Who issues your permit
Your address decides which office reviews the pool, and it is not always the county. Unincorporated areas such as Kendall go through Miami-Dade County's permitting office. Incorporated cities run their own building departments, and Broward works the same way, with the county handling only unincorporated land.
| Where the house is | Who reviews the pool |
|---|---|
| Unincorporated Miami-Dade, such as Kendall | Miami-Dade County permitting |
| Cities in Miami-Dade, such as Coral Gables, Doral or the Village of Pinecrest | That city's building department |
| Cities in Broward, such as Weston, Parkland or Southwest Ranches | That city's building department |
| Unincorporated Broward | Broward County's building code division |
Miramar's package, for example, says that once a contractor is hired, the contractor must pull the permit. On our jobs, we pull it, and the plans and permit stay posted on site until the final.
What goes in the permit package
Every office has its own checklist, but the same core papers show up in the official forms across both counties.
- Pool drawings signed and sealed by an architect or engineer. They show a site plan with the pool's dimensions and total square footage, the electrical and plumbing connections, and the engineering calculations.
- A property survey showing where the pool sits against the property lines. Some cities want it signed and sealed and less than 7 years old.
- Sub-permits for electrical and plumbing, plus gas when a gas heater goes in. In Miami-Dade these hang off the pool permit number.
- The Residential Swimming Pool Safety Act form naming the safety method you chose, signed by owner and contractor and notarized in several cities.
- An HOA affidavit of awareness, which some Broward cities ask for even when the house has no HOA.
- Spec sheets for safety and equipment items such as a pool alarm, a safety cover or a heat pump.
Setbacks vary by city and zoning district, and they show up on the survey before we draw anything. In Coral Gables, for example, the pool can't sit closer to the street than the house. Our price of $230 per sq ft of water surface includes the signed plans and the permit itself.
Inspections from steel to final
Inspectors visit at set points, and nothing gets covered until the stage below it passes. In Miami-Dade, the first plumbing inspection happens after excavation, once the steel and bonding are in place and the main drain is set, and before any concrete is placed. Pool piping is pressure-tested and inspected per code. In cities such as Coral Gables and Homestead, the city also inspects the steel, the electrical grounding and the deck before the final. The final has its electrical and plumbing parts plus the building and pool check, and Miramar, in Broward, adds a drainage and grading check.
Notice of Commencement
Florida Statute 713.13 calls for a recorded Notice of Commencement when the job is worth more than $5,000, which takes in any new pool. It has to be on record before the first inspection, and city permit checklists list it.
HOA approval
HOA architectural approval is a separate review from the city permit. HOAs in Weston and Parkland, along with many newer communities in Doral, want to see the design first. We prepare drawings for the HOA board as well as for the building department. The HOA letter comes first and the city filing follows it, so the HOA review adds its own time to the calendar.
The barrier and the final inspection
No new residential pool passes its final without at least one approved safety measure under Florida Statute 515.27. Our guide to pool safety barrier rules in Florida lists the options and the fence specs. For how the permit fits into the whole build, see our construction process step by step, and for what review does to the calendar, read how long a pool takes from permit to swim.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit to build a pool in Miami-Dade?
Yes. Every new in-ground pool needs a building permit with electrical and plumbing sub-permits, and Miami-Dade requires inspection approval before any work gets covered.
Who pulls the permit, the builder or the homeowner?
The contractor you hire pulls it, and that is how we work. In Broward, a homeowner acting as owner-builder signs an affidavit in front of permit staff and takes on that responsibility.
Does Broward handle pool permits the same way?
The core papers match: signed and sealed plans, a survey, sub-permits and a Notice of Commencement. Each Broward city adds its own items, and some ask for an HOA affidavit, a separate barrier permit or a drainage and grading inspection.
What should I send to start the permit?
A copy of your survey and photos of the backyard get the design started. You can send both through our free estimate request, and we take it from there.
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