Building or Remodeling in Pembroke Pines: Permits, the HOA Affidavit, Drainage District Releases and What Each Job Needs

Pembroke Pines is one of the biggest cities in Broward, stretching from older neighborhoods in the east to newer communities near the Everglades in the west. A lot of its homes are now old enough for new roofs, kitchens and additions, and most of them sit in a homeowners' association. The city's permit process reflects both of those things, with a few requirements that catch people who have only built in other cities.

This guide covers what is specific to building and remodeling in Pembroke Pines, based on the city's own permit checklists.

Permits run through the Development Hub

• Online portal. The city moved to new permitting software, EnerGov, on April 4, 2022, reached through its Development Hub. You have to be registered as a contact in the Hub to apply online.
• No email applications. Since April 25, 2022, the city no longer accepts permit applications by email. Apply through the Hub or in person at the Building Department.
• Upload by trade. Plans go up in separate files by trade: all structural sheets in one file, all mechanical in another, and so on for electrical and plumbing. Incomplete packets are not processed.
• Keep the permit on site. When the permit is issued, you download the permit card and approved plans from the Hub, and that copy has to be on site for inspections.

Pembroke Pines is in Broward County, so it is in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, and windows, doors and roofing need HVHZ approvals. Our post on what the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone means for your project explains what that changes.

Paperwork almost every permit needs

The city's checklists repeat a handful of forms across most residential permits. Have them ready and the application moves faster:

• The HOA Affidavit of Awareness. The checklists say it must be submitted even if you do not belong to an association. It confirms you know about any association rules; it is not the association's approval itself.
• The landscaping compliance affidavit. Required on improvements to residential lots.
• A property survey showing the setbacks and where the work goes.
• The Broward County Uniform Permit Application, plus electrical, mechanical or plumbing applications when those trades are involved.
• A Utility Easement Hold Harmless Agreement when work is in or near an easement, which is common with fences and driveways.
• A Notice of Commencement for any non-mechanical job valued over $5,000. It has to be recorded, submitted and posted before the first inspection is scheduled.

The South Broward Drainage District

Parts of Pembroke Pines are inside the South Broward Drainage District, which manages canals and stormwater in the southwest of the county. If your property is in the district, the city's checklists require a permit or release from the district for work such as additions, fences and driveways. Its review deals with drainage and the district's canals and easements, so build it into your schedule, especially on a lot that backs up to a canal or lake.

What each common project needs

The roof-to-wall connection affidavit ties into a state rule: on some reroofs in hurricane areas, the roof-to-wall connections have to be checked and, if needed, improved. If you are planning an addition in a flood zone, read our post on the 50 percent rule first; and if you are thinking about turning a garage into living space, our garage conversion guide covers parking and flood issues.

Your HOA is a separate approval

Most Pembroke Pines neighborhoods have an association with architectural rules for additions, roofs, windows, fences and paint. The city's affidavit does not replace the association's approval; you still need it. Florida law changed in 2026 so an association can't require a building permit before it reviews your plans, which lets the two run at the same time. Our post on HOA approval and building permits explains the rules.

How long it takes

Florida law gives building departments deadlines once an application is complete, from 5 business days for small jobs on an existing home to 30 business days for a new home under 7,500 square feet. In Pembroke Pines, the HOA, a drainage district release and multiple plan reviews on an addition add time before and alongside that clock. Our post on how long building permits take covers the deadlines.

Working in more than one city? Our South Florida building permits guide compares how permits work in each city and county, with links to every local guide.

The bottom line

In Pembroke Pines, apply through the Development Hub with plans uploaded by trade, include the HOA affidavit and the landscaping affidavit on nearly every permit, check whether the property is in the South Broward Drainage District, and record the Notice of Commencement before the first inspection. Get the association's approval moving at the same time. We handle room additions, kitchen and bathroom remodels, whole-home renovations and impact windows and doors in Pembroke Pines and across Broward. Tell us about your project.