Orange County enforce NFPA 96 for all commercial cooking operations. The mechanical engineer designs the Type I hood exhaust system, calculates makeup air requirements, and coordinates with the fire suppression contractor. Orlando Fire Prevention Bureau reviews fire suppression system designs as part of the building permit process.

Grease Interceptors: Orange County Utilities

Restaurants in the Orlando area connected to Orange County Utilities must install a grease interceptor sized to Orange County's requirements. The interceptor sizing is based on the number of fixture units and the type of cooking equipment. Orange County Utilities issues a separate grease interceptor permit, and the installation must be inspected before the building department issues the certificate of occupancy.

DBPR Review for Orlando Restaurants

Florida's DBPR Division of Hotels and Restaurants reviews restaurant plans for food safety compliance before issuing a food service license. For Orlando restaurants, the DBPR review is a separate submission from the building permit, but the MEP drawings submitted to both agencies must be consistent. Pineland Engineering produces a single coordinated MEP package that satisfies both the building department and the DBPR.