🪟 How to Get a Window Permit in Miami (The Right Way, Without Losing Your Mind)

If you're planning to replace or install windows in Miami, you’ve probably heard that you need a permit.
Yes, even for something as “simple” as windows, Miami-Dade and nearby cities take it seriously — especially because we live in a High Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ).

And honestly? They’re right to.
When a Category 5 hurricane hits, your windows are your first line of defense.

In this guide, I'll walk you through exactly how the window permitting process works — step-by-step, technically accurate, and easy to follow — whether you’re hiring a contractor or pulling the permit yourself as an Owner-Builder.

Let’s dive in. 🏊‍♂️

Step 1: Find Out Your Municipality

Before anything else, you need to know which building department you're dealing with.

Miami-Dade County alone has 30+ cities (Coral Gables, Doral, Miami Beach, etc.), each with their own rules, portals, and paperwork.

• Check your address on the Miami-Dade Property Appraiser’s site.

• It will tell you whether you're in a city or in unincorporated county land.

🔔 Reminder:
If you’re in a city (like Coral Gables), you apply with that city.
If you’re unincorporated, you apply with Miami-Dade County directly.

Step 2: Gather Your Documents

Here’s what almost every jurisdiction will require you to submit:

• ✅ Permit application (signed, notarized if needed)

• ✅ Contractor license + insurance proof (or Owner-Builder affidavit if you’re doing it yourself)

• ✅ Florida Product Approvals (NOAs) for each window/door

• ✅ Wind pressure calculations (either from Miami-Dade’s tables or signed and sealed by an engineer)

• ✅ Basic floor plan with annotations

• ✅ Notice of Commencement (NOC) if project is over $5,000

• ✅ Two copies of each NOA document (with proper annotations)

And you’ll want to bundle all of this into a single PDF to submit online or in-person.

Step 3: Know Your Options for Wind Load Pressures

One of the most critical parts of the application is proving your windows can handle hurricane winds.

You have two options:

1. Use the official Miami-Dade Wind Load Tables

   • For 1-story or 2-story buildings with a mean roof height under 30 ft, you can use this official wind load table.

   • These tables give the required positive and negative pressures based on your exposure (B, C, or D), roof height, and Risk Category.

2. Provide signed and sealed ASCE 7 calculations

   • If your building is more complex or taller, you (or your contractor) will need to hire a structural engineer to calculate site-specific wind pressures under ASCE 7 standards.

   • These must be signed and sealed by a Florida licensed engineer.

Step 4: Calculate Zone 4 vs Zone 5 for Each Window

Not all windows are treated the same!
Windows near the edges or corners of a building face much harsher wind pressures.

You have to determine which "zone" each window falls into:

• Zone 4: Interior areas of walls.

• Zone 5: Edge areas of walls (subject to more intense wind loads).

How to Calculate Zone 5 Edge Distance ("a")

You must first calculate a special distance from each wall edge, called "a", using this rule:

• "a" = 10% of the least horizontal dimension of the building, or 0.4 × mean roof height, whichever is smaller,

• But "a" must not be less than:

  • 4% of the least horizontal dimension OR

  • 3 feet (0.9 meters),
    whichever is greater.

Once you know "a":

• Any window located within "a" from an edge (interior angles < 135°) is considered Zone 5.

• Windows located more than "a" away from all edges are Zone 4.

Step 5: Annotate Your Product Approvals (NOAs)

Every window and door product you use must have an official Florida Product Approval (FL#) or a Miami-Dade NOA.

When submitting, you can’t just attach the NOA.
You must annotate it carefully:

• Circle the specific system/model you are installing.

• Highlight the glass types, anchoring systems, and frame options being used.

• Highlight the tested design pressures (positive and negative) — for the correct size and anchor configuration.

You will later compare these pressures to your required building pressures.

⚡ Important:
The maximum and minimum design pressures from the NOA must be greater in magnitude than the required building pressures you calculated from the tables or engineer report.

Step 6: Create Your Basic Floor Plan

You’ll need a simple but clear floor plan that shows:

• The shape of the building (a simple outline is fine)

• Each window clearly marked

• Next to each window:

  • Florida Product Approval number (FL# or NOA#)

  • Zone (4 or 5)

  • Required pressures (from Miami-Dade tables or engineer)

  • Tested pressures (from NOA)

This helps plan reviewers verify that every window meets or exceeds code requirements.

Pro tip:
Use a ruler, clean lines, and legible writing — messy plans are the #1 reason for rejections!

Step 7: File Your Notice of Commencement (NOC)

If your window project is valued at $5,000 or more (which almost all are), Florida law requires you to prepare and record a Notice of Commencement (NOC).

Here’s exactly what you have to do:

1. Fill out the NOC form — you can usually download it from your city or county building department’s website.

2. Get it notarized.

3. Record the NOC with the Clerk of the Courts.

   • In Miami-Dade, you can record it online through the Clerk of Courts eRecording Portal or by visiting in person.

4. You must also provide it at the first inspection. Failure to record the NOC properly can cause serious headaches:

   • Delayed inspections

   • Potential fines

   • Even having to start parts of the process over again

Step 8: Bundle and Submit Your Package

Before submitting, double-check that your package includes:

• 📝 Signed, notarized application

• 🛡️ Contractor license and insurance (or Owner-Builder affidavit)

• 📈 Wind pressure tables or signed and sealed engineering report

• 🏠 Floor plan showing all windows and key data

• 📄 Two copies of each annotated NOA/FL Approval

• 📜 Notice of Commencement (if over $5,000 project value)

Bundle everything into a single PDF, keeping document pages in a logical order.

Submit it through your city’s portal or drop it off if they still use in-person systems.

Step 9: Don’t Forget About the Owner-Builder Option

If you’re pulling the permit yourself (not using a contractor), you must also submit an Owner-Builder Affidavit.

This form:

• Swears that you’re the property owner

• States that you accept full responsibility for the construction work

• Requires you to meet all code requirements yourself

⚠️ Heads up:

• Some jurisdictions (like City of Miami) require an in-person notarized affidavit.

• You often need to be present during inspections if you're an Owner-Builder.

🚀 How Ymbia Makes It 10x Easier

Instead of struggling through this maze yourself, Ymbia helps you:

✅ Auto-calculate your Zone 4/Zone 5 edges
✅ Match your products and pressures to the correct windows
✅ Create your annotated floor plan automatically
✅ Generate your complete permit package PDF
✅ Get fast tracked at our allied municipalities

Get started today! Book a call with us!

Final Thoughts

Miami’s window permit process is strict because it has to be — lives depend on it.
But with a little prep (and the right tools), you can get it done without pulling your hair out.

Good luck — and here’s to a safe, hurricane-ready home! 🌀🏠