All Cities / Florida / Miami
How Much Does a Building Permit Cost in Miami?
✓ Fee schedule checked against city sources
Fee math from City of Miami Building Department, not a national average
Data last verified: September 27, 2026
Miami charges residential permits at 0.50% of the estimated cost, with a $110 minimum ($45 under $2,500) and a $40 application fee. A remodel takes a master permit with trade permits under it. Every permit adds State surcharges and a 5% Miami-Dade code fee, most work adds a city solid waste surcharge, and city fees for solar are waived.
Permit Cost by Project
Kitchen Remodel$563.50
Bathroom Remodel$556.50
Building Permit ($25K project)$230.25
Building Permit ($12K project)$185.90
HVAC Replacement$185.50
Deck / Patio$185.50
Electrical Panel$185.50
Fence Permit$185.50
Siding Replacement$185.50
Building Permit ($8K project)$185.50
Electrical Permit$185.50
Plumbing Permit$185.50
HVAC / Mechanical Permit$185.50
Roof Replacement$159.50
Window Replacement$159.50
View full municipal schedule (4 more items)
Water Heater$117.25
Demolition$117.25
EV Charger Installation$117.25
Solar Panel Installation$4.00
Do You Need a Permit?
No: Paint, cosmetic updates, fixture swaps
Yes: Bathroom remodel ($556.50)
Yes: Kitchen remodel ($563.50)
Yes: Roof replacement ($159.50)
Yes: HVAC replacement ($185.50)
Yes: Water heater ($117.25)
Yes: Deck / patio ($185.50)
Yes: Window replacement ($159.50)
Yes: Electrical panel ($185.50)
Yes: Solar panels ($4.00)
Verified Permit Cost by Project Type
Kitchen Remodel
$563.50
Building, Electrical, Plumbing
Bathroom Remodel
$556.50
Building, Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical
Building Permit ($25K project)
$230.25
Building
Building Permit ($12K project)
$185.90
Building
HVAC Replacement
$185.50
Mechanical
Deck / Patio
$185.50
Building
Electrical Panel
$185.50
Electrical
Fence Permit
$185.50
Building
Compare these permit costs across U.S. cities
Two Types of Permits
Miami issues building permits for structural work and separate trade permits for plumbing, electrical, HVAC, and roofing. Most remodels need both kinds. See the full breakdown of which projects need a permit and which are exempt.
Miami Permit Cost Calculator
Choose a common project or enter a project value to estimate local permit fees from City of Miami Building Department data.
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Miami calculator ready. Select a project to update the local permit estimate.
Estimated permit fee
$159.50
Updates instantly when project type or valuation changes.
✓ Verified local fee schedule
✓ Exhibit C Fee Schedule (Ord. 14456 / Resolution R-26-0200, April 23, 2026): 0.50% of estimated cost, $110.00 minimum ($45.00 under $2,500), $40.00 application fee, solid waste $0.22 per $100 ($26 min, $600 max; roofing, windows and doors, flooring and solar exempt under Sec. 10-18(b)(2)c.3); F.S. 553.721 DBPR 1% and F.S. 468.631 BCAI 1.5% of the permit fee ($2 minimum each); Miami-Dade Code Compliance (code administration) fee 5% of the permit fee (IO 4-63 V.E, eff. 2026-06-26).
Local sourceBuilt from City of Miami Building Department fee data, not a national average.
Formula-backedValuation-based projects recalculate from the local fee formula.
Bookmark friendlyThe tool lives on this city page so citations and saved links stay stable.
Miami prices a residential permit at 0.50% of the estimated construction cost, with a $110 minimum and a flat $45 below $2,500. Every permit also pays a $40 application fee, two State surcharges, a 5% Miami-Dade County code administration fee and, for most work, the City solid waste surcharge. An $8,000 job comes to $185.50 and a $25,000 job to $230.25. City permit fees for solar panels are waived. A remodel takes a master permit plus plumbing and electrical trade permits, each priced on its share of the cost: $563.50 for a $25,000 kitchen and $556.50 for a $15,000 bathroom.
How Miami Calculates Permit Fees
The City's current fee schedule (Exhibit C, adopted by Resolution R-26-0200 on April 23, 2026) charges residential building, plumbing, mechanical and electrical permits 0.50% of the estimated construction cost, labor and materials included. The minimum is $110, and improvements under $2,500 pay a flat $45. Every permit also pays a non-refundable $40 application fee.
Surcharges come on top. The State collects 1% (DBPR) and 1.5% (BCAI) of the permit fee, each with a $2 minimum. Miami-Dade County collects a code administration fee of 5% of the permit fee under its Implementing Order 4-63. The City adds a solid waste surcharge of $0.22 per $100 of construction cost, at least $26 and at most $600; roofing, windows and doors, flooring, sheds, driveways and solar panel installations are exempt from it.
The results: a $7,100 deck, $10,000 of siding or an $8,000 air conditioner replacement each pay $185.50. An $8,000 window replacement pays $159.50, since windows skip the solid waste surcharge. A $1,650 water heater pays $117.25. A re-roof on a $13,691 contract pays $159.50; the Notice of Commencement a job over $2,500 needs is recorded separately with the Clerk of Court for $10. A remodel takes a master permit plus trade permits, each charged on its own share of the cost. Split a $25,000 kitchen 60/20/20 across building, plumbing and electrical and it comes to $563.50.
Chuck's Take
"I see bids come in every week that bury the permits. In Miami every permit carries its own application fee and surcharges. If your number doesn't show a line for each permit on a full bathroom job, ask. Add the surcharges yourself. Nobody else will."
Leonard "Chuck" Thompson, LC Thompson Construction Co.
What Needs a Permit in Miami?
City Code Sec. 10-5 requires a permit to build, alter, repair, demolish or change a building and its electrical, gas, mechanical and plumbing systems, and then lists what is exempt. Building work that needs no permit: interior wallpaper, painting homes up to three stories, floor finishes, cabinets and countertops in one- and two-family homes, playground equipment, movable fixtures and partitions up to 5 feet 9 inches, and ordinary minor repairs as the Florida Building Code defines them.
Mechanical work under a contract of $2,500 or less is exempt, as is a licensed contractor's repair or replacement of a coil, compressor or refrigerant piping. Plumbing repairs by a licensed contractor up to $2,500 are exempt, and so are faucet, toilet and sink swaps in a one- or two-family home, but a water heater is not. Replacing damaged outlets, switches and breakers and installing ceiling fans are exempt electrical work. Sec. 10-5 has no fence exemption, so a new fence takes a building permit.
Penalties for Work Without a Permit in Miami
Work started before the permit is issued costs extra. On a homestead property the fee is two times the scheduled permit fee plus a $110 base fee; on any other property it is four times plus $110 (Sec. 10-18 and Exhibit C). Exhibit C also lists a $500 case initiation fee for work without a permit. A $110 permit becomes $330 on a homestead before the case fee. Pull the permit first.
How Long Is a Building Permit Good For in Miami?
A permit becomes invalid unless work starts within 180 days of issuance, and work counts as in progress only if the permit receives an approved inspection within 180 days (Sec. 10-5). The Building Official can grant written extensions of up to 180 days each for justifiable cause; Exhibit C charges $100 to extend a permit. An application with no permit issued is void 180 days after filing unless extended.
Who Pulls the Permit in Miami?
The applicant files on the Building Department's form. An employer must show proof of workers' compensation coverage under Florida Statutes 440.10 and 440.38 before a permit is issued. The safest arrangement is a contract that makes your licensed contractor responsible for every permit in their name, so inspections and code compliance stay with the people doing the work.
Chuck's Take
"Never pull the permit for a contractor. I don't care what story they give you. In Miami that means you take all the liability and they keep the license clean. Put it in the contract or walk away. Plain as that."
Leonard "Chuck" Thompson, LC Thompson Construction Co.
Miami's Solar Fee Waiver
Sec. 10-18(b)(5) waives all City building permit fees for solar panel installations, residential and commercial, and requires the City to process those applications within three business days. The waiver does not cover State or County surcharges. The State surcharges carry a $2 minimum on any permit issued, so a rooftop system filed on one electrical permit still owes $4.
The City's fee amounts now live in a schedule set by resolution rather than in the Code itself. The April 23, 2026 schedule kept the 0.50% rate, the $110 minimum and the $40 application fee.
Quick Reference · Miami Permit Requirements
| Homeowner Task | Permit? | Est. Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Paint interior / exterior | NO | Cosmetic |
| Replace flooring | NO | Cosmetic |
| Replace kitchen cabinets (same layout) | NO | Cosmetic |
| Swap a light fixture (same location) | NO | Cosmetic |
| Replace a water heater | YES | $117.25 Plumbing |
| Upgrade an electrical panel | YES | $185.50 Electrical |
| Remodel a bathroom | YES | $556.50 Building, Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical |
| Remodel a kitchen | YES | $563.50 Building, Electrical, Plumbing |
| Replace / repair roof | YES | $159.50 Building |
| Build a deck or patio | YES | $185.50 Building |
| Build a fence (≤6 ft) | YES | $185.50 Building |
| Install solar panels | YES | $4.00 Building, Electrical |
| Replace HVAC system | YES | $185.50 Mechanical |
| Replace windows (new opening) | YES | $159.50 Building |
∗ Costs are verified for Miami, FL from published fee schedule. Always confirm with your local building department.
Internal Comparison · separate trade permits
Compare Miami Permit Fees With Related Cities
Use these source-linked city pages to compare Miami against other Florida markets and cities with similar permit fee structures.
Tampa, FLSame-state Florida cityBathroom remodel permit package: $395.79 · -$160.71 vs Miami
Jacksonville, FLSame-state Florida cityBathroom remodel permit package: $372.45 · -$184.05 vs Miami
Orlando, FLSame-state Florida cityBathroom remodel permit package: $297.69 · -$258.81 vs Miami
Austin, TXAlso uses separate trade permitsBathroom remodel permit package: $540.47 · -$16.03 vs Miami
Atlanta, GAAlso uses separate trade permitsBathroom remodel permit package: $525.00 · -$31.50 vs Miami
Tucson, AZAlso uses separate trade permitsBathroom remodel permit package: $600.24 · +$43.74 vs Miami
Fort Worth, TXCross-market benchmarkBathroom remodel permit package: $525.95 · -$30.55 vs Miami
Chicago, ILCross-market benchmarkBathroom remodel permit package: $325.00 · -$231.50 vs Miami
Permit Guides
Permit Cost and Process Guides
Pricing a specific project in Miami? These guides cover what each permit runs and how the approval process actually works.
Building permit cost, every verified city ranked
How much does a building permit cost?
How long does a permit take to get?
When is a permit not required?
Deck permit cost
Roof replacement permit cost
HVAC permit cost
Kitchen remodel permit cost
Solar panel permit cost
EV charger permit cost
Do I need a permit to replace a water heater?
Do I need a permit for an electrical panel upgrade?
How to speed up a building permit
Getting an electrical permit online
What happens if you build without a permit
Before You Build
Permits are only part of the bill. See AC replacement cost data from TheFatBook, the remodeling cost index built on this same dataset.
Frequently Asked · Miami
How much does a building permit cost in Miami?
0.50% of the estimated construction cost with a $110 minimum, plus the $40 application fee and the State, County and solid waste surcharges. An $8,000 job pays $185.50 and a $25,000 job $230.25. Use the calculator on this page for your project.
Do I need a permit to replace a water heater in Miami?
Yes. Sec. 10-5 excludes water heaters from the plumbing exemptions. A $1,650 replacement pays $117.25: the $45 fee for work under $2,500, the $40 application fee, the solid waste minimum and the State and County surcharges.
Do I need a permit to build a deck in Miami?
Yes. Decks are not on the Sec. 10-5 exempt list. A $7,100 deck pays $185.50.
Do I need a permit for a fence in Miami?
Yes. Sec. 10-5 lists no fence exemption. A $5,000 fence pays $185.50.
Are building permit fees waived for solar panels in Miami?
The City's fees are. Sec. 10-18(b)(5) waives all City building permit fees for solar panel installations and requires processing within three business days. State and County surcharges still apply.
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