What's Required in Miami
- No permit for floor finishes, paint, wallpaper or similar interior wall finishes in a one- or two-family home (City Code 10-5(b))
- No permit for same-spot faucet, toilet, bidet, sink or lavatory replacement, or toilet removal and reinstallation without rearranging pipes, by a licensed plumbing contractor
- No permit for ventilation fan replacement by a licensed mechanical contractor or for an above-ground prefabricated whirlpool tub
- Plumbing permit for any replacement or rearrangement of pipes, valves or fixtures, including a moved drain or a replaced concealed pipe, and for water heaters
- Electrical permit for new circuits; only like-for-like device replacement by a licensed contractor is exempt
- Building permit with plans when a wall, partition, beam or load-bearing support is cut or removed
- Each permit: 0.5 percent of its scope with a $110 minimum ($45 under $2,500), plus $40 application and state surcharges of 1 percent and 1.5 percent; master permit pays the solid waste surcharge
- Contractor must hold a Florida license or Miami-Dade certificate of competency; owner-builder allowed under FS 489.103(7) and FS 489.503(6)
- Notice of commencement before the first inspection when the contract exceeds $2,500
Do You Need a Permit to Remodel a Bathroom in Miami?
Not for a same-layout refresh. City Code 10-5(b) exempts floor finishes, painting and wallpaper or similar interior wall finishes in one- and two-family homes, and its plumbing list, which applies to work by a licensed plumbing contractor, exempts the repair or replacement of faucets, water closets, bidets, sinks and lavatories in place, plus the removal and reinstallation of a toilet as long as no pipe or valve is rearranged. The electrical list exempts replacing damaged receptacles, switches, lights and breakers by a licensed electrical contractor, and the mechanical list exempts replacing a ventilation fan. An above-ground prefabricated whirlpool tub is exempt from both the plumbing and electrical permit lists. Tile, a new vanity on the old drain and a new toilet in the old spot need no filing.
The permit line is drawn at pipes, wires and walls. Replacing or rearranging any valve, pipe or fixture is new work that needs a plumbing permit, and that includes a concealed drain or supply replaced because it failed. Converting a tub to a shower, moving the toilet, adding a second sink or roughing in a new bathroom all cross it. A new circuit for a heated floor or a second GFCI run needs an electrical permit. A water heater is specifically carved out of the gas appliance exemption, so a replacement needs a permit. Cutting a wall or partition, or removing a beam or load-bearing support, takes the job out of ordinary minor repairs and under a building permit with trade permits beneath it.
Miami Bathroom Permit Rules by Scenario
| What you are doing | City filing | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| New tile, paint, vanity, faucet and toilet in the same locations, by a licensed plumber | No permit | City Code 10-5(b)(1)(A) finishes; (E)(iv) fixture replacement |
| Replacing the exhaust fan in place | No permit (ventilation fan replacement) | City Code 10-5(b)(1)(D)(xi)(4) |
| Prefabricated above-ground whirlpool tub | No plumbing or electrical permit | City Code 10-5(b)(1)(B)(xii) and (E)(iv)(11) |
| Tub-to-shower conversion or moving the toilet or sink drain | Plumbing permit (min. $110 + $40) | Rearrangement of pipes or fixtures is new work |
| Replacing a leaking concealed drain or supply line | Plumbing permit | City Code 10-5(b)(1)(E)(i): concealed pipe replacement is new work |
| Water heater replacement | Permit required | Water heater excluded from the gas appliance exemption |
| Opening a wall, adding a bathroom or new circuits | Building permit with plumbing and electrical trade permits | Ordinary minor repairs may not cut walls or structure |
How Much Does a Bathroom Remodel Permit Cost in Miami?
Zero for the exempt refresh. When permits apply, each one, master or trade, is charged 0.50 of the estimated construction cost of its scope, which the code applies as one-half of one percent (the commercial rate in the same section is one percent), with a $110 minimum per permit and a flat $45 only under $2,500. Every permit adds a non-refundable $40 application fee and state surcharges of 1 percent and 1.5 percent of its fee (at least $2 each), plus a Miami-Dade County code-compliance surcharge whose rate the City Code does not print. The master building permit also pays the city solid waste surcharge of $0.22 per $100 (minimum $26, maximum $600); subsidiary trade permits are exempt from it.
Worked example, a $20,000 remodel that moves the drain and adds a circuit inside an opened wall: building permit at the $110 minimum + $40 + solid waste $44 + $4 state surcharges = $198; plumbing and electrical trade permits at $110 + $40 + $4 = $154 each; total about $506. A $40,000 remodel: building permit $200 + $40 + $88 + $5 = $333, plus the same two trade permits, about $641. A plumbing-only drain move files as a stand-alone permit for $154. The up-front fee of $2.80 per $1,000 at filing is 80 percent credited to the permit fee, and starting work before the permit doubles the fee plus $110 on a homestead property.
Who Pulls Bathroom Permits in Miami?
The plumber or electrician normally pulls the trade permit and must hold a Florida license or a Miami-Dade County certificate of competency, which the county requires inside the city. Owner-occupants of a single-family or duplex home may file as owner-builder under Florida Statute 489.103(7) and do their own electrical work under FS 489.503(6), appearing in person to sign. The fixture-swap exemptions are written for licensed plumbing contractors, so ask the Building Department before an owner swaps fixtures without a permit. A notice of commencement is recorded before the first inspection when the contract exceeds $2,500; the permit lapses after 180 days without an approved inspection.
How to Get a Bathroom Remodel Permit in Miami
Decide whether anything moves
Same-spot fixtures, tile, paint and a fan swap by licensed trades need no permit; a moved drain, new circuit, water heater or opened wall does.
Price each permitted scope
Each permit is 0.5 percent of its scope with a $110 minimum and a $40 application fee; a plumbing-only move is a stand-alone permit.
File with the Building Department
A master building permit with trade permits for structural work, or stand-alone plumbing and electrical permits otherwise; the owner-builder or the licensed contractor signs.
Pay on approval and record the notice of commencement
Fees plus the solid waste and state surcharges are due before issuance; record the notice when the contract exceeds $2,500.
Call rough-in and final inspections
Plumbing and electrical rough-ins before the walls and floor close, then finals; keep an approved inspection within every 180 days. Re-inspections cost $57.