How Homestead Handles Building Safety: A Practical Guide

Homestead maintains 129 local ordinances across all categories, and 4 of those deal specifically with building safety. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Homestead falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Door Locking Hardware

New buildings in Homestead must meet specific lock hardware standards under City Code Section 6-391: exterior exit doors need a key-operated exterior lock offering at least 6,000 possible key combinations, and any lock providing intrusion and burglary security must resist 300 pounds of force applied in any movable direction.

Key details: Governing section: City Code Section 6-391. Minimum key combinations: 6,000 possible combinations. Force resistance (doors): 300 lbs in any movable direction. Force resistance (windows): 150 lbs (Section 6-393). Swinging door throw bolts: 5/8 inch minimum (Section 6-392).

Installing exterior door or window hardware that fails these lock, throw-bolt or force-resistance standards is a building code violation caught at plan review or final inspection by the building official, who can reject the installation and require compliant hardware before a certificate of occupancy is issued. Substituted devices not approved by the building official do not satisfy Section 6-391(e).

Plumbing Permits

Any plumbing work in Homestead needs a permit under City Code Section 6-36, which folds plumbing into the same article covering construction, electrical, mechanical, demolition and additions. Permits are issued by the development services department under the adopted South Florida Building Code (Section 6-21), and contracting firms must register annually with the city after renewing their local business tax receipt.

Key details: Governing section: City Code Section 6-36. Adopted code: South Florida Building Code, 1984 Ed.. Contractor registration fee: $35 per year (Section 6-37). Registration deadline: 30 days after tax receipt renewal. Minimum permit fee: $2.00 (Section 6-52).

Doing plumbing work without the required permit, or having an unregistered contractor pull the permit, violates Article III, Division 1 of Chapter 6. A qualifier's privileges to work in Homestead can be revoked for failing to appear at required inspections, and permits issued on incomplete or incorrect information are subject to correction, citation, or liens against the property by the development services department.

Building Permits

Homestead requires a permit before any construction, reconstruction, structural alteration, demolition or addition, plus separate trade permits; starting work before the permit issues doubles the fee on Homestead property, or quadruples it elsewhere, on top of a flat $110 penalty.

Key details: Permit trigger: Required for construction, demolition, additions (Sec. 6-36). Trade permits: Separate permits required for plumbing, electrical, mechanical. Homestead property surcharge: Unpermitted work: 2x permit fee + $110. Other property surcharge: Unpermitted work: 4x permit fee + $110. Contractor registration: Annual city registration required, $35 fee (Sec. 6-37).

Beginning work before a permit issues triggers the Sec. 6-52 surcharge: two times the normal permit fee plus $110 for Homestead property, or four times the fee plus $110 for non-Homestead or commercial property. The fee schedule specifies that paying it "shall not relieve any person, firm, or corporation from fully complying with all of the requirements of all applicable regulations and codes, nor shall it relieve them from being subject to any of the penalties therein."

Electrical Permits

Homestead requires its own electrical permit before wiring work begins, separate from a general construction permit, priced at 2.0% of the value of the electrical work plus a $116 plan-review fee per cycle, with an added penalty if the work starts before the permit is issued.

Key details: Permit trigger: Electrical permit required separately (Sec. 6-36). Trade permit fee: 2.0% of value of electrical work performed. Review fee: Electrical review costs $116.00 per review cycle. Homestead property surcharge: Unpermitted work: 2x permit fee + $110. Other property surcharge: Unpermitted work: 4x permit fee + $110.

Electrical work started before the required permit is obtained is charged under Sec. 6-52's citywide work-without-permit fee: two times the normal permit fee plus $110 for Homestead property, or four times the fee plus $110 for non-Homestead or commercial property. The fee schedule specifies that paying the surcharge does not relieve the contractor or owner of full compliance with all other applicable code requirements and penalties.

The Bottom Line

Homestead's building safety rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Homestead is broadly strict or permissive.

This guide is based on Homestead's current municipal code. Local rules can and do change, so check the individual ordinance pages for the latest details, penalties, and FAQs.