Building Permits in Miami-Dade County, Florida

Exemptions: The 2023 Florida Building Code, Building (8th Edition) Section 105.1 requires a permit to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move or demolish a building or structure, and — unlike the model IRC/IBC — Florida's statewide Section 105.2 'Work exempt from permit' contains NO Building or Electrical exemption categories, listing only limited Gas, Mechanical and Plumbing items; Section 105.2.2 separately allows 'ordinary minor repairs' only with building official approval. FBC-Residential (8th Ed.) Section R105 is 'Reserved,' so residential permitting runs through FBC-Building Chapter 1. Local jurisdictions may adopt local administrative amendments creating exemptions (e.g., small sheds or fences), so exemptions vary by jurisdiction.

Exemptions: Florida has no statewide deck permit exemption: FBC-Residential (2023, 8th Ed.) Section R105 is 'Reserved' and FBC-Building Section 105.2 includes no 'Building' exemption category, so the IRC's 200 sq ft/30-inch detached-deck exemption does not apply statewide and a permit is required under FBC-Building 105.1. Some local jurisdictions adopt administrative amendments exempting small ground-level decks, so requirements vary locally. Verify with the local building department.

Exemptions: Unlike the model IRC/IBC, Florida's statewide FBC-Building (2023, 8th Ed.) Section 105.2 contains no 'Electrical' exemption category at all, and Section 105.1 requires a permit to erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace any electrical system regulated by the code. Only 105.2.2 'ordinary minor repairs' with building official approval may proceed without a permit, and that provision excludes work on electric wiring systems affecting health or safety. Local jurisdictions may adopt administrative amendments (and Fla. Stat. 553.793 streamlines low-voltage alarm permits), so verify locally.

Exemptions: The statewide Florida Building Code provides no fence-height permit exemption: FBC-Building (2023, 8th Ed.) Section 105.2 omits the model code's 'Building' exemption list entirely (including the IRC/IBC 7-foot fence exemption), and Section 105.1 requires a permit to construct or erect a structure. Many Florida jurisdictions exempt or streamline fence permits through local administrative amendments, so the practical rule varies city-by-city and county-by-county. Verify with the local building department.

Exemptions: Reroofing requires a permit in Florida: Fla. Stat. 553.79(1)(a) makes it unlawful to construct, alter, modify or repair any building without first obtaining a permit from the enforcing agency, and FBC-Building (2023, 8th Ed.) Section 105.2 contains no roofing exemption; Section 105.2.2 'minor repairs' cannot be used for work affecting structural elements or public safety and requires building official approval. Local jurisdictions administer permitting and may amend administrative details, so verify locally.

Exemptions: Florida's statewide FBC-Building (2023, 8th Ed.) Section 105.2 contains no retaining-wall exemption — the model code's 4-foot/surcharge exemption was not carried into the Florida Building Code — so a permit is required under Section 105.1 unless a local jurisdiction has adopted its own administrative exemption. Local amendments vary, so verify the height threshold (if any) with the local building department.

Exemptions: Florida's statewide code has no shed floor-area permit exemption: FBC-Building (2023, 8th Ed.) Section 105.2 contains no 'Building' exemption category at all, so the 120/200 sq ft accessory-structure exemptions seen in other states do not exist statewide, and any such threshold is a local administrative amendment that varies by jurisdiction. Under Fla. Stat. 553.80(1)(d), state-approved manufactured lawn storage buildings and sheds are exempt from local plan review, but their erection/installation at the site remains subject to local permitting and inspection. Always confirm the local jurisdiction's amendments.

Exemptions: Water heater installation or replacement requires a permit statewide: FBC-Building (2023, 8th Ed.) Section 105.1 requires a permit to install, alter, remove or replace any plumbing system, and Section 105.2's Plumbing exemptions cover only stopping leaks and clearing stoppages/repairing leaks that do not involve replacement or rearrangement of valves, pipes or fixtures — replacing defective concealed piping with new material is expressly 'new work' requiring a permit and inspection. Local jurisdictions may amend administrative provisions, so verify locally.

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