Replacing windows or exterior doors across an apartment building, condominium, hotel, or commercial property is a building project with several connected decisions. The product must suit the opening and design conditions; the drawings must show where and how it will be used; and the permit path depends on the scope, building, jurisdiction, and review context.
That is why a package assembled one opening at a time can create avoidable questions. Before procurement or submittal, the owner, contractor, architect or engineer, and product supplier should agree on a complete scope and a clear set of opening information.
This guide explains a practical way to organize that work in Miami-Dade County. It is a planning framework, not a universal checklist or a determination that a particular project requires a specific permit. The responsible building department and design professionals determine the applicable requirements for each property and scope.
Start with the building and project scope
First identify the property, the permitting jurisdiction, and the work proposed. “Replace the windows” may describe a like-for-like replacement, a change in product or configuration, work that changes an opening, or part of a larger renovation. Those distinctions matter. A scope that includes new openings, altered structural conditions, changed use, or related façade work can require a different drawing and review approach from a limited replacement project.
For a multifamily or commercial property, gather the basic facts before the team develops its submission:
- Property address and building use, height, and number of stories.
- Whether work covers one unit, selected elevations, or the full building.
- Window, glass door, and exterior door locations and approximate quantities.
- Whether openings, framing, mullions, bucks, or exterior finishes will change.
- Any related structural, electrical, waterproofing, or other trade work.
- Existing permit, master permit, approved plan, or product documentation, when available.
This information helps the design team define what is included and identify issues that may affect the permit path. Do not assume an old approval, an earlier replacement, or a product used elsewhere automatically applies to the new scope.
Build an opening schedule the project team can use
A building-wide replacement benefits from a coordinated opening schedule. It can connect each opening shown on the plans with the product proposed for that location. Depending on the project, useful fields may include the elevation or unit, opening mark, dimensions, product type, configuration, and the relevant approval reference.
The schedule should agree with the drawings and the actual procurement plan. If the same product is not being used everywhere, identify the differences instead of referring generally to “approved windows.” Distinguish windows from glazed doors, identify mullions where relevant, and keep product selections traceable to their intended openings.
Miami-Dade’s published replacement-window guidance provides a concrete County example. For the County checklist labeled “Replacement Windows, Mullions & Glass Doors,” it specifies permit category 82 and/or 83, the total area, a contact sheet, and the master permit number when the application is a sub-permit. It also calls for elevations identifying the openings and sizes, product approval numbers, mullion details where applicable, and current NOAs (or Florida Building Commission product approvals). These are Miami-Dade’s stated items for that checklist; they are not a universal package for every multifamily or commercial project, master-permit arrangement, or municipality. Confirm the applicable path for the actual building and AHJ.
Check the product approval against the actual design
A product approval is not a blanket statement that a unit works in every building or opening. The project team should review the current approval documents and verify that the selected model and configuration match the intended use. Depending on the product and design, details such as size, glazing, mullion arrangement, anchorage, substrate, and installation limitations may matter.
Miami-Dade County publishes a product approval database and accepts Florida Building Commission product approvals in the contexts described on its permit guidance pages. The State’s Product Approval search allows users to search by application or product criteria and identifies the 2023 Florida Building Code as effective December 31, 2023. The Commission’s 2026 update materials list the 9th Edition (2026) as scheduled to take effect December 31, 2026. A database result is a research starting point. The design professional still needs to determine whether the approval’s scope and conditions fit the project and the governing review requirements. Confirm the code edition and local instructions that apply when the permit is submitted; do not treat future code materials as already effective.
Wind design is another coordination point. The product’s allowable design pressures and installation details must be considered against the project’s design conditions and opening locations. Do not copy a pressure value from a different building, elevation, or product configuration. Where calculations or sealed design documents are needed, have the appropriate Florida-licensed design professional prepare and coordinate them.
For the broader state-level background, see our overview of Florida product approval requirements and the Miami-Dade product approval construction guide. Those resources cover product approval research; this article focuses on organizing a multi-opening replacement project and connecting product information to the scope and plan set.
Screen for project-specific review conditions early
Building height, occupancy, scope, structural conditions, and permit setup can affect documentation and inspections. Miami-Dade’s current windows-and-doors guidance describes additional documentation and threshold inspection requirements for installations in buildings that meet its stated threshold-building criteria, based on the 2023 Florida Building Code interpretation ratified by the Florida Building Code Commission on January 26, 2026. Its page lists building data, opening locations, wind calculations, and other items for that threshold-building context.
That County guidance is important for teams working on taller multifamily and commercial properties, but it should be applied only after the building and project are screened against the current rules. The County page does not establish that every apartment or commercial replacement is a threshold-building project, and local submission or inspection procedures can vary by jurisdiction. Its threshold-building section describes additional items such as building data, unit locations, wind calculations, applicable wood-buck calculations, a threshold affidavit, a state-certified special-inspector form, and an engineer-of-record threshold inspection plan. Ask the design professional and permitting authority to confirm which requirements apply to the specific building and work.
Also confirm whether the application is standalone or associated with a master permit, and whether separate reviews or permits are expected for related work. Do not assume a window-only scope covers structural alterations or other trades included in the construction package.
Coordinate the package before it reaches plan review
Before submission, compare the application description, elevations, opening schedule, product documents, and design information. They should tell the same story about which openings are included and what is being installed. Resolve mismatched sizes, missing approval references, inconsistent product models, and unclear phasing before the package is filed.
For larger projects, assign an owner for each part of the package: the design professional for plans and technical decisions; the contractor or supplier for accurate product selections and installation information; and the owner or project manager for building access, phasing, and association or property requirements. Identify who will answer reviewer comments and how revised sheets will be tracked.
A response to a plan-review comment should address the specific question and update the relevant documents consistently. If a product or scope changes during review, check whether the opening schedule, calculations, details, and application description also need revision. Our Florida permit resubmittal checklist covers a broader process for organizing corrected documents.
Permit coordination also means tracking dependencies and communicating status. It does not replace the architect’s or engineer’s design responsibility, the contractor’s installation obligations, or the jurisdiction’s authority to review and inspect the work. Our Florida commercial plan review process guide explains the larger review sequence for commercial projects.
Plan for installation records and closeout
The permit package is only one part of a successful replacement. Keep the approved documents available to the field team and compare delivered products with the approved selections before installation. Record changes and route them through the responsible design professional and permitting authority where required. Maintain inspection records, product and installation documentation, and approved revisions with the project file.
For a building with multiple units or elevations, phased work can make tracking especially important. A simple opening log can show which areas are complete, which products were installed, whether inspections are outstanding, and what documentation has been collected. Closeout requirements depend on the permit and jurisdiction, so confirm the applicable inspections and final documentation rather than assuming that completion of installation alone closes the permit.
Get the scope organized before requesting a proposal
A useful early review starts with the property address, building use and height, approximate opening count, planned product selections, and any existing plans or permit information. If the scope includes new openings, structural changes, or other trades, include those details too. That allows the project team to identify missing information and clarify responsibilities before the submission is assembled.
All Florida Permits is a private permit-expediting company, not a government agency. For qualifying projects, our team can help coordinate permit documents, submission steps, review comments, and status follow-up with the responsible jurisdiction. The property’s design professionals remain responsible for technical design, and the permitting authority makes the official decisions.
Request a project proposal for a multifamily or commercial window and door project in Miami-Dade. Include the address, project scope, opening schedule if available, product information, and the best contact for the project team.