Direct answer
A permit search shows a property’s building permit history from the building department: which permits were issued, and whether each one passed final inspection, expired, or is still open. A municipal lien search shows what a local government has against the property, such as code enforcement cases and recorded liens. They come from different offices and cover different records, so one does not replace the other. Each search also covers only the government that runs it.
Have questions about a specific property? Call (954) 616-5823.
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.
What a permit search covers
A permit search reads the records of the building department that issued permits for the property. It answers questions like: Was the roof permitted? Did the kitchen remodel pass its final? Is there an expired permit with no final inspection?
Official examples:
- Miami-Dade County (folios beginning with 30) offers online tools in its Building Permit Selection Menu, including open permits by folio.
- City of Fort Lauderdale: the Property Records Office says the City keeps records of all permits and plans on a property, so buyers and owners may be informed of a building’s full history.
- Palm Beach County PZB sells an open building permit search for unincorporated properties, separate from its fine and lien search.
A permit record does not tell you everything a lien search does. An open permit is not, by itself, a recorded lien.
What a municipal lien search covers
A municipal lien search reports what a city or county has against the property. What is included depends on the office:
- City of Miami: the City describes its lien search as the way for a buyer to see if any liens or violations exist on a property. It works only for folios that begin with 01.
- Miami-Dade County (unincorporated): the RER Lien Section’s research covers unsafe structures, work without permit, expired permit, minimum housing, neighborhood, and environmental enforcement violations, plus liens recorded for those violations.
- Palm Beach County PZB: the fine and lien search covers fines and liens processed by PZB, limited to building abatement or demolition, code compliance, contractor regulations, lot clearing, and nuisance abatement. PZB also offers a separate open code violation search.
Miami-Dade’s special taxing district lien letter is a good reminder of the limits: it says a clean letter does not mean the property is clear of other County, district, or private liens, and that court records should be reviewed.
Why jurisdiction matters
Each search covers one government’s records. Palm Beach County PZB says its searches cover unincorporated Palm Beach County and do not include fines or liens provided by a municipality. Miami-Dade County’s research service covers unincorporated Miami-Dade. A property in a city may need the city’s search and, for some items, a county search too. See Which Department Issues Your South Florida Permit.
Why code orders matter to a buyer
Under Florida Statutes section 162.07(4), a recorded certified copy of a code enforcement order is notice to later purchasers, successors, and assigns, and its findings bind them when the violation concerns real property. Under section 162.09(3), a recorded order imposing a fine becomes a lien on the land where the violation exists. Some local governments also use their own civil citation ordinances; Miami-Dade County’s code, for example, has its own lien rule in Chapter 8CC. If a property is sold after the initial pleading in a code proceeding was served and before the hearing, section 162.06(5) requires written disclosures to the buyer and a notice to the code official.
Open permits work differently. Section 553.79(17)(a) says a local enforcement agency may not deny a building permit to, issue a notice of violation to, or fine, penalize, sanction, or assess fees against an arms-length purchaser for value solely because a building permit applied for by a previous owner was not closed, and the agency keeps its rights against the owner and contractor listed on the permit. That subsection addresses only unclosed permits. It does not mention code enforcement orders or liens, and it does not say it releases an order or lien already recorded against the property, which sections 162.07(4) and 162.09(3) tie to the land. Ask your title company or a Florida attorney how a specific recorded order or lien affects your purchase.
A simple order of operations
- Confirm the jurisdiction from the folio or Parcel Control Number.
- Order or run the permit search from the building department.
- Order the lien and violation search from the city, the county, or both.
- Compare the two. An expired permit may also show up as an expired-permit violation, and a code case may require a permit to fix.
- Ask your title company, closing agent, realtor, or attorney what each result means for your contract.
Related: Selling a Florida Home With Open or Expired Permits, open and expired permit closeout, and realtor permit services.
Get help reading permit and lien results
Permit Busters, LLC helps buyers, sellers, realtors, and title professionals request and read permit and lien records, and helps close open permits and help resolve violations those records turn up. We do not give legal or title advice, and we do not insure title. 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.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between a lien search and a permit search?
A permit search looks at building department records: which permits were issued and whether they passed final inspection, expired, or were left open. A municipal lien search looks at what a local government has against the property, such as code cases and recorded liens. They come from different offices, and one does not replace the other.
Does a municipal lien search show open permits?
Not always. Palm Beach County PZB sells fine and lien searches, open building permit searches, and open code violation searches as separate requests. Miami-Dade County’s lien research covers listed violation types, including expired-permit and work-without-permit violations, but it is not a permit history. Ask what each report covers.
Why does the city or county matter?
Each search covers only the records of the government that runs it. The City of Miami’s lien search works only for folios that begin with 01. Palm Beach County PZB says its searches do not include municipal fines or liens, and Miami-Dade County’s research service covers unincorporated Miami-Dade. A property may need searches from more than one office.
Can a code enforcement order follow the property to a new owner?
It can. Under Florida Statutes section 162.07(4), a recorded certified copy of a code enforcement order is notice to later purchasers, and its findings bind later purchasers, successors, and assigns when the violation concerns real property. Under section 162.09(3), a recorded order imposing a fine becomes a lien on the land. This is general information, not legal advice.
Who should order these searches in a sale?
That depends on your contract and your closing team. Ask your title company, closing agent, realtor, or attorney which reports they will order and which ones you need to order yourself. Permit Busters, LLC can help request and read permit and lien records, but we do not give legal or title advice.