The City of Orlando reimburses qualifying small businesses up to $20,000 of the transportation impact fee triggered by a change of use. Here is who qualifies, what is excluded, and how the city's related payment plan and not-for-profit program work.
When a business moves into an existing building in Orlando and the new use generates more traffic than the old one, the city assesses a change-of-use transportation impact fee on the difference. The City of Orlando's Transportation Impact Fee Waiver program reimburses qualifying small businesses up to $20,000 of that fee. It is one of a small number of local programs that reduce impact fee cost directly rather than deferring it.
Who Qualifies
The program is aimed at independent businesses opening or expanding inside the city limits. Per the city's program page, an applicant must meet all of the following:
- •Business type: a new for-profit business or an expanding existing for-profit business.
- •Size: qualifies as a small business under U.S. Small Business Administration size standards.
- •Location: the project site is within the City of Orlando's jurisdiction, not unincorporated Orange County or another municipality.
- •Permitting: a building permit is obtained for all proposed work.
- •Timing: all program approvals are in place before the permit is issued. The city states that no waiver is awarded retroactively.
What Is Excluded
The city lists several business types that are not eligible regardless of size:
- •Franchises, national chains, and programmed businesses.
- •Health and medical services, including clinics, hospitals, chain pharmacies, detox centers, residential care facilities, and laboratories.
- •Adult entertainment or adult-themed businesses.
- •Any business with outstanding debt to the City of Orlando.
How the Reimbursement Works
The program is structured as a reimbursement, not an upfront exemption. The change-of-use transportation impact fee is assessed through the normal permitting process, and the approved amount, up to $20,000, is returned to the business. Because approval has to precede permit issuance, the practical sequence is to apply to the program while the permit is in review, receive approval, then pull the permit. Businesses that pull the permit first are not eligible.
The program covers the change-of-use transportation impact fee only. Sewer benefit fees, parks fees, and the countywide school impact fee are outside its scope. The city's program contact is the Impact Fee Group at impactfeegroup@orlando.gov or 407.246.3529.
The Not-for-Profit Program
A separate program, the Not-for-Profit Impact Fee Assistance Program, serves human and social services agencies rather than businesses. It covers 50% of the transportation and sewer impact fees assessed on a capital project, up to $50,000, with one award per project even when the project is phased. Eligibility requires 501(c)(3) status, at least three years of operation, demonstrated financial hardship for the capital project, and a client base that is at least 25% Orlando residents. Hospitals, churches, daycare centers, museums, civic clubs, and arts organizations are excluded. Awards go through the Economic Development Department to City Council for approval and are made first come, first served.
Paying the Rest: the City's 50/50 Plan
For fees that are not waived, Orlando offers an impact fee payment plan that splits the obligation into two installments: 50% due at permit issuance and 50% due before the certificate of occupancy or certificate of use. The request is made on the city's Impact Fee Payment Plan form through Permitting Services. The plan changes when the fee is paid; it does not reduce the amount.
How Orlando's Fee Is Set Each Year
Orlando's transportation impact fee is established under Chapter 56 of the city code and varies by Transportation Benefit Area, with a reduced downtown rate. The city indexes the schedule annually, subject to City Council approval, by the change in the Consumer Price Index or 3%, whichever is less. That is a different mechanism from Orange County's fixed 3.4% annual step, and it means Orlando projects are not affected by the county's pending transportation impact fee study. The county school impact fee still applies inside the city.
For current Orlando rates by project type, see our Orlando page and the city's Chapter 56 rate schedule.
Program terms are from the City of Orlando's published program pages as of September 2026 and can change without notice. Always verify eligibility and current terms with the city before relying on a waiver in a pro forma.