Short-Term Events

Any event that lasts 45 days or less where temporary structures and facilities are required is a short-term event. These events can be for assemblies, carnivals, circuses, fairs, sporting tournaments and for the sale of items such as sparklers, Christmas trees, pumpkins, stuffed animals and/or flowers.

What types of Temporary Structures can be used?
The following temporary structures may be included:

Bleachers
Enclosed cooking facilities
Lifts
Non-portable ventilation systems
Platforms
Ramps
Stages
Tents
Towers for lighting or sound systems

Do I need a permit?
Not all temporary structures utilized in a short-term event require building permits. No building permits are required for tents that are 10 x 12 in size or less provided they are not being used for the sale of items such as sparklers, Christmas trees, pumpkins, stuffed animals and/or flowers. You may contact Zoning and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue to verify and obtain recent information.

What else do I need?
In addition to obtaining a short-term event building permit, a Certificate of Use (CU) is also required for:

Events that generate revenue from ticket sales, registration fees and/or retail sales of merchandise, food and drinks.
Holiday tent sales for pumpkins, Christmas trees, 4th of July and New Year’s Eve fireworks, Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day. A site that qualifies for a holiday sales event can only have two events per year. For more information, read about Certificate of Use requirements.

Need assistance?
For questions regarding short-term events, contact Zoning at [email protected] or 786-315-2660

The following items are required for a short-term event building permit. All items are required. Incomplete and illegible application and documents will not be accepted.
- A completed building permit application signed by a qualified applicant (Chapter 10 Miami-Dade County Code or F.S. Chapter 489).
- A complete set of plans showing all property lines, together with dimensions of same; all streets or avenues on which the property is located; the location, setback, dimensions and description of all existing buildings, light standards, driveways, customer parking areas and the size, location and setbacks of any and all the temporary structures; the location and number of restroom facilities.
- Temporary structure plan details must comply with the Florida Building Code and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 102.
- All plans must include structural calculations and when applicable, a copy of the Class A flame spread certification.
- Plans must be signed and sealed by a State of Florida licensed and registered architect or engineer.
- A completed Professional Certification for Short-Term Event Affidavit and Verification Form:
  - The form must be signed by the property owner, event holder, prime contractor and all applicable subsidiary contractors (electrical, plumbing, mechanical).
  - The form also requires the signature and seal of a Florida licensed and registered architect or engineer who will be responsible for performing plan reviews and inspections for Florida Building Code requirements.
The Building Official will rely on the Affidavit to issue the permit without examination of the plans. However, the plans will be reviewed by other applicable agencies including, but not limited to, the Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources (RER) and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue.

Additional requirements for events and temporary structures are outlined below:
Your event permit includes all trade-related work (electrical, plumbing or mechanical permits), requiring subsidiary contractors to sign the Professional Certification for Short-Term Events Affidavit and Verification form.