What Miami Regulates: A Complete Ordinance Overview

Miami is a mid-sized city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, with about 442000 residents. Like most cities its size, it has a set of local rules that may differ significantly from neighboring municipalities. Here is an overview of 151 ordinances across 46 categories that affect daily life in Miami.

Fence Regulations

Material Restrictions: Miami 21 bans broken glass, projecting nails, coiled razor wire and spikes on any fence or wall citywide. Barbed wire is allowed only in the D1-D3 industrial Transect Zones, and only with an approved Waiver..

Also covered: Fence Permit Requirements (moderate), Height Limits (moderate), Retaining Walls (moderate). See the full fence regulations guide for Miami for details.

Building Safety

Building Inspections: The City of Miami inspects permitted construction in stages, foundation, framing, sheathing, roofing, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, gas, and work must stay exposed until the Building Official approves it..

Also covered: Plumbing Permits (moderate), Electrical Permits (moderate), Building Permits (moderate). See the full building safety guide for Miami for details.

Sign Regulations

Freeway-Facing Signs: Miami prohibits construction of any new freestanding billboard citywide under Sec. 62-618.3, including along I-95, I-195, I-395 and other freeway corridors; existing legal billboards may only be relocated and reconstructed under a strict swap agreement with the city..

Also covered: Window Signs (moderate), Digital Billboards (strict), Garage Sale Signs (moderate). See the full sign regulations guide for Miami for details.

Accessory Structures

ADU Rental Restrictions: Renting a Miami ancillary dwelling unit requires a building permit, certificate of occupancy, and an annual ADU registration certificate, and the unit must remain predominately permanent housing: transient or temporary rentals are grounds for revocation..

Also covered: Shed & Carport Rules (moderate), ADU Owner Occupancy (moderate), ADU Rules (moderate). See the full accessory structures guide for Miami for details.

Rental Inspections

Inspection Programs: Miami issues a certificate of use for every building and reinspects it annually, apartment buildings included, to confirm the property still meets zoning, building, fire and health code requirements..

Homelessness & Encampment Rules

Encampment Sanitation: Miami Code § 37-16 makes camping, sleeping under a tent, or accumulating belongings in parks, sidewalks, and rights-of-way unlawful, with a citation or arrest issued only after a written warning and, before any arrest, a confirmed shelter-bed offer..

Also covered: Sit-Lie Rules (restrictive), LAMC §41.18 Encampment Rule (moderate). See the full homelessness & encampment rules guide for Miami for details.

Trash & Recycling

Collection Schedule: Miami's solid waste department collects residential garbage twice a week for homes and buildings of three units or fewer, with a fixed curbside placement window enforced under City Code § 22-2..

Also covered: Illegal Dumping (moderate), Recycling Rules (moderate), Bulk Item Disposal (moderate). See the full trash & recycling guide for Miami for details.

Environmental Rules

Flood Zones: The City of Miami has extensive FEMA flood zones due to coastal exposure, Biscayne Bay, and low elevation. Chapter 11 of the city code addresses flood damage prevention.

Also covered: Flood Elevation Requirements (moderate), Stormwater Management (moderate), Erosion Control (moderate). See the full environmental rules guide for Miami for details.

Public Conduct

Public Urination: Miami Code § 37-11 makes it unlawful to urinate or defecate in any public place not designated as a restroom or toilet, with narrow exceptions for young children and people with qualifying impairments..

Also covered: Public Marijuana Use (restrictive), Outdoor Smoking Restrictions (restrictive), Loitering Rules (restrictive). See the full public conduct guide for Miami for details.

Drone Rules

Commercial Drones: Miami caps unregistered drones at five pounds and bars UAS entirely within a half-mile of major stadiums and large public events unless the operator files the city's application..

Also covered: Event Drone Restrictions (restrictive), Park Drone Restrictions (restrictive), Recreational Drones (moderate). See the full drone rules guide for Miami for details.

Parking Rules

Towing & Impound Rights: Miami publishes no tow rate schedule of its own. Sec.

Also covered: EV Charging (moderate), Loading Zones (moderate), Abandoned Vehicles (moderate). See the full parking rules guide for Miami for details.

Mobility & Curb Rules

Shared E-Scooter Rules: Miami's licensed shared e-scooter pilot program operates only in City Commission District 2: scooters used or found anywhere else in the city are unauthorized. Operators pay a $50,000 licensing fee and follow strict fleet, speed, parking, and age rules..

Also covered: Bike Lane Rules (limited), TNC Pickup Zones (moderate). See the full mobility & curb rules guide for Miami for details.

Animal Ordinances

Bird Protection: Miami declares itself a bird sanctuary and makes it unlawful to shoot, trap, or kill any bird within city limits, with a narrow exception for city-run peafowl relocation..

Also covered: Wildlife Feeding (moderate), Pet Groomer Rules (moderate), Cat Rules (moderate). See the full animal ordinances guide for Miami for details.

Cannabis Regulations

Buffer Zones: Retail hemp establishments and smoke shops can't open within 1,000 feet of any public or private school, park, playground, or place of worship in Miami, measured property line to property line..

Special Events & Permits

Parade Permits: Parades of 50+ people on any public right-of-way, or any size parade on a city street, need a police chief permit filed at least 5 business days ahead..

Also covered: Street Fair Rules (moderate), Block Party Permits (moderate), Park Event Permits (moderate). See the full special events & permits guide for Miami for details.

Water Use Rules

Recycled Water Rules: Miami's water conservation ordinance regulates when residents may irrigate landscaping, but explicitly exempts irrigation done with reclaimed water or saltwater from those day-and-time restrictions..

Local Taxes & Fees

Business Tax Classification: Miami requires every business to hold an annually renewed Local Business Tax Receipt classified under one of more than 300 categories in Sec. 31-50, with the fee amount set entirely by that classification code and due each October 1..

Business Licensing & Operations

Tobacco Retail License: Miami smoke shops must sit at least one mile from any other smoke shop or hemp retailer and 1,000 feet from schools, parks, playgrounds, or houses of worship, on top of standard business licensing..

Also covered: Massage Establishments (restrictive), Towing Companies (moderate), Pawnbrokers (moderate). See the full business licensing & operations guide for Miami for details.

Fire Regulations

Smoke Detectors: Miami enforces smoke detector requirements through Code Enforcement civil penalties: $210 for missing single-station detectors in living units and $105 in day cares or hotel guestrooms, citing the Life Safety Code sections the city adopts via the Florida Fire Prevention Code..

Also covered: Propane Storage (moderate), Outdoor Burning (moderate), Fireworks (moderate). See the full fire regulations guide for Miami for details.

Tree Protection

Heritage & Protected Trees: Miami singles out "specimen trees", 18 inches DBH or larger, for extra protection: the city can require project redesigns, on- or off-site relocation, or costly replacement before one may be removed..

Also covered: Parkway Planting (moderate), Protected Tree Species (moderate). See the full tree protection guide for Miami for details.

Noise from Specific Sources

Bar & Nightclub Noise: Bars, nightclubs, and other alcohol or entertainment establishments that share a property line with a home cannot play music or amplified sound in outdoor areas between 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m., with escalating fines for repeat violations..

Also covered: Low-Frequency Bass Limits (moderate), Delivery Truck Noise (moderate), HVAC & Mechanical Noise (moderate). See the full noise from specific sources guide for Miami for details.

Invasive Plant Rules

Prohibited Species: Miami 21 bars planting any species on the Miami-Dade County Landscape Manual's prohibited list and requires it removed from sites the landscape article covers..

Noise Ordinances

Decibel Limits: Miami caps noise from industrial and wholesale commercial equipment at 70 dBA above ambient at night and 75 dBA during the day, measured at the property line under Sec. 36-8..

Also covered: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (moderate), Construction Hours (moderate), Barking Dogs (moderate). See the full noise ordinances guide for Miami for details.

Home Business

Zoning & Home Occupation Permits: Miami 21 caps a home-based Home Office at 25% of the dwelling's square footage, limits it to one client and two staff at a time, restricts hours to Monday–Saturday 8 a.m.–6 p.m., and requires an annual Certificate of Use..

Also covered: Signage Rules (moderate), Customer Traffic Restrictions (moderate). See the full home business guide for Miami for details.

Employment Preemption

Paid Leave Preemption: Miami has no local paid sick leave or paid family leave mandate, and cannot adopt one for private employers. Fla.

Also covered: Minimum Wage Preemption (strict). See the full employment preemption guide for Miami for details.

Solar Energy

HOA Restrictions: Florida law (FL Stat. §163.04) strongly protects homeowners' rights to install solar panels and limits HOA authority to impose restrictions.

Also covered: Expedited Solar Permitting (permissive), Panel Permits (limited). See the full solar energy guide for Miami for details.

Single-Use Items

Polystyrene Foam Rules: Florida Statute 500.90 and 403.7033 preempt local regulation of polystyrene foam containers. Miami may not ban Styrofoam takeout boxes, cups, or coolers.

Short-Term Rentals

Host Presence Rule: Miami Code Sec. 2-211 limits short-term rentals to specific zoning districts and requires a Certificate of Use, but cannot require host presence due to FL §509.032 preemption of operational rules.

Also covered: Primary-Residence-Only Rule (permissive), Night Caps (permissive). See the full short-term rentals guide for Miami for details.

Landscaping Rules

Water Restrictions: Miami limits landscape irrigation to two fixed days a week by address parity and bans watering between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Also covered: Rainwater Harvesting (permissive), Artificial Turf (permissive), Tree Trimming (moderate). See the full landscaping rules guide for Miami for details.

Firearms

Local Firearms Preemption: Miami cannot enact local firearm ordinances. Florida Statutes Section 790.33 reserves the whole field of firearm and ammunition regulation to the state Legislature.

Filming & Production

Location Permits: Miami requires a commercial photographic permit from the city manager before shooting stills, motion pictures, or TV footage for profit on any street, sidewalk, park, beach, causeway, lagoon, or other city-owned property..

Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors

Sidewalk & Mobile Vending: Miami requires a Business Tax Receipt to vend food or merchandise from any street, sidewalk, or public park, and bans stationary sidewalk vending outside two designated special vending districts entirely..

Also covered: Vending Zones (restrictive), Food Truck Permits (restrictive). See the full food trucks & mobile vendors guide for Miami for details.

Outdoor Lighting

Billboard Lighting: Miami caps outdoor advertising sign brightness at 500 nits after sunset, limits operating hours to 6 a.m.-11 p.m., and bans flashing or glare-producing illumination under City Code Sec. 2-779..

Also covered: Light Trespass & Shielding (moderate). See the full outdoor lighting guide for Miami for details.

Public Health Rules

Rodent Control: Owners of vacant, blighted, unsecured or abandoned buildings in Miami must keep the premises free of rodents, insects, vermin and other wild animals under Sec. 10-63(4), enforced by the code enforcement board with fines and liens for violations..

Zoning Overlays & Bonuses

Density Bonus Law: Miami 21 lets affordable and attainable mixed-income housing developments build up to double the base zoning density, with the exact bonus tied to how many extremely low-income units the project includes..

Outdoor Cooking

Smoker Rules: Miami parks ban open fires entirely: cooking is allowed only in the charcoal grills the city installs, and no other fuel, including gas or wood, is permitted in any park..

Building Setbacks & Zoning

Lot Coverage Limits: In Miami's T3 Sub-Urban Transect Zone, covering most single-family and duplex lots, buildings can cover up to 50% of the lot on the first floor, with second-story coverage capped at 30% in T3-R and T3-L zones..

Also covered: Structure Height Limits (moderate), Setback Rules (moderate). See the full building setbacks & zoning guide for Miami for details.

Garage & Yard Sales

Frequency, Duration & Permits: Miami requires a free permit before any garage sale, caps each home or building to two sales per 12-month period, and requires the application by noon the day before..

Property Maintenance

Property Blight: Miami requires owners of blighted, unsecured, vacant, or abandoned structures to register the property, submit a compliance plan within 90 days, and pay escalating annual fees, $262.50, $394.00, then $525.00 a year, under City Code § 10-65..

Also covered: Vacant Lot Maintenance (moderate). See the full property maintenance guide for Miami for details.

Rental Property Rules

Rental Registration: Miami requires owners of an ancillary dwelling unit (ADU) to get a building permit, certificate of occupancy, and an ADU registration certificate from the Office of Zoning before renting it, plus proof of homestead exemption on the property..

Soliciting & Door-to-Door

Solicitor Permits: Miami requires a business tax receipt before anyone sells, solicits, or peddles door-to-door or on city streets, with a photo ID application and a wearable tag proving the permit is active..

Curfew Laws

Park Curfew: City parks and playgrounds in Miami close to the public at 10:00 p.m. and stay closed until 7:00 a.m.

HOA Rules

CC&R Enforcement: Florida law caps HOA fines at $100 per day per violation (up to $1,000 aggregate) and requires a fining committee separate from the board. Condo fine procedures follow similar rules.

Hurricane Preparedness

Flood Elevation: New construction and substantial improvements in Miami's special flood hazard areas must have the lowest floor elevated to or above the base flood elevation plus one foot of freeboard, enforced by the city building official under Code Chapter 20..

Also covered: Roof Standards (moderate). See the full hurricane preparedness guide for Miami for details.

Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules

Encroachment Permits: Miami requires a written permit from the resilience and public works director before installing a fence, wall, or hedge in the undedicated right-of-way strip between a property's base building line and the street..

Also covered: Obstruction Rules (moderate), Sidewalk Repair (moderate). See the full sidewalk & pedestrian rules guide for Miami for details.

Swimming Pools & Spas

Fencing & Safety Requirements: Miami will not issue a certificate of completion for a residential pool until a final Building Department inspection confirms the pool meets the safety features required by Section 454.2.17 of the Florida Building Code..

Also covered: Pool Permits (moderate). See the full swimming pools & spas guide for Miami for details.

What to Do With This Information

This overview covers the big picture, but the details matter. Each ordinance page for Miami includes the full text, violation penalties, and frequently asked questions. Use those pages when you need specifics.