South Florida

Miami-Dade County, Florida — Notice of Commencement

Miami-Dade is Florida's most populous county and one of the country's largest construction markets — high-rise residential, commercial, and renovation projects all require properly recorded Notices of Commencement. Serving Miami, Hialeah, Miami Gardens, and Miami Beach, and the surrounding Miami-Dade County communities. Florida law (Fla. Stat. § 713.13) requires a recorded Notice of Commencement for most direct contracts over $2,500 — recorded with the Miami-Dade County Clerk of the Circuit Court in Miami, and posted on the jobsite before the first inspection.

Recording in Miami-Dade County

Notice of Commencement filings for Miami-Dade County are recorded with the Miami-Dade County Clerk of Court in Miami. A certified copy must be posted at the jobsite before the first inspection.

Miami-Dade County Clerk of Court website

Florida statutory recording fees are set by Fla. Stat. § 28.24 — typically $10.00 for the first page and $8.50 per additional page, with an extra fee per name indexed beyond four. Confirm current totals with the Miami-Dade Clerk of Court before recording.

Cities and towns in Miami-Dade County

Miami-Dade County includes 10 incorporated cities and towns — Miami, Hialeah, Miami Gardens, Miami Beach, Homestead, Doral, North Miami, Coral Gables, Cutler Bay, and North Miami Beach, among others. Wherever your project is — inside any of these city limits or in unincorporated Miami-Dade County — the Notice of Commencement is recorded in one place: the Miami-Dade County Clerk of Court in Miami. City building departments may issue the permit and run inspections, but the NOC itself is always a county-level recording.

What Fla. Stat. § 713.13 requires for Miami-Dade County projects

Florida Statute § 713.13 requires a property owner to record a Notice of Commencement before construction begins on most projects over $2,500. The NOC must include:

• Legal description and street address of the Miami-Dade County property
• General description of the improvement
• Owner's name, address, and interest in the property
• Contractor's name, address, and phone number
• Surety, lender, and designated person for service of notices (if any)
• Expiration date (if other than the statutory default of one year)

The recorded NOC protects the owner from paying twice if a subcontractor or supplier isn't paid by the general contractor. After recording with the Miami-Dade Clerk of Court, the owner must:

• Post a certified copy of the NOC in a conspicuous place at the jobsite
• Provide a copy to the building department before the first inspection
• File a Notice of Termination if the project is abandoned or finished early

Miami-Dade County NOC — frequently asked questions

Where do I file a Notice of Commencement in Miami-Dade County?

Notices of Commencement for projects in Miami-Dade County are recorded with the Miami-Dade County Clerk of Court in Miami. Most Florida clerks accept the same statewide § 713.13 form — recorded in person, by mail, or through the clerk's e-recording portal.

My project is in Miami — do I record the NOC with the city or with Miami-Dade County?

With the county. Miami-Dade County includes 10 incorporated cities and towns — Miami, Hialeah, Miami Gardens, Miami Beach, Homestead, Doral, North Miami, Coral Gables, Cutler Bay, and North Miami Beach, among others. Wherever your project is — inside any of these city limits or in unincorporated Miami-Dade County — the Notice of Commencement is recorded in one place: the Miami-Dade County Clerk of Court in Miami. City building departments may issue the permit and run inspections, but the NOC itself is always a county-level recording.

When does a Miami-Dade County NOC have to be recorded?

Florida law (Fla. Stat. § 713.13) requires the NOC to be recorded before the first inspection, and a certified copy must be posted on the jobsite. Recording an NOC after work begins can leave the owner exposed to paying twice for the same work.

Does Miami-Dade County have its own special NOC form?

Florida's Notice of Commencement is a statewide form defined by Fla. Stat. § 713.13. Every county clerk, including Miami-Dade County, accepts that form, though clerks may have minor formatting preferences (margins, recording-stamp space). NOC Signatures generates a Florida-compliant NOC ready for the Miami-Dade Clerk of Court.

Can I e-sign a Notice of Commencement for Miami-Dade County?

Yes. Florida's Uniform Electronic Transaction Act (Fla. Stat. § 668.50) gives an e-signature the same legal effect as an ink signature for construction documents, including the Notice of Commencement. The signed PDF still must be notarized and recorded with the Miami-Dade Clerk of Court before the first inspection.

What is a Notice of Intent to Lien, and do I need one for a Miami-Dade County job?

A Notice of Intent to Lien (NOI) is the final demand a contractor or supplier serves on the owner — and any contractor or lender on the project — before recording a Claim of Lien with the Miami-Dade County Clerk of Court. Florida does not require an NOI before recording a lien under Chapter 713, but most Florida contractors send one as a 10-day final demand because it frequently triggers payment and documents a good-faith effort to resolve the debt before filing.

How long does the owner have to pay after receiving an NOI in Miami-Dade County?

There is no statutory minimum, but 10 days is the standard demand window used in Miami-Dade County and statewide in Florida. After the window expires, the claimant may proceed to record a Claim of Lien with the Miami-Dade County Clerk of Court — subject to Florida's 90-day-from-last-furnishing deadline under Fla. Stat. § 713.08.

Neighboring Florida counties

NOC recording guides for the counties bordering Miami-Dade County:

• Broward County Notice of Commencement
• Collier County Notice of Commencement
• Monroe County Notice of Commencement

This page is general information about Florida law — not legal advice. For questions about your specific Miami-Dade County project, consult a Florida construction attorney.