Why there are two stops, not one
A permitted bathroom remodel typically passes a rough-in inspection before the walls close up, and a final inspection once everything is installed.[1]
The contractor is normally the one who schedules both visits with the local building department, once the work each one covers is actually finished.
Rough-in inspection
This is the inspector's chance to see the plumbing and electrical work before drywall or cement board covers it. Scheduling it can add two to three days to the project once the rough-in work itself is finished.[1]
The wait for the visit, not the visit itself, is usually the longer part of this step, which is why a delayed inspection can push back everything scheduled after it.[1]
Waterproofing checks
Some jurisdictions add a waterproofing inspection of their own, checking the membrane in a tub or shower surround before tile goes over it, in between the rough-in and final inspections.[1]
This step exists because a leak behind finished tile is one of the more expensive repairs to catch late, since fixing it usually means removing the tile to reach the membrane again.
Final inspection
The final inspection comes after fixtures, tile and paint are all in place, and it is what closes out the permit.[1]
It typically covers the finished fixtures, the flooring and ventilation, and anything the rough-in inspector flagged the first time through.
What can slow an inspection down
Layout changes, like moving a shower or adding a second vanity, extend the rough-in work itself and often call for additional structural sign-off before the same inspector will pass it.[1]
What the inspector is not checking
A building inspector confirms the finished work meets code. It is not their job to confirm the person who did it holds the right license for the trade, which is a separate check worth doing before the rough-in starts, not after.
A passed inspection is a record that the plumbing and wiring were sound on the day someone looked at them. It is not a statement about who is going to stand behind that work five years from now.
Why the license on the permit matters here
Unlicensed work can be harder to get signed off in the first place. Florida law specifically bars a contract entered into by an unlicensed contractor from being enforced by that contractor, and strips their right to a lien or bond claim on the job.[2]
How this differs from a cosmetic refresh
A remodel that never touches plumbing, wiring or framing usually never sees an inspector at all, which is also why it moves faster than a fully permitted job. The tradeoff is that the work was never checked by anyone outside the crew that did it.[3]
Keeping your own inspection record
Ask your contractor for the permit number and hang on to the inspection results once the job closes out. It is a short paper trail, and it is the first thing a future buyer's inspector, or an insurer, will ask about if a question ever comes up about the plumbing or wiring behind that wall.