Home elevator repair and service in Tampa

Who this is for

This page is for anyone with a home elevator that has stopped, makes new noises, or has not been serviced in a while, including families who bought a house that came with one.

• Elevator stuck or not answering calls
• Doors that stick, bounce or do not lock
• Battery or power-loss warnings
• A home bought with an elevator of unknown history

Who regulates home elevator repair and service in Tampa?

Your own home elevator needs no state permit for servicing. Shared condo elevators in Hillsborough and Pinellas are inspected by the state Bureau of Elevator Safety directly, with a $200 state fee for a permit to alter.

Pinellas has the oldest housing of the areas we serve, with a median build year of 1976. Older home elevators should have the hall door gap measured against Florida's limits for new elevators, and any unit in a flood zone should have its float switch tested.[7][4][2][8][9]

Older Tampa homes and home elevator repair and service

About 59 percent of Pinellas County homes were built before 1980, and the median home dates from 1976; in the City of Tampa the figure is 42 percent. Bungalows in Seminole Heights and Hyde Park and 1960s block ranches in Pinellas often have raised floors with front steps, narrow doorways and older wiring.

The median owner-occupied home is valued at about $494,400 in the City of Tampa and $398,400 in Pinellas. IRS Publication 502 says medical lifts usually do not add value, but elevators generally do, which affects any medical expense deduction.

About 27 percent of Pinellas County residents are 65 or older, against 16 percent in Hillsborough. Pinellas has an older population than Hillsborough, and older housing to match.[2][10][11][12]

Help paying for home elevator service in Hillsborough

IRS Publication 502 lets the upkeep of a lift added for medical care count as a medical expense, above 7.5 percent of adjusted gross income. For other help at home, Senior Connection Center on (813) 740-3888 serves Hillsborough.[11][5][6]

What is different about a home lift in Tampa Bay?

Tampa Bay is outside the High Velocity Hurricane Zone, which covers only Miami-Dade and Broward, so outdoor lifts follow the standard Florida wind rules. Storm surge is the bigger planning point: Hurricane Helene brought 5 to 7 feet of inundation within Tampa Bay in September 2024, and the St. Petersburg tide gauge set a record of 6.31 feet above high tide. FEMA expects a float switch on any elevator that could descend below the base flood elevation.[13][3][9]

Permits in Tampa

• City of Tampa Construction Services Division: Provides all building permit and inspection services for property development in the City of Tampa, including the building and electrical permits for a home lift.
• Pinellas County Building and Development: Building permits in unincorporated Pinellas County; St. Petersburg, Clearwater and other cities run their own building departments.
• Florida DBPR Bureau of Elevator Safety: Regulates covered elevators directly in Hillsborough and Pinellas, such as lifts in shared condo areas ($325 to install a regulated conveyance). Lifts serving only one family residence are not regulated by the bureau.

What should a service visit check?

• Door locks and the gap between the hall door and the cab door or gate
• Safety edges, emergency stop, alarm and phone
• Battery backup and lowering in a power cut
• Rails, cables, belts or hydraulic fluid, depending on the type
• Float switch, if the elevator serves a level that can flood

Is your older elevator safe for children?

Florida's Max Grablin Act limits the gap between the hoistway door and the landing sill to 3/4 inch for swinging doors and 2 1/4 inches for sliding doors, and requires the space between the hall door and the car door or gate to reject a 4 inch sphere. The rules apply to new elevators in a private residence. Older home elevators may not meet them, and a space guard can often be added.[8]

Frequently asked questions