Plan Review

Most new buildings and remodeled areas of existing structures are required to have Accessible Buildings and Accessible Design, and handicapped parking spaces must be provided.

The 2010 ADA Standards set minimum requirements -- both scoping and technical -- for newly designed and constructed or altered state or local government facilities, public accommodations and commercial facilities to be readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities.

For more information, visit Accessible Buildings and Accessible Design.

Code Relief allows structures built without proper permits, or built with permits that are lacking mandatory inspections, into compliance with the Building Code. Construction projects must have commenced prior to March 1, 2002, to qualify for reissuance.

For more information, visit Code Relief.

The Environmental Plan Review section reviews building permits, Certificates of Use and Occupancy, and Local Business Tax applications to ensure that federal, state and County (Chapter 24 and Chapter 11C of the Miami-Dade County Code) environmental protection laws are complied with, including enforcement and compliance of federal and state delegated programs for: air, solid waste, asbestos, storage tanks, industrial waste pretreatment and sewer capacity certification (aka Allocation Program).

The Sewer Capacity Certification Letter is part of the plan review process and is issued if an increase of sanitary sewer flow is determined at the time of review. Prior to starting work, verification from the utilities serving the property and the proper building permit from Miami-Dade County is required.

Demolition and renovation projects for commercial facilities require review for asbestos and approval from Miami-Dade County. A completed Notice of Demolition or Asbestos Abatement form must be submitted to Miami-Dade County at least 10 working days prior to start of a demolition or asbestos renovation project. Miami-Dade County requires a copy of the asbestos survey report to accompany the completed Notice of Demolition for demolition projects.

Environmental Plan Review checklist forms give a general list of items required for approval of a Building Permit:

• Airport Project Environmental Plan Review Checklist
• Commercial Environmental Plan Review Checklist
• Residential Environmental Plan Review Checklist

For more information, visit the Division of Environmental Resources Management (DERM).

Find Fire Rescue Permit Forms & Checklists related to permits, fire alarms and more. 

For additional information, visit the Fire Rescue Department.

• Establish a set of guidelines to be followed for the construction of safe below grade structures
• Establish requirements for effects on adjacent structures, including monitoring movement and settlement due to vibrations
• Review the excavation method
• Review how the excavation will be supported
• Review the water sealing method of the excavation sides and bottom

• Basement: A story that is not a story above grade, as per Florida Building Code 7th Edition (2020)

• Owners, contractors, and design professionals must get familiar with these guidelines and take the necessary steps to provide the information requested herein as well as all the documents required by Florida Building Code and Miami-Dade County Code Section 8-10
• Determine the submittal sequence:
  • Soil improvement Only: Apply for a soil improvement prior to any other submittal using a permit category “99” and submit geotechnical report, deep soil mix design, if applicable, and any other pertinent information
  • Foundation Only: Apply for a foundation phase using permit category “01” (master permit issued). Submit a complete foundation design package prior to submitting the complete superstructure. Combined with the soil improvement submittal packet, unless applied for previously. The rest of the project is added to this permit using a revision application process
  • Entire project submittal: Apply for a building permit using category “01”, submit 100% construction drawings, which includes soil improvement, foundation, and superstructure

• Power lines and underground utilities, adjacent active railroad lines and existing structures near the construction site must be identified and shown on site plan with dimensions to the new construction site and edge of the excavation
• Owner/contactor must ensure that adjacent structures are not affected by excavation
• The Building Official must be notified of any damage to adjacent structures as a result of construction work
• All equipment must be used according to the manufacturers’ specifications
• A construction fence at a minimum height of 6 feet must be erected around the construction site to prevent unauthorized access
• Notifying adjacent properties: The contractor must provide written notification to adjacent properties no less than 15 days prior to commencing any excavation when the distance from an adjacent structure to the edge of the excavation is less than the three times the depth of the excavation (measure at deepest point) or 50 feet, whichever is greater

• Permit must be secured for any site work
• A preconstruction condition assessment survey of all existing structures within 50 feet of the construction site is required prior to commencing any work. Cracks, deflections, out of plumb or any other distress must be photo documented. Preconstruction survey must be performed by a third-party professional engineering firm unrelated to the contractor. A signed and sealed report must be provided at the time of permit submittal. The report must contain, in addition to other information, a site plan identifying the adjacent properties with reference to the location of the photos taken
• Installation of test piles may be allowed after written authorization from the Building Official is obtained upon submittal of the following documents:
• A signed and sealed geotechnical report
• Plans indicating the location of the test piles
• Plans must indicate the type of pile, material, diameter, reinforcement, and embedment depth
• A letter identifying the scope of work and indicating the start and end date for the installation of the test piles
• All documents must be signed and sealed by a Florida Professional Engineer

• A signed and sealed geotechnical report
• A site plan with location and extent of the proposed earthwork and excavation, including depths, existing foundation of adjacent buildings, power lines, underground utilizes, and active railroad lines potentially impacted by the excavation
• Plans must also indicate the elevation of adjacent existing footings, type of footings (shallow or piles), and horizontal distance from footings to the edge of the excavation
• Plans must include vertical and lateral support for adjacent structures closer than twice the maximum excavation depth to the edge of the excavation when the elevation of the existing foundation is at the level of the bottom of the new excavation or above. Plans shall present under pinning details, chemical grouting and/or other methods of stabilization to make sure that the load from the existing adjacent building does not apply pressure to the perimeter wall acting as retaining wall, and that the existing foundation is not affected by the excavation
• Plans showing construction methods to be used along with calculations for perimeter walls:
• Sheet-pile perimeter walls followed by a permanent cast-in-place wall and positive side waterproofing
• Continuous, interlocked, and welded-seam heavy-duty sheet piles or combi-walls (sheet piling plus vertical steel elements)
• Continuous, tangent, or secant cast in place pile walls
• Continuous, interlocked, and welded-seam heavy-duty sheet piles set into a temporary soil-mixed perimeter wall
• Soil-mixed wall followed by a permanent cast-in-place wall and positive-side waterproofing
• Diaphragm walls (known as slurry walls)
• Sheet piling with tiebacks or internal bracing

• Plans showing requirements for water sealing the bottom of the excavation. For example, deep soil mixing to obtain a soil bottom plug, also known as base seal mat, concrete slab, etc.
• Support of excavation: Drawings shall include method of support for all sides of the excavation
• Final plan indicating all grading elevations and conditions after all earthwork excavation and fill have been completed
• Drawings shall be site specific and shall include all related protection and excavation support, shoring, bracing, sheeting sloping, stepping, fences, etc. Calculations are required
• Special inspection plan for soil improvement and all earth work must be submitted
• Threshold inspection affidavit and special inspector form for soil-related work must be submitted. It must contain all inspections to be performed and the methodology to be used
• A foundation permit is required to install production piles, they may not be included with a soil improvement permit. Production piles cannot be part of the soil improvement permit, a foundation permit is required
• Soil improvement work may not commence until a permit is issued by the Building Official
• A Class V Dewatering permit may be required by DERM for any excavation

• Permanent below grade structure, walls, slabs, and foundation, including production piles, can only be installed after a foundation permit has been issued by the Building Official
• A permit for the superstructure can be submitted later as a revision to the foundation permit. A minimum level of detail of the superstructure is required at foundation permit, see Foundation Permit Guidelines
• The surcharge load for the excavation retaining wall must be considered. The surcharge load must be based on the reactions of the foundation of adjacent buildings, but never less than 250 psf
• A Special Inspection Plan must be submitted covering the entire building, foundation and superstructure. It must specify all inspections to be performed and the methodology to be used
• A threshold inspection affidavit and Special Inspector Form must be submitted covering the entire building, foundation and superstructure

• Whenever subsurface operations are conducted that may impose loads or movements on adjacent properties including but not limited to the driving of piles, compaction of soils, or soil solidification, the effects of such operations on adjacent structures must be monitored as followed:

• Vibration monitoring: A vibration monitoring plan must be presented outlining specific areas and structures to be monitored within 100 feet of construction site, including frequency of monitoring, acceptable tolerances, and reporting criteria. Vibration monitoring must be a continuous operation and remain in place until the shell of the building is completed, and no further impacts are anticipated to adjacent buildings.
  • Sheet pilings, driven pilings, auger cast pilings, deep soil mix technics, or other operations that create soils vibration shall be closely monitored with seismic accelerometers to verify the energy transmitted to nearby structures remain under 0.50 inch per second maximum particle velocity
  • Settlement monitoring of adjacent structures: Establish elevation points at strategic locations on the existing structure and monitor the vertical movement and formation of cracks periodically. Reports must be submitted to the Building Official weekly
  • Crack monitoring of adjacent structures: The formation of new cracks and the movement in visible cracks must be monitored periodically. Reports must be submitted to the Building Official weekly
  • Inspections must be conducted as required by the Florida Building Code, Miami-Dade Code Section 8-22 and approved Special Inspection Plan
  • At conclusion of construction, provide a report of the final condition of all adjacent structures being monitored

• Work to improve vertical and lateral support of existing adjacent structures is subject to Special Inspections
• Work employed to protect the sides of excavations is subject to Special Inspection
• Work employed to create the base seal mat is subject to Special Inspection
• Subgrade conditions: Existing subsurface conditions such as soil, compaction, borings, test pits, water table, etc. to better evaluate the supporting structure’s footing and foundation
• Installation of all piles, foundations, and slabs are subject to Special Inspection
• Inspections must be conducted as required by the Florida Building Code, Miami-Dade Code Section 8-22 and approved Special Inspection Plan

• Special Inspector Employment Notice
  Inspections performed by the Special Inspector hired by the owner are in addition to the mandatory inspections performed by the department.
  
  
• Special Inspector Employment Notice for Lightweight Insulating Concrete Installation
  The Miami-Dade County Building Official must be notified of the final inspection.
  
  
• Special Inspector Report - Lightweight Insulating Concrete (LWIC)
  All the LWIC installed must follow the requirements of the Florida Building Code, the LWIC Product Approval NOA and the LWIC manufacturers’ recommendations and specifications.
  
  
• Threshold (Special) Inspector Building Affidavit
  The Threshold (Special) Inspector will be responsible to the Building Official and must perform the inspections in accordance with the approved structural inspection plan and the permitted documents.
  
  
• Threshold (Special) Inspector Building Completion Statement
  By the completion of this form, the architect/engineer states that to the best of the architect's/engineer's knowledge and belief, the construction of all structural load-bearing components of the above-described project complies with the permitted documents.

Visit the Public Works Online Permit System, then create a new account or log in to your existing account to apply for a Public Works permit.

Read more information about Public Works Plan Review:

• Public Works Permits
• Inspection Requests and more
• Permit Forms/Applications/Checklists

Some common permits do not require a design professional. The guidelines below provide details for permit applicants to complete projects with applicable code requirements that must be verified before the issuance of a building permit. Review the guidelines to ensure that your permit does not need additional plan review requirements.

Residential Plan Review Guidelines

• Residential Structural Plan Review Guidelines
• Residential Building Plan Review Guidelines
• Residential Electrical Plan Review Guidelines:
  • Selective Coordination Requirements Inspection Form for Plan Review
• Residential Mechanical Plan Review Guidelines
• Residential Plumbing Plan Review Guidelines

Commercial Plan Review Guidelines

• Commercial Structural Plan Review Guidelines
• Commercial Building Plan Review Guidelines
• Commercial Electrical Plan Review Guidelines:
  • Selective Coordination Requirements Inspection Form for Plan Review
• Commercial Mechanical Plan Review Guidelines
• Commercial Plumbing Plan Review Guidelines

A. Objective:

A structural peer review is intended to provide a third-party engineering verification of the structural design of the building proposed for construction. The engineer performing the peer review shall verify conformance with the Florida Building Code (FBC), and applicable reference codes as listed within the Florida Building Code and with well-established principles of mechanics and engineering practice.

As authorized by the Florida Building Code Section 107.1, buildings or structures meeting the parameters herein will require an independent peer review analysis following these procedures.

B. Definitions and acronyms:

Building: Any structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any use or occupancy.
EOR: Engineer of Record
FBC: Florida Building Code
RER: Regulatory and Economic Resources Department of Miami-Dade (aka “Building Department”)
MWFRS: Main wind force resisting system

C. Building requiring a peer review: 

1. Buildings or structures 10 stories or higher or 100 feet, whichever is less, will require a peer review.
2. Buildings classified as Risk Category IV as defined by ASCE7 and are not low-rise buildings as defined by ASCE7.
3. Buildings with 500,000 square feet or more in gross area on any story.
4. Buildings taller than 3 stories where the MWFRS is comprise of light gage steel and/or wood framing.
5. Unusual or complex buildings or structures for which the Building Official request peer review.

D. Unusual or complex buildings and structures defined:

1. Threshold buildings or structures with unusual geometry or irregularity in spatial form.
2. Building with notable irregularities in the distribution of mass, stiffness, and geometry along the height of the building.
3. Threshold buildings with noticeable asymmetry and/or discontinuity in the MWFRS that creates considerable diaphragm rotation, where the distance from the center of rigidity to the centroid of the lateral loads exceeds 15 percent the building width measured perpendicular to the direction of the applied wind, and the fundamental natural frequency is less than 1 Hz.
4. Threshold buildings that have response characteristics making it subject to across-wind loading, vortex shedding, or instability caused by galloping or flutter; or it have a site location for which channeling effects or buffeting in the wake of upwind obstructions warrant special consideration.
5. Threshold Buildings designed with lack of redundancy and with transfer beams and transfer slabs carrying more than 3 levels.
6. Threshold buildings with non-conventional or new structural system or using new materials with mechanical properties not tabulated in the codes and their standards. 

E. Peer Reviewer Selection:

The structural peer review shall be performed by a qualified independent structural engineer who has been retained by, or on behalf of, the owner of the property. This peer reviewer engineer shall meet specific qualification requirements, including demonstrable experience in the structural design and/or peer review of structures similar in scope and complexity.

The structural peer reviewer shall provide in writing to the Building Official credentials that demonstrate specialization in the structural discipline, and experience in the design and/or review of a similar structure in size and complexity as follows:

1. Name, address, and phone number of the peer reviewer.
2. Resume or curriculum vitae of the peer reviewer.
3. A list of at least two projects of similar size and complexity to the current project where the peer reviewer has served as professional of record, structural peer reviewer, or project manager.
4. Include project name and address, and brief description of the projects.

F. Minimimum Qualifications of the structural peer reviewer:

1. Professional Engineer licensed in the State of Florida, proficient in structural design with a minimum of 5 years of experience.
2. Demonstrate experience in structural design and/or peer review of structures of similar complexity and size. 

G. Design Documents:

The peer reviewer shall be provided with a complete final signed and sealed set of structural drawings, calculations, specifications, reports, and test results. The points listed below shall be followed as minimum review criteria. If the design assumptions are not explicitly indicated on the drawings or in the computations, the structural engineer of record shall provide a letter describing these assumptions.

The peer reviewer shall also be provided with a complete signed and sealed set of final architectural and MEP drawings to be used for coordination among disciplines of subjects affecting structural
design.

H. Peer review minimum review criteria:

1. Verify that design loads meet or exceed the minimum loads specified in FBC and ASCE7.
2. Verify that all other design criteria and design assumptions satisfy the FBC, structural codes and are in accordance with generally accepted engineering practice and principles.
3. Verify that the computer model was constructed with the same design criteria as the one indicated on the drawings, that is, design loads, load combinations, material type, material strength, type of joint connections and geometric of the building.
4. Verify that the design assumptions and detailing shown on the drawings correspond with the calculations and program output submitted, examples, clear definition of members forming the
   MWFRS, moment connections in the program detailed as moment connections in the drawings.
5. Verify that the submitted calculations do not show any structural component overstressed or with excessive deflection.
6. Verify that the building and its structural components are stable and adequate at the different construction stages by performing a sequential construction analysis that matches how the building will be built.
7. Verify that the design of the foundations is in accordance with the recommendations in the geotechnical report.
8. Verify that the structure has a complete load path for gravity, lateral, and uplift loads.
9. Verify that the structural integrity provisions of the applicable codes are being implemented.
10. Verify that the structural plans are coordinated with architectural plans regarding structural components quantity, their location and special loading.
11. Verify support and attachment for all major mechanical equipment.
12. Verify that the required information to be used by the delegated engineer in his/her design is specified on the drawings.
13. Verify that the precast concrete elements to be designed by the delegated engineer are clearly defined and coordinated with the primary building structural systems.
14. Perform independent calculations for a representative fraction of the systems, members, connections and details to check their adequacy. The number of representative systems, members and details verified shall be sufficient to form a basis for the reviewer’s conclusions.
15. For demolition work: verify scope of work, demolition sequence, demolition type (explosion, implosion, mechanical, by using hand tools), shoring, capacity of structure to support equipment to perform the work, capacity of structure to support building components accumulated, capacity of structure to support itself as being dismantled, disconnection of utilities, removal of hazardous materials, crane selection and crane plans, safety related with demolition, safety of adjacent structures, impact in the neighborhood for noise, dust, vibration, traffic, etc.

I. Duties of the structural peer reviewer:

1. The peer reviewer shall review the plans, specifications, calculations, and geotechnical report submitted with the original permit application, and all subsequent revisions thereto. Said review
   Page 4 of 6 08/24R1.2 shall be for compliance with the structural design provisions of the Florida Building Code and all referenced structural codes and technical standards. Review shall include all structural systems, components and elements that form the building, from earthwork to foundation to superstructure.
2. Conduct the peer review exercising a level of skill, care, and professionalism expected from a professional engineer registered in the State of Florida.
3. Submit written comments to the engineer of record as a result of his/her review.
4. Conduct review of the revised documents responding to comments.
5. Upon satisfaction of all comments, the peer reviewer shall be provided with a copy of the latest revised set of plans and the peer reviewer shall sign, date, and stamp each structural sheet with
   the language “PEER REVIEWED in accordance with Miami-Dade County requirements for Structural Peer Review, and verified for Code Compliance”.
6. If digitally signed documents cannot be electronically stamped by the peer reviewer, the peer reviewer may provide a letter listing all documents that have been reviewed, including the name
   and date of each drawing, and the date and number of pages for the calculations.

J. Documents to be submitted by the peer reviewer:

1. Peer Reviewer shall submit a signed and sealed report to RER stating that the structural design shown on the plans, calculations and specifications generally conforms to the structural requirements of the Florida Building Code, applicable structural standard codes, and with wellestablished principles of mechanics and engineer practices.
2. The report shall include:
   1. A Peer Reviewer Statement Letter. See addendum A. The provided peer review statement language must be used, altered language will not be accepted.
   2. Signature, seal, date, and license number of the structural peer reviewer.
   3. Provide a narrative for each of the 15 items listed in “H” above for the “Peer reviewer minimum review criteria” and shall demonstrate positive results in each. Follow the
      format provided in the sample “Peer Review Report” template available separately.
   4. FBC edition and standards codes used in the structural design.
   5. The structural design criteria, including loads and performance requirements.
   6. The basis for design criteria that are not specified directly in applicable codes and standards. This should include reports by specialty consultants such as wind tunnel study reports and geotechnical reports. Generally, the report should confirm that existing conditions at the site have been investigated as appropriate and that the design of the proposed structure is in general conformance with these conditions.
   7. List of approved structural sheets with number/date of latest approved revisions, and
      number of pages for the calculations
3. Provide a letter attesting general completeness and conformance of the structural design documents.

K. Engineer of Record (EOR):

1. The EOR shall provide a complete signed and sealed set of structural drawings, specifications, calculations, reports, and test results to the structural peer reviewer.
2. The EOR must revise the structural permit drawings and calculations or provide additional information to address each comment made by the peer reviewer. The EOR must provide a letter detailing the response to each comment.
3. After all peer reviewer’ comments have been addressed, the EOR must provide a clean copy of the latest revised permit documents to the peer reviewer.
4. The structural engineer of record shall retain sole responsibility for the structural design. The reviews and reports of the peer reviewer shall not relieve the structural engineer of record of
   this responsibility.

L. Submittal for Permitting:

1. The documents reviewed by the peer reviewer are the ones that shall be submitted for permit, they all shall be marked “PEER REVIEWED…” as indicated in “Duties of the structural peer reviewer” section above.
2. Submittal for permitting to RER shall include comments from peer reviewer and responses by the EOR.
3. Final report from the peer reviewer shall be included in the submittal.
4. If digitally signed documents cannot be stamped, the peer reviewer shall provide a letter listing all documents that have been reviewed, including the name and date of each drawing and the
   date and number of pages for the calculations.

M. Phased construction submission:

Three construction phases are recognized by our department:

1. Soil improvement
2. Foundation (up to grade slab)
3. Superstructure (vertical construction above grade slab)

Application submitted in phases shall have a structural peer review and report phase as well, that is, a review and report for each phase. The peer reviewer shall be provided with sufficient information upon which to perform a structural peer review for the phased submission.

N. Additional requirements:

1. Nothing in this procedure is intended to limit the authority of the Building Official.
2. The building official reserves the right to amend these procedures.
3. The structural peer reviewer will perform the review and work with the owner and the licensed professional of record to resolve all issues raised by the review prior to submitting for permit.
4. Approval from the peer reviewer does not mean exempt from additional Building Department structural section review.
5. The permit applicant is responsible for the entire cost of the structural peer review.
6. The use of a structural peer reviewer has no effect on the building permit fees or supplant the inspection process.
7. A review fee applies to the review and approval process of the peer reviewer.
8. The peer reviewer must not have any involvement in the design of the project.
9. The peer reviewer must not have any financial interest in the project other than compensation
   for his/her services as a peer reviewer.
10. The peer reviewer could be terminated for failing to perform his/her duties specified in these
    procedures.
11. Substitution of the peer reviewer must be approved by the building official.

O. Private Providers:

1. When plan reviews are performed by a private provider, the engineer of record and the peer review engineer must be working together before the final plan documents are ready for review
   by the private provider. The private provider should only be reviewing the latest plans prepared after the peer review comments have been addressed.
2. The Peer review report will remain under the purview of the building official or his/her designee.

The Zoning Plan Review Section works closely with Public Works and Waste Management to determine if road right-of-way dedications have been completed and whether the site complies with platting requirements.

This section also reviews zoning hearing and administrative variance files, administrative site plans, as well as restrictive covenants that pertain to the site to determine compliance with plans submitted for permitting. Building permit construction plans are reviewed for compliance using Chapter 33 (Zoning Code of Miami-Dade County).

Of major concern are setbacks to property lines, lot coverage, floor area ratio, number of stories, height of buildings, parking spaces, permitted uses in each zoning classification and compliance with Chapter 18A (Landscaping Code).

The Zoning Plans Review Section makes use of numerous forms and checklists that may be required as part of the plan review and approval process.

Zoning Plan Review guidelines provide a general list of items required for approval of a Building Permit:

• Commercial Zoning Plan Review Checklist
• Residential Zoning Plan Review Checklist

For more information, visit the Development Services Division.