Where to search City of Miami permits
| Tool | Search by | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| iBuild portal (account) | Permit number or process number | Status, cost, issue and expiration dates, required inspections, inspection history, fees, certificates |
| Building Permits Since 2014 (open data) | Any field: folio, company name, address | Status, final flag, total cost, scope of work, company |
| Microfilm records request | Address or folio | Copies of permits and plans on file, for a fee |
| Our Miami firm list | Contractor name | Each firm's permits, share at Final, days to final |
How to look up a permit on a Miami address
- Note the folio number, which the City describes as "the unique 13-digit number assigned to every property by the county". City of Miami folios start with "01"; any other start means another city or the county issued the permits.
- Create an iBuild account or log in, then enter the permit or process number in the search field and press the magnifying glass.
- On the permit, read the General Info tab: active or final, project cost, issue and expiration dates.
- Open Inspections, then View Permit Inspections History, to see each inspection and its result.
- If you only have the address, find the permit number first in the open data file or on our firm pages, then open it in iBuild.
Building questions go to the Building Department on (305) 416-1100 or building@miamigov.com.
What the statuses mean
The open data file uses five statuses (counted 23 October 2026): Final, Active, Revoked, Expired and Hold. Our pages count a permit as finished when it is Final, and time it from issue to the date it went final (methodology; Miami about page).
| Trade | Permits | Firms | Final (a year or more old) | Usual days to Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roofing | 6,585 | 908 | 97.5% | 38 |
| Windows and doors | 4,921 | 1,096 | 98.5% | 55 |
| Plumbing | 7,927 | 1,002 | 90.8% | 127 |
| HVAC | 5,161 | 846 | 95.6% | 73 |
| Electrical | 6,214 | 1,029 | 86.6% | 184 |
| Remodel | 3,752 | 1,475 | 92.8% | 182 |
Miami closes most permits: 97.5% of roofing permits and 98.5% of window permits reached Final. So a roofing or window permit still Active a year later stands out; Expired or Revoked on your job means the work was never signed off and may need a new permit.
Older records: microfilm
For permits before the online years, use Request Building Records (Microfilm). The City says it "keeps records of all permits and plans on any property" and charges a "$44.00 non-refundable fee. Includes search, processing, and full digital records", plus $1.00 a page for certification. Searches are processed within three business days, and the City says to "anticipate 20 working days (from time of payment)". Email buildingrecords@miamigov.com or call (305) 416-1140 (read 23 October 2026).
What our Miami data adds
iBuild opens one permit at a time. Ours lists every City of Miami permit a firm pulled, with its share at Final: the Miami permit statistics, and the compare lists for roofers, window installers and plumbers. The state and county license checks are in the Miami contractor license lookup, and Do I need a permit? covers which jobs need one.
See every City of Miami roofer by share at Final →
How we know this
iBuild steps and the microfilm fee and timing are quoted from the City of Miami's permit history and microfilm pages, read 23 October 2026; the status list is a count of the City's open data file that day. Our counts are City of Miami permits only (not Miami-Dade County), October 2023 to September 2026.
Numbers come from City of Miami building permits (since 2014), data through October 17, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- How do I find out if a permit was pulled on my house in Miami?
Log in to the City's iBuild portal (a free account) and search the permit or process number; the City's permit history page also lists the address and the 13-digit folio number as identifiers. Inspection history is under Inspections, View Permit Inspections History.
- Are City of Miami building permits public record?
Yes. The City calls permit history a public record, publishes permits since 2014 as open data, and sells copies of older records from its microfilm files.
- How do I get old Miami building records?
Use the City's Request Building Records (Microfilm) form, email buildingrecords@miamigov.com or call (305) 416-1140. The fee is $44, non-refundable, plus $1 a page for certified copies, and the City says to allow 20 working days after payment.
- Does the City of Miami search cover Miami-Dade County?
No. The microfilm page says the property must be in the City of Miami, whose folio numbers start with 01. Miami Beach, other cities and unincorporated Miami-Dade issue their own permits.
- How long do Miami roofing permits take to reach final?
In our file the usual City of Miami roofing permit reached Final in 38 days, and 97.5% of roofing permits a year or more old had.
Build your own list
Every firm with that kind of permit on record. Pick what you value. The list moves.
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