Key Biscayne, Florida Building Permit Guide

The Village of Key Biscayne Building, Zoning & Planning Department issues building, trade and zoning permits on the island, and applications are filed in the Village’s Accela Citizen Access portal. New homes and area-based renovations are charged $1.43 per square foot of floor area, which covers the building and trade sub-permits, plus a $33 processing fee and state and county surcharges.

What requires a permit in Key Biscayne?

The Village’s fee schedule applies to permits to build, alter, repair, enlarge, move or demolish any building, to install or replace electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing systems, and to carry out site work and excavation. Questions about whether a job needs a permit go to the Building Official. The Village publishes separate forms or checklists for:

Separate permits are required for electrical, plumbing, mechanical, roofing and window work, and repairs to roof trusses, load-bearing walls or fire-damaged structure need plans. Some projects also need Miami-Dade County approvals, such as the Department of Environmental Resources Management (DERM) or the Department of Health.

Key Biscayne building department: who handles permitting

The Building, Zoning & Planning Department reviews and issues building permits, zoning permits and certificates of occupancy, and its forms are issued jointly with Public Works. Zoning questions, tree permits and variances go to the Village’s Zoning Reviewer.

Key Biscayne permit types and online filing

A master building permit carries the building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical and roofing sub-permits for a project; the Village asks applicants to attach all contacts to the master permit so trade subcontractors can pull their sub-permits easily. Zoning and planning permits, certificates of occupancy or completion and annual premise permits are issued separately.

• Accounts: every contact, qualifier, owner and design professional needs their own Accela login. Runners and expediters should not use one email login for several owners, addresses or projects.
• Contractors: must be registered with the Village with a valid licence, liability insurance, business tax receipt and workers’ compensation insurance or an exemption.
• Owner-builders: owners of single-family fee simple homes may do some work themselves in limited cases, using the Owner Builder Affidavit.
• Early start: the Early Start Permitting Program lets a licensed contractor begin limited work while the permit is in review, after zoning clearance, any DERM approval, a pre-construction meeting and payment of fees. Processing takes 24 to 48 hours, and work must stop at the first point an inspection would be required.

Permit costs and local fees in Key Biscayne

Fees come from the Building, Zoning and Planning Fee Schedule adopted January 18 and effective March 1, 2022. The base permit fee includes the trade sub-permits, the first plan review and one follow-up, and one of each required inspection plus one follow-up.

For example, a new 3,000 sq ft home has a base permit fee of $4,290 (3,000 × $1.43), with half of it due at submittal, before processing, zoning review and surcharges.

A cancelled permit with no work done can be refunded, less $100 per discipline or 50% of the fee, whichever is greater; fees of $100 or less per discipline are not refunded.

Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and fire permits in Key Biscayne

Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and roofing work are sub-permits under the master building permit; a stand-alone trade job is charged by value with a $150 minimum when only one trade is involved. Plumbing, mechanical and fire inspections are not offered on Fridays. The Village also has its own fire permit fees for fire alarm and suppression plan review, acceptance tests and life safety inspections before a CO.

An emergency A/C replacement is allowed under the Village’s procedure only if the electronic permit application is complete and paid before the replacement is finished, with the A/C replacement data form showing the old and new units and their wind rating. A contractor who skips this pays twice the base permit fee plus a $137.50 fine.

Alliance handles electrical permit applications for contractors here. More on this: who pulls the electrical permit.

Application documents and plan requirements

The Village’s 2025 submittal checklist says all permits are submitted electronically, as PDF files, and lists:

• A completely filled-in permit application with original or digital signatures
• Proof of ownership, such as the Property Appraiser summary or recorded deed, matching the Property Appraiser listing; commercial signers are checked against the state Division of Corporations
• One set of digitally signed and sealed plans, specifications and Notices of Acceptance; Miami-Dade County review needs individual files, and resubmittals must follow the same batches
• HOA or landlord authorization, requested as a courtesy
• A recorded Notice of Commencement for work over $2,500, or mechanical work over $7,500, provided at the first inspection
• A request for an address through Planning & Zoning if the property has none

Any expired permit on the property must be renewed before a new permit is issued, and work that resolves a code violation should say so in the job description. The Accela portal still accepts paper submittals, which are scanned before review; letter and 11 x 17 sheets are scanned free, while the fee schedule charges $22 plus a per-sheet fee to convert larger documents.

How to apply: 6-step Key Biscayne process

Inspections in Key Biscayne

Schedule inspections from the permit record in Accela. Village inspections are performed daily from 10:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.; there are no plumbing, mechanical or fire inspections on Friday. The base fee covers one of each required inspection and one follow-up; after that, each re-inspection or partial inspection costs $82.50 per discipline. After-hours and weekend inspections must be requested in writing in advance and depend on inspector availability.

The Village publishes a checklist for certificates of occupancy and completion, final closeout document requirements, special inspector and threshold building forms and instructions for as-built certification letters. Occupying a building without a CO costs a $220 fine plus double the CO fee.

Local Key Biscayne details that matter

Site plan review: a new single-family home or duplex, an apartment or commercial building, or an addition or renovation larger than 50% of the existing floor area needs site plan review: $600 administratively or $1,650 before the Village Council.

Variances: a supervisory variance costs $165, and an administrative or regulatory variance for a single-family home or duplex $440.

Building recertification: buildings covered by the Miami-Dade County recertification rule are inspected at 40 years and every 10 years after; the Village charges $375 per building when the report is filed.

Flood: the Village publishes a Flood Private Appraisal Checklist for owners who submit their own appraisal of a building’s value.

Florida building code

The Florida Building Code, 8th Edition (2023), has applied statewide since 31 December 2023; the Florida Building Commission has proposed the 9th Edition (2026) to take effect on 31 December 2026. Florida permit rules

Key Biscayne permit search and official resources

These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.

• Florida Building Code - 8th Edition (2023)
• Village Building, Zoning & Planning contact
• Village Permit Fee Schedule
• Accela Citizen Access
• Key Biscayne permitting overview
• Key Biscayne permit forms and resources
• Key Biscayne permit application submittal checklist
• Key Biscayne Early Start Permitting guidelines
• Key Biscayne A/C emergency replacement procedures

Frequently asked questions

Who issues building permits in Key Biscayne?

The Village of Key Biscayne Building, Zoning & Planning Department, 88 W. McIntyre Street, Suite 250. Call the permit clerks at 305-365-5512.

How much is a building permit in Key Biscayne?

New construction and area-based renovations are $1.43 per square foot of floor area; other work is 2.53% of construction value, with a $100 minimum per discipline. A new 3,000 sq ft home starts at $4,290 before processing, zoning review and surcharges.

How do I apply for a permit in Key Biscayne?

Online through Accela Citizen Access, with every document as a PDF. Each contact needs their own login, and contractors must be registered with the Village.

Can a homeowner pull a permit in Key Biscayne?

In limited cases. Owners of single-family fee simple homes can self-perform some work using the Village’s Owner Builder Affidavit.

When do I need a Notice of Commencement?

For work valued over $2,500, or mechanical work over $7,500. File it with the Miami-Dade Clerk and provide it at the first inspection.

Can work start before the permit is issued?

Only under the Early Start Permitting Program, which takes 24 to 48 hours to process and allows limited work up to the first required inspection.

How are inspections handled?

Schedule them in Accela. Inspections run daily from 10:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., with no plumbing, mechanical or fire inspections on Friday.

Simplify Key Biscayne permitting with Alliance Permitting

Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Florida. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the permitting authority through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Key Biscayne permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.