Where Miami Beach permits live
| Tool | Search by | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Civic Access | Address, folio, permit number, keyword | Permits, plans, inspections and code cases from 27 April 2016 on |
| Archival Permit Search | See the dashboard | Permits and code cases created before 27 April 2016 |
| Building Records request | Address or folio on the request | Permit and inspection history, drawings, applications |
| Our Miami Beach permit list | Month, kind of work, ZIP, status | 20,401 permits issued October 2024 to September 2026, no addresses |
How to look up the permits on a Miami Beach address
- Open Civic Access and pick Permit as the search type.
- Enter the street address, or the 13-digit Miami-Dade folio from the Property Appraiser. For a condo, try both the unit folio and the building's.
- Open each permit. Electrical, plumbing and mechanical work on a bigger job is often its own sub-permit.
- Read the status and the final date on each.
- If the work is older than April 2016, repeat the search in the Archival Permit Search.
What the statuses mean in Miami Beach's file
| Status in the record | What it means | Counted as |
|---|---|---|
| Finaled / Closed | Final inspection passed or permit closed | Finished |
| Issued | Permit issued, no final yet | Still open |
| Expired | Lapsed before a final | Expired |
| Void / Cancel / Abandon / Withdrawn / Denied / Revoked | Cancelled | Left out |
For permits issued October 2024 to September 2025, 79.0% had finished, 16.1% were still open and 4.8% had expired.
When you need plans or an old file
The Building Department's Records Management page says "Requests can be made via the Civic Access portal". It keeps "Permit and Inspection history, drawings, applications, and various Building related documents"; the process "takes between five to seven business days", and completed requests come "for download, CD, or print". Fees are on page 10 of the City's fee schedule (read 24 October 2026).
What our Miami Beach pages add
Civic Access answers "what was permitted at this address". Ours answer "how long does this kind of job usually take in Miami Beach", from permits issued October 2024 to September 2025:
| Kind of work | Permits | Finished | Expired | Usual days to final |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical | 2,054 | 78.8% | 4.4% | 132 |
| Plumbing | 1,729 | 78.2% | 3.9% | 124 |
| Remodels & repairs | 1,444 | 78.4% | 6.3% | 161 |
| HVAC | 1,339 | 85.2% | 4.8% | 67 |
| Roofing | 601 | 91.8% | 1.8% | 74 |
| Fences & walls | 271 | 73.8% | 9.6% | 98 |
| Pools & spas | 150 | 52.0% | 8.0% | 325 |
Across all kinds of work the usual permit took 118 days (same permits). By ZIP code, October 2024 to September 2026: 33139 had 9,770 permits, 33140 had 6,368 and 33141 had 4,111.
Start at the Miami Beach overview, the permit statistics and the permit list, or go straight to electrical, plumbing, HVAC, roofing, remodels or pools. To check a contractor's state license, see How to check a contractor's license in Florida. For the City of Miami, see the Miami building permit search.
What this does not tell you
Only 34% of our Miami Beach permits are for homes; work on a whole condominium building is filed as commercial. The public search names no contractor and carries no job value, so there are no firm lists or costs.
How we know this
Search and records details are quoted from the City of Miami Beach's Civic Access and Building Department Records Management pages, read 24 October 2026, and the search fields were checked against Civic Access the same day. Our counts are the City's building and trade permits issued October 2024 to September 2026.
Numbers come from public permit records in 57 cities, data through October 20, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- How do I find out if a permit was pulled on my condo or house in Miami Beach?
Search the address or the 13-digit Miami-Dade folio number in Civic Access, the City's public search. For a condo unit, try the unit's own folio and the building's. Permits created before 27 April 2016 are in the City's Archival Permit Search instead.
- How do I get plans or an old permit file in Miami Beach?
Submit a Building Department records request through Civic Access. The City says requests take five to seven business days, and completed records come as a download, a CD or prints. Fees are on page 10 of the City's fee schedule.
- Does Miami Beach's search cover the City of Miami or Surfside?
No. The City of Miami, Surfside, Bal Harbour and unincorporated Miami-Dade County each run their own permit offices.
- Can I see the contractor on a Miami Beach permit online?
Not in the public search rows we checked; they carry no contractor. Ask the Building Department, or check the permit card on site.
- How long does a Miami Beach permit take to reach a final?
For permits issued October 2024 to September 2025, the usual one took 118 days from issue to final. HVAC took 67 days, a re-roof 74 and a pool 325.
Build your own list
Pick your city and the kind of work. Every firm with a permit on record, sorted by what you value.
Related guides
- Albuquerque building permit search: how to look up permits on an address
- Building a casita in Albuquerque: the 750 sq ft limit, rear-yard rule, parking, free plans, and who builds them
- Do I need a permit to build a house in Albuquerque? GB-2 or homeowner, the plan set and the fee
- Do I need a solar permit in Albuquerque? Building and electrical permits, the engineer triggers and the fee
- Civic Access — City of Miami Beach (2026-10-24)
- Civic Access public search — City of Miami Beach (2026-10-24)
- Archival Permit Search — City of Miami Beach Building Department (2026-10-24)
- Records Management — City of Miami Beach Building Department (2026-10-24)