Get an Occupant Load Certificate

Do you own a place of assembly (restaurant, bar, club, etc.) that hosts more than 50 people in one room, and need an Occupant/Occupancy Load Certificate? If you are opening a new business, renovating a business, changing a business name, and/or applying for a Certificate of Use, you will not pass your fire inspection without this certificate if applicable. Occupant loads are required for all interior assembly areas and enclosed exterior assembly areas.

NOTE: If you have been operating without an Occupancy Load Certificate, you will receive a violation and need to complete this process. Once you complete this process, your violation will be removed. 

Every room constituting an assembly occupancy, and not having fixed seats shall have the occupant load of the room posted in a conspicuous place near the main exit from. (Florida Fire Prevention Code 1:20.1.5.10.4). 

View the Florida Fire Prevention Code (Chapter 6) for a definition of what constitutes an assembly occupancy. 

Steps

Collect Documents

In order to apply for your Occupant Load Certificate, you will need:

  • PERMITTED LIFE SAFETY PLANS TO SCALE
  •  Floor plan with measurable scale for calibration. Seating and table/bar arrangements must be shown with appropriate travel paths and width measurements for the following:
    • Between seating.
    • Isle width clearances.
    • Business name and address must be documented on the plan.
    • All assembly occupancies require gross and net measurements to include measurements and square footage of each room.
    • All areas must be labeled indicating their use on the floor plan.
    • Designer/Architect to include all occupant load calculations on the plans.
    • Door measurements, stairs, and corridor widths shall be included on the plan.
    • Plans are to show all occupant load calculations for the different areas.
    • Advise of any life safety equipment, i.e. fire sprinklers, fire alarm, etc. installed.
    • Advise if Panic hardware is installed for exit doors with loads of 100 or more occupants.
    • Fire occupant loads must be included for all interior spaces and enclosed exterior spaces.
    • All assembly occupancies shall provide proof of crowd manager training per NFPA 101:12.7.6.

Apply for Certificate

Occupant Load Application

Upload Documents

You will receive an email from ePlan/ ProjectDox to proceed with uploading drawings into ProjectDox. You will need to create an account. If you need help, we have directions for submitting documents and drawings.  About ePlan. 

How to Submit Plans (Drawings) & Documents Electronically

Access ePlan/Project

Await Inspection

After your documents have been reviewed, we will reach out to schedule an inspection. 

Download Certificate

After the inspection is complete (assuming you passed), your certificate will be added to your ProjectDox folder and available for download. 

Contact Us

Phone

305-416-1668

Email

FireOccupantLoad@miamigov.com

Location

Miami
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