The first question is never "what's the permit?" It's "which building department?" A house in Kendall, which is unincorporated, goes to the county. A house a few miles away in Pinecrest goes to the village. One in Little Havana goes to the City of Miami, which runs on a very different clock. Look up the property's jurisdiction before you collect a single letter.
Who does what
Who issues a demolition permit in Miami-Dade
The county, for unincorporated areas
Kendall, Westchester, Fontainebleau, Country Club, Redland and the rest of unincorporated Miami-Dade go through the county's building department, part of the Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources. Unincorporated properties have folio numbers that start with 30.
Your city, if you're inside one
Miami-Dade has 34 municipalities, from Miami, Hialeah and Miami Beach to Medley, Golden Beach and Indian Creek. Each issues its own demolition permits and does its own inspections, with its own checklist.
County sign-offs, for everyone
Even when a city issues the permit, some reviews belong to the county. The county calls this a County Municipal Approval, and it can cover Water and Sewer, impact fees, DERM, Fire Rescue and the Health Department for septic tanks.
DERM, for the environmental side
DERM, the county's Division of Environmental Resources Management, reviews asbestos and other environmental items countywide. Some cities send commercial demolition plans to DERM before they start their own review.
Unincorporated Miami-Dade
How the county demolition permit works
Confirm the property is unincorporated
Check the folio on the Property Appraiser's site. A folio starting with 30 means unincorporated Miami-Dade, so the county is your building department.
Fill out the permit application
The county uses its standard building permit application and asks for the total square footage being demolished. Removing a detached structure like a shed is simpler than removing something attached to the house, which needs drawings showing the site plan and the electrical and plumbing connections being removed.
Add sealed drawings for commercial work
For commercial buildings, the drawings have to be signed and sealed by an architect or engineer, along with a contact sheet.
Handle asbestos before plan review
For commercial demolitions, the county requires an asbestos survey, an affidavit for the survey and the Notice of Demolition or Asbestos Renovation, filed at least 10 working days before work starts with a copy of the survey. DERM has to approve the asbestos review.
Pull the subsidiary permits
After the demolition permit is issued, the electrical and plumbing work, like capping the sewer, can need its own subsidiary permit from a licensed trade contractor.
Schedule inspections
The county takes inspection requests up to 4 p.m. the business day before. Permits can be extended by 180 days if you ask before they expire.
Real numbers
How long a Miami-Dade demolition permit takes
| Item | Typical wait | What we measured |
|---|---|---|
| Unincorporated Miami-Dade, house | 4 days | Median time from application to issue, 787 county permits |
| Unincorporated Miami-Dade, commercial | 35 days | Median time from application to issue, 797 county permits |
| City of Miami, full demolition | 134 days | Median days in plan review, 1,007 city permits since 2024 |
From our own analysis of public permit records. The county and the City of Miami measure time differently, so the methodology matters before you compare them. Other cities weren't part of the study.
Reading the numbers
Why the county is fast and the City of Miami isn't
A house in unincorporated Miami-Dade is a short review
Most county house demolitions are issued within a week once the paperwork is complete. The time goes into collecting the letters and the utility work, not into waiting on the county.
The City of Miami reviews more, for longer
City of Miami demolitions go through more review stages and a heavier workload, and the median sits at months, not days. If your property is in the city, plan the schedule around that.
City by city
What some Miami-Dade cities add to the list
| Item | What their published checklists ask for |
|---|---|
| Doral | A notarized application with the folio number, a notarized letter from the demolition contractor that all utilities have been notified and will be disconnected, a county-approved Notice of Demolition or Asbestos Renovation, a sub-permit for the temporary fence and dust screen, a plumbing sub-permit to cap water and sewer or abandon the septic tank, and a Notice of Commencement before the first inspection on work over $5,000. |
| Pinecrest | Proof of ownership, two signed and sealed surveys, two tree surveys drawn to scale, a separate permit for any tree removal, a Health Department permit to abandon a septic tank or a village permit to cap the sewer, an FPL disconnect letter and a letter confirming the AC refrigerant has been recovered. |
| Miami Springs | A notarized application, two copies of the survey and site plan, proof of the electrical, plumbing and gas disconnects, and a 6 foot construction fence with a 2 foot turbidity curtain. The fence has to pass inspection before the demolition permit is issued. |
| North Bay Village | A sidewalk bond of $1,000 for commercial and multifamily or $500 for a single-family home, a construction fence with a stormwater plan, capped water and sewer, and cleared utility bills. Commercial plans go to DERM for approval before the village reviews them. |
| Unincorporated Miami-Dade | The county application and square footage, drawings for attached structures, sealed drawings for commercial buildings, the asbestos survey and notice for commercial work, and subsidiary electrical and plumbing permits. |
These come from each city's published demolition checklist or procedure, and some are older documents. Download the current version from the building department before you start, because a form from last year can send the application back.
The paperwork
What a Miami-Dade demolition package usually includes
No two building departments ask for exactly the same list, but these items come up on almost every Miami-Dade demolition.
Documents
- The permit application, often signed and notarized by the owner and the contractor
- A current survey, plus a site plan showing what's coming down
- Proof of ownership, such as the deed or the county tax record
- A tree survey when the city asks for one, and a separate tree permit for any tree coming out
- A recorded Notice of Commencement when the job calls for one
County and environmental
- An asbestos survey and the Notice of Demolition or Asbestos Renovation for commercial buildings and larger residential buildings
- DERM approval when the building department requires it
- Water and Sewer sign-off for the sewer cap or meter, or a Health Department permit to abandon a septic tank
Utilities and the site
- FPL disconnect letter, and a gas disconnect if the house has gas
- A plumbing permit to cap the water and sewer lines
- Refrigerant recovered from the AC units
- Construction fence, dust screen and turbidity or silt protection
- A call to Sunshine 811 before any digging
Things people miss
Small county rules that matter
Houses and asbestos
Single-family homes are generally exempt from the federal asbestos notice. But some Miami-Dade cities list a county-approved asbestos notice on their demolition checklist without separating houses from commercial buildings, so ask before you assume the house is exempt.
Working outside normal hours
In unincorporated Miami-Dade, demolition during restricted hours needs a noise waiver. The county lists a $130 fee, an application at least 72 hours ahead and certified notices to the neighbors.
A lower stormwater bill
If you removed all the hard surfaces on an unincorporated property under a county permit that has been closed, the county says you may qualify for a reduction on the stormwater utility bill. Few owners know to ask.
Sewer or septic
A house on public sewer needs the line capped under a plumbing permit. A house on septic needs the tank abandoned under a Health Department permit. Many older Miami-Dade neighborhoods are still on septic.
Who can pull it
Licensing for demolition in Miami-Dade
Licensed contractors, with local rules
Building departments accept demolition permits from licensed, insured contractors. North Bay Village, for example, says a full demolition must be pulled by a general contractor or the holder of a Miami-Dade County specialty license for demolition or engineering.
Local certificates stay local
A demolition certificate issued by another county generally doesn't carry over to Miami-Dade. A Florida certified general contractor license is a state license, so it works in all 34 cities and the unincorporated county alike.
Owners demolishing their own house
Florida lets owners act as their own contractor on their own home under strict conditions, and the county has a separate owner-builder form. It's possible, but the owner takes on the liability.
When the county orders it
Unsafe structures in Miami-Dade
How it starts
A building official can declare a dangerous building an unsafe structure under the Florida Building Code and Section 8-5 of the Miami-Dade County Code. The owner is notified to repair or demolish it.
The Unsafe Structures Board
Owners can contest the finding before the county's Unsafe Structures Board. Building officials have to carry out the board's orders within the time it sets, and further review of a board order goes to circuit court. The City of Miami holds its own unsafe structure hearings.
Move fast
If an order says demolish, the deadlines are short, and missing them can mean the government demolishes the building and bills the owner. A contractor who can start the permit right away buys you time.
Related
Keep reading
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a permit to demolish a house in Miami-Dade County?
Yes. Demolishing a house, or any building, needs a demolition permit from the building department where the property is: the county for unincorporated areas, or your city if the property is inside one of the 34 municipalities.
Who issues demolition permits in unincorporated Miami-Dade?
Miami-Dade County's building department, part of the Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources. Unincorporated properties have folio numbers that start with 30.
How long does a demolition permit take in Miami-Dade County?
It depends on where the property is. In our analysis of public records, a house demolition in unincorporated Miami-Dade was typically issued 4 days after the application, and commercial demolitions took a median of 35 days. In the City of Miami, a full demolition spent a median of 134 days in plan review.
Do you need an asbestos survey to demolish a house in Miami-Dade?
Commercial buildings and larger residential buildings need a survey and a notice filed at least 10 working days ahead. Single-family homes are generally exempt from the federal notice, but some cities list a county-approved asbestos notice on their checklist anyway, so check with the building department.
What is a County Municipal Approval in Miami-Dade?
It's the county's review of a project that a city is permitting, for items the county controls, such as Water and Sewer, impact fees, DERM, Fire Rescue and the Health Department for septic tanks. You get a process number starting with M.
Can a contractor licensed in Broward pull a demolition permit in Miami-Dade?
It depends on the license. A Florida certified general contractor license is statewide and works in Miami-Dade. A local demolition certificate from Broward or another county generally doesn't, and cities like North Bay Village say a full demolition must be pulled by a general contractor or the holder of a Miami-Dade County demolition or engineering specialty license.
Can I demolish my own house in Miami-Dade?
Florida's owner-builder exemption lets owners do work on their own home under strict conditions, and the county has an owner-builder form. You take on the liability, the utility work still needs licensed trades, and you have to meet every requirement a contractor would.
This article is general information based on Miami-Dade County and city sources as of November 2026. Checklists, fees and review steps change, and each of the 34 cities has its own requirements. Confirm with your building department before you apply.