What services does Endless Life Design Construction offer in Miami?

Endless Life Design Construction is a licensed general contractor in Miami offering residential construction, commercial construction, restaurant builds and remodels, kitchen and bath renovations, swimming pool construction, expedited permit processing, and full architectural and engineering coordination.

Is Endless Life Design Construction a licensed general contractor in Florida?

Yes. Endless Life Design Construction operates as a licensed general contractor in Florida, serving Miami, Doral, Coral Gables, Miami Beach and surrounding South Florida areas.

How long does it take to get building permits in Miami?

Building permit timelines in Miami typically range from 2 to 12 weeks depending on project scope, jurisdiction (City of Miami, Miami-Dade County, or municipal), and review cycles. Endless Life Design offers expedited permit processing services to help shorten the timeline.

Does Endless Life Design handle both residential and commercial projects?

Yes. We handle custom residential homes, luxury mansions, commercial buildings, restaurants, retail spaces, and industrial projects throughout Miami and South Florida.

How can I get a quote from Endless Life Design Construction?

You can request a free consultation by calling +1 (305) 680-3283 or by visiting the Contact page at https://www.endlesslifedesign.com/contact to submit your project details.

How much does a building permit cost in Miami-Dade, Broward, or Palm Beach County?

Permit fees are calculated from the declared construction value plus state surcharges, and most projects also carry plan review deposits and possible impact fees. Endless Life Design forecasts the full fee stack and manages filing end to end through its Government Permit Processing Service. Call (305) 680-3283 for an exact figure.

How long does it take to get a construction permit in South Florida?

Simple trade permits can issue within days, while full building permits typically take four to twelve weeks depending on the jurisdiction, completeness of plans, and correction cycles. Professional permit processing shortens review by filing clean submittals and answering comments immediately.

What does a permit expediter do and is it worth it?

A permit expediter prepares applications, files through every municipal portal, tracks plan review, responds to corrections, and schedules inspections on the owner's behalf. Endless Life Design operates the permitting systems of Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach daily, securing approvals faster than owners filing alone.

Do I need a permit for a kitchen or bathroom remodel in Florida?

Yes. Any remodel touching electrical circuits, plumbing relocations, mechanical work, or structure requires permits, and a single kitchen often needs separate electrical, plumbing, and mechanical trade permits under one project. Cosmetic-only finishes such as paint generally do not.

What happens if construction work was done without a permit?

Unpermitted work surfaces at sale, refinance, or code enforcement and must be legalized through after-the-fact permits that multiply normal fees and may require exposing finished work for inspection. Endless Life Design legalizes unpermitted work and clears violations across South Florida. Call (305) 680-3283.

What is a 40-year recertification or milestone inspection?

Miami-Dade and Broward counties require aging buildings to be recertified by structural and electrical engineers, while Florida's milestone inspection statute adds state requirements for condominiums three stories and taller, with earlier deadlines near the coast. Endless Life Design coordinates inspections, repairs, and the permits they trigger.

Open Permits, Permit History Search and Permit Resolution Before Property Sales in South Florida 2026

Endless Life Design
May 17
6 min read

Updated: Jun 13

Photo by SKY-TOM via Pixabay

INDEX

What Is an Open Permit?
How to Search for Open Permits in South Florida
What Open Permits Mean for Real Estate Transactions
Resolving Open Permits — The Most Common Methods
USD Costs and Timelines for Open Permit Resolution
Pre-Listing Open Permit Audit — Best Practice for Sellers
Endless Life Design Services Across South Florida
Authoritative References & Code Resources
Related Endless Life Design Resources

What Is an Open Permit?

An open permit is a building permit that was issued — either as a full permit or an express/over-the-counter permit — but for which no final inspection was ever approved and no Certificate of Completion or Certificate of Occupancy was ever issued. Open permits may result from: a contractor who obtained a permit but did not complete the work; a homeowner who completed DIY work after pulling a permit but never scheduled the final inspection; a contractor who completed the work but the final inspection failed and was never rescheduled; or a permit that was issued many years ago for work that was ultimately not performed.

Open permits attach to the property, not to the permit holder. When a property is sold, all open permits transfer to the new owner. The new owner becomes responsible for resolving all open permits — completing the work if it was never done, passing the final inspection if the work was done but not inspected, or obtaining after-the-fact permits and inspections for work that was completed without following permit requirements.

Endless Life Design — open permits and permit history search in South Florida

How to Search for Open Permits in South Florida

Miami-Dade County: Open permit searches for unincorporated Miami-Dade County properties are available through the Miami-Dade County RER ePlan online portal and through the Building Department's permit search tool at miamidade.gov/permits. The permit search allows searches by property address or folio number. All permit history — issued permits, permit status, inspection history, and open/closed status — is displayed for each permit.

City of Miami: Permit history for City of Miami properties is searchable through the Miami Online Permits (ePermits) system. Licensed contractors and property owners can access permit records for specific addresses.

Broward County Municipalities: Each of Broward County's 31 municipalities maintains its own permit records. Permit searches must be performed at the specific municipality's building department or through its online permit portal. Broward County's municipal permit records are not centralized in a single database — each city must be searched separately if a property may have permits from multiple jurisdictions (which can occur if the property has experienced boundary changes).

Palm Beach County: Palm Beach County Building Division permit records are searchable through the county's online permit system at pbcgov.com. Municipal permit records in Palm Beach County municipalities must be searched through each municipality's own system.

What Open Permits Mean for Real Estate Transactions

When an open permit is discovered during a real estate transaction title search, the title insurance company flags it as a potential title defect. An open permit is not technically a lien, but it indicates that there may be unpermitted work on the property, incomplete permitted work, or a permit that was never properly closed. Any of these conditions can create liability for the property owner.

Standard title insurance policies in Florida do not insure against risks arising from open permits — the title company simply identifies them and requires resolution or exclusion. If the buyer is using mortgage financing, the mortgage lender may require that all open permits be resolved as a condition of loan approval. The buyer's title insurer may require an endorsement to cover the specific open permits, which adds USD cost to the title insurance premium.

Resolving Open Permits — The Most Common Methods

Simple closure — for permits where all the work was completed but the final inspection was never scheduled: contact the issuing building department, request the permit be reactivated (if it has expired, a USD renewal fee applies), and schedule the final inspection. If the work was completed correctly, the inspector passes the final inspection and the permit is closed. This is the quickest and least expensive resolution method.

After-the-fact permit for completed work without permits: if the work was done without a permit, or if the original permit was for different work than what was actually completed, an after-the-fact permit application is required. As described in the code enforcement blog, after-the-fact permits in Miami-Dade County are assessed at double the standard permit fee rate. Engineer or architect as-built plans may be required. If the existing work does not pass inspection, corrections are required before the permit can be closed.

Void permit for work never performed: if a permit was issued but no work was ever done, the permit holder (or the current property owner with documentation) can apply to void the permit. Building departments may require an inspection of the property to confirm that no construction was performed before voiding the permit.

USD Costs and Timelines for Open Permit Resolution

Simple permit closures (scheduling a missed final inspection) cost $0 to $250 USD in reinspection fees if the work passes on the first inspection. After-the-fact permit closures cost significantly more: permit fees at double the standard rate ($500 USD to $10,000 USD for typical residential scope), engineer or architect as-built plan preparation fees ($2,000 USD to $15,000 USD), and any required corrective work to bring non-compliant conditions up to code.

Resolution timelines: A simple final inspection can sometimes be scheduled and passed within 1 to 2 weeks. An after-the-fact permit involving plan review and multiple inspection disciplines can take 30 to 90 days or more. Real estate transaction parties must account for open permit resolution timelines when setting closing dates — a 30-day closing is not achievable if significant open permit resolution work is needed.

Pre-Listing Open Permit Audit — Best Practice for Sellers

Sellers of South Florida real estate who want to avoid surprise delays at closing should proactively search all applicable building department databases for open permits before listing the property for sale. Resolving open permits before listing gives the seller control over the process — they can choose contractors, negotiate scope, and complete the work on their timeline rather than under the pressure of a pending real estate transaction closing date.

Endless Life Design recommends that all property owners maintain a comprehensive permit file documenting every permit, every inspection approval, and every Certificate of Occupancy or Certificate of Completion ever issued for the property. This documentation is invaluable during property sales, insurance claims, and code enforcement inquiries, and eliminates the anxiety of searching through building department records hoping all permits are properly closed.

Endless Life Design Services Across South Florida

Endless Life Design manages the entire government permit process for construction projects across Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties. Our Government Permit Processing Service handles your application, plan review, and final approval for a flat $4,500 — call (305) 680-3283 to get started.

Request your free consultation today. If you need a licensed general contractor in Miami-Dade, Broward, or Palm Beach County for luxury residential renovation, commercial construction, hospitality construction, estate construction, multi-family construction, restaurant construction, kitchen and bathroom remodel, swimming pool construction, hurricane impact window installation, roof replacement, electrical service upgrades, plumbing repipe, HVAC replacement, structural engineering consultation, architectural design, 3D interior design and rendering, permit expediting, or comprehensive design-build services, Endless Life Design delivers integrated licensed general contracting, design, engineering, and permit expediting services. Get a free quote, request a project assessment, or schedule a consultation by visiting endlesslifedesign.com, calling (305) 680-3283, or emailing endlesslifedesign@endlesslifedesign.com.

Authoritative References & Code Resources

For verification of the code requirements, permit standards, Florida Building Code sections, and regulatory citations referenced in this article, consult the following authoritative government and code sources:

Florida State Agencies: Florida DBPR Contractor License Verification | DBPR Building Codes and Standards | Florida Building Commission.

Local Municipal & County Codes via Municode Library: Miami-Dade County Code of Ordinances | Broward County Code of Ordinances | Broward County Administrative Code | Palm Beach County Code of Ordinances.

The Refinance Trigger That Surfaces Old Permits

The refinance surfaces the old permits, with the lender's title work and the insurer's underwriting pulling the property's records, the open permits of forgotten projects appearing at the worst financial moment, and the closing that depended on clean records stalling on paperwork a previous decade left behind. The lender finds what the owner forgot. Clearing the permits first protects the closing.

The lender will find what the owner forgot. Endless Life Design clears the open permits before the refinance or sale surfaces them, with the history searched and the closures processed early. Call (305) 680-3283 before the title work finds the surprise.

Related Endless Life Design Resources

Browse our complete portfolio of licensed construction, engineering, architecture, 3D rendering, and permit expediting services across Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties: Construction Services | Commercial Construction Projects | Residential Construction Projects | Royal Palace Projects.

Request a free consultation today: Visit endlesslifedesign.com | Email endlesslifedesign@endlesslifedesign.com | Call (305) 680-3283 | Contact form.