Broward County
Hollywood, in southern Broward County, has restaurant space of every kind: storefronts near the beach, units in neighborhood plazas and former restaurants waiting for a new concept. If you are about to take one of them, you want to know three things early. Can the hood, the grease trap and the electrical service already in the unit be reused? What will the City of Hollywood ask for before it issues a permit? And how long until your doors open? The Cher Group Contractors answers those questions before you commit. We hold Florida general contractor license CBC1265622 and build restaurant spaces from an empty unit to opening day.
Permitting a restaurant in Hollywood after the 2026 portal change
The City of Hollywood moved every new permit application to its Accela Citizen Access (ACA) portal on August 4, 2026. Each applicant needs an ACA account. Contractors also have to register, or update their registration, inside ACA before the City can attach them to a permit, because contractor records from the City’s older BCLA system did not carry over. Permits that began in BCLA stay on the old process until they are finalized, so a job that started before August can run on a different track than a job started after it.
Contractor registration in Hollywood is its own paperwork. The City asks for a signed and notarized Contractor’s Record Management Form along with the qualifier’s license, a business tax receipt, the state certification, the Broward County Certificate of Competency and insurance certificates that name the City of Hollywood as certificate holder. We keep ours current so a permit is never stalled waiting on the contractor side.
Plan review takes time. The City’s own FAQ says building permit processing under the Florida Building Code runs up to 30 working days after plans are submitted. That window does not include Planning and Zoning, Engineering or Fire review, and a resubmittal with corrections gets a new review window of its own. A clean first submittal is the single biggest thing you can do for your schedule, and it is where we put our effort.
Two City tools help. Through ePermitsOneStop, Hollywood applicants can handle their Hollywood building permit and the related Broward County permits in one process instead of two trips. For questions before you submit, the City offers QLess appointments with a permit representative or plans examiner, with consultation days Monday through Thursday from 7:30 to 9:30 AM.
The restaurant details that drive cost in Hollywood units
Most of the surprises on a restaurant job sit in the kitchen. Before you sign, we look at:
- The hood and fire suppression. Whether the existing hood fits your cooking line, and what the fire review may require if it is changed.
- The grease trap or interceptor. Size, location and condition, and whether your menu needs more capacity.
- Electrical and gas. Whether the service can carry your equipment list, or whether an upgrade belongs in the lease talks.
- Restrooms and accessibility. What has to change once the dining room layout changes.
- The dining room. Seating count, finishes and lighting that match your concept and your budget.
What we build for Hollywood owners
- Restaurant build-outs in shell spaces, from slab to finishes.
- Second-generation remodels that turn a former restaurant into your concept.
- Tenant improvements for restaurant units between tenants.
- Design-build for owners who are starting without drawings.
Who runs your job
Led by Christian Hernandez, who has more than 15 years of restaurant construction experience. You can see more on our restaurant projects page.
Because Hollywood now runs new permits through ACA while older BCLA permits finish on the old process, we confirm at the start which track your unit is on. If a previous tenant left an open permit in BCLA, that record can affect your new application, so we check the address history before we draw plans. That way the first submission goes in clean, and plan review time is spent on your restaurant, not on old paperwork.
Nearby restaurant pages
Questions Hollywood restaurant owners ask
Where do I apply for a restaurant permit in Hollywood?
New applications go through the City’s Accela Citizen Access portal, which became the system for all new applications on August 4, 2026.
How long does Hollywood take to review restaurant plans?
The City’s FAQ cites up to 30 working days for building review after plans are submitted, not counting Planning and Zoning, Engineering and Fire review.
Do I need a new permit to reuse an existing hood?
That depends on what changes. If the hood, the fire suppression or the equipment under it changes, expect permit review; we check this during the walk-through before you sign.
Start with the space you are looking at
Call (305) 290-3323 and tell us the address and the concept. We will tell you what the unit already has and what it will need. We carry all insurance required by the State of Florida.