Miami Shores closing guide

Miami Shores Village is its own municipality on Biscayne Bay, north of the City of Miami. It is known for planned residential neighborhoods, so most closings here are single-family homes where permit history and Village code compliance get close attention.

At a glance

• Miami Shores Village was incorporated on January 2, 1932 (Miami Shores Village, The Miami Shores Story).
• The Building Department is at 10050 NE 2nd Avenue. Historical building records can be browsed by street in the Village's Property Permit Search, and current applications, status and inspections are handled in the Village's Citizen Self-Service portal.
• Per the Village's Building Department FAQ, permits are valid for 180 days, and an approved inspection extends a permit for another 180 days. Permits with no approved inspection for 180 days become invalid.

Permits and open permits

Open or expired building permits don't usually show up in a standard title search, but they can delay a closing, create problems with insurers and lenders, and leave the next owner dealing with the building department. Search the city's records early:

• Miami Shores Village – Building Department
• Miami Shores Village – Property Permit Search (building records by street)
• Miami Shores Village – Citizen Self-Service permit portal (applications, status, inspections)
• Miami-Dade County building permit search (unincorporated areas and county-issued permits). Use this for properties in unincorporated areas; city-issued permits are in the city system above.

Florida law lets a property owner close a permit even if someone else pulled it, by hiring the original or a new licensed contractor or acting as owner-builder (§ 553.79, Fla. Stat.(16)). A local building department may not deny a permit to, or fine, an arm's-length purchaser solely because a prior owner's permit was never closed (§ 553.79, Fla. Stat.(17)). More in our open permits guide.

Property appraiser, records and courts (Miami-Dade County)

• Ownership, folio/parcel number, assessed value and exemptions: Miami-Dade Property Appraiser
• Deeds, mortgages, liens and other recorded documents: Miami-Dade Clerk of the Court and Comptroller – Official Records
• Court records (judgments, foreclosures, probate): Miami-Dade Clerk of the Court and Comptroller

Code-enforcement fines can become a lien on the land once a certified copy of the order is recorded (§ 162.09, Fla. Stat.(3)). That's one reason closings use a municipal lien search in addition to the title search.

Flood zone

Look up the property's flood zone and the effective Flood Insurance Rate Map at the FEMA Flood Map Service Center. Enter the address, view the FIRMette, and note the zone (for example X, AE or VE) and base flood elevation. If your lender requires flood insurance, get quotes during the inspection period.

Condo and HOA notes

• Per the Village's FAQ, completed work done without a permit receives a violation notice and must be permitted. The permit may be denied if the work doesn't comply, the work may have to be removed, and unresolved violations can lead to fines and liens. That makes a permit-history review before closing especially worthwhile.
• Also per the FAQ, the permit fee for unpermitted work discovered in progress is twice the regular fee, so ask sellers about recent renovations.
• Waterfront lots on the bay and canals may have docks and seawalls. The Village lists separate permit requirements for dock and seawall work, so check permit history for marine work too.
• Estoppel certificates: condo associations (§ 718.116, Fla. Stat.(8)) and HOAs (§ 720.30851, Fla. Stat.) must issue an estoppel within 10 business days of a request. Fees are capped by statute. See our condo and HOA estoppel guides.
• Condo resale documents: the buyer is entitled to the governing documents, financial report and, for contracts after December 31, 2024, information about milestone inspections and structural integrity reserve studies (§ 718.503, Fla. Stat.(2)).
• Milestone inspections: required for condo and co-op buildings three or more habitable stories tall by December 31 of the year the building turns 30, and every 10 years after (§ 553.899, Fla. Stat.).
• HOA disclosure summary before the contract is signed (§ 720.401, Fla. Stat.).

Doc stamps here

In Miami-Dade, deed doc stamps are 60¢ per $100, plus a 45¢ surtax unless the deed conveys only a single-family residence (a condo unit counts). Estimate yours with the doc stamp calculator.

Inspections and how to check a license

Buyers commonly order one or more of these inspections during the inspection period. Florida licenses most of these professionals, so verify any license before you hire:

We don't recommend, rank or refer any inspector or contractor. Choose your own professional and verify the license yourself with the state.

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