Solar site surveys · Miami, FL

Solar site surveys in Miami

Roof, attic and service panel captured in one visit, with the plan set built for the Miami AHJ you submit into and the utility that serves the address.

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NEC 2020Electrical code in effect

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Short answer

Miami sits in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, where the Risk Category II design wind speed is 175 mph and roofing work must meet HVHZ provisions. The City of Miami handles residential rooftop PV as a stand-alone electrical permit that requires a Florida PE letter on hurricane performance. Miami-Dade County permits unincorporated areas, and each other municipality runs its own building department. FPL serves most of the county, while Homestead runs its own municipal utility.

What changes in Miami

Florida state rules apply here, plus whatever the local AHJ amends.

FL · MIAMI

Code stack

2020NEC 2020National Electrical Code · effective Dec 31, 2023. Chapter 27 of the 8th edition (2023) Florida Building Code adopts NFPA 70, and the edition in force statewide is the 2020 NEC. The 9th edition FBC, which moves to the 2023 NEC, is scheduled to take effect December 31, 2026, so confirm with the AHJ which edition applies to a given permit date.^1,2,3

2023FBC-R 2023The 8th edition (2023) Florida Building Code, Residential updates the prior Florida code using the 2021 IRC plus Florida amendments. Its solar section R324 now requires PV racking listed to UL 2703 and installed per its listing, and adds a BIPV roof panel provision. The 9th edition, based on the 2024 IRC, is scheduled for December 31, 2026.^4,3,5

2023FFPC 2023The 8th edition Florida Fire Prevention Code (NFPA 1 and NFPA 101, 2021 editions with Florida amendments) has been in effect since December 31, 2023. A 9th edition built on NFPA 1 (2024) was in draft for a December 31, 2026 effective date, with a proposed rule hearing held July 14, 2026.^6,7

Rooftop fire access. For one- and two-family homes, FBC-R Section R324.6 requires at least two 36-inch pathways from the lowest roof edge to the ridge on separate roof planes, one on the street or driveway side, and an 18-inch clear setback on each side of a horizontal ridge (36 inches once the array covers more than 33% of the plan-view roof area). Roofs of 2:12 slope or less are exempt, and the ridge thresholds rise to 66% in sprinklered homes. Other building types follow NFPA 1 Section 11.12 in the Fire Prevention Code.^8,9,10

Climate and site factors

175 mph wind design

The FBC sets Miami-Dade's Risk Category II design wind speed at 175 mph under the HVHZ provisions, and county plan review expects roof plans showing ASCE 7 uplift zones, perimeter widths and pressures.^11,12

HVHZ roofing

PV roof penetrations in the HVHZ have to be flashed to meet the HVHZ wind requirements, and the roofing type, deck type and roof condition (existing, reroof or new) all go on the permit plans.^10,13

Tile roofs

County reviewers treat tile roofs as discontinuous systems in which the underlayment waterproofs the roof, so a tile PV mount needs an approved flashing detail rather than sealant alone.¹⁰

Product approvals

HVHZ municipalities such as Miami Beach require Miami-Dade Notices of Acceptance for rooftop solar submittals, so record the existing roof covering and mount type during the survey.¹⁴

Permitting in Miami

The main AHJs, and how the rest of the metro splits up.

City of Miami Building Department

Residential solar needs only an electrical stand-alone solar permit, applied for through iBuild with plans uploaded to ProjectDox. Plans must be sealed by a Florida engineer or a qualifying EC/CVC contractor on jobs under $50,000, and must include a PE letter stating the array will not harm the structure in normal conditions or a hurricane. Commercial jobs also need a roofing permit.¹⁵

Official page ↗

Miami-Dade County RER (unincorporated Miami-Dade)

Applications for unincorporated areas go through the county's online portal. They need a notarized building permit application, an electrical fee sheet, digitally sealed plans showing ASCE 7 wind zones and sealed wind-load calculations, and the FSEC certification form. Using pre-approved mounting details lowers the permit fee.¹²

Official page ↗

City of Miami Beach Building Department

Miami Beach waives photovoltaic building permit fees, but a permit is still required. Submittals include structural and electrical calculations and NOAs for rooftop installations, followed by electrical, structural, planning and roofing reviews.¹⁴

Official page ↗

Across the metro

Each municipality issues its own solar permits with its own submittal package (Miami Beach, Miami Gardens and Miami Lakes each publish one), and Miami-Dade County RER handles unincorporated areas. Broward County to the north is also in the HVHZ.^{14,16,13,12,11}

Miami Beach
Hialeah
Coral Gables
Doral
Miami Gardens
Miami Lakes
Homestead
Unincorporated Miami-Dade

Florida-wide rules that still apply

Section 553.791, as amended by HB 683 (2025), treats solar and energy storage work as a single-trade review. When a licensed private provider reviews the plans, which it may do with automated software, and files an affidavit for a one- or two-family home, the building official has 5 business days to issue the permit or list specific deficiencies; otherwise the permit is deemed approved.^17,18
Since July 1, 2025, local governments may not require the builder-owner contract, or documents such as letters of intent or labor and material cost lists, to issue or accept a building permit application.^19,18
Section 163.04 bars ordinances, deed restrictions and HOA covenants from prohibiting solar collectors on homes. An association may choose where roof collectors go, within south-facing orientations up to 45 degrees east or west of due south, as long as that placement does not impair the system's effective operation.²⁰
Solar energy systems sold in Florida must meet Florida Solar Energy Center standards unless a Florida-licensed engineer certifies them to the Florida Building Code, and Miami-Dade asks for the FSEC certification form with PV permit applications.^21,12
Permits are issued locally: each city runs its own building department, and the county handles unincorporated areas (for example, Miami-Dade's online portal serves unincorporated Miami-Dade and Hillsborough County's HillsGovHub serves its unincorporated areas).^12,9,15

Utilities and interconnection

FPL serves Miami-Dade County outside Homestead, which runs its own municipal electric utility with its own net metering program rather than the PSC rule for investor-owned utilities.^22,23

Florida Power & Light FPL

Largest investor-owned utility, covering much of the east coast, Southwest Florida and, since it absorbed Gulf Power on January 1, 2022, Northwest Florida. Customers pre-approve system size in FPL's portal before installing, then upload the AHJ's final inspection or permit; Tier 2 and 3 systems pay a fee and carry liability insurance.^24,25,26,27

Interconnection page ↗

Export compensation. For the investor-owned utilities, PSC Rule 25-6.065 (unchanged since April 2008) sets three tiers: up to 10 kW, over 10 kW to 100 kW, and over 100 kW to 2 MW. Monthly excess generation is credited as kWh against the next bills for up to 12 months, and unused credits are paid out once a year at the utility's as-available (COG-1) avoided-energy rate. A 2022 bill (HB 741) to phase down net metering was vetoed, and as of September 2026 the rule text is still the 2008 version.^28,29,30

What we capture on every Miami survey

The same capture standard as every other Florida job, so the plan set is built on what the technician verified on site.

Roof and structure

Measured roof planes: pitch, azimuth, dimensions
Every penetration and obstruction, located
Rafter or truss size, spacing and span
Decking type and condition
Layer count at a cut edge
Setbacks and fire pathway constraints
Horizon shading capture per array area

Electrical and interconnection

Main breaker and bus bar rating, photographed separately
Meter location and configuration
Slot count: used, open, tandem, double-tapped
Available interconnection points
Existing loads and sub-panels
Conduit route, measured along the actual path
Grounding electrode and bonding path

Commercial buildings

Membrane type, age and condition, with drainage pattern
Bar joist depth, spacing and span
Deck type and gauge
Switchgear and available bus capacity
Access and lift constraints for the install crew

Every visit

Roof and electrical in one visit, no second trip
48-hour turnaround from survey to deliverable
Photo documentation throughout
Permit sets available, stamped, 6 days from survey

Miami solar survey FAQ

Does a City of Miami home solar job need a structural permit?

For residential work, the City of Miami requires only an electrical stand-alone solar permit. The package must still include sealed plans and a Florida PE letter confirming the system will not harm the structure, including during a hurricane.¹⁵

What design wind speed applies to solar in Miami-Dade?

Under the HVHZ section of the Florida Building Code, the Risk Category II design wind speed in Miami-Dade is 175 mph. The county expects wind uplift zones and sealed wind-load calculations on the plans.^11,12

Who permits solar in unincorporated Miami-Dade?

Miami-Dade County's Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources, through its online permit portal. Incorporated cities such as Miami, Miami Beach and Miami Lakes each run their own building departments.^12,15,14

Do Miami-area solar mounts need a Notice of Acceptance?

Some HVHZ jurisdictions ask for one; Miami Beach, for example, lists NOAs among the required submittals for rooftop installations. Confirm current product approval requirements with the AHJ.^14,31

Is every Miami-area home served by FPL?

Most are. Homestead runs its own municipal electric utility, so homes there follow Homestead's net metering and interconnection rules instead of FPL's.^22,23

Services and further reading

State-level detail is on the Florida page; every location is on the solar site survey hub.

Residential

Roof, attic and service panel in one visit

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Commercial & Industrial

Roof, structure and switchgear

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Utility-Scale

Terrain, build and operations

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Site surveys

Roof and electrical, one visit

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Permitting & engineering

Stamped sets, six days from survey

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Shading analysis

SA, TOF and TSRF per plane

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From Field Notes

Sources

Every local fact on this page links to where it came from. Codes, programs and tariffs change: confirm the current requirement with the AHJ and the utility before you design.

Researched September 29, 2026.

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Solar site surveys in Miami

What changes in Miami

Climate and site factors

175 mph wind design

HVHZ roofing

Tile roofs

Product approvals

Permitting in Miami

City of Miami Building Department

Miami-Dade County RER (unincorporated Miami-Dade)

City of Miami Beach Building Department

Across the metro

Florida-wide rules that still apply

Utilities and interconnection

Florida Power & Light FPL

What we capture on every Miami survey

Roof and structure

Electrical and interconnection

Commercial buildings

Every visit

Miami solar survey FAQ

Services and further reading

Residential

Commercial & Industrial

Utility-Scale

Site surveys

Permitting & engineering

Shading analysis

From Field Notes

Sources

Talk through your next Miami site in 15 minutes