Miami-Dade Roof Permit Guide

Updated November 2026 · By the Miami Exterior Solutions team

In Miami-Dade County almost every roof replacement, and most roof repairs beyond minor maintenance, need a building permit. The permit makes sure the new roof meets the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ) provisions of the Florida Building Code, which are the strictest in the state.

Who issues the permit

Your permit comes from the building department of the city where the home is located: for example the City of Miami, Hialeah, Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Doral or Homestead. Homes in unincorporated Miami-Dade get permits from the Miami-Dade County building department. Most departments accept applications online.

Who pulls the permit

A licensed roofing contractor (or a certified general, building or residential contractor) normally applies for the permit and schedules the inspections. A contractor who asks you to pull the permit is a warning sign: the permit holder is responsible for the work. Check any roofer’s license on our Miami-Dade roofers page or on the Florida DBPR license lookup.

Florida’s owner-builder exemption lets a homeowner pull their own permit for their own home, but they must personally do or directly supervise the work, sign a disclosure statement, and generally can’t sell or rent the home within a year. Anyone they hire still needs to be licensed.

What the application includes

• A roofing permit application describing the roof system, slope and area.
• The Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA) or Florida Product Approval for each product: underlayment, roof covering and sometimes the adhesive or fasteners.
• For tile roofs, uplift calculations, and for a switch to a heavier material, possibly an engineer’s letter on the structure.
• The contractor’s license and insurance information.

Inspections during a re-roof

Inspection names vary slightly by city, but a typical Miami-Dade re-roof is inspected in stages:

• Deck / sheathing inspection after tear-off and re-nailing, before the underlayment covers it.
• Underlayment (dry-in) inspection once the secondary water barrier is installed.
• In-progress inspection for tile or metal roofs, checking attachment while the roof goes on.
• Final inspection when the job is complete. Don’t make the final payment until it passes.

The 25% rule

For years, Florida required a full roof replacement when more than 25% of a roof was repaired or replaced within 12 months. A 2022 change to state law means that roofs built or replaced under the 2007 Florida Building Code or later can usually have only the damaged part repaired to current code. Older roofs can still trigger a full replacement. Because the HVHZ has its own provisions, confirm with your contractor or building department how it applies to your roof.

How long it takes and what it costs

Permit fees are set by each city and the county and usually depend on the roof area or job value. Approval can take from a few days to several weeks depending on the department’s workload. Most roofers build the fees into their price; see our roof replacement cost guide for full price ranges.

Prices are typical ranges for Miami-Dade and are for planning only. They are not quotes. Rules and programs change; confirm details with your contractor, building department or insurer.