Direct answer
A driveway or paver job in Miami-Dade can involve up to three reviews. Miami-Dade’s building exemption list says pavers, open patios, and walkways on single-family properties do not require a building permit, within the County’s limits. But Public Works permits cover driveways, and the County’s Impervious Surface rules require a separate stormwater permit for a stand-alone driveway replacement or expansion in unincorporated Miami-Dade and eight cities. Work in a County right-of-way goes through the Department of Transportation and Public Works.
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.
1. Is a building permit needed?
For single-family homes, duplexes, townhouses, and condominium units in unincorporated Miami-Dade, the County’s permit exemption page lists “concrete slabs outside of the building (other than screened patios and pool slabs)” and says items such as open patios, walkways, and pavers do not require a building permit. That list has a limit: the County says the total cost of all listed exempt work by owner-builders or contractors in any 12-month period cannot exceed $5,000. The County also says its exemptions are from Florida Building Code permit requirements only, and that other state and County agencies may require approvals or permits. That is where the next two reviews come in.
2. The Impervious Surface (ISR) permit
On September 4, 2024, the Board of County Commissioners approved Miami-Dade’s Impervious Surface Ordinance. The County’s guidance says a Non-structural Impervious Surface Improvements Permit (ISR) is required when a stand-alone improvement that adds pavement, slab, pavers, or similar materials is proposed and is not part of a building permit. Its examples include:
- driveway replacement or expansion;
- replacing a concrete patio with pavers;
- a new paved walkway;
- a concrete slab, synthetic turf, or a pool deck expansion or replacement.
The County says the ISR applies in unincorporated Miami-Dade and within the Village of Bal Harbour, the Town of Bay Harbor Islands, the Town of Surfside, the Town of Medley, the Village of Virginia Gardens, the City of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida City, and the City of Sweetwater.
The guidance lists a signed and sealed topographic survey, a grading plan, and a site plan as required documents. It says the County reviews the whole single-family or duplex lot for current code compliance, and that the lot must retain runoff from a 25-year, 10-minute storm with zero off-site discharge, or meet the pervious setback, swale, and pervious-area standards the County treats as equivalent. The project must not send stormwater onto neighboring parcels.
Permeable pavers. The County says pavers are reviewed as impervious, except pavers that meet all of its listed conditions, including manufacturer certification as pervious and minimum soil permeability, may be treated as pervious area. Submit the paver details with the application.
3. The Public Works permit
Miami-Dade’s permit finder lists driveways, sidewalks, curbs and gutters, and parking and street paving among the work covered by the Public Works Permit Application. The application form lists driveway approaches and interior driveways. The County also publishes driveway permit instructions for owner-builders.
If the driveway connects to a County-owned or County-maintained road, the right-of-way part matters most. The County’s Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTPW) says that under Ordinance No. 21-99, adopted October 5, 2021, permitting for public works construction on any County-owned or maintained right-of-way within a municipality is done exclusively through DTPW, and some work on municipal rights-of-way is permitted only through DTPW too.
Inside a city
Most Miami-Dade cities have their own building and public works rules for driveways on city roads. Section 2-103.1(d)(2) of the County Code, as amended by Ordinance 21-99, says that, except as to the County, municipalities may impose permitting requirements for paving or drainage on private property in driveway or parking areas next to roads the municipality owns or maintains. Ask the city’s building department which permits apply. See Which Department Issues Your South Florida Permit.
If signed and sealed plans are required, they must be prepared by a Florida-licensed engineer or architect. Permit Busters, LLC can help coordinate that step.
HOA approval is separate
Association approval is not a County or city permit. If the property has an HOA, getting its approval is the owner’s responsibility.
Get help with a driveway or paver permit
Permit Busters, LLC can help you find out which reviews your project needs, coordinate the survey and grading plan with your design professional, and prepare the applications. See residential permits and the Miami-Dade permit help page. Approval always rests with the city or county. Call (954) 616-5823, email info@permitbusters.com, or book an appointment. Hours are Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM. Permit Busters, LLC is based in Lauderhill, FL 33351.
FAQ
Do I need a permit to install pavers in Miami-Dade?
Possibly, even if no building permit is needed. Miami-Dade’s exemption list says pavers and open patios do not need a building permit, within its limits, but a stand-alone driveway or paver project can need an Impervious Surface (ISR) permit and a Public Works permit.
What is a Miami-Dade ISR permit?
It is the Non-structural Impervious Surface Improvements Permit under the County’s Impervious Surface Ordinance, approved September 4, 2024. The County requires it for stand-alone work such as a driveway replacement or expansion or replacing a concrete patio with pavers, in unincorporated Miami-Dade and eight listed cities.
Are permeable pavers treated differently?
They can be. Miami-Dade’s ISR guidance says pavers are reviewed as impervious unless they meet all of the County’s listed conditions, including manufacturer certification as pervious and minimum soil permeability. Submit the paver details with the application.
Who permits a driveway that connects to a County road?
For the part of the work in a County-owned or County-maintained right-of-way, Miami-Dade’s Department of Transportation and Public Works. Under Ordinance No. 21-99, permitting for public works construction on those rights-of-way within a municipality is done exclusively through DTPW. Work on the private-property side may also need County or city permits.
What documents does the ISR permit require?
Miami-Dade’s guidance lists a signed and sealed topographic survey, a grading plan, and a site plan as required. Stormwater calculations, specifications, and a location aerial are listed as optional.