Yes. Replacing windows or exterior doors in Broward County needs a permit, even when the new ones are the same size and go in the same opening. That's true even under Florida's new small-project exemption, which took effect in July 2026.
The reason is simple: in a hurricane, a window or door that blows in lets wind into the house, and the pressure can lift the roof off from the inside. That's why Broward treats every exterior opening as part of the building's structure.
Quick answer
- Replacing windows, sliding doors, entry doors or garage doors: permit required.
- Florida's new 2026 exemption doesn't apply. Fort Lauderdale, for example, lists window replacements as work that always needs a permit.
- Products must have approvals rated for Broward's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone.
- Making an opening bigger or smaller is structural work and needs more review.
- Condos need a permit and usually approval from the association.
Why are windows treated as structural?
Broward and Miami-Dade are the only counties in Florida's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ). In the HVHZ, every window and exterior door has to resist hurricane-force wind pressure and impact from flying debris, and it has to be anchored to the wall the way its testing requires.
The new window can be top quality, but if it's attached with the wrong screws, the wrong spacing or the wrong shims, it can fail at the wall. The permit and inspection are how the city checks that connection.
When Fort Lauderdale explained the 2026 small-project exemption, it singled out windows: they're part of the building envelope, their connection to the structure is critical, so they're treated as structural work and always need a permit.
What do you need for the permit?
- Product approvals for each window and door: a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA) or a Florida Product Approval rated for the HVHZ. See what an NOA is
- A window and door schedule: each opening, its size, the product, and the design pressure it needs to meet
- Contractor license and insurance on file with the city
- Proof of cost (the signed contract), since many permit fees are based on job value
- A Notice of Commencement if the job is over $5,000, recorded and posted before the first inspection
- Engineering if openings change size or the wall needs work
What do the inspections check?
Most cities do at least two:
- In-progress inspection: the inspector checks the attachment (anchors, spacing, shims and the buck around the opening) before it's covered with stucco or trim.
- Final inspection: the installed product matches the approval on file, the labels are present, and the openings are finished correctly.
Pull the factory labels off before the final and you may fail it. Leave them on until the inspector says otherwise.
What causes delays?
- Product approvals that have expired. NOAs carry an expiration date, so check it
- The approved design pressure is too low for the opening's location on the house
- The products ordered don't match the products in the permit
- Schedules that skip openings or list the wrong sizes
- The in-progress inspection is missed and the work is already covered
Is Palm Beach County different?
Palm Beach County isn't in the HVHZ, but it's still in a wind-borne debris region with strict requirements. Windows still need permits, Florida Product Approval and inspections. Some details differ, and every city has its own forms.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit to replace one window?
Yes. One window or twenty, it's the same requirement in Broward. The paperwork is smaller, but the permit is still required.
Do hurricane shutters need a permit?
Permanent shutters that attach to the house generally need a permit and product approval, just like windows. Ask your city about removable panels.
Does the HOA or condo board approve it, or the city?
Both, often. The association approves appearance and the building's own rules. The city approves code compliance. One doesn't replace the other.
Need a window or door permit?
We prepare and submit building permits for window and door replacements across Broward and Palm Beach County, check the product approvals before submittal, and schedule the inspections. Call us or request a callback.