Restaurant Construction Permits Across Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties 2026: A Florida Building Code Reference Guide

Index

1. Florida Building Code Framework for Restaurant Construction

2. State-Level Licensing and Pre-Construction Approvals

3. Miami-Dade County Restaurant Permitting Process

4. Broward County Restaurant Permitting Process

5. Palm Beach County Restaurant Permitting Process

6. Sub-Permits Required for Restaurant Construction

7. Accessibility Requirements for Restaurants

8. Common Causes of Restaurant Permit Denial and Inspection Failure

9. Timeline and Cost Expectations

10. Endless Life Design Commercial Restaurant Construction Services

Opening a restaurant in South Florida demands a level of permitting rigor that few business owners anticipate before the first set of architectural plans is drafted. Restaurants occupy one of the most heavily regulated occupancy classifications under the Florida Building Code, intersect with multiple state and county health authorities, and require coordinated sub-permits across mechanical, plumbing, electrical, and fire suppression trades. This reference guide consolidates the permit landscape across Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties for restaurant construction projects executed in 2026 under the Florida Building Code, 8th Edition (2023).

The information that follows is intended for restaurateurs, developers, property owners, and design professionals planning new restaurant construction, complete interior build-outs in existing shell spaces, conversion of non-food-service properties to restaurant use, and major remodels of operating restaurants. The scope covers full-service restaurants, quick-service establishments, ghost kitchens, food halls with shared kitchens, and bar-restaurant hybrids where the food service component dictates the predominant occupancy classification.

Florida Building Code Framework for Restaurant Construction

Restaurants in the Florida Building Code are classified under the International Building Code occupancy group framework adopted by Florida. A restaurant with an occupant load of 50 or more is classified as Group A-2 Assembly use, the same classification governing nightclubs, banquet halls, and taverns. Restaurants with an occupant load below 50 may classify as Group B Business use under the small assembly exception of FBC Section 303.1.2. The classification determines fire-resistive construction requirements, means of egress provisions under Chapter 10, plumbing fixture counts under the Florida Plumbing Code, mechanical ventilation under the Florida Mechanical Code, and accessibility provisions under FBC Chapter 11.

Miami-Dade and Broward Counties are designated High Velocity Hurricane Zones under FBC Section 1620. Every exterior building component, including storefront systems, exterior doors, signage, exterior light fixtures, rooftop mechanical equipment, exhaust hoods penetrating the roof, and all roofing assemblies, must satisfy HVHZ product approval requirements and be installed in strict accordance with the Notice of Acceptance documentation for each product. Palm Beach County is designated a Wind-Borne Debris Region under FBC Section 1609.2, requiring impact-resistant or shuttered openings, but is not subject to the full HVHZ product approval regime.

Restaurant build-outs intersect with FBC Chapter 11 accessibility requirements at every door threshold, restroom configuration, dining area aisle width, service counter height, and parking lot path of travel. The Florida Accessibility Code for Building Construction, which incorporates the 2010 ADA Standards by reference and adds Florida-specific provisions, governs every public-facing element of the restaurant.

State-Level Licensing and Pre-Construction Approvals

Before any county-level construction permit is issued, the restaurant project must satisfy three parallel state-level approval tracks. The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Hotels and Restaurants, must review and approve the plans for any public food service establishment under Florida Administrative Code Chapter 61C-4. The DBPR plan review evaluates kitchen layout, equipment specifications, finish materials, water supply, waste disposal, and ventilation. The plan review fee is assessed based on project type and seating capacity, and the review timeline ranges from two to six weeks depending on submission volume.

The Florida Department of Health, through the county health department, reviews and approves the food service permit application separately for establishments that fall under DOH jurisdiction rather than DBPR. The jurisdictional split is determined by the type of establishment and the nature of the food preparation. Most full-service restaurants fall under DBPR, while certain institutional and limited food operations fall under DOH.

If alcoholic beverages will be served, a separate license application to the Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco is required. The license category, quota restrictions, distance separation requirements from churches and schools, and local zoning concurrence must all be addressed in parallel with the construction permit. The DABT license is independent of the construction permit but cannot be exercised until the certificate of occupancy is issued.

Miami-Dade County Restaurant Permitting Process

Restaurant construction in unincorporated Miami-Dade County is permitted through the Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources, Building Department, via the EPS Portal. Projects located within the 34 incorporated municipalities, including the City of Miami, City of Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Aventura, Doral, Pinecrest, Sunny Isles Beach, and Bal Harbour, are permitted through the respective municipal building department. Each municipality maintains its own permit fee schedule, plan review timeline, and submission requirements layered over the countywide and statewide code framework.

The Miami-Dade Department of Environmental Resources Management exercises concurrent review authority over restaurant projects through several program areas. The DERM Wastewater Division reviews grease interceptor sizing and installation under Chapter 24 of the Miami-Dade County Code, requires a Fats, Oils, and Grease control program enrollment, and inspects the grease interceptor before and after installation. The DERM Air Quality Division reviews exhaust hood and grease duct discharge points for compliance with air quality regulations. The DERM Plan Review Section evaluates the project for stormwater management, hazardous materials storage, and impact on adjacent sensitive lands.

The Miami-Dade restaurant permit package typically includes the master building permit, the mechanical sub-permit for the kitchen exhaust hood and the rooftop or wall-mounted exhaust fan, the plumbing sub-permit for grease interceptor and fixtures, the electrical sub-permit for the kitchen equipment circuits and emergency lighting, the fire sub-permit for the kitchen suppression system and the building fire alarm modifications, and the sign permit. Master permit fees in Miami-Dade scale with valuation, and sub-permit fees are assessed independently per trade.

Broward County Restaurant Permitting Process

Restaurant projects in Broward County are permitted through the Broward County Building Code Services Division for unincorporated areas, and through the respective municipal building department for projects in any of the 31 incorporated jurisdictions, including Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Pompano Beach, Coral Springs, Weston, Pembroke Pines, Davie, Plantation, and Sunrise. The Broward County ePermits OneStop portal supports application submission and tracking for unincorporated jurisdiction projects, while municipal portals vary in capability.

The Florida Department of Health in Broward County performs the local plan review and food service inspection for non-DBPR establishments. The Broward County Pollution Prevention, Remediation, and Air Quality Division reviews restaurants for hazardous materials, grease management, and air emissions when applicable. Broward enforces a 180-day permit application validity rule: applications that remain inactive for more than 180 days expire and require resubmission with refreshed plans and refreshed fees.

Broward County applies an after-the-fact permit fee structure with doubled permit fees when construction work commences before the permit is issued. Restaurant projects that proceed with kitchen demolition or rough-in work before the permit is issued routinely encounter five-figure penalty assessments in addition to stop-work orders and code enforcement liens.

Palm Beach County Restaurant Permitting Process

Restaurant projects in unincorporated Palm Beach County are permitted through the Palm Beach County Planning, Zoning and Building Department via the ePZB portal. Projects in incorporated jurisdictions, including Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, West Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, Wellington, and the Town of Palm Beach, are permitted through the respective municipal building department.

Palm Beach County categorizes permit applications by complexity Types 1 through 7, with restaurants generally falling within Types 3 through 5 depending on scope. The Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County conducts plan review and inspection for food service establishments under DOH jurisdiction. The Palm Beach County Health Department also enforces well and septic regulations for restaurants outside the county sewer service area, a consideration most relevant for projects in the western and agricultural reserve portions of the county.

Palm Beach County applies a Notice of Commencement recording requirement under Florida Statute 713 for any permit with a contract value of $5,000 or more, which is virtually every commercial restaurant project. The Notice of Commencement must be recorded at the Clerk of the Circuit Court and a certified copy posted at the job site before the first inspection.

Sub-Permits Required for Restaurant Construction

Restaurant construction triggers more sub-permits than any other commercial occupancy short of healthcare. The mechanical sub-permit governs the Type I commercial kitchen exhaust hood under FBC Mechanical Chapter 5 and NFPA 96, the grease duct system from the hood to the discharge point, the make-up air system, the rooftop or wall-mounted exhaust fan, and the dining area HVAC system. The exhaust hood and grease duct require fire-rated enclosure when penetrating concealed spaces, and the discharge point must satisfy clearance requirements from operable openings, property lines, and air intakes.

The plumbing sub-permit governs the grease interceptor, often called a grease trap, sized in accordance with the Florida Plumbing Code and the local jurisdiction's grease control ordinance. Miami-Dade DERM requires a specific calculation methodology based on fixture count and seating, and grease interceptors must be located outside the building in most cases. The plumbing sub-permit also covers all kitchen sinks, three-compartment ware-wash sinks, hand-wash sinks at every prep station, mop sinks, restrooms, water softener if applicable, and backflow prevention assemblies.

The electrical sub-permit covers the dedicated circuits for every major piece of kitchen equipment, the panel upgrade if required, the emergency egress lighting, the exit signs, the fire alarm circuits, the kitchen equipment shunt-trip arrangement that automatically shuts down equipment when the suppression system discharges, the exterior lighting, and the sign circuits. The fire sub-permit covers the wet-chemical kitchen suppression system over the hood, the building fire alarm modifications including new pull stations, smoke detectors, and audible appliances, and the fire sprinkler modifications when required by occupancy load or building size.

The sign permit is processed separately by virtually every South Florida jurisdiction and is subject to local sign ordinance restrictions on size, illumination, height, and projection. Sign permits in HVHZ jurisdictions require structural engineering and Notice of Acceptance documentation for the sign cabinet, mounting hardware, and electrical components.

Accessibility Requirements for Restaurants

Restaurants are public accommodations under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act and are subject to the full scope of the 2010 ADA Standards as incorporated by the Florida Accessibility Code. The accessible route from the parking area to the dining room cannot exceed a 1:20 running slope without becoming a ramp subject to ramp requirements. At least one accessible entrance must be provided, and where multiple entrances exist the accessible entrance must be marked with the International Symbol of Accessibility.

Dining areas must provide at least 5 percent accessible seating distributed throughout the dining room rather than clustered in one location. Service counters must include an accessible portion no higher than 36 inches with a writing surface or transaction area. Bar service counters require an accessible portion or an equivalent accessible service area at a separate location. Restrooms must satisfy clear floor space, grab bar placement, lavatory height, mirror placement, and door opening force requirements for every fixture and accessory.

Common Causes of Restaurant Permit Denial and Inspection Failure

The most frequent cause of restaurant permit denial in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach is incomplete or undersized grease interceptor specifications. Each county applies its own sizing formula, and the calculation must be shown on the plumbing plans with the supporting fixture count and seating data. The second most frequent cause is inadequate make-up air for the kitchen exhaust system, which must be balanced with the exhaust airflow to within tolerances specified by FBC Mechanical Chapter 5.

Other common denial causes include inadequate exit width for the Group A-2 occupant load, missing or undersized backflow preventer at the building water service, inadequate fire separation between kitchen and dining areas when required by occupancy classification, exhaust duct routing through unrated assemblies, sign permit submitted without structural engineering for the HVHZ wind load, and accessible route violations at the front entrance threshold or interior path of travel.

Timeline and Cost Expectations

A typical restaurant build-out in Miami-Dade or Broward County requires four to eight weeks for state DBPR plan review, six to twelve weeks for county and municipal building permit issuance once the DBPR approval is in hand, and an additional two to four weeks for the sign permit and any zoning variance or special exception. Palm Beach County timelines are generally one to three weeks shorter at the building department level. Construction itself ranges from four to nine months depending on the scope, the condition of the existing shell, and the lead time for major kitchen equipment.

Permit fees for a mid-sized restaurant in the 3,000 to 5,000 square foot range typically total between $8,000 and $25,000 across the master permit, sub-permits, and impact fees, varying significantly by jurisdiction and project valuation. The DBPR plan review fee is additional and is set by statute. The sign permit fee is separate and includes a structural review surcharge in HVHZ jurisdictions.

Endless Life Design Commercial Restaurant Construction Services

Endless Life Design is a licensed Florida general contractor based in Boca Raton serving restaurant clients across Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties. Endless Life Design coordinates the full permitting path from concept to certificate of occupancy under one accountable point of contact.

PREPARING LICENSED ARCHITECTURAL CONSTRUCTION PLANS FOR RESTAURANT BUILD-OUTS.

PREPARING SEALED ENGINEERING STRUCTURAL, MECHANICAL, ELECTRICAL, AND PLUMBING DRAWINGS.

PREPARING COMMERCIAL KITCHEN LAYOUTS COMPLIANT WITH FBC, NFPA 96, AND DBPR REQUIREMENTS.

PREPARING AND SUBMITTING DBPR DIVISION OF HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS PLAN REVIEW APPLICATIONS.

PREPARING AND SUBMITTING MIAMI-DADE, BROWARD, AND PALM BEACH MASTER AND SUB-PERMIT APPLICATIONS.

COORDINATING DERM, COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AND DABT LIQUOR LICENSE TRACKS.

MANAGING ALL TRADE INSPECTIONS THROUGH CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY.

DELIVERING 3D INTERIOR DESIGN RENDERINGS AND FINISH SPECIFICATIONS FOR DINING ROOM, BAR, AND BACK-OF-HOUSE AREAS.

For restaurant projects in South Florida, contact Endless Life Design at (305) 680-3283 or visit endlesslifedesign.com.