How do I find out if my property is in a city or unincorporated county?

Check the property appraiser's record for the address, which shows the jurisdiction. A mailing address can be misleading; many homes with a city name in their address are actually in the unincorporated county.

Can I apply for a building permit online in South Florida?

In most places, yes. Examples include LauderBuild in Fort Lauderdale, iBuild in the City of Miami, eTRAKiT in Coral Springs and Aventura, the Development Hub in Pembroke Pines, Boca eHub in Boca Raton, Hollywood's ePermitsOneStop with Broward County, and the ePZB portal for unincorporated Palm Beach County.

Do permit rules differ between South Florida cities?

Yes. The Florida Building Code applies everywhere, but cities add their own requirements: Coral Gables' Board of Architects, Miami Beach's historic and design boards, Aventura's permit requirement for repairs over $500, Coral Springs' tile roof rule and Pembroke Pines' HOA affidavit, for example.

What changes for permits on December 31, 2026?

The 9th Edition (2026) Florida Building Code takes effect, so applications submitted from then on have to comply with it. In Miami-Dade, online submittals after 4 PM on December 30, 2026 also fall under the new code. Other cities set their own cutoffs.

Is Palm Beach County in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone?

No. Only Miami-Dade and Broward are. Palm Beach County is in the wind-borne debris region, so openings still need impact protection, but products can use Florida Product Approval instead of HVHZ approval.

South Florida Building Permits by City: The Complete 2026 Guide for Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach

The short answer

In South Florida, your building permit usually comes from the city the property is in, and only properties in unincorporated areas get permits from the county. Every city runs its own building department and online portal, such as LauderBuild in Fort Lauderdale, iBuild in Miami, eTRAKiT in Coral Springs and Aventura, the Development Hub in Pembroke Pines and Boca eHub in Boca Raton, and many add their own boards, like the Board of Architects in Coral Gables or the Historic Preservation Board in Miami Beach. Some rules are the same everywhere: Florida's review deadlines, a recorded Notice of Commencement on jobs over $5,000, hurricane-rated products, and, on December 31, 2026, the switch to the 9th Edition Florida Building Code. Miami-Dade and Broward are in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone; Palm Beach is not.

"Where do I get a permit?" sounds like a simple question until you try to answer it in South Florida. Three counties, dozens of cities, each with its own building department, portal, checklists and boards. A Boca Raton mailing address may be in unincorporated Palm Beach County. A remodel in Coral Gables can need design approval before the building department will even look at it. A floor replacement in Aventura needs a permit that most cities wouldn't ask for.

We pull permits across all three counties, and this is the guide we wish existed: what is the same everywhere, what is different city by city, and where to find the details. Each city links to a full local guide.

Step one: city or county?

Before anything else, find out which government your property is actually in. Most of Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach is divided into incorporated cities, and each city issues its own permits. Only properties in unincorporated areas go to the county building department. Your mailing address can mislead you; the property appraiser's record shows the real jurisdiction. Even inside a city, some work still needs county approval. In Miami-Dade, projects in a city can need a separate county municipal approval for water and sewer, impact fees, environmental review (DERM), fire rescue or, for septic tanks, the Department of Health.

Building permits by city

How permits work in major South Florida cities and counties
City or area	Who issues it and how to apply	What to plan for	Full guide
Unincorporated Miami-Dade	Miami-Dade County's Permitting and Inspection Center, through the county's online portal	DERM and other county reviews; the 2026 code cutoff at 4 PM on December 30, 2026 for online submittals	Miami-Dade County
City of Miami	City of Miami, through iBuild, with plans in the city's ePlan system; county approvals are routed electronically	County municipal approvals (DERM, water and sewer, fire, impact fees); historic review where it applies	Miami
Miami Beach	City of Miami Beach Building Department	Historic Preservation Board or Design Review Board for exterior work; almost all of the island is in a flood zone, and the 50 percent rule counts permits over a rolling year	Miami Beach guide
Coral Gables	City of Coral Gables, after design approval	Board of Architects review, which meets every Thursday, with preliminary and final approval; tree survey; historic Certificate of Appropriateness for designated properties	Coral Gables guide
Aventura	City of Aventura, through eTRAKiT; contractors must be registered with the city	Permits for any repair over $500 that alters the structure, including flooring, water heaters, AC and fixtures; a condo association approval letter; the sound rating of new flooring	Aventura guide
Hollywood	City of Hollywood Building Division; with Broward County, through ePermitsOneStop	Historic review in the Lakes Area, the beach overlay and downtown; express permits for small jobs; spot survey before the first tie beam inspection on additions	Hollywood
Fort Lauderdale	City of Fort Lauderdale, through LauderBuild (all applications since January 1, 2024)	Seawalls built to at least 5 feet NAVD88 under Broward's tidal flood barrier rules; flood zones; state coastal permits on the beach	Fort Lauderdale guide
Pembroke Pines	City of Pembroke Pines, through the Development Hub (EnerGov), with plans uploaded by trade	An HOA affidavit on almost every permit, even with no HOA; a South Broward Drainage District release where it applies; roll-off containers from Waste Pro	Pembroke Pines guide
Coral Springs	City of Coral Springs, through eTRAKiT; inspections can only be scheduled online	Cement or clay tile roofs on most homes; an approved paint palette; fence rules; the Architectural Review Committee for exceptions	Coral Springs guide
Unincorporated Palm Beach County	Palm Beach County Building Division, through the ePZB portal	Outside the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone but inside the wind-borne debris region; county impact fees	Palm Beach County
Boca Raton	City of Boca Raton, through Boca eHub, if the property is actually in the city	Community Appearance Board for exterior changes to buildings other than single-family homes; Old Floresta and Pearl City historic districts	Boca Raton guide

From the cities' and counties' own permit pages and checklists, as cited in each linked guide. Portals and procedures change; confirm with the building department before you apply.

The rules that apply everywhere

Review deadlines. Florida Statute 553.792 gives building departments set deadlines once an application is complete, from 5 business days for small jobs on an existing home to 30 business days for a home under 7,500 square feet. See how long building permits take.
Notice of Commencement. Jobs over $5,000 need a recorded Notice of Commencement posted before the first inspection, and on a construction loan the lender has to record it before releasing funds. Our construction lien guide explains why it matters.
What needs a permit at all. A 2026 state law exempted some small residential jobs from permits, but structural, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, roofing, window and door work still generally needs one, and some cities ask for more. See do I need a permit for that?
Hurricane products. Miami-Dade and Broward are in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, so exterior products need HVHZ approval. Palm Beach County is outside it but mostly in the wind-borne debris region. See HVHZ versus the wind-borne debris region.
Flood zones. Large renovations in a FEMA flood zone can trigger the 50 percent rule, and new homes have to sit at least one foot above the base flood elevation.
HOAs. Since July 1, 2026, an HOA can't require a building permit before it reviews your plans. See HOA approval and building permits.
Unpermitted work. Open, expired or missing permits follow the property. See fixing unpermitted work.

County programs older buildings run into

Broward County: buildings 25 years and older, other than small homes, townhouses and buildings under 3,500 square feet, need a structural and electrical safety inspection, then every 10 years. See the Broward 25-year inspection.
Miami-Dade County: older buildings go through the county's building recertification program.
Statewide: condo and co-op buildings three or more habitable stories tall need milestone inspections. See milestone inspection requirements and what happens after the report.
On the beach: work on the ocean side of the Coastal Construction Control Line needs a state permit as well. See building near the beach.

A start-here checklist for any South Florida permit

Confirm the jurisdiction on the property appraiser's record: city or unincorporated county.
Pull the permit history to see what was permitted before, and whether anything is open or expired.
Check for boards and outside approvals: HOA, design or historic boards, drainage districts, county environmental review, the state coastal permit.
Get the survey with the flood zone and elevations, and a tree survey where the city requires one.
Line up product approvals for windows, doors and roofing that match your wind zone and the code your permit will fall under.
Apply through the right portal with a complete package, record the Notice of Commencement, and track every expiration date.

Tearing something down first? Demolition has its own permits. Our demolition division covers them county by county: Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, the City of Miami and Fort Lauderdale.

The bottom line

In South Florida, the permit comes from your city unless the property is unincorporated, and each city has its own portal, checklists and boards on top of the statewide rules. Start with the jurisdiction, check the outside approvals, and apply with a complete package. We pull permits for renovations, additions, new homes, impact windows and commercial build-outs across Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach. Tell us where your project is and we'll tell you what it needs.

Quick questions

Who issues building permits in South Florida?: Usually the city the property is in. Each city in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach runs its own building department, and only properties in unincorporated areas get permits from the county. Some projects inside a city also need county approvals, such as Miami-Dade's environmental (DERM), water and sewer or fire reviews.
How do I find out if my property is in a city or unincorporated county?: Check the property appraiser's record for the address, which shows the jurisdiction. A mailing address can be misleading; many homes with a city name in their address are actually in the unincorporated county.
Can I apply for a building permit online in South Florida?: In most places, yes. Examples include LauderBuild in Fort Lauderdale, iBuild in the City of Miami, eTRAKiT in Coral Springs and Aventura, the Development Hub in Pembroke Pines, Boca eHub in Boca Raton, Hollywood's ePermitsOneStop with Broward County, and the ePZB portal for unincorporated Palm Beach County.
Do permit rules differ between South Florida cities?: Yes. The Florida Building Code applies everywhere, but cities add their own requirements: Coral Gables' Board of Architects, Miami Beach's historic and design boards, Aventura's permit requirement for repairs over $500, Coral Springs' tile roof rule and Pembroke Pines' HOA affidavit, for example.
What changes for permits on December 31, 2026?: The 9th Edition (2026) Florida Building Code takes effect, so applications submitted from then on have to comply with it. In Miami-Dade, online submittals after 4 PM on December 30, 2026 also fall under the new code. Other cities set their own cutoffs.
Is Palm Beach County in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone?: No. Only Miami-Dade and Broward are. Palm Beach County is in the wind-borne debris region, so openings still need impact protection, but products can use Florida Product Approval instead of HVHZ approval.

Sources

This article is general information, not legal advice. Building departments in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties set their own procedures, so confirm the requirements for your property with your local building department.

Scott Rosenberg

Florida Certified General Contractor, CGC1541479

Scott qualifies Rosemont Ventures Group LLC and has worked in general contracting since 1998. He writes Building Blocks to answer the questions South Florida owners ask before they build. Verify the license.