Building permit rules share a statewide foundation but differ in real, practical ways county to county. Here’s what actually changes.
General educational information, current as of 2026 — not legal advice. Permit requirements, fees, and processes change; confirm current requirements directly with the relevant county or city building department before relying on this guide for a specific project.
Some rules apply identically across all three counties because they come from Florida Statutes, not local ordinance: a Notice of Commencement is required statewide once a direct contract exceeds $5,000 (with a $15,000 carve-out for HVAC repair/replacement); homeowners may act as their own owner-builder on a 1-2 family residence they occupy, up to $75,000 for commercial structures built for their own use, provided they personally supervise the work; and condo/co-op buildings statewide face the same Milestone Inspection framework once they turn 30 years old (see our glossary for details).
HVHZ county — 175 mph design wind speed for most residential construction. Roofing, window, door, and shutter products need a Miami-Dade NOA. Permit fees were revised effective October 1, 2025 — the county’s first fee increase in more than 17 years, per an official Miami-Dade press release. Historic building-safety recertification track dates back to 1975, now run on a hybrid schedule alongside the statewide Milestone Inspection law.
HVHZ county — 170 mph design wind speed for most residential construction. Roofing, window, door, and shutter products need either a Broward NOA or an accepted Miami-Dade NOA. Broward’s own building-safety recertification program (BSIP) dates to January 2006, also now running a hybrid schedule alongside the statewide Milestone Inspection law.
Not an HVHZ county — falls under the statewide Wind-Borne Debris Region / Florida Product Approval system instead of county-issued NOAs, which is generally a lighter product-approval process than Miami-Dade or Broward’s. We could not confirm a standalone Palm Beach building-safety recertification ordinance separate from the statewide Milestone Inspection framework — if your building needs one, confirm directly with Palm Beach County’s Building Division.
If you’re in Miami-Dade or Broward, your roofing, window, and door products need HVHZ-rated NOAs — this is a real cost and product-selection factor, not just paperwork. Palm Beach homeowners have more product flexibility but still need permits and, in most cases, impact-resistant or protected openings in wind-borne debris areas. Processing time depends more on project complexity and the specific city’s current workload than on which county you’re in — a straightforward remodel permit might clear review in a few weeks, while structural changes or flood-zone requirements can take considerably longer. We handle permitting as part of every project, so you’re not navigating county-specific requirements alone.
No -- Palm Beach County is not in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone. It falls under the statewide Wind-Borne Debris Region / Florida Product Approval system instead of the county-issued NOA system that Miami-Dade and Broward use.
Yes -- Broward accepts either its own Broward NOA or an accepted Miami-Dade NOA for HVHZ product approval.
No -- the $5,000 threshold (with a $15,000 HVAC repair/replacement exemption) is set by Florida Statutes and applies statewide, not on a county-by-county basis.
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