EnerGov Citizen Self-Service (CSS)

The EnerGov Citizen Self-Service, or CSS, Portal is a software system that will enable our City government to be more efficient, accessible, and responsive, meeting citizens needs in our growing City.  You can access the CSS portal to submit and track information related to permits, plans, inspections, business and professional licenses, code cases, and public information requests. Application and permit status, inspection requests and outcomes, fee payments and other information will all be available in the portal.  Digital applications of all types can be submitted, eliminating the need for customers to submit paper applications and plan sets.

An EnerGov CSS user manual is available on the City website, capecoral.gov.  This manual provides step-by-step guides with accompanying screenshots and commentary to assist the public with first-time registration and logging into the system. The manual also contains an overview of the various areas and features of the system, and a walkthrough with common tasks which can be performed. Topics such as how to apply for a permit, how to pay an invoice or fee, how to request and monitor inspections, and how to resubmit or revise your application documents with corrections are covered.

EnerGov CSS Login:  https://energovweb.capecoral.gov/EnerGovProd/selfservice#/home

Your first step with the CSS system will be to register as this will create your user account. This is done only the very first time you ever use the system. During this process you will be given the opportunity to choose a username and password that is unique to you. When setting up your account, you must designate a single email address to receive email notifications about application status updates, invoices, and process information. An email will be immediately sent to you for the purpose of confirming the email address you entered. You will need to click the “confirm email” link in this setup email. Then, you can log into the CSS system at any time in the future using your chosen username and password.

If you have an existing account with our previous eTrakIt system, when registering for the first time in EnerGov, the new EnerGov account email address must be identical to the email address on their previous eTrakIt account.  This will ensure that your EnerGov account is properly linked to the account data and permitting history which has been imported into the new system from the previous TrakIt system and a duplicate account is not created.

You will be able to select a username and password of your choice when registering for your new EnerGov account. 

However, if you had an account with our previous TrakIt permitting system, when registering for the first time in EnerGov, the email address registered with the new EnerGov account must be identical to the email address on your previous TrakIt account.  This will ensure that your EnerGov account is properly linked to your previous account data and permitting history and a duplicate account is not created.  

For those who have accounts with the current TrakIt permitting system, please ensure that the email address on the TrakIt account is current and active prior to February 16, 2022.  

Your login information is the username and password that you chose during your first login, when you registered for an account with the EnerGov CSS system.

No. The EnerGov software is a web-based application and there is no software to install on your computer. You will only need the website address to access the software.

We recommend the Google Chrome web browser to access the EnerGov Citizen Self-Service (CSS) system.

The web address can be found on the City’s EnerGov Information page. We recommend that you save the webpage as a bookmark in your google chrome browser for easy access in the future.

1. Verify that you’ve entered your chosen username and password. Make sure you did not use your email address as your username. Your username will be a shorter word/name that you chose when you registered with the EnerGov system, without an @ symbol.

At this time, the system will be similar to eTrakIt. You will have one login, and it appears that in future versions of EnerGov that you, as a contractor, will be able to create other users that will be able to have access to your account.  However, this is in future versions of EnerGov. Currently, the system supports one email address per registered account.

To properly log out of EnerGov, go to your name in the top right corner of the page, left-click, then select “Log Out” from the pull-down menu.

After logging into the CSS system, there are various tabs in the menu at the top of the screen which will enable you to quickly navigate through the system.  The User Manual also has several step-by-step examples which show you how to perform common tasks with the system.

The first tab, on the top left, is the Dashboard. This contains an overview of your current permits, plans, inspections, invoices, and licenses.

The Home tab is the starting point for many common activities. It contains links to search public records, apply for a permit, access your account information, pay invoices, use the GIS map feature, and access the calendar.

The Apply tab allows you to search and apply for any permit type, business tax receipt, business or professional license, or plan.

The My Work Tab allows you to search and access all of your invoices, permits, plans, inspection history, licenses, or request an inspection.

The Today’s Inspections tab allows you to view your inspections scheduled for the day. A search bar allows you to search or sort by case number, case type, inspection type, inspection status, address, primary inspection, or inspection order.

The Map Tab allows you to access the GIS mapping system. You can type in a specific address to obtain permitting history, apply for a new permit for a particular parcel, and more.

The Pay Invoices Tab allows you to search for a specific invoice number.

The Search Tab allows you to search for public information by permit number, plan number, inspection, code case, request, or license. The public can utilize this tab to search for public information at this tab even if they are not currently logged into their account.

The Calendar Tab allows you to view upcoming City-related events by month, week, or day. You can filter results by public hearings and meetings, City holidays, inspections scheduled, expired plans, permits, or licenses, and invoices due.

The 311 Tab allows you to submit public information requests, track requests, download a mobile app, and access your public information request account.

Addresses must be entered using postal service standard suffix abbreviations. For example, use NW, NE, SW, SE, ST, TER, CT, LN instead of the commonly-used full suffix names like northwest, northeast, southwest, etc.  Type 2600 SW 10th Ave or 3450 NE 2nd Ter instead of 2600 Southwest 10th Avenue or 3450 NE 2nd Terrace.

Note that if you enter part of the address and hit ‘Enter’ on your keyboard, your search results will yield all addresses in the City that contain that search string.  For example, if you enter 800 NE 13th and click the Search button or hit the ‘Enter’ key, both 1800 NE 13th Ave and 1800 NE 13th Pl appear as choices.

Beginning 2/22/22, EnerGov will be available to register an account, apply for new permits, and schedule inspections.  During the transfer of permitting data from the previous TrakIt system to the new EnerGov system, it was necessary to assign a single “requested date” for all inspections on existing permits.  These inspections will show up with a “requested date” and “scheduled date” of 01/01/2035 in EnerGov.  For these inspections, it is necessary to click the blue “Reschedule” button to the right of the inspection. A walkthrough of this process, with screenshots and commentary, is located in the CSS User Manual. 

This is a required procedure only for those inspections that have been converted over to the new EnerGov system from the old TrakIt system.  Inspections for permits which are initially applied for through the EnerGov system will be able to be scheduled normally for the life of the permit. They do not need to be “rescheduled.” 

Tasks such as requesting inspections, confirming daily inspection schedules, and checking inspection status can all be completed online through the CSS portal.

The building permit or a copy must be kept on the site of the work until the completion of the project. For the purposes of inspection, customers must also maintain the full set of city-reviewed building plans, and any revision(s) to these plans. These items must be open to inspection by duly authorized representatives, such as building inspectors.

If you are logged into your CSS account and see a permit but can’t request an inspection, the probable cause is that you are not a listed as a contact on that permit. All contacts listed on a permit can request an inspection.

After requesting an inspection, the screen will refresh and your requested inspection will have a “Cancel Inspection” button next to it in the permit detail screen. You may cancel the inspection and reschedule using this button any time in CSS until the inspection has been scheduled.

Alternatively, click on the Dashboard, scroll down to My Inspections and view the Requested Inspections.

To cancel a requested inspection, go to the permit detail screen, click on the inspections button and click on the cancel button to the right of the inspection name.

Once a requested inspection has been requested by the customer and scheduled for inspection the morning of the inspection (assigned to an inspector), a customer cannot cancel or change the requested inspection date in CSS.  

Click on the Dashboard tab and scroll down to My Inspections. The red Requested column will have a count of requested inspections.

Alternatively, inspection status can be confirmed in the individual permit detail screen.

No. After all reviews have been approved and the applicant pays the remainder of fees due on their permit, no further communication from the permit applicant, such as an email stating that the fees are paid, is required prior to permit issuance. The permit will be processed for issuance the next business day. 

Customers can pay for all services online in the CSS Portal after setting up an account. Payment types accepted are Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover.

There is no additional convenience/transaction fee added to payments.  Transaction processing costs are included in the invoiced fee and there is no maximum transaction amount.

Online payments are preferred.  If paying in person, customers should bring their invoice number (not just their permit/case number or address) to save time with the cashier.

Customers no longer have multiple permit numbers for projects with multiple trades. There will be a main permit with sub-permits that are linked to the main building permit case number.

The CSS/Contact not listed on the invoice as a billable contact. Contact the Customer Service-Permitting division for assistance.

EnerGov system is primarily designed as a “pay-as-you-go” system, using a major credit card (Visa/MC/Amex/Discover).  However, the availability of escrow accounts as a payment option is planned as part of the EnerGov system and escrow accounts which were set up for the previous eTrakIt system will be moved to EnerGov.  However, this may take a few weeks after go live to become available.  Please check back at the EnerGov Information Page for updates.

In certain instances, and with certain stipulations, owners of property may obtain a building permit as an “owner/builder” and serve as their own contractor without obtaining state licensure as a construction contractor.  The owner/builder will be required to act as their own contractor and provide direct, onsite supervision themselves of all work not performed by licensed contractors.

To qualify for the owner/builder licensure exemption as detailed in section 489.103 Florida Statutes, an owner must personally appear and satisfy local permitting agency requirements such as signing the building permit application and disclosure statement and verifying their identity.

Accordingly, if you wish to apply for a permit as an owner/builder, you will need to visit the permitting counter in person, at 1015 Cultural Park Blvd.  The Customer Service-Permitting Division staff will provide and input the correct application paperwork into your CSS account and verify your identity. Be sure to bring a verifiable form of identification with you, such as a current drivers license, for this purpose. You can register for a CSS account before or during this visit. After this initial setup, you can finish the permit application online by scanning in your documents and submitting them using the CSS portal.  Each time you wish to act as an owner/builder, including additional owner/builder permits applied for using the same CSS account or while you remain at the same primary residence, you must follow the same procedure.

During the permit application process online, you can select contractors. To add a general contractor or sub-contractors to a permit during the permit application process, the contractor is required to be identified, licensed, and registered with the City. This can be done prior to permit application, through the CSS portal.

You will add the engineering firm as a contact in your permit.  When you apply for your permit, add them as a contact in the contacts tab of the application.

Florida Law requires each design professional, such as professional engineers, architects, landscape architects, interior designers and surveyors, to sign, date and seal all final plans, prints, specifications, reports, or other documents prepared or issued by the licensee.

Electronic documents must be either electronically or digitally signed, dated, and sealed. Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.) Rule 61G15-23.005, Procedures for Electronically Signing and Sealing Electronically Transmitted Plans, Specifications, Reports or Other Documents, addresses in detail how to electronically sign, date, and seal electronic documents:

https://www.flrules.org/gateway/RuleNo.asp?title=SEALS&ID=61G15-23.0055

F.A.C. rule 61G15-23.004, Procedures for Digitally Signing and Sealing Electronically Transmitted Plans, Specifications, Reports or Other Documents, requires that professional engineers “shall have their identity authenticated by a certification authority.”  As defined in s. 668.003(2), F.S., a “certification authority” means a person who issues a certificate. This can be a third-party verification entity or certificate authority to certify the engineer’s identity.

All other design professionals may either obtain a digital signature from a certification authority (a third-party entity) or create a signature in a software application like Adobe (a self-signed certificate).

Local Design Professionals have successfully submitted documents using these Certificate Authorities –

• Cosign
• DocuSign
• Entrust
• Globalsign
• VeriSign
• Digicert

You will add Apply for an enclosure screen/fence. The type of permit you choose will be the screen enclosure pre-paid. No fees will be added onto your permit as they were paid under the pool permit.

This functionality is still under review. Please check back at this page for updates.

If your permit is already issued, you can send in a revision by clicking on the permit detail page in My Work, My Permits. click on the permit of your choice, Attachments.  Select “Revision Letter” from the pull-down menu on the blue “Add Attachment” tile For a step-by-step demonstration with screenshots and commentary, see also the chapter in the CSS User Manual entitled Submitting a Revision or Resubmitting Documents with Corrections.

EnerGov replaces the paper applications.  You will select the permit type of your choice when applying online and fill in the requested information using the online forms.

During an initial period immediately following the launch of the EnerGov system, we will be accepting paper-based plans.  At a future date, we plan to restrict all permitting activity to digital submissions.  The timeframe for the change to 100% digital permitting is unknown as it is based in part upon our experiences with EnerGov.  However it will likely be no sooner than 3-6 months after February 22, 2022.

If you applied using paper-based plans (as opposed to submitting digitized plans), any revisions or resubmits for those plans need to be sent in as paper-based plans.   If you applied using digitized plans, you will need to send in any revisions or resubmits to those plans using the same digitized format.  The exception would be for documents which have not yet been reviewed such as compaction reports, blower door reports, elevation certificates or engineers letters. These documents may be sent in a digital format even if the original plans were paper-based.  Although it is not yet a requirement to digitize your plans, we will be moving to an all-digital permitting system eventually.  Until then, we encourage all applicants to digitize all their permitting documents as this helps us to provide you with better service and reduce processing time. 

Yes, the uploading of business and professional licensing applications and associated paperwork are planned to be part of the CSS portal as well.

The probable cause is that the permit does not have your registered CSS account listed as a contact on it.  Contact the Customer Service-Permitting division for assistance.

The status of a permit can be found by using the “Search Permits” tool located on the CSS homepage. Customers listed as an authorized contact on a permit may see additional details when they are logged into their CSS account. These details are found the “Reviews” tab, and include:

• Status of a review
• Date a review was completed
• Anticipated permit due date

If a customer repeatedly enters the incorrect login credentials, they will temporarily receive an “account locked” error message. The CSS system will release the lock after 10 minutes so please wait this amount of time and login again. Note that City staff is not able to reset the system.

Customers with large volume of cases or permits may see several closed records in their permit list.  You can organize or simplify the displayed results by using the Filters button and the Display and Sort pull-down menus.

When applying online through the CSS portal, applicants will need to add other contacts to the application. Enter an email address or company name to find a contact. If you search by email address and that generates an error, search for the contact by their company name instead.

Go to the permit detail page by clicking on the My Work tab, then My Permits, then the blue Permit Number for the permit of your choice. Permit placards and associated documents can be viewed by clicking the Attachments tab in the middle of the screen.

After a permit application has been fully reviewed, approved and is awaiting the payment of the remainder of the fees prior to permit issuance, an invoice for the remainder of your permit fees will be sent to the registered email address on your CSS account.  Additionally, the fees due will also show up in your Dashboard as a required action and in the detail screen for the permit (My Work tab à My Permits à click on the blue Permit Number of your choice).

The availability of these documents is dependent on whether the City Clerk’s office has been able to process the documents for the address you specify.  Once they are processed and scanned into the system, they will be available through the portal.  If the document you wish to acquire is not yet available in the portal, you can submit a public records request and City representatives will assist you in retrieving the information.

As much as we would love to offer that service, due to our high volume it is not feasible for the City to convert paper-based plans to digitized (scanned) documents.

If you lose your paperwork for a paper-based plan, you will need to visit the permitting counter to acquire a copy.

1. First, please review the training and instructional documents at the City’s EnerGov Information page. Many frequently asked questions are answered in the User Manual or introductory video.
2. If you’re still having difficulty, please contact the Customer Service-Permitting Division at 239-574-0546.

In the event of a human error associated with the initial processing and setup of the permit and your permitting documents, please contact the Customer Service-Permitting Division by emailing permits@capecoral.gov or calling 239-574-0546. If the question is regarding a plan review, please call the Plan Review Questions Line at 239-826-5208. If the question is regarding an inspection, please call the Building Division Inspections Help Line at 239-574-0554.