Building permits in Miami, FL

Short answer: In Miami, permits are issued by City of Miami Building Department; of the 6 common projects we checked, 4 always need a permit, 0 do not, and 1 depend on the details (1 unverified).

Permitting authority: City of Miami Building Department. Applies in the City of Miami only. Other Miami-Dade municipalities and unincorporated Miami-Dade County have their own building departments. Miami is in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone.

Permit rules in Miami
Project	Answer	Verified
Deck	Unverified, confirm locally We did not find an official City of Miami statement on deck permits.	2026-10-19
Fence	Permit required Yes. The City lists fence permits for fences up to 6 ft, and fences over 6 ft also need structural review.	2026-10-19
Interior / bathroom remodel	Depends on your project Replacing bathroom cabinets and countertops is exempt if no plumbing, wiring or load-bearing walls change. Changing out a tub, toilet or oth…	2026-10-19
Roof replacement	Permit required Yes. Residential reroofing (shingle, tile, metal or flat roofs) needs a permit.	2026-10-19
Shed	Permit required Yes. Setting up a prefabricated shed is listed among common residential permits.	2026-10-19
Water heater replacement	Permit required Yes. Water heater replacement is listed among residential permits, and gas appliance repair exemptions exclude water heaters.	2026-10-19

Fee schedule: https://www.miami.gov/My-Government/Departments/Building/Residential-Permit-Guide

Other cities in Florida

All Florida cities · All cities · Permit guides

Not legal advice. Always confirm with your local building department. Rules change, and your parcel's zoning, HOA, historic district, floodplain or utility work can change the answer. We show the official source and the date we last checked it so you can verify for yourself.