Complete Guide to All Miami-Dade County Building Permit Application Forms 2026

Complete Guide to Miami-Dade County Building Permit Application Forms

Miami-Dade County's Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources (RER) Building Division maintains a comprehensive library of permit application forms, affidavits, checklists, guidelines, and supporting documentation requirements that property owners, contractors, and design professionals must use when applying for building permits in unincorporated Miami-Dade County. Understanding which forms are required for a specific permit application — and having them properly executed before submission — significantly reduces the probability of plan review rejection due to incomplete documentation.

Building Permit Application Form

The Building Permit Application is the foundational document for all building permit applications in Miami-Dade County. This form must be completed for any building permit — new construction, alteration, repair, addition, change of occupancy, or demolition. The application captures the property address and folio number, the permit type and scope of work, the construction value, the property owner's information, the contractor's license information, and the design professional's information. The contractor signing the permit application certifies that they hold a valid Florida DBPR contractor license and a valid Miami-Dade County Local Business Tax Receipt. The application must be signed and dated and submitted with all required supporting documents and USD permit fees.

Notice of Commencement and Release of Lien

The Notice of Commencement (NOC) package includes the Notice of Commencement form itself (which must be recorded with the Miami-Dade Clerk of Courts before construction begins), a Release of Lien form (a blank lien release for the contractor to execute at project completion), and an Affidavit certifying certain facts about the project. The NOC package is required for all building permits involving construction valued at $2,500 USD or more. Under Florida Statute 713.13, the NOC must include the property's legal description, street address, and tax folio number. Incomplete NOCs are returned for correction.

Fee Sheets Required for Permit Applications

Miami-Dade County RER requires that Permit Fee Sheets be submitted as part of permit applications for electrical, mechanical, and plumbing permits. Three separate fee sheets apply to three different trade categories: the Mechanical Fee Sheet for HVAC and mechanical systems permits, the Electrical Fee Sheet for electrical permits, and the Plumbing and Gas Fee Sheet for plumbing and gas permits. Each fee sheet breaks down the cost of the permit by specific work items — number of fixtures, circuits, tonnage of HVAC equipment — and calculates the total USD permit fee. Incomplete or incorrectly calculated fee sheets are a common cause of permit application rejection.

Affidavit and Special Declarations

Miami-Dade County requires various affidavits and declarations for specific permit applications. The Hold Harmless affidavit is required when the legal owner requests cancellation of work covered by a permit. The Affidavit to Extend Height of Fence allows the maximum height of a fence, wall, or hedge to be adjusted up to two feet beyond the standard zoning limitation. The Affidavit to Waive the Finished Side of Fence allows the finished side of a fence to face inward rather than toward the neighboring property (normally required to face the neighbor). The Owner-Builder Declaration is required on the building permit application when the property owner is acting as their own general contractor. The Swimming Pool Owner Certification certifies that a pool safety barrier will be installed before the pool permit is closed.

Plan Review Submittal Checklists

Miami-Dade County RER publishes separate plan review submittal checklists for different project types. The Residential Building Plan Review Guidelines provide a list of code requirements that must be verified by the Building Official before issuance of a residential building permit. The Commercial Building Plan Review Guidelines provide the same for commercial permits. The Commercial and Residential Structural Plan Review Guidelines cover structural requirements. The Residential Electrical Plan Review Guidelines and Commercial Electrical Plan Review Guidelines cover electrical requirements. The Residential Mechanical Plan Review Guidelines and Commercial Mechanical Plan Review Guidelines cover HVAC requirements. The Residential Plumbing Plan Review Guidelines and Commercial Plumbing Plan Review Guidelines cover plumbing requirements. Using these checklists when preparing permit application documents significantly reduces plan review correction cycles.

Environmental Plan Review Submittal Checklists

For projects requiring DERM (Miami-Dade Department of Environmental Resources Management) review, separate environmental checklists apply. The Environmental Residential Submittal Checklist applies to residential projects. The Environmental Commercial Submittal Checklist applies to commercial, industrial, or multi-unit (four or more) residential projects. The Environmental Airports Project Submittal Checklist applies specifically to airport projects. The Municipal Permit Applicant Requiring Fire Rescue/Environmental Plan Review form is required for permit applications submitted by other municipalities that require Miami-Dade County Fire Rescue or environmental review.

Fire Alarm and Fire Sprinkler Pre-Submittal Checklists

For projects involving fire protection systems, Miami-Dade County Fire Rescue publishes the Fire Alarm Pre-Submittal Checklist and the Fire Sprinkler Pre-Submittal Checklist. These checklists must be reviewed and complied with before submitting fire protection system shop drawings for review. Fire sprinkler plans submitted for review must be accompanied by the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue-approved life safety shop drawing and a set of architectural and structural drawings. Shop drawings for fire sprinkler systems must be reviewed and stamped by the engineer of record before submission.

Digitally Signing and Sealing Documents

Miami-Dade County RER has specific requirements for electronically submitted permit documents. Plans, specifications, reports, and other documents submitted in electronic format must be signed and sealed electronically — digitally signed with a valid digital signature certificate and sealed with the design professional's registered seal in digital form. Miami-Dade County's guidelines for Digitally Signing and Sealing Documents specify the acceptable digital signature standards and the required format for electronic seals. Improperly executed digital signatures are a common cause of e-plan submission rejection.

Alternative Plan Review and Private Provider Forms

For projects using the Alternative Plan Review and Inspections program, Miami-Dade County requires specific forms: the Notice to Building Official of Use of Private Provider for Alternative Plan Review or Inspection, the Alternative Plan Review Plan Compliance Affidavit, and the Alternative Plan Review and Inspection Registration Authorized Representative Employment Affidavit. These forms must be submitted at the beginning of the alternative plan review process to establish the private provider's authority to conduct plan review in lieu of the county plan reviewer.

Concurrent Plans Processing Forms

The Concurrent Plans Processing (CPP) system uses a Multi-Department Review Request (Contact Sheet) form when requesting plan reviews from multiple divisions of RER and other Miami-Dade County departments simultaneously. The CPP Contact Sheet identifies all review departments that must receive the plans, the applicant's contact information, and the project description. This form is particularly important for large or complex projects where multiple departments must conduct concurrent review — building, zoning, environmental, public works, and fire rescue.

USD Fees and Form Currency

All Miami-Dade County RER permit application forms, checklists, and fee sheets are available on the miamidade.gov/permits website and are updated periodically. Property owners and contractors should always use the most current version of each form — outdated forms may be rejected at the permit counter. USD permit fee schedules are updated annually and apply effective October 1 of each year. Always verify current USD fee amounts with RER before calculating permit fees in a project budget.