Get an Occupant Load Certificate

Do you own a place of assembly (restaurant, bar, club, etc.) that hosts 50 people or more in one room, and need an Occupant/Occupancy Load Certificate? If you are opening a new business, renovating a business, changing a business name, and/or applying for a Certificate of Use, you will not pass your fire inspection without this certificate if applicable. Occupant loads are required for all interior assembly areas and enclosed exterior assembly areas.

Every room constituting an assembly occupancy, and not having fixed seats shall have the occupant load of the room posted in a conspicuous place near the main exit from. (Florida Fire Prevention Code 1:20.1.5.10.4). 

NOTE: If you have been operating without an Occupancy Load Certificate, you will receive a violation and need to complete this process. Once you complete this process, your violation will be removed. 

View the Florida Fire Prevention Code (Chapter 6) for a definition of what constitutes an assembly occupancy. 

Steps

Complete Online Pre-Application

You must supply basic contact and project information to begin the process. 

Occupant Load Application

Upload Documents 

After you complete the pre-application, you will receive an invitation from ProjectDox to create an account or view your application in an existing account. Once in your project, you will need to upload the below documents. 

NOTE: You must follow proper naming conventions or your documents won't be accepted. Visit How to Submit Plans (Drawings) & Documents Electronically for details.  Below, are the required documents you'll need to upload (to "drawings/documents" folders):

1. City of Miami approved plans AND your proposed occupancy load plan(s) - both of which must include:

  • A table with plumbing fixture calculations (as per FBC Plumbing volume, section 403.1.1.)
  • Building occupancy load data calculations. Must show total occupancy load as per FBC table 1004.5.

  • Occupancy load as Life safety calculations per NFPA table 8.7.6. 
    *If possible, please provide all 3 tables in one page under the life safety sheet.

NOTE: If you do not have an approved/permitted set of plans for your business, you will need to apply for a building permit. 
Any deviations from the latest approved life safety plan will require a new building permit. 

Await Inspection

After your documents have been reviewed, we will reach out to you to schedule an inspection. 

Download Certificate

  • After the inspection is complete (assuming you passed), your certificate(s) will be added to your Project Dox folder and available for download. 
  • If you need to make changes, you'll be advised of the issue(s) and will need to resubmit your plans.

Post Certificate

Be sure to post your certificate(s) in the area your inspector has specified. 

Please note that this are basic guidelines, the applicant is responsible for complying with any additional code requirements not listed here. Applicants must comply with FBC, NFPA, FBC- Plumbing section of the code and any other applicable codes, Florida statues or municipal codes.

Ø  Seating arrangement must be shown with all dimensions and number of chairs. FBC 1004.6.

Ø  All assembly occupancies require gross and net measurements (show usable space). See FBC table 1004.5. Provide accurate calculations. Reviewers will verify for accuracy.

Ø  For plumbing fixture calculations use formula on, FBC Plumbing volume, section 403.1.1 Fixture calculations. E.g., A restaurant that also contains a bar, calculation must reflect the bar and the restaurant calculated separately since requirements are different.

Ø  Indicate on the life safety plans any required life safety equipment such as fire sprinkler, fire alarm or fire suppression. See FBC 903 & 907.

Ø  Show a note on the plans indicating panic hardware on exit doors with loads of 50 or more. See FBC 1010.1.10.

Ø  Means of egress path to be 44” min width. See FBC 1011.2 and 1005.1

Ø  Two means of egress or more, might be required if occupant load exceeds values listed on table 1006.2.1.

Ø  Make sure to comply with the following, if applicable:

o   Accessible means of egress FBC section 1009.

o   Area of refuge FBC section 1013.4

o   Common path of egress travel FBC section 1029.8

o   Corridor requirements FBC section 1020.

o   Exit signs FBC section 1013.

o   Means of egress illumination FBC section 1008.

o   Stairways FBC section 1011.

Contact Us

Phone

305-416-1668

Email

FireOccupantLoad@miamigov.com

Location

Miami
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