Direct answer
A code-violation notice in Broward County is handled by the government that issued it. In most of the county, that is the city’s code compliance division. In the Broward Municipal Services District, Broward County handles code enforcement. The usual path is to read the notice, confirm the property and the cited issue, correct the problem or apply for any permit the work requires, and then ask the issuing office to reinspect or otherwise close the case. If the issue is not corrected by the deadline on the notice, Florida’s local code-enforcement law allows the case to go to a code-enforcement board or special magistrate, where fines and, later, a recorded lien may follow. This is general information, not legal advice.
Disclaimer
This article is general information about permitting and code-enforcement processes. It is not legal advice, not a substitute for advice from a Florida-licensed attorney, and not a guarantee of any result, timeline, or fee. Permit Busters, LLC is not a law firm and does not appear as your legal representative. Building and code rules vary by county and municipality and can change. Confirm current requirements, forms, and fees with the building or code office that has jurisdiction over the property, and consult a Florida attorney and, where construction work is required, a Florida-licensed contractor.
Este artículo es información general sobre procesos de permisos y cumplimiento del código. No es asesoramiento legal, no sustituye el consejo de un abogado con licencia en Florida y no garantiza un resultado, un plazo ni un costo. Permit Busters, LLC no es un bufete de abogados y no comparece como su representante legal. Las normas de construcción y de código varían según el condado y el municipio y pueden cambiar. Confirme los requisitos, formularios y tarifas vigentes con la oficina de construcción o de código que tenga jurisdicción sobre la propiedad, y consulte a un abogado de Florida y, cuando se requiera obra, a un contratista con licencia en Florida.
Who issues Broward code notices
Broward is a county of many cities, and code compliance is mostly a city function. A notice from Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Pembroke Pines, Coral Springs, Pompano Beach, or another municipality should be handled with that city. Do not mail a city notice to the County and assume the file will move.
Broward County’s Building Code Division provides code compliance and enforcement for the Broward Municipal Services District and for Fort Lauderdale International Airport, along with its other county roles. If the notice came from the County and the property is in the Municipal Services District, start with the County contacts printed on the notice.
The notice itself is the best guide to the issuing office, the case number, the inspector or case manager, and the compliance date. If those items are unclear, call the phone number on the notice before the deadline passes.
How Florida’s code-enforcement process works
Florida Statutes Chapter 162 sets the framework most cities and counties use, whether the hearing officer is called a code-enforcement board or a special magistrate.
Under section 162.06, a code inspector who finds a violation is generally required to notify the violator and give a reasonable time to correct it. If the violation continues past that time, section 162.06(2) directs the inspector to notify the enforcement board and request a hearing. The case may still be presented even if the violation is corrected after the deadline and before the hearing. Repeat violations, and conditions that present a serious threat to public health, safety, and welfare or that are irreparable or irreversible, can move to a hearing on a shorter path.
If an order is not complied with, or if a repeat violation is found, section 162.09 allows the board or special magistrate to impose a daily fine and, in some cases, repair costs. A certified copy of an order imposing a fine may be recorded and then constitutes a lien against the property and against other property the violator owns. The statute sets default fine caps and also allows larger local governments to adopt higher caps by ordinance. The amount that applies is the amount in the local code and in any order that is issued.
If you transfer the property while it is the subject of a proceeding before a board, special magistrate, or court, section 162.06(5) imposes specific written-disclosure and notice-of-transfer duties during the window that statute describes (after the initial pleading is served and before the hearing). See Selling a Florida Home With Open or Expired Permits and ask a Florida attorney how that statute applies to your notice.
Step-by-step: what to do after you receive a Broward notice
- Read the entire notice. Note the case number, the property address, the code section, the description of the issue, the compliance date, and whether a hearing is already scheduled. Keep the envelope and every page.
- Confirm the issuing agency. City notices go back to that city. County Municipal Services District notices go back to the County. If the notice involves building work, the building department and the code-compliance office may both have a role.
- Look at the property and the records. The issue may be overgrown grass, trash, a zoning use problem, or building work. If the notice cites work without a permit, an expired permit, or a failed inspection, search the building records as well. The path may include a new permit, a closeout, or an after-the-fact review. See How to Close an Expired Permit in Broward County and How to Legalize Unpermitted Work in South Florida.
- Correct what you can, and apply for what you cannot finish without approval. Some items can be corrected immediately. Building work usually cannot be “just finished” without the department’s permit process. Do not ignore a stop-work order.
- Contact the inspector or case manager before the deadline if you need a status update or if a permit application is already in review. The notice, not a general website, has the right person to call.
- Request the follow-up inspection or written closeout. When the work is done, or when the permit is issued and inspections are complete, ask the issuing office how to get the case marked in compliance. Save that written confirmation.
- If a hearing is scheduled, read the hearing instructions. You may be able to show that the property is now in compliance, or you may need to present documents about a pending permit. Permit Busters can help prepare documents the department or hearing office asks for, such as permit histories, applications, and inspection records. That is document preparation only, not attorney work and not a substitute for legal advice. We do not appear at the hearing as your representative or argue legal defenses for you. An owner may generally appear on his or her own behalf; whether anyone else may speak for you depends on that board’s or magistrate’s rules. If you want legal counsel or a representative at the hearing, hire a Florida attorney.
HOA or condo approval, if the property has an association, is separate from the city or County case and remains the owner’s responsibility.
City pages and related services
For city-specific context, start with Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Pembroke Pines, Coral Springs, Pompano Beach, Plantation, Sunrise, Davie, Miramar, and Hallandale Beach. The service page is code-violation resolution. If the notice is only an open permit with no code case, use permit closeout.
Get help with a Broward code notice
Permit Busters, LLC helps property owners and contractors read Broward city and County notices, determine whether a permit or closeout is required, and prepare the applications and supporting documents the department asks for.
Call (954) 616-5823, email info@permitbusters.com, or book an appointment. We are in Lauderhill, FL 33351. Hours are Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM.
FAQ
How do I find out who called in a complaint to code enforcement about work done without a permit?
Ask the issuing code-compliance office what it will release. Florida Statutes section 162.06(1)(b) generally says a code inspector may not start an enforcement proceeding from an anonymous complaint, and that a person who reports a potential violation must give a name and address to the local government before an enforcement proceeding may occur, unless the inspector has reason to believe there is an imminent threat to public health, safety, or welfare or imminent destruction of habitat or sensitive resources. That is a limit on anonymous enforcement, not a promise that the owner will be given the complainant’s name. The more urgent step is still to read the notice and address the cited work.
How to appeal a property code violation notice?
Read the notice for how to request a hearing before a code-enforcement board or special magistrate and follow those instructions. That first hearing is part of the Chapter 162 enforcement process, not the court appeal. If a violation is not corrected by the time given, the inspector is to request a hearing, and the case may still be presented even if you later correct it. Under Florida Statutes section 162.11, an aggrieved party may appeal a final administrative order of an enforcement board to the circuit court within 30 days after the order is executed. That appeal reviews the hearing record; it is not a new trial. Hearing help from Permit Busters is document preparation only, not attorney work. We do not appear as your representative, give legal advice, or file court appeals. Hire a Florida attorney if you want legal counsel, someone to speak for you at a hearing, or help appealing an order. This is general information, not legal advice.
Can code enforcement enter my property?
A code inspector can usually observe what is visible from a street or other public place. Entering a home or a closed yard generally requires consent, an inspection warrant, or emergency circumstances. If you have questions about an inspection that already occurred, ask the issuing office or a Florida attorney. This is general information, not legal advice.
What if the work has been done without a permit?
Apply to the city or County building official for the permit the work requires, often as after-the-fact or work-without-permit review, complete any inspections or corrections, and then ask code compliance to close the case. Paying a fine later, if one is imposed, is not a substitute for the permit.
Questions about a property? Call Permit Busters at (954) 616-5823.