Commercial Building Permits in South Florida: What Businesses Need to Know

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• 1. COMMERCIAL PERMIT CATEGORIES

• 2. TENANT IMPROVEMENT VS NEW CONSTRUCTION

• 3. RESTAURANT PERMIT REQUIREMENTS

• 4. RETAIL AND OFFICE BUILDOUTS

• 5. COMMERCIAL PERMIT FEES

• 6. ADA COMPLIANCE

• 7. FIRE MARSHAL REVIEW

• 8. COMMERCIAL PROJECT TIMELINES

Commercial permitting in South Florida is substantially more complex than residential permitting. Multiple review disciplines, additional regulatory layers including fire marshal and health department oversight, ADA compliance requirements, and significantly higher fees converge to make commercial permits a specialized field.

This guide is written for business owners, landlords, and commercial tenants planning construction across Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties.

COMMERCIAL PERMIT CATEGORIES

Commercial permits fall into several distinct categories: Tenant Improvement covers modifications to existing commercial space; White Box covers basic interior finishing of shell space; Shell and Core covers structural shell construction prior to tenant fit-out; New Construction covers ground-up commercial buildings; Change of Use covers converting existing commercial space to a different use category; Addition covers expansion of existing commercial structures; Demolition covers removal of commercial structures; Site Work covers parking, landscaping, drainage, and exterior improvements.

Each category carries distinct documentation requirements, fee structures, and review pathways.

TENANT IMPROVEMENT VS NEW CONSTRUCTION

Tenant Improvement permits cover interior modifications to existing commercial space without altering the structural shell. TI permits address layout changes, finish updates, equipment installation, and trade work specific to the new tenant's operational requirements. TI permits proceed faster than new construction and carry lower fees.

New construction permits cover complete building development from foundation through certificate of occupancy. New commercial construction triggers comprehensive review including site planning, zoning, environmental, traffic engineering, utility coordination, and structural review under threshold building requirements.

RESTAURANT PERMIT REQUIREMENTS

Restaurant permits require coordination across multiple agencies beyond the building department: building permit covering interior construction and equipment installation, Florida DBPR Division of Hotels and Restaurants approval, Health Department plan review, Fire Marshal approval for occupancy load and egress and fire suppression, mechanical permits for kitchen exhaust hoods and makeup air, plumbing permits for grease interceptors and three-compartment sinks, electrical permits for kitchen equipment circuits, sign permits separately reviewed, and liquor license coordination if alcoholic beverages will be served.

Restaurant permitting typically requires 12 to 24 weeks from application to operational opening.

RETAIL AND OFFICE BUILDOUTS

Retail and office tenant improvements typically involve floor plan modifications for partition walls and reception areas, electrical upgrades for technology infrastructure, plumbing additions for break rooms and additional restrooms, mechanical adjustments for revised cooling loads, storefront and entry modifications for retail spaces, ADA compliance upgrades to current code edition, fire alarm and sprinkler system modifications, and egress and life safety review for revised occupancy.

COMMERCIAL PERMIT FEES

Miami-Dade County commercial permit fees were updated effective October 1, 2025: base fee is 1% of projected construction cost up to $30 million; costs exceeding $30 million carry 0.5% of amount over $30 million; minimum commercial permit fee is $110; trade permits are $166.63 minimum per discipline; plan review and resubmittal fees apply; impact fees for new construction or change of use.

Broward and Palm Beach Counties maintain comparable fee structures with jurisdiction-specific variations. Commercial impact fees often substantially exceed permit fees for new construction.

ADA COMPLIANCE

The Americans with Disabilities Act and Florida Accessibility Code requirements apply to nearly all commercial construction. Path of travel from public way to all primary function areas must be accessible. At least one accessible entrance must be provided. Restrooms must meet current accessibility standards. Counters, transaction surfaces, and service points require accessible features. Parking spaces must include the required number of accessible spaces. Signage must meet ADA standards for tactile and visual requirements. Renovation triggers proportional accessibility upgrades to the broader space.

Accessibility deficiencies are a leading cause of commercial permit corrections and post-completion litigation.

FIRE MARSHAL REVIEW

Commercial projects undergo fire marshal review separate from building department review. Fire marshal review addresses occupancy load calculations and posting, means of egress including travel distances and exit capacity, fire alarm system design and coverage, fire sprinkler system requirements, fire-rated assembly verification, emergency lighting and exit signage, hazardous material storage, and commercial kitchen fire suppression.

Fire marshal corrections add 2 to 6 weeks to commercial timelines and frequently surface late in the review cycle.

COMMERCIAL PROJECT TIMELINES

Realistic commercial permit timelines: simple tenant improvement under $100,000 runs 6 to 10 weeks; standard tenant improvement at $100,000 to $500,000 runs 8 to 14 weeks; restaurant buildout runs 12 to 20 weeks; new retail or office construction under 10,000 sq ft runs 16 to 28 weeks; mid-rise commercial runs 24 to 40 weeks; high-rise or threshold buildings run 32 to 52+ weeks.

Commercial timelines are highly sensitive to the completeness and quality of first submittal.

WHY CHOOSE ENDLESS LIFE DESIGN

Endless Life Design delivers commercial construction services across South Florida including tenant improvements, restaurant buildouts, retail spaces, and office renovations. The company manages the full permitting process across building, fire marshal, health department, and accessibility reviews, providing business owners with predictable timelines and integrated execution under a single accountable contract.

Endless Life Design | Licensed General Contractor | Boca Raton, Miami, Palm Beach | (305) 680-3283 | endlesslifedesign@endlesslifedesign.com