Garage floor coating permits and HOA rules

SFL Epoxy is a guide run by Terragroupe, LLC. We do not install anything and we are not booking jobs yet.

Neither the City of Miami nor West Palm Beach names epoxy or floor coatings on its public permit pages. So confirm with your building department before you hire anyone. Also check your HOA or condo papers.

As of October 18, 2026

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SFL Epoxy is a guide run by Terragroupe, LLC. We do not install anything and we are not booking jobs yet.

Last reviewed October 18, 2026 against the cited sources. A guide, not legal, tax or engineering advice.

Updated October 18, 2026. Sources

What the City of Miami says

The City of Miami has a page on work exempt from a permit. It lists painting and surface flooring for single-family homes and duplexes. The flooring named is tile, carpet, laminate, hardwood and vinyl. It does not name epoxy, floor coatings or slabs ¹.

A coating is usually a finish on an existing slab, but that is our reading, not a ruling. Call the City of Miami Building Department at (305) 416-1100 and ask ¹.

What West Palm Beach says

The city's permit FAQ answers differently for flooring in a house and flooring in an apartment or condo. It does not mention epoxy or floor coatings ². Check with your building department before you assume anything.

Coating a slab is not the same as replacing flooring. Ask the Building Division at Development Services before you plan the job. The division's page lists 561-805-6700 as its main phone ³.

Which office is yours

Your mailing address may say Miami while your home sits in another city. It may also sit in unincorporated Miami-Dade. The office that counts is the one for your parcel.

For unincorporated Miami-Dade, the county has an exemption guide. It says surfacing floors or slabs with carpet, tile, brick or wood is not regulated by the Florida Building Code. Painting is not regulated either. Other agencies may still require approvals. The guide does not name coatings ⁴.

A newer state exemption

As of October 18, 2026

HB 803 took effect on July 1, 2026 ⁵. Single-family work valued at < $7,500 USD⁵ can skip a building permit. You must request and post a written exemption approval ⁵.

The exemption does not cover electrical, plumbing, mechanical, gas or structural work. It does not cover Special Flood Hazard Areas either ⁵. Look up your address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center to see your zone.

The exemption does not say whether a garage coating needs a permit. Treat it as a reason to ask, not as an answer. A coating is also a surface finish: it does not keep floodwater out of a garage.

HOA and condo rules

Section 720.3035 says an HOA committee may review outside looks only where your documents allow it ⁶. It may not control interiors that no one can see from the street, a next-door lot or common land ⁶.

A floor inside a closed garage is likely out of reach for an HOA, but rules vary. An open door, a driveway or an apron may be visible. Check your HOA or condo papers before you hire anyone.

We have not read Florida's condominium chapter, so we do not state its rules here. Ask your association.

Does the installer need a license?

Florida's contractor law, section 489.117(4)(a), lists flooring among jobs that need no state contractor license ⁷. The list is not complete, and this is not legal advice.

Structural slab repair is outside what this site covers. Ask your building department who may do that work.

Facts used in this guide

As of October 18, 2026

Verified facts only. Each one links to its source and shows the source's date.
Fact	Value	Source
HB 803 (2026), effective 2026-07-01: single-family work valued under $7,500 can be exempt from a building permit with a written exemption approval; excludes electrical, plumbing, mechanical, gas and structural work and excludes Special Flood Hazard Areas.	< $7,500 USD	[5] July 1, 2026
Florida s. 489.117(4)(a) lists painting and flooring among scopes that do not require a contractor license (list is non-exhaustive).	no state contractor license for flooring scope	[7] 2026
Under s. 720.3035 an HOA architectural committee may review exterior appearance only where governing documents allow, and may not regulate interiors not visible from the street frontage, adjacent parcel or common area.	n/a	[6] 2026

Cities we cover in South Florida

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SFL Epoxy is a guide run by Terragroupe, LLC. We do not install anything and we are not booking jobs yet.

Questions people ask

Do I need a permit to epoxy my garage floor in Miami?

The City of Miami's public pages do not say. They do not name epoxy, floor coatings or slabs ¹. Call the Building Department at (305) 416-1100 and ask before you hire anyone ¹.

Can my HOA stop me from coating my garage floor?

Section 720.3035 says an HOA may review outside looks only where your documents allow it ⁶. A closed garage is likely outside that, but read your declaration. Condo owners should ask the association.

Do epoxy installers need a license in Florida?

There is no state contractor license category for floor coating. The law lists flooring among jobs that need no state license, section 489.117(4)(a) ⁷. Ask for a written scope, warranty terms and references instead.