A violation letter is a deadline, not a death sentence.
Permit violation resolution in Miami-Dade & Broward, Florida.
A Notice of Violation is a written citation issued by a Miami-Dade, Broward, or municipal code-enforcement officer documenting that a property is in violation of a specific section of the Florida Building Code, the County Code, or a local ordinance. The NOV cites the section, states what must be corrected, and sets a cure-period deadline — typically 15 to 90 days depending on violation type. If the violation is not resolved within the cure period, the case proceeds to a Special Master hearing under Florida Statute Chapter 162, where daily fines of $250 to $500 are assessed and continue accruing until compliance is certified. Unresolved files become recorded liens that survive ownership transfer and block sales, refinances, and HELOCs. Most violations are resolvable — including 40-year recertification failures, unpermitted work, expired permits, and zoning citations. The cost of resolution does not increase the longer you wait; the cost of inaction does.
Most violations look something like this.
“…you are hereby notified that the following violation(s) of the Florida Building Code and/or Miami-Dade County Code exist on your property. You are directed to obtain the required permits within ___ days…”
The letter cites specific code sections. The deadlines are real. The code enforcement fines accrue daily in Miami-Dade (typically $50–$500 per day per violation) starting on the date listed.
What the letter doesn’t say is which violations have a clear resolution path and which don’t. That’s the part we do. If you don't yet know whether a notice has been issued on your property, you can find open violations on any property through the Miami-Dade public record. And if the underlying issue is working without a permit in South Florida, the after-the-fact pathway is usually the resolution route.
For properties in the City of Coral Gables specifically — where the Board of Architects and Historic Preservation Board add layered review — see our dedicated Coral Gables code violation removal guide.
Five violations we see most often.
Work without a permit (WWP)
The single most common citation. An inspector observed construction, alteration, or installation that required a permit but was performed without one. Resolution path: legalize via after-the-fact permit (if code-compliant) or remove the work and document compliance.
Expired or unfinaled permit
A permit was pulled but never finaled. The system flags it after the expiration date. Resolution: schedule and pass the missing inspections, address any field corrections, close out the permit. Common at sale and refinance.
40-year recertification failure
Buildings 40+ years old in Miami-Dade require structural and electrical recertification. A failed report triggers an unsafe-structures violation. Resolution: coordinate engineering, document compliance, resolve the file with the Building Official.
Unsafe structures / minimum housing
Code enforcement observed conditions that violate minimum-housing or unsafe-structures provisions — typically roof, electrical, life-safety, or structural issues. Resolution: scoped repair under permit, with inspections.
Fence, setback, or zoning violation
Most often a fence that exceeds height limits, encroaches on a setback, or doesn’t match approved drawings. Resolution: survey, drawings, variance application if eligible, or alteration to bring into compliance.
Whatever the trade, we resolve the file.
Permit violations come in every trade category, not just the structural and accessory-building cases that dominate our case studies. Electrical violations, roofing violations, plumbing citations, mechanical/HVAC issues, shed and accessory-structure violations — we resolve all of them through coordination with licensed professionals in our South Florida network.
Electrical
Panel upgrades, service entrance, GFCI retrofits, rewiring, generator installation, EV charging circuits.
Roofing
Re-roofs, repairs, post-storm replacements, 25-year insurance inspections, NOA-compliant materials.
Plumbing
Water service, drainage, gas line work, fixture replacements, sewer line repairs.
Mechanical / HVAC
Air conditioning, ductwork, fresh-air requirements, fuel-fired equipment, mini-split installations.
Structural
Additions, foundation repairs, hurricane retrofits, beam replacements, balcony repairs, recertifications.
Sheds & Accessory Structures
Garden sheds, ADUs, detached garages, workshops, gazebos — including after-the-fact legalization.
Windows & Doors
Impact-window replacements, slider doors, hurricane shutters, HVHZ NOA documentation.
Pool & Spa
Pool construction, deck enclosures, safety barriers, electrical bonding, screen enclosures.
Fences, Decks & Pergolas
Property-line fences, CBS walls, decorative iron, raised decks, pergolas — common after-the-fact category.
How the coordination model works. Permit Solutions Services is not a licensed electrician, roofer, plumber, or general contractor — we coordinate Florida-licensed professionals from our South Florida network for each trade. Our role is permit resolution, scope coordination, code interpretation, inspection management, and closing the file with the municipality. The trade work itself is performed by the licensed specialist appropriate to each case. For each project we tell you which licensed professional will perform the work, what their fee is, and how the timeline runs — the trade fee is separate from our coordination fee and flows directly to the contractor.
What “fast” actually looks like.
A specialist provides your case-specific window in writing at intake. We don’t quote timelines we can’t defend.
| Case type | Typical resolution window |
|---|---|
| Expired permit, no field issues | 3 – 6 weeks |
| Work without permit, fully legalizable | 8 – 14 weeks |
| Code-enforcement file with recorded lien | 12 – 24 weeks |
| 40-year recertification failure | 16 – 32 weeks |
| Unsafe-structures case requiring engineering | 20 – 40 weeks |
Fines compound. Liens record. Properties become unsellable.
A typical Miami-Dade code-enforcement file runs $50–$500 per day per violation, accruing from the date of the original notice. Multi-violation files compound quickly. After 90 days unresolved, the case is referred for lien recording. A recorded lien shows up on title and blocks sale, refinance, and HELOC.
The cost of resolution does not increase the longer you wait. The cost of inaction does.
Kendall • Inherited NOV + Recorded Lien • Closed 2025 “The lien was recorded against the property before we even bought it. Permit Solutions read the file, identified what was legalizable, filed the work, and got the lien released. We closed the sale ninety days from engagement.”
Send us the letter. We’ll send back the resolution path.
Upload the NOV, the code-enforcement letter, or the lien notice. A specialist reviews and returns a written resolution path within one business day — including the cited code sections, the steps to close, and a realistic timeline.
Your documents are reviewed by a specialist. We never share details without your consent.