Renovating a Miami condo requires two separate approvals: the association’s, under your building’s declaration and rules, and a building permit from the city for anything beyond cosmetic work. Boards typically want a written scope, plans, insurance certificates naming the association, and an approved acoustic flooring specification before work starts. Approval can take anywhere from two weeks to two months, so a complete first submission matters more than anything else.
A condo renovation is two projects running at the same time. One is the building work. The other is the association, a body with its own rules, its own approval schedule, and the authority to stop your job on day one if the paperwork is not right. Most delays in Miami condo renovations happen before a single wall is opened. Here is what the board will want, as of 2026.
Where the board’s authority comes from
Florida’s condominium statute does not set one statewide approval process for renovating inside a unit. That is left to each building’s declaration, bylaws and rules. What the statute does say is that an owner may not do anything inside the unit or on the common elements that would adversely affect the safety or soundness of the common elements or property the association maintains.
That is the lens through which a board reads your application. Structure, waterproofing, shared plumbing, fire separation and noise are the board’s business, even though they sit inside your walls. Read your declaration and the building’s renovation rules before you sign with a designer.
1. A written scope of work
Not “renovating the kitchen.” A description of what is being removed, what is being installed, whether any plumbing or electrical is being relocated, and whether any wall is being altered. Boards are looking for two things specifically: are you touching anything structural, and are you touching anything that affects a neighboring unit.
2. Marked-up floor plans
Existing layout and proposed layout, with anything moving clearly indicated. For anything structural the building will require sealed drawings from a licensed engineer. In most high-rises the answer to “can we remove this wall?” is no, because in tower construction many interior walls are shear walls or contain columns.
3. Certificate of insurance naming the association
This is the item that most often sends projects back to the start. The association will require general liability coverage, workers’ compensation, and specific language naming the association, and often the management company, as additional insured. The name must match the association’s legal name exactly. Certificates get rejected over a missing “Inc.” more often than anyone would like.
4. Acoustic specification for hard flooring
Nearly every South Florida high-rise sets a minimum sound rating for hard flooring, expressed as STC and IIC values, often 50 or higher. The assembly, meaning underlayment plus finish, must meet it, and the specification usually has to be approved before installation.
This matters because it is one of the very few things a board can order removed after it has been installed. Laying tile without a compliant underlayment is an expensive mistake to discover late. We cover the ratings in detail in condo soundproof flooring: IIC and STC.
5. Working hours and access rules
Most buildings permit construction on weekdays only, within set hours, with noisy work restricted further. Weekends and holidays are usually prohibited entirely. Some buildings restrict work during high season.
You will also need to book service elevator time, agree on protection for common areas and corridors, and confirm the route for debris removal. Some buildings require a refundable deposit against damage to common areas.
6. The city permit, which the board does not replace
Board approval is not a building permit. Any work that relocates or alters plumbing, electrical or ventilation, or touches walls, still needs a permit from the building department with jurisdiction. In Miami Beach, Bal Harbour, Aventura, Sunny Isles Beach and Surfside, that is the city, not the county.
Florida’s new $7,500 permit exemption, effective July 1, 2026, does not help here. Condo and other multifamily units are excluded from it. Our article on bathroom remodel permits in Miami-Dade covers what triggers a permit.
What you usually cannot change
- Waste stacks. These are shared and run vertically through the building. They do not move.
- Slab penetration. Many buildings prohibit or tightly restrict coring the slab, which limits how far a drain can travel.
- Anything structural. Shear walls and columns are part of the tower.
- Exterior appearance. Window frames, balcony railings and anything visible from outside are typically common elements.
- Hurricane protection. Under Florida law the board adopts hurricane protection specifications for the building. New impact windows or shutters must match them.
This is why the honest answer to “can I move my bathroom to the other side of the unit?” is usually no, and why it is worth knowing that before paying a designer to draw it. Our article on moving plumbing in a condo high-rise explains what is and is not possible.
How long approval takes
In the buildings we work in, anywhere from two weeks to two months. If the board meets monthly and your package arrives the day after a meeting, you have just lost four weeks. If the package is incomplete, you lose another cycle.
The way to compress that is to submit a complete package the first time. We prepare the scope letter, plans, insurance certificates and flooring specification as one submission, because the second attempt always costs more time than the first one saved.
Milestone inspections and building-wide work
Since 2022, Florida has required milestone structural inspections for condo buildings three habitable stories or taller. The first is due by December 31 of the year the building turns 30, measured from its certificate of occupancy, and then every 10 years. Local building officials may require it at 25 years based on conditions such as proximity to salt water.
Why this matters for your renovation: buildings in the middle of concrete restoration often limit elevator access, close balconies, or restrict noisy work. Ask management whether any building-wide project is scheduled during your timeline. Our guide to milestone inspections for condo owners covers the rest.
What a real project looks like
On the Bay Harbor apartment, a full gut of a unit in an occupied building, the work started with board approval and an elevator reservation, and it had to respect a shared riser serving other units. The floor was levelled and the services re-run within those limits. None of that was unusual. It is what a condo gut looks like in practice.
Mistakes that cost condo owners time
- Hiring a designer before reading the building rules. A beautiful plan that moves a wet wall is worthless if the stack cannot move.
- Ordering flooring before the acoustic approval. Materials arrive, the board says no, and the floor sits in boxes.
- Assuming the last owner’s approval carries over. It does not. Rules change, and so do boards.
- Forgetting the neighbors. A courteous note to the units above, below and beside you prevents complaints that can slow a job.
- Budgeting only for construction. Deposits, elevator fees and longer schedules from restricted hours are real costs. See condo renovation costs in Miami.
What to ask a contractor before a condo renovation
- Have you worked in this building or similar towers nearby, and are you on the association’s approved list?
- Who prepares the board submission, and what goes in it?
- Can your insurer issue a certificate naming the association exactly as required?
- How will you schedule noisy work within the building’s hours?
- How will common areas and the elevator be protected, and who pays if they are damaged?
We work in condo buildings across Aventura, Sunny Isles Beach, Bal Harbour, Surfside, Miami Beach and Hallandale Beach as an HOA-approved contractor. Our condo renovation page explains how we run these projects, and our Sunny Isles Beach and Aventura pages cover local specifics. If you will be out of the country during the work, see renovating a condo while you are away.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need board approval to renovate my condo in Miami?
In almost every building, yes, for anything beyond paint and minor repairs. The approval process comes from your building’s declaration and rules rather than a single state procedure. Expect to submit a written scope, plans, insurance certificates naming the association and, for hard flooring, an acoustic specification. Board approval is separate from the city building permit.
How long does condo renovation approval take?
Typically between two weeks and two months, depending on how often the board or its architectural committee meets and whether the package is complete. Missing a monthly meeting by a day can cost a month. Submitting an incomplete package usually costs a full review cycle. Ask management for the submission deadline and checklist before you finalize plans.
Can I move a bathroom or kitchen in a Miami condo?
Sometimes, but usually only a short distance. Waste stacks are shared and fixed, and many buildings restrict coring through the slab, which limits how far a drain can run with proper slope. Moving a kitchen sink a few feet is often possible. Moving a bathroom across the unit usually is not. Confirm feasibility before paying for design.
What insurance does a contractor need for condo work?
Most associations require general liability and workers’ compensation coverage, with the association and often the management company named as additional insured. The certificate must use the association’s exact legal name. Ask management for their insurance requirements in writing and have the contractor’s agent issue the certificate directly to the building.
Does the $7,500 permit exemption apply to condo renovations?
No. The Florida exemption that took effect July 1, 2026 applies to single-family homes, duplexes and townhouses outside flood hazard areas. Condo and other multifamily units are excluded. Plumbing, electrical, mechanical and structural work need permits regardless of value, and your association will still require its own approval.
