This is the City of Miami only (folio numbers starting 01); Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Hialeah and unincorporated Miami-Dade issue their own permits.
Repair or replacement: where Miami draws the line
From the City's Work that Does Not Require a Permit page (read 23 October 2026):
| No permit in the City of Miami | Not on the list, so it needs a permit |
|---|---|
| Mechanical repairs under $2,500 by a licensed contractor | Repairs of $2,500 or more |
| Minor coil, compressor or refrigerant piping repairs by licensed professionals | Replacing the condenser, air handler or the whole system |
| Duct repair that does not involve replacing the system | Replacing or extending duct runs as part of a new system |
| Portable and window A/C units, fans, evaporative coolers | Ductless mini-splits and central systems |
| Self-contained refrigeration under 10 lb of refrigerant and under 1 hp | Larger refrigeration equipment |
| Repair or replacement of bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans, electric baseboard heat | Gas-fired heating equipment |
Florida's $7,500 HB 803 owner exemption does not reach A/C work; the City's HB 803 page says it "does not include electrical, plumbing, structural, mechanical, or gas work".
Who can pull it
A licensed contractor. The City's owner-builder page says "roofing, electrical, mechanical, plumbing and gas permits may only be issued to appropriately-licensed contractors" (read 23 October 2026). Air-conditioning and mechanical contractors are on DBPR's list of trades that need state certification or registration (DBPR construction FAQ). In our file 97.0% of Miami HVAC firms matched an active DBPR license; the check takes two minutes in the Miami contractor license lookup.
How the Miami A/C permit is filed
- Easy Permit for a like-for-like change-out. "A/C CHANGE OUT" is on the City's Easy Permit list (under the electrical heading), and the mechanical items cover replacement of central heating, exhaust fans and pool heaters. The City notes that "Mechanical Easy Permits can only be replacements of 'like for like' equipment." The contractor files in iBuild, pays online and receives the permit card by email.
- A regular permit when the system changes. Moving equipment, changing system type or adding ductwork falls outside the Easy Permit list and goes through iBuild with review.
- Inspections. Keep the permit card on site. The permit's Inspections tab in iBuild lists what is required and the results (Miami building permit search).
What it costs
The City's fee schedule (Exhibit C, Sec. 10-18, adopted April 2026):
| Fee line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Building, plumbing, mechanical and electrical, residential up to 3 units | 0.50% of estimated construction cost |
| Minimum permit fee | $110.00 |
| Re-inspection | $57.00 |
The usual City of Miami HVAC permit was filed at $6,792, and the middle half of firms usually file between $5,250 and $10,000. At 0.50%, all of that is under the $22,000 point where the percentage passes the minimum, so a typical change-out pays the $110 minimum plus whatever else iBuild invoices.
What 5,161 Miami HVAC permits show
| Measure | City of Miami HVAC |
|---|---|
| Permits on homes, October 2023 to September 2026 | 5,161 |
| Firms | 846 |
| Firms with a permit in the last 12 months of the window | 517 |
| Reached Final (permits a year or more old) | 95.6% |
| Usual days from issue to Final | 73 |
| 10th-percentile firm's finished share (10+ permits) | 86.4% |
| Usual filed value | $6,792 |
| Busiest / quietest month | July (index 122) / December (75) |
Filing peaks in July, when systems fail in the heat, at 122 against 75 in December. If your system is limping rather than dead, replacing it in the quiet months means contractors with more room in the schedule. Miami HVAC firms close their permits: even the 10th-percentile firm reached Final on 86.4%, so a change-out still open months later is unusual. Prices: Miami HVAC cost and the national HVAC replacement cost; counts by year: Miami permit statistics.
See every City of Miami A/C contractor by share at Final →
Before you hire
Get the DBPR license number, check it, and ask whether the job is a like-for-like change-out (Easy Permit) or a system change. Then read the firm's record on the Miami HVAC list. The national checklist is hiring an HVAC contractor, and other cities' rules are in do I need a permit for HVAC replacement.
What this does not tell you
Exempt repairs under $2,500 leave no permit. A Final means the inspector passed the installation, not the price or the sizing. Filed values are the contractor's estimate on the application. Fees can change with the City budget; the iBuild invoice is current.
How we know this
Exemptions, Easy Permit items and owner-builder rules are quoted from City of Miami pages read 23 October 2026; fees from the City's Exhibit C fee schedule (Sec. 10-18) adopted April 2026. Permit counts are City of Miami building permits classified as HVAC, October 2023 to September 2026; finished share uses permits a year or more old, and days to Final is the median from issue to final.
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 replace my A/C in Miami?
Yes. An A/C change-out is on the City of Miami's Easy Permit list, which a licensed contractor files online in iBuild with no plan review; mechanical Easy Permits are for like-for-like equipment only. Repairs under $2,500 by a licensed contractor need no permit.
- Can a homeowner pull an A/C permit in Miami?
No. The City's owner-builder page says mechanical permits, with roofing, electrical, plumbing and gas, 'may only be issued to appropriately-licensed contractors'. Florida licenses air-conditioning and mechanical contractors through DBPR.
- How much is an A/C permit in Miami?
The City's fee schedule (Sec. 10-18, adopted April 2026) charges mechanical permits on homes of up to three units 0.50% of the estimated construction cost, with a $110 minimum and $57 per re-inspection. The usual City of Miami HVAC permit was filed at $6,792, so most pay the minimum.
- Do I need a permit to repair my A/C in Miami?
Not for mechanical repairs under $2,500 by a licensed contractor, duct repairs that don't replace the system, or minor coil, compressor or refrigerant piping repairs by licensed professionals (City of Miami exempt list). Replacing the system needs a permit.
- How long does an A/C permit take in Miami?
The Easy Permit card is emailed once paid. The usual City of Miami HVAC permit reached Final 73 days after issue, and 95.6% of those a year or more old did.
Build your own list
Every firm with that kind of permit on record. Pick what you value. The list moves.
Related guides
- Ames building permit search: how to look up permits on an address
- Do I need an HVAC permit in Ames? Yes: what is exempt, homeowner permits, the $56.23 base fee and inspections
- Do I need an HVAC permit in Anaheim? The mechanical permit for a furnace or AC change-out, fees and inspections
- Do I need an HVAC permit in Arlington, VA? The like-for-like exemption, the gas exception and zoning
- Do I need an HVAC permit in unincorporated San Diego County? What is exempt, the $392 fee and why finals stall
- Do I need an HVAC permit in San Diego? AC and furnace swaps, the HERS test and the fees
For one city
- Work that Does Not Require a Permit — City of Miami Building (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Get an Easy Permit — City of Miami (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Become an Owner Builder — City of Miami (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Building Permit Exemptions for Residential Properties (HB 803) — City of Miami (accessed 2026-10-23)
- City of Miami Building Permit Fee Schedule (Exhibit C, Sec. 10-18), adopted April 2026 (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Construction Industry FAQs — Florida DBPR (2026-10-22)