Yes. In Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach, replacing windows or exterior doors is permitted work. The permit package usually includes product approvals, a floor plan, a window and door schedule and wind load information, and many cities add an HOA form. If your contract is over $5,000, Florida law also requires a recorded Notice of Commencement before the first inspection.
Below we cover how the process works and what specific cities ask for. Every city fact links to that city’s own documents.
Do I need a permit to replace my windows in Florida?
Yes, in South Florida you should plan on a permit for any window or exterior door replacement.
City permit lists say so directly. Lighthouse Point’s list requires a permit to repair, replace or install windows, to remove and fill in a window opening, and to repair or replace doors (Lighthouse Point). Cities across all three counties publish window and door permit checklists, including Hollywood, Pembroke Pines, Miami and Boca Raton.
What goes into a window and door permit?
Most South Florida window permits need the same core documents, with local extras on top.
| Document | What it shows | Example city |
|---|---|---|
| Product approvals | Miami-Dade NOA or Florida Product Approval for each product | Hollywood, Hialeah |
| Floor plan | Each window and door, numbered or labeled by room | Hollywood, Hialeah |
| Window and door schedule | Size, approval and pressure for each opening | Pembroke Pines, Miami Gardens |
| Wind load chart or engineer calcs | The design pressure each opening must meet | Miramar, Coral Gables |
| HOA or condo form | Association awareness or approval | Pembroke Pines, Miramar, Hialeah |
Broward cities often use the Broward County Uniform Retrofit Window and Door Schedule. Pembroke Pines requires every row of it to be filled in for each unit (Pembroke Pines). Miramar lets applicants circle the right option on the Broward County Fenestration Wind Load Chart by building height, or submit signed and sealed calculations instead (Miramar).
Not sure what an NOA is? Read our post on Miami-Dade NOA vs Florida Product Approval.
What is a Notice of Commencement, and when do I need one?
A Notice of Commencement is a document you record with the county that starts the lien timeline on your job. Florida law requires a copy to be filed with the building department before the first inspection when the direct contract is over $5,000 (Florida Statutes 713.135).
Every permit card must carry a warning that failing to record one “may result in your paying twice for improvements to your property” (same statute).
Cities apply this differently:
- Hollywood requires a recorded Notice of Commencement for window and door jobs over $5,000. A pending one will not hold up permit issuance, but it does hold the first inspection (Hollywood checklist).
- Hialeah lists a lower threshold. It requires a Notice of Commencement recorded with the Miami-Dade County Recorder when the job value is $2,500 or more, and it must be at the job site for the first inspection (Hialeah).
- Miami Gardens requires it before the first inspection on non-mechanical jobs over $5,000 (Miami Gardens).
Do I need HOA or condo approval for a window permit?
Often, yes, and some cities ask for an HOA form even when there is no HOA.
- Pembroke Pines requires a Homeowners Association Affidavit of Awareness on every window and door permit, even if the home is not in an association (Pembroke Pines).
- Miramar has the same rule, plus a Construction Debris Removal Affidavit (Miramar).
- Hialeah requires an Association Authorization Letter for condo units, with the association president’s signature notarized (Hialeah).
- Hollywood asks for an HOA or condo approval letter where it applies (Hollywood checklist).
What are the city-specific rules in Broward County?
Each Broward city adds its own details. Here are a few examples.
Hollywood. Since August 4, 2026, new permit applications go through the Accela Citizen Access portal, and the contractor must be registered with the Hollywood Building Division first (Hollywood Permits). On properties along the Coastal Construction Control Line near the beach, windows and doors facing east, north or south need sea turtle glass certification with at least 45% visible light transmittance. Buildings with a mean roof height over 30 feet need site-specific, signed and sealed wind loads (Hollywood checklist).
Pembroke Pines. Window and door permits go through structural plan review. Applications must be signed by the qualifying contractor and notarized (Pembroke Pines).
Miramar. Applications are filed online, and all building permit fees carry an 8% surcharge (Miramar).
Fort Lauderdale. Exact-replacement window and door permits for single-family homes, duplexes and townhouses can use the city’s Walk-Thru review, unless historic review is needed (Fort Lauderdale).
Pompano Beach. The qualifier must sign a Fenestration Flashing, Buck and Mullion Installation Affidavit at the attachment inspection for new and retrofit windows and doors (Pompano Beach).
What are the city-specific rules in Miami-Dade County?
Hialeah. Window and door permits need two copies of the product approvals and a floor plan with all rooms labeled (Hialeah).
Miami. For Homeowner’s Express Review, replacements must fit the existing frame or rough opening. Changing opening sizes needs a remodeling permit. Inspections include a window and door buck inspection and a final (City of Miami checklist).
Miami Beach. Contractors must call in-progress inspections on the first and every following day of removal and installation work in existing buildings, or face an automatic fine (Miami Beach).
Coral Gables. Window and door permits need City Architect or Board of Architects approval, color photos of existing conditions, and site-specific wind load calculations signed by an architect or engineer (Coral Gables).
What are the rules in Palm Beach County?
Boca Raton. Single-family window, door and impact shutter work can get an over-the-counter permit with no plan exam (Boca Raton).
West Palm Beach. The city has 18 local historic districts and 46 individual historic sites, where exterior changes must meet the Historic Preservation Ordinance and Design Guidelines (West Palm Beach).
Can a homeowner pull their own window permit?
Some cities allow it, with limits. Hollywood allows an owner-builder permit for a one or two family home you live in, but you cannot sell it within one year of final inspection (Hollywood FAQ). Hialeah requires that you live at the property and show a Florida driver’s license with that address (Hialeah). Miramar asks for matching photo ID, proof of ownership and Homestead Exemption verification (Miramar).
How much does a window permit cost?
It depends on the city. Each building department sets its own fees, and some add surcharges, like Miramar’s 8%. With us, permit fees are separate from our window prices: $1,500 to $2,000 for an average-size window and $2,500 to $3,000 for a larger one, depending on brand and size. See our impact windows cost guide.
How can we help?
Since 2020 we have completed more than 1,440 projects across Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach from our shop in Hollywood. See our impact windows, impact doors and sliding glass doors, browse all the areas we serve, or contact us for a free measurement.