J. Perry & Sons is a licensed Florida general contractor, CGC1540699. When a job needs a permit, we pull it under our license, schedule every inspection and close it out with the building department. When a job does not need one, we tell you that in writing. This page covers which trades need a permit in Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade, what we handle, how HOA and condo submittals work, and why unpermitted work costs more than the fee it saved. For the full trade list, see all renovation services.
What needs a permit in Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade, by trade
Rules are set city by city, and unincorporated areas follow the county. The table is the pattern across the three counties; the department with jurisdiction over your address makes the final call.
| Trade | Permit usually required? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tile and flooring replacement, same footprint | No | Cosmetic over an existing slab. Condos may still require approval and a sound-rating spec. |
| Bathroom or kitchen with plumbing or electrical changes | Yes | Moving a drain, adding a valve, new circuits or a fan need sub-permits under the building permit. Tile-only refresh usually does not. |
| Impact windows and doors | Yes | Always. Product approval (NOA or FL number), engineered attachment, HVHZ in Broward and Miami-Dade. |
| Structural work: new openings, headers, tie beams, lintels | Yes | Signed and sealed engineering plus inspections at reinforcement and pour. |
| Pavers, driveways, pool decks | Usually yes | Driveway aprons touch the right-of-way; many cities permit new hardscape over a set area for drainage and impervious coverage. |
| Decks, pergolas, covered patios | Yes | Footings, fastener schedule and wind load inspected. |
| Stucco repair and re-stucco | Sometimes | Small patches no; larger areas, lath replacement or anything structural behind it, often yes. |
| Painting, epoxy coatings, stone veneer on an existing wall | No | HOA color approval is a separate matter. |
When a job sits on the line, we ask the department before we start. Broward details are in Broward County renovation permits, Palm Beach in Palm Beach County renovation permits, and Miami-Dade in Miami-Dade renovation permits.
Free Estimate
Free estimate — call (561) 556-7509 or email jperrysonsgc@gmail.com with project photos, the city, approximate dimensions, and material selections.
What we handle on every permitted job
Application. We prepare the permit application under CGC1540699, with the scope, valuation, product approvals and drawings the department requires. The contractor, not the homeowner, signs as the permit holder. Why that matters is covered in why your contractor should pull the permit.
Notice of Commencement. For work over the state threshold, a Notice of Commencement is recorded with the county clerk before the first inspection. We prepare it, record it and post a certified copy on site. See Notice of Commencement in Florida.
Inspections. We schedule every required inspection, meet the inspector, and fix any correction before the next phase starts. A bathroom runs rough plumbing, rough electrical, shower pan, then finals. Structural work adds reinforcement and pour inspections. Windows add an attachment inspection before stucco covers the fasteners.
Closeout and final. The permit is not done when the work is done. We call the final, resolve open items and get the permit closed. An open permit is a title problem at sale, and we do not leave them open.
Free estimate — call (561) 556-7509 or email jperrysonsgc@gmail.com. Tell us the city and the scope and we will say whether a permit applies before you commit to anything.
HOA and ARC packages, condo board submittals
Most Broward and Palm Beach communities require architectural review for exterior changes, and many condos require board approval for any interior work that touches plumbing, flooring or common elements. We prepare the package with you, so the submission is complete the first time.
HOA and ARC packages usually include the application form, a scope description, product data and color schedule, a site sketch for hardscape, and our license and insurance. Approval runs two to six weeks depending on the meeting schedule. Details in HOA approval for a renovation in South Florida.
Condo board submittals add more: a certificate of insurance naming the association as additional insured, the contractor license, a work schedule within building hours (often 9 to 5 weekdays), elevator protection and delivery reservations, corridor floor protection, and a sound-rating spec for any new hard flooring. We supply all of it and coordinate with the property manager so the elevator is padded and the dock is booked before the first delivery.
HVHZ, milestone inspections and the engineer of record
High-Velocity Hurricane Zone. Broward and Miami-Dade are HVHZ under the Florida Building Code. Windows, doors, garage doors and some exterior attachments must carry a Miami-Dade NOA or a Florida product approval rated for HVHZ, and the attachment schedule must match it. Palm Beach is outside HVHZ but still has strict wind-load requirements. We confirm the approval before ordering, because a product that passes in Jupiter may not pass in Fort Lauderdale.
Milestone and recertification work. Condominium buildings three stories and up fall under Florida's milestone structural inspection program, and older buildings in Broward and Miami-Dade have 40-year recertification cycles. When that report calls for balcony, walkway or concrete repairs, the engineer of record specifies the repair, we perform it, and the engineer inspects and signs off. We keep the paper trail the association will need for the next cycle.
Structural openings. Cutting or raising an opening in a CBS wall requires an engineer's design for the header and tie beam, and the department inspects the reinforcement before concrete is placed. We build to the sealed drawings and photograph each stage.
Why unpermitted work hurts at sale and with insurance
This is not legal advice; confirm specifics with your permitting office or attorney. What we see in practice:
- At sale. Sellers disclose known unpermitted work, and lenders and title companies search for open and missing permits. The usual result is a price reduction, a delayed closing while an after-the-fact permit is pursued, or finished work opened up for inspection. After-the-fact permits carry higher fees and no guarantee of approval.
- With insurance. A claim traced to unpermitted plumbing, electrical or structural work gives the carrier grounds to question coverage. Wind-mitigation credits depend on permitted, inspected installs with product approvals on file.
- With the city. Code enforcement can require removal or exposure of covered work and can lien the property for fines.
A permit costs a few hundred to a couple of thousand dollars on most residential jobs. Skipping it is measured in tens of thousands. That is why it is not optional on our jobs.
Related hubs: impact windows and doors · concrete restoration · bathroom renovation · pavers · decks · commercial renovation
Permits & compliance — FAQ
Do I need a permit to replace tile in my house? Usually no in Broward, Palm Beach or Miami-Dade when the new floor goes over the same slab with no plumbing or electrical change. A condo association may still require approval and a sound-rated underlayment spec. We confirm with your city before starting.
Who pulls the permit, me or the contractor? The contractor. Pulling it under CGC1540699 puts the responsibility for code compliance and inspections on us. A homeowner permit shifts that liability to you and is meant for owner-performed work.
How long does a permit take? Simple residential permits are often issued in one to three weeks; projects with engineering, such as structural openings or impact windows, can run three to eight weeks. HOA approval runs in parallel and sometimes takes longer than the city.
What is a Notice of Commencement and do I need one? A recorded notice that work is starting on the property, required in Florida for most jobs above the statutory value threshold before the first inspection. We prepare and record it and post it on site.
My condo board wants a COI. What is that? A certificate of insurance from our carrier naming the association as additional insured, showing general liability and workers' compensation. We send it with the license, schedule and elevator protection plan as one submittal package.
Can you fix work a previous contractor did without a permit? Often, yes. We review what was done, bring in an engineer if the work is structural, and apply for an after-the-fact permit with the corrections the department requires. We tell you up front if some work has to be opened for inspection.
Free estimate — call (561) 556-7509 or email jperrysonsgc@gmail.com. Licensed Florida general contractor CGC1540699. Serving Broward and Palm Beach counties.
Free Estimate
Free estimate — call (561) 556-7509 or email jperrysonsgc@gmail.com with project photos, the city, approximate dimensions, and material selections.