How to Get a Restaurant Permit in Miami-Dade: MEP Engineering Requirements

Opening a restaurant in Miami-Dade County involves navigating one of Florida's most thorough building department review processes. The Miami-Dade Building Department, the Florida DBPR Division of Hotels and Restaurants, and the Miami-Dade Department of Health all have jurisdiction over different aspects of a restaurant buildout. MEP engineering drawings — signed and sealed by a licensed Florida PE — are required by all three.

Miami-Dade Building Department: MEP Plan Review

The Miami-Dade Building Department uses an electronic plan review system for commercial projects. Restaurant MEP drawings are reviewed by the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing plan reviewers simultaneously with the architectural drawings. Miami-Dade enforces the Florida Building Code with local amendments, and the High Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ) requirements apply to all construction in the county — including MEP equipment installations.

For restaurant projects, the mechanical reviewer focuses on the kitchen hood exhaust system, makeup air design, and HVAC load calculations. The electrical reviewer examines the service entrance sizing, panel schedules, and equipment circuit layouts. The plumbing reviewer checks the grease interceptor sizing, fixture unit calculations, and health department fixture requirements. Miami-Dade's plan review timeline for commercial projects is typically 4–8 weeks, though complex projects can take longer.

NFPA 96 Hood Requirements in Miami-Dade

Every commercial kitchen in Miami-Dade that uses cooking equipment producing grease-laden vapors requires a Type I hood with a UL 300 certified fire suppression system. The hood must be designed to NFPA 96 standards, with exhaust rates calculated based on the cooking equipment type, hood geometry, and clearance above the cooking surface. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue reviews the fire suppression system design as part of the permit process.

A common mistake in Miami-Dade restaurant projects is undersizing the makeup air system. When the exhaust system removes more air than the makeup air system supplies, the kitchen depressurizes — causing doors to slam, exhaust hoods to perform poorly, and potential carbon monoxide issues from combustion appliances. The mechanical engineer must balance exhaust and supply air quantities and account for the HVAC system's contribution to the kitchen air balance.

Grease Interceptor Requirements: Miami-Dade WASD

Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department (WASD) regulates grease interceptor installations for all food service establishments connected to the public sewer system. WASD requires a grease interceptor permit separate from the building permit, and the interceptor must be sized according to WASD's specific requirements — which differ from the PDI G-101 standard used in some other Florida jurisdictions.

The grease interceptor must be installed outside the building in most cases, accessible for pumping. WASD inspects the installation before the building department issues the certificate of occupancy. Coordinating the grease interceptor design with WASD's requirements early in the design process prevents costly revisions later.

DBPR Review for Miami-Dade Restaurants

The Florida DBPR Division of Hotels and Restaurants requires plan review and approval before issuing a food service license. The DBPR review focuses on food safety: equipment layout, handwashing station locations, ventilation adequacy, and grease interceptor sizing. For Miami-Dade restaurants, the DBPR review is conducted concurrently with the building department review — but they are separate submissions with separate approval processes.

Pineland Engineering produces MEP drawings that address both the Miami-Dade Building Department's technical requirements and the DBPR's food safety requirements in a single coordinated set. This reduces the number of correction cycles and helps get your restaurant open faster.