Before participating in a permit within the City of Coral Gables, the Private Provider firm must be registered with the city.

If the firm has not previously registered with the city, the registration process must be completed before the Private Provider participates in the permit process.

Required registration materials include the Private Provider Registration Form, proof of professional liability insurance, proof of general liability insurance and workers compensation, the Florida Certificate of Authorization for the business entity, Florida licenses for all Private Provider professionals, resumes for the qualifying professional and all Private Providers, occupational license information, and a copy of the driver license for the qualifying professional.

Insurance certificates must be sent directly by the insurance company to the city.

After initial registration, Private Providers and Private Provider firms must update their registration with the City within 5 business days of any change to contact information, licensure, or insurance coverage as required by FS §553.791(4). 

Submission instruction: Complete Private Provider Registration Form and submit the registration packet to the city before using the firm on a permit. Insurance certificates must be sent directly by the insurance company to privateproviders@coralgables.com.

The applicant must identify the use of a Private Provider and indicate the scope of services being performed.

When a contractor rather than the fee owner directly retains the Private Provider, the contractor must obtain explicit written authorization from the fee owner. A copy of that authorization must be submitted to the Building Official as required by FS §553.791(2)(a).

This is done using the Notice to Building Official form. The form must indicate whether the Private Provider will perform Plan Review and Inspections or Inspections Only.

This selection is important because it determines the permit path, the required documentation, and the fee reduction that will later be applied by the city.

Submission instruction: Complete the Notice to Building Official form, select the correct service path, and include it with the permit documentation.

Before submitting the permit application, the required forms must be completed based on the service path selected for the permit.

If the Private Provider will perform plan review and inspections, the permit file must include the Notice to Building Official, the Job Site Directory, the Employment Affidavit, and the Plan Compliance Affidavit.

If the Private Provider will perform inspections only, the permit file must include the Notice to Building Official and the Job Site Directory.

Option 1 – Plan Review and Inspections

Option 2 – Inspections Only

The permit application must be submitted through the city's online permit portal.

The applicant should select the appropriate permit category, upload the project plans, and upload all required Private Provider forms and supporting documentation.

Once submitted, the permit proceeds through permit intake and application processing within the city's standard permitting system.

Go to Permit Portal

Helper copy: If you need help with the permit portal or do not know which permit category to select, contact Development Services before submitting the application.

Once the permit application and required documentation are accepted, the permit proceeds to plan review.

If the selected service path is Plan Review and Inspections, the Private Provider performs the building code plan review within the scope authorized by law. The city continues to process non-delegable municipal reviews separately.

If the selected service path is Inspections Only, the city performs plan review through its normal review channels before permit issuance.

Reviews that remain under city authority may include City Architect review, zoning, fire, public works, concurrency, historic review, landscaping, and other applicable municipal review functions.

Applicants may monitor permit status through the permit portal and the public permit search.

After plan review requirements are completed, the permit proceeds to fee assessment and issuance.

For commercial construction projects, the city is required to reduce permit fees by at least 25 percent for partial Private Provider services or at least 50 percent for full services as required by FS §553.791(2)(d). 

Once fees are paid, the permit proceeds to issuance through the city's permitting system. Applicants should monitor emails and the permit portal for issued status and permit card availability.

After permit issuance, construction proceeds and inspections are performed by the Private Provider in accordance with the selected service path and applicable law.

The Private Provider must maintain an inspection logbook documenting inspections performed during construction. The log should be current and organized. Completed inspection records must be submitted to the City within 2 business days of the inspection date as required by FS §553.791(14). Inspections may be performed in person or virtually. The City may not prohibit or limit the use of virtual inspections where virtual inspection is not prohibited by any applicable code, consistent with FS §553.791(19)(c). 

The city also performs periodic QA/QC inspection activities during construction. These visits are administrative in nature. Their purpose is to confirm that inspection records are being maintained.

In accordance with section 553.791, Florida Statutes, the Private Provider is responsible for providing notice to the city of the approximate date and time of inspections performed under the Private Provider's authority.

They are not formal audits and they do not replace inspections performed by the Private Provider.

Go to Permit Portal

All required sub-permits and required municipal inspections must be completed and passed.

The Private Provider must schedule the final inspections through the permit portal.

Go to Permit Portal

Submission instruction: Complete and notarize the Certificate of Compliance before the final inspection and include it with the final inspection record.

After final inspection and submission of final documentation, the Building Official reviews the permit record, the Certificate of Compliance, and the final inspection materials.

If all requirements are satisfied, the Certificate of Occupancy or Certificate of Completion is issued and uploaded to the permit portal.

The permit holder may access the certificate through the permit record once it has been issued.