What's Required in Miami
- Building permit for every shed; City Code 10-5(b) lists no size-based exemption for accessory structures
- Fee is 0.5 percent of estimated construction cost with a $110 minimum ($45 under $2,500), plus a $40 application fee and state surcharges of 1 percent and 1.5 percent
- Sheds are exempt from the city solid waste surcharge (City Code 10-18(b)(2)(c))
- Miami 21 size cap: 200 square feet or 10 percent of the house floor area, whichever is greater; one story; non-habitable
- Placement in the second or third layer, 5 feet from the house and other accessory buildings, 5 feet from side and rear lot lines, 20 feet from the front
- Roofing, doors and other envelope products need an HVHZ product approval or Miami-Dade NOA (County Code 8-40)
- Electrical or plumbing to the shed needs its own trade permit, each at least $110 plus $40
- Contractor must hold a Florida license or Miami-Dade certificate of competency, or the owner files as owner-builder under FS 489.103(7)
- Permit lapses if work does not start within 180 days or goes 180 days without an approved inspection
Do You Need a Permit to Build a Shed in Miami?
Yes, for any shed. Unlike most of the country, the City of Miami publishes no square-footage exemption for accessory structures. City Code section 10-5(b), the list of work that needs no permit, covers wallpaper, paint, floor finishes, cabinets and countertops, nursery shade cloth, playground equipment and movable partitions, and nothing else on the building side. A prefabricated 8x10 resin shed, a 10x12 wood shed and a site-built storage room all go through the Building Department, and because Miami sits in the Florida Building Code's High Velocity Hurricane Zone the shed must be anchored and its roofing and doors must carry an approved product approval (Notice of Acceptance) under Miami-Dade County Code 8-40.
Zoning adds a second gate. Under Miami 21 a shed is an Accessory Structure: non-habitable, one story, limited to 200 square feet or 10 percent of the house's floor area, whichever is greater, placed in the second or third layer (beside or behind the house), at least 5 feet from the house or any other accessory building, and at the ancillary-building setbacks of 5 feet from side and rear lines and 20 feet from the front. A shed in the front yard or on the property line is not approvable.
Miami Shed Permit Rules by Scenario
| What you are doing | City filing | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Prefab shed under 200 sq ft on a slab or tie-downs, side or rear yard | Building permit (min. $110 + $40 application) | City Code 10-5(b) lists no shed exemption; Miami 21 5.3.1 |
| Shed larger than 200 sq ft and 10 percent of the house floor area | Not approvable as an accessory structure | Miami 21 5.3.1 size cap; a larger building is an Ancillary Building |
| Shed closer than 5 ft to the house or the side/rear line | Permit refused until relocated | Miami 21 5.3.1 separation; Illustration 5.3 setbacks |
| Running power or water to the shed | Electrical and/or plumbing trade permit (each $110 + $40) | City Code 10-18(b)(1); subsidiary permits exempt from solid waste surcharge |
| Shed used as a bedroom, office or ADU | Ancillary Building permit under ADU rules, not a shed | Miami 21 1.2 definitions; Section 3.18 |
| Shed built years ago without a permit | Legalization permit, $250 affidavit fee if pre-2002; double fee if later | City Code 10-18(b)(3)(f) |
| Starting the shed before the permit issues | Two times the fee plus $110 (homestead); four times plus $110 otherwise | City Code 10-18(b)(1)(e) |
How Much Does a Shed Permit Cost in Miami?
The Building Department prices every residential permit the same way: 0.50 of the estimated construction cost, labor and materials included, which the code applies as one-half of one percent (the commercial rate in the same section is one percent), with a $110 minimum on any building permit and a flat $45 only for improvements under $2,500. Every permit also carries a non-refundable $40 application fee, a state DBPR surcharge of 1 percent and a state BCAI surcharge of 1.5 percent of the permit fee (each at least $2), and a Miami-Dade County code-compliance surcharge whose rate the City Code does not print. Sheds are specifically exempt from the city's solid waste surcharge, which saves at least $26.
Worked example, a $6,000 shed kit with installation: 0.5 percent is $30, so the $110 minimum applies; add $40 application and $4 in state surcharges for $154 before the county surcharge. A $30,000 site-built shed: 0.5 percent is $150, plus $40 and $4.25 in state surcharges, about $194.25. At filing the city also collects an up-front fee of $2.80 per $1,000 of value, 80 percent of which is credited against the permit fee when it issues. Any re-inspection costs $57 and revisions after the second review cost $56 per discipline.
Who Can Pull a Miami Shed Permit?
A contractor must hold a Florida license or a Miami-Dade County certificate of competency, which the county requires inside city limits as well as in the unincorporated area. You can also file as an owner-builder under Florida Statute 489.103(7) for a one- or two-family home you occupy and do not intend to sell or lease; you must appear in person and sign the application. The City Code promises a decision on a single-family permit within 30 working days absent unusual circumstances, and the permit lapses if work does not start within 180 days or goes 180 days without an approved inspection.
How to Get a Shed Permit in Miami
Check the zoning envelope
Confirm the shed is at or under 200 sq ft (or 10 percent of the house area), sits beside or behind the house, and clears 5 ft side and rear setbacks and 5 ft from other buildings.
Gather product approvals
Collect the NOA or Florida product approval for the roofing, doors and any windows, and the manufacturer's HVHZ anchoring detail or an engineer's tie-down detail.
File the building permit application
Submit the site plan and shed details to the Building Department with the $40 application fee and the up-front fee of $2.80 per $1,000 of value.
Pay the permit fee on approval
Expect the $110 minimum plus state surcharges for most kit sheds; the city must act on a single-family permit within 30 working days absent unusual circumstances.
Call inspections
Schedule the anchoring or slab inspection and the final; a missed or unready inspection costs $57, and the permit expires after 180 days without an approved inspection.