HVHZ Explained: What the High Velocity Hurricane Zone Means for Your Permit
What HVHZ means for permits in Broward and Miami-Dade: product approvals, Miami-Dade NOAs, roofing forms and how checklists differ by city.
If you pull permits in Broward or Miami-Dade, you work in the High Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ). It changes what goes in your package: which product approvals are accepted and which forms you attach.
What the HVHZ is
The HVHZ is a designation in the Florida Building Code. Miami-Dade County's Product Control materials say the counties of the state other than Miami-Dade and Broward make up the non-HVHZ areas. In practice that means Broward and Miami-Dade are in the HVHZ, and counties such as Palm Beach are not.
Product approvals: the Miami-Dade NOA
Miami-Dade County describes the Notice of Acceptance (NOA) as the document that conveys approval of a product or system to the building industry. In HVHZ cities, checklists name it directly:
- Miami requires a Miami-Dade NOA for all exterior products and states that a Florida Product Approval alone is not sufficient.
- Fort Lauderdale requires a Miami-Dade NOA for all roofing products, and for roofing it asks you to circle the relevant information and include every sheet.
Do not assume the rule is identical everywhere. Fort Lauderdale's shed checklist, for example, accepts any one of: signed and sealed shop drawings from a Florida engineer, a State of Florida product approval, or a Miami-Dade NOA. Read the checklist for your city and product.
Roofing in the HVHZ
Roofing is a clear example of how the HVHZ changes a package. In our data:
- Miami requires the HVHZ Uniform Roofing Permit Application for all re-roofs, the HVHZ roofing forms package, affidavits for roof decking and roof to wall connection, and peel and stick underlayment for shingle roofs.
- Fort Lauderdale requires the Complete Roofing Application Packet, which includes all HVHZ forms under Florida Building Code Chapter 15, plus HVHZ roof calculations (HVC).
For full lists, see the Fort Lauderdale roofing guide and the Miami roofing checklist.
Windows, doors and shutters
Local rules add detail. Wilton Manors' checklist says windows and doors must be impact resistant unless shuttered, and that non-impact windows need a separate shutter permit for each opening. For retrofit work on detached one and two family homes with a roof height under 30 feet, it points to Broward BORA Formal Interpretation #24. For buildings 30 feet or taller, it requires a site specific design signed and sealed by a Florida engineer or architect, and generic charts are not accepted.
An HVHZ package checklist
- Confirm every exterior product has the approval your city names, and that the approval matches your exact product and size.
- Circle the relevant information on each NOA instead of highlighting it, and include all sheets.
- Attach the city's HVHZ roofing forms and calculations if you are re-roofing.
- Have engineering signed and sealed where the checklist requires it.
- Check the city page for any local rules, such as the shutter permit requirement above.
FAQ
Is Palm Beach County in the HVHZ?
No. Per Miami-Dade County's Product Control materials, the counties other than Miami-Dade and Broward are non-HVHZ.
Is a Florida Product Approval enough in Broward?
It depends on the product and the city. Some checklists, such as Miami's, state that it is not sufficient. Others allow it for certain products. Check your city's checklist.
How do I know which rules apply to my city?
Open your city's page on Flo Permit. Each lists its HVHZ status, product approval requirements and rejection reasons.
Sources
- Miami-Dade County Product Control: Notice of Acceptance (PDF)
- Flo Permit requirements data for Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Wilton Manors
Check your package before you submit.
Upload your documents and see what is missing against your city's checklist.
Start Free Analysis →3 free analyses to start. No credit card needed.
General information, not legal advice. Requirements change, so confirm current rules with your building department.