Miami, FL Special Events & Permits: Sidewalk Dining & Cafés (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit issued by
- Dept. of Resilience and Public Works
- Application/inspection fee
- $450 (non-refundable)
- Annual permit fee
- $13.50 per sq ft
- Minimum sidewalk width
- 9 feet
- Umbrella clearance
- 84 inches minimum
Summary
Miami restaurants need a Sec. 54-222 sidewalk cafe permit before putting tables on the sidewalk, with a 9-foot minimum sidewalk width and a $13.50 per square foot annual fee.
Operating a sidewalk and/or street cafe on city rights-of-way shall be unlawful without a permit. No person shall conduct business as herein defined without first obtaining a permit from the director of the department of resilience and public works and paying the fee therefor to the director of finance or his/her designee and the department of off-street parking. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a sidewalk and/or street cafe on any city right-of-way except as provided by this article.
(Ord. No. 9848, § 1, 6-14-84; Code 1980, § 54-108; Ord. No. 13123, § 2, 1-14-10; Ord. No. 13676, § 2, 4-27-17; Ord. No. 13792, § 1, 10-11-18; Ord. No. 14035, § 2, 11-18-21)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 23 | Ordinance 11000 (Previous Zoning Code): Supplement 22 | Miami 21 (Zoning Code): ?).
Full Breakdown
The Department of Resilience and Public Works issues sidewalk and street cafe permits under City Code Article VI (§§ 54-221 to 54-231). Operating without one is unlawful. Sidewalks must be at least nine feet wide (not counting the curb) and a five-foot clear pedestrian path must stay open at all times. The application fee and initial inspection run $450, the annual permit fee is $13.50 per square foot of usable right-of-way, and a security deposit equal to one-quarter of the permit fee is required. Permits run October 1 to September 30 and are not transferable. Umbrellas must clear 84 inches above the sidewalk, and any physical barrier around the cafe can be no taller than 36 inches.
Violations & Fines
Operating a sidewalk and/or street cafe on a city right-of-way without a permit is unlawful under Sec. 54-222 and is cited under the Sec. 2-829 schedule of civil penalties. Failure to pay the annual fee within 30 days of the due date triggers immediate permit suspension and forfeiture of the security deposit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put tables on the sidewalk without a permit?
How much does a Miami sidewalk cafe permit cost?
How wide does the sidewalk have to be?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Miami
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Sidewalk Dining & Cafés in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Miami-Dade County handle sidewalk dining & cafés.