About the Building Department
The Building Department enforces codes and regulations established by the State of Florida and Miami-Dade County governing the construction, alteration, and maintenance of buildings and structures within the City of Miami for the protection of residents and property.
The department's staff reviews applications and issues building permits for the construction of new buildings and structures and for the alteration of existing ones. The staff performs inspections as construction progresses to verify compliance with the applicable construction codes and regulations. The Department also investigates complaints, enforces the correction of building code violations related to new and existing buildings, enforces local regulations related to unsafe structures, and reviews the proposed construction products used for the protection of the building envelope to ensure that required standards within the manufacturing industry are maintained through a comprehensive quality assurance program, as well as administers the local contractor trade licensing process, promotes adherence to contractor regulations and investigated unlicensed contractor activity.
The primary customers of the Building Department are property owners, homeowners’ associations, real estate developers, other City departments and the building construction industry at large. The Building Department accomplishes these functions through these divisions:
Administration / Office of the Director
Directs, administers and manages departmental activities and professional or technical employees engaged in providing interpretations and enforcement of the Florida Building Code, develops and formulates policies and procedures, the departmental budget, and short and long-range plans. Prepares and implements the departmental budget, monitors revenue, personnel activities and the issuance of all certificates; performs routine clerical duties, and legislative packages as required.
Plans Review & Inspection Division
Assists homeowners and contractors with the permits and plans review process; establishes procedures and guidelines to expedite the plans review process and supervises the organization and coordination of the plans review process of all sections to ensure they are completed in a timely manner. Conducts field inspections of new construction, remodeling, repairs and condemnation and possession of permits; checks for conformity with the Florida Building Code and Miami-Dade County Code and approved plans and specification requirements; outlines plans and procedures for carrying out of inspection activities affecting installations, materials and appliances.
Permits & Records Division
Issues permits; collects fees and records it in a computerized system; performs data entry; assists callers and monitors message center; returns calls and distributes messages as needed; reviews and prepares documents for digitizing, reviews a variety of permit documents for accuracy and legibility, and maintains electronic files. Conducts research on record requests received from the general public; coordinates the digitizing of records to comply with State of Florida Public Records requirements; maintains control of all records; enters and retrieves information from the filing system.
Unsafe Structures Section
Enforces state and local codes and regulations governing buildings and structures that are, or hereafter shall become, unsafe and/or unsanitary; and dilapidated facilities; incomplete buildings commenced without a permit or for which the permit has expired; completed buildings commenced without a permit; buildings which meet the physical criteria of unsafe structures; swimming pools that contain stagnant water; buildings or structures subject to the recertification requirements of 40-year recertification; and those that present an unsafe or hazardous condition; and, presents cases to the Unsafe Structures Panel (twice per month), issues fines, and has the authority to vacate: Buildings that have been completed unpermitted, or for which permits have expired; existing buildings found in a dilapidated state or buildings that meet the physical criteria of unsafe structures, as set forth in Chapter 10-101 of the City of Miami Code or Chapter 8-5 of the Miami-Dade County Code; that present a danger to human life and the public welfare, or which constitute a fire or windstorm hazard; and, seeks the demolition of such structures after due process warnings. Unsafe Structures manages the 40-year Recertification Program required under the Miami- Dade County ordinance.