What the City asks for
From the City's Get a Fence Permit page (read 23 October 2026):
| Item | The City's requirement |
|---|---|
| Site survey | "prepared by a certified Surveyor", no more than one year old, drawn to scale |
| Site plan | Where the fence goes in relation to the existing buildings and property lines |
| Fence details | Height, materials, type of fence and location on the property |
| Uploads | Signed permit application, NOAs and the documents above |
| Fence over 6 ft | Plans "will go under structural review", which takes longer |
| Zoning | Fence rules in the Miami 21 zoning code; corner and driveway lots must keep the "visibility triangle" clear |
The City warns that zoning waivers are "a lengthy process" and advises designing to code instead.
Who can pull it
A licensed contractor, or you as owner-builder. The fence page says "Owners of residential properties may qualify as an owner/builder, which requires an exam and an interview." The City's owner-builder page limits that to owner-occupied one- and two-family homes for the owner's own use, "not intended for sale". Fence installers in Miami usually work under a Miami-Dade certificate of competency or a voluntary state specialty license, checked on the county's BCCO Contractor Search, or under a general contractor's DBPR license (see the Miami contractor license lookup). Ask the installer which license the permit will be pulled under.
Fees, timing and the $7,500 exemption
- Up-front fee: "based on the total cost of the project"; "If it's a residential project and the cost is less than $2500, no upfront fees will apply." Under the City's fee schedule (Sec. 10-18), 80% of the up-front fee is credited to the permit fee when it is issued, and re-review fees can be added if plans come back with comments.
- Review time: the first review cycle for a building permit application "usually takes 14 business days".
- HB 803: Florida's exemption lets the owner of a single-family home ask for a written exemption for work under $7,500 that has no electrical, plumbing, structural, mechanical or gas work, on a property outside a flood hazard area (HB 803 page). The page does not mention fences, and the usual Miami fence permit, $6,000, is under that line; if you think your fence qualifies, request the exemption and wait for the City's emailed approval, which "MUST BE POSTED ON SITE BEFORE WORK COMMENCEMENT". Zoning approval may still be needed.
Apply through iBuild: create an account, choose a building application, upload in ePlan, pay any up-front fee, then print the permit card. After the work, inspections close the permit. Building Department: (305) 416-1100. Check the result on the City's permit search.
What 1,340 Miami fence permits show
| Measure | City of Miami fence and gate |
|---|---|
| Permits on homes, October 2023 to September 2026 | 1,340 |
| Firms and owners that filed them | 620 |
| With a permit in the last 12 months | 307 |
| Usual filed value | $6,000 |
| Middle half of firms' usual value | $4,000 to $8,600 |
| Reached final (permits a year or more old) | 85.2% |
| Usual days from issue to final | 86 |
| Firms matched to an active Florida license | 89.2% |
| Filers with just one permit | 61.8% |
| Busiest / quietest month | March (index 122) / February (82) |
Miami's fence trade is fragmented: 620 filers for 1,340 permits, 61.8% of them with a single permit, and the five busiest holding only 9.1%. That makes a firm's own record more useful than its size: open it on the compare list and look at how many of its permits reached final. 10.8% of fence filers matched no state license by name, which fits a trade licensed mostly by the county, not proof of anything. Prices by job size are on the Miami fence cost page.
See every Miami fence company by permits reaching final →
Related
Other cities' rules: do I need a permit for a fence. National prices: fence installation cost. Choosing the installer: hiring a fence contractor. Doing it yourself: how to get an owner-builder permit. Licenses: Miami contractor license lookup. Miami counts: Miami permit statistics.
What this does not tell you
Our fence group is City of Miami building permits whose work items are all fences or gates; a fence filed inside a larger job is counted there. The City of Miami is not Miami-Dade County: unincorporated areas and other cities, such as Coral Gables or Miami Beach, have their own rules. We match firms to Florida DBPR licenses only, not county certificates of competency.
How we know this
Requirements, fees and timing are quoted from the City of Miami's Get a Fence Permit, HB 803, owner-builder and fee schedule pages, read 23 October 2026. Counts are City of Miami building permits on homes whose work items are fences or gates, October 2023 to September 2026. "Reached final" uses permits a year or more old; days run from issue to final. License status is matched to Florida DBPR's contractor files.
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
- Do I need a permit to put up a fence in Miami?
Yes. The City of Miami's fence permit page says 'A fence permit must be granted for both residential and commercial properties', with no height exemption. Fences over 6 feet go to structural review.
- Do I need a survey for a fence permit in Miami?
Yes. The City asks for a site survey prepared by a certified surveyor, no more than one year old and drawn to scale, plus a site plan showing the fence in relation to the buildings and property lines and details of its height, materials and type.
- Can a homeowner pull a fence permit in Miami?
Yes, as an owner-builder. The City says owners of residential properties may qualify as owner/builder, which requires an exam and an interview, and its owner-builder page limits that to an owner-occupied one- or two-family home, not intended for sale.
- How much is a fence permit in Miami?
The City's fence page says the up-front fee 'is based on the total cost of the project' and that a residential project under $2,500 pays no up-front fee. Eighty percent of any up-front fee is credited to the permit fee. The fee summary appears in iBuild when you apply.
- How long does a fence permit take in Miami?
The City says the first review cycle for a building permit application usually takes 14 business days. After issue, the usual Miami fence permit in our file reached final 86 days later, and 85.2% of fence permits a year or more old reached final.
Build your own list
Every firm with that kind of permit on record. Pick what you value. The list moves.
Related guides
- Do I need a fence permit in Cape Coral? Height, waterfront and front-yard rules, who can pull it, fee
- Do I need a fence permit in Chicago? Not up to 5 feet; yes for a 6-foot backyard fence
- Do I need a fence permit in Cleveland? Yes: the site plan the City wants, the fee lines and who pulls it
- Do I need a permit? 13 common home projects, checked against city rules and permit files
- Do I need a fence permit in Naperville? Height limits, the $88 fee, utility clearances and the final inspection
- Do I need a fence permit in Orlando? Not for most 6-foot wood or vinyl fences, but yes on corner lots, alleys, easements and pools
For one city
- Get a Fence Permit — City of Miami (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Building Permit Exemptions for Residential Properties (HB 803) — City of Miami (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Become an Owner Builder — City of Miami (accessed 2026-10-23)
- City of Miami Building Permit Fee Schedule (Sec. 10-18) — City of Miami (accessed 2026-10-23)
- BCCO Contractor Search — Miami-Dade County (2026-10-22)
- Verify a Licensee — Florida DBPR Online Services (2026-10-22)
- View Permit History / Permit Search — City of Miami (2026-10-23)