Miami-Dade County energy calcs & Manual J.
1.15 times the load, checked in the field, and a city building official in most of the county.
Miami-Dade's mechanical inspection checklist has inspectors verify that equipment doesn't exceed 1.15 times the total calculated load and isn't below the latent load, so keep the energy calc and Manual J on site. Unincorporated areas permit with the county; the municipalities have their own building officials. Miami-Dade is climate zone 1A.
- Department
- Miami-Dade County Regulatory and Economic Resources, Permitting and Inspection Centerunincorporated · Permit Submission Portal; E-Permitting for contractors (trade permits)1
- Code edition
- FBC Energy Conservation, 8th Ed. (2023)9th Ed. (2026) scheduled for Dec 31, 2026 · what changes2
- Climate zone
- Zone 1A1% cooling 91°F · 99% heating 48°F3
- Price
- $195 · $445 · $595Energy calc from · full package · sealed. Same in all 67 counties · price list
- Ready by
- 2–3 business daysExpedited: within 24 business hours, +$150. Clock starts when complete plans pass intake (3:00 PM ET cutoff) · how it works
- Evidence
- 9 primary sourcesEvery number on this page links to its source · references
What Miami-Dade reviewers ask for
On mechanical permits, the county wants the Building Permit Application with the mechanical category selected and a Mechanical Fee Sheet; any category marked 'needs processing' goes to plan review with plans.1 Qualified contractors can pull stand-alone trade permits through E-Permitting without visiting the center.1
The rest of the Miami-Dade submittal notes2 more paragraphs
The inspection side is where the load calc earns its keep. The county's mechanical inspection checklist tells inspectors to verify equipment sizing doesn't exceed 1.15 times the total calculated load and isn't less than the calculated latent load, citing FBC Energy R403.7.1.1.4 That's a mandatory line item, checked in the field.
The residential mechanical plan-review guideline points reviewers to M1401.3 for sizing heating and cooling equipment.5 Because the field check compares the nameplate to your calc, we flag any equipment selection that would land above the 1.15 line before we deliver.
Building departments
1 department · addresses, phones, portals
The county issues permits for unincorporated Miami-Dade, and its municipal-approval page explains that the municipalities have their own building officials and permit processes.7 We list the county office here; for a city address, use that city's own building page.
| Department | Address | Phone | Portal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Dade County Regulatory and Economic Resources, Permitting and Inspection Center (unincorporated) | Herbert S. Saffir Permitting and Inspection Center, 11805 SW 26 Street, Miami, FL 33175 | 786-315-2000 | Permit Submission Portal; E-Permitting for contractors (trade permits)1 |
Design conditions
91°F cooling · 48°F heating · zone 1A · weather stations
Cooling station: Kendall-Tamiami Executive (ASHRAE). Heating station: Miami Beach City Office (Manual J).3
Miami-Dade takes its 91°F cooling limit from Kendall-Tamiami Executive and its 48°F heating limit from the Miami Beach City Office record.3 It's zone 1A.2 Here's what we take from it: the heating design is so mild that heat-pump selection is purely a cooling decision, and the latent line on the inspection list deserves the same attention as tonnage, because an oversized unit short-cycles and leaves moisture behind.
Worked example
1,550 sq ft house → 39,740 Btu/h, 3.31 tons · illustrative
Illustrative · not a Manual J
A 1,550 sq ft three-bedroom CBS house from the 1970s, because nearly half the county's stock is that old.8 We assumed older-envelope leakage and a wetter design grains difference, both labeled assumptions. Look at how much the old envelope adds to the sensible side: this small house needs more than either new-build example in Lee or Charlotte.
| House | 1970s single-storey CBS home, equipment replacement |
|---|---|
| Conditioned area | 1,550 sq ft, 1 storey, 8 ft ceilings |
| Bedrooms / occupants | 3 / 4 |
| Glazing | 14% of floor area (217 sq ft), U 0.75, SHGC 0.65 |
| Walls / ceiling | R-4.1 walls, R-19 ceiling under a vented attic |
| Air leakage | 9 ACH50 |
| Ducts | in the attic, 15% gain allowance |
| Ventilation | none (existing home) |
| Outdoor design | 91°F cooling / 48°F heating (sourced above) |
| Indoor design | 75°F cooling / 70°F heating |
| Design grains difference | 55 gr/lb (assumption) |
Illustrative only. A simplified block-load estimate with the inputs shown, not an ACCA Manual J, and not for permitting. A real calc goes room by room with your plans, orientation and equipment data. Code ceiling for single-stage cooling at 1.15× total load: 45,700 Btu/h.9
Local housing
Median year built 1982 · 37.7% single-family detached · Census ACS
Miami-Dade has 1.11 million housing units, and only 37.7% are single-family detached.8 The median home was built in 1982, 47.3% of units predate 1980, and owner occupancy is 52.6%, the lowest on this list.8 Single-family work here leans toward older CBS homes getting replacement equipment; that's our inference from the age data.
Utility rebates
FPL
- FPL. FPL's A/C rebate is a $200 instant invoice credit for SEER2 15.2+ central A/C or heat pumps, both units replaced, installed by a participating contractor; ductless isn't eligible.6
Utility programs change often; check the program page before you count on a rebate.
Miami-Dade County questions
3 answers · Will a Miami-Dade inspector check my A/C tonnage against the load calc?
Will a Miami-Dade inspector check my A/C tonnage against the load calc?
Yes. The county's mechanical inspection guidelines tell inspectors to verify equipment sizing doesn't exceed 1.15 times the total calculated load and isn't below the calculated latent load, citing FBC Energy R403.7.1.1. Keep the energy calc and Manual J with the permit documents so the inspector can compare them.
Do I permit with Miami-Dade County if I'm in a city like Coral Gables?
Not usually. Miami-Dade County permits unincorporated areas, and its municipal-approval page says the municipalities have their own building officials and permit processes. Check which jurisdiction the parcel sits in first, then use that department's portal. Our calc package is the same for both; the submittal route changes.
Can contractors pull a Miami-Dade mechanical permit online?
Qualified contractors can use the county's E-Permitting application for stand-alone and subsidiary trade permits, including mechanical, and pay fees and print permit cards without visiting the center. Any category marked 'needs processing' on the fee sheet still goes through plan review, so plans must be submitted for those.
Price
One statewide price in all 67 counties. Building departments decide what they accept; we don’t guarantee approval. Revisions for plan-review comments on the same design are free.
Nearby and related
Sources
9 primary references · numbered to match the citations
- 01Miami-Dade County, Mechanical Permitsmiamidade.gov
- 022023 Florida Building Code, Energy Conservation (8th Ed.), Table R301.1, climate zones by countyup.codes
- 03RESNET / ENERGY STAR, Appendix A: HVAC Design Temperature Limits by State and County (v4, 2019). 1% cooling and 99% heating values drawn from the ASHRAE 2013 Handbook of Fundamentals and ACCA Manual J 8th Ed.resnet.us
- 04Miami-Dade County, Mechanical Inspection Guidelines and Checklist (PDF)miamidade.gov
- 05Miami-Dade County, Residential Mechanical Plan Review, FBC 2023 (PDF)miamidade.gov
- 06FPL, Ways to Save: A/C Rebatefpl.com
- 07Miami-Dade County, County Municipal Approvalwwwx.miamidade.gov
- 08U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates (B25018, B25024, B25034, B25035, B25003, B25040), via Census Reportercensusreporter.org
- 09Florida Building Commission, R405-2026 documentation checklist example (quotes R403.7.1.1 cooling equipment sizing limits)floridabuilding.org