Do I need a permit for shed or accessory structure in Miami Gardens?

Local and county notes for Miami Gardens

The City of Miami Gardens publishes a Shed Requirement Form and applies the code rule that a permit is required to construct, enlarge, alter, or move any structure, so a pre-built shed is not automatically exempt. Because Miami Gardens is in the Miami-Dade High Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ), the shed and its anchoring generally must meet HVHZ standards and carry a product approval or Notice of Acceptance. If the shed will have power or water, separate electrical or plumbing permits are required in addition to the building permit, and setbacks are confirmed through zoning review. A shed that will have electricity, plumbing, or a permanent foundation requires a permit regardless of size. Electrical and plumbing work each need their own permit, and a permanent foundation makes the shed a permitted structure. Even a modest shed is reviewed for HVHZ wind resistance and anchoring here, so a structure sold as exempt elsewhere in Florida may still need approval. Your city issues the permit, not the county. Miami-Dade County's own building department serves the unincorporated area, while each municipality runs its own building department, and the county Board of Rules and Appeals interprets the code across all of them. Florida has no statewide small-shed exemption. The widely repeated "under 120 square feet needs no permit" rule comes from the model International Codes, and Florida did not adopt it: section 105.2 of the Florida Building Code, Building exempts only specified gas, mechanical and plumbing work, with no category exempting detached accessory structures. The size line is set locally and genuinely differs. Tampa exempts a one-story tool or storage shed only up to 120 square feet, while Orange County states that all structures require a permit, including sheds of 120 square feet or less. Ask your building department for the threshold at your address rather than assuming a number. Where no permit is required, the work must still meet the code. Section 105.2 states that exemptions "shall not be deemed to grant authorization for any work to be done in any manner in violation of the provisions of this code", so wind anchoring, zoning setbacks and flood zone rules still apply. Adding electricity or plumbing means separate trade permits regardless of the shed's size. A larger detached shed or accessory structure needs a building permit in Florida. Where a jurisdiction publishes an exemption threshold it is a local ordinance, not a Florida Building Code provision, because section 105.2 of the Florida Building Code, Building exempts only specified gas, mechanical and plumbing work. Expect wind load to drive the review. Florida sheds are anchored against uplift, and many departments want the manufacturer's anchoring detail or a signed drawing with the application. Zoning setbacks, lot coverage limits and flood zone requirements are reviewed separately from the building permit, and an HOA can impose stricter limits than either.