Get a Standard Certificate of Appropriateness (COA)

Contact a Staff Member to Discuss Your Project

To ensure you are applying for the correct certificate and/or discuss your options, contact one of the below staff members, depending on your district.  This will help determine if you need to go before the HEPB board or not.

• Beverly Terrace Historic District, Lummus Park Historic District, South River Drive Historic District, Morningside Historic District, and Palm Grove Historic District, contact Christina Chiang at CChiang@miamigov.com or 305-416-1393
  
  
• Prescreen of HEP applications including: Ad Valorem, TDD/TDR, Certificate of Appropriateness, Special Certificate of Appropriateness, Checklists, and State Extensions, contact Gabriel Alviarez at GAlviarez@miamigov.com or 305-416-1433
  
  
• Archaeological Conservations Areas, Demolition Permits, Certificate to Dig, Downtown National Register District, Environmental Preservation Districts, Spring Garden Historic District, and Scenic Transportation Corridors, contact Adrian Espinosa-Valdor at AEspinosa@miamigov.com or 305-416-1418
  
  
• Bayside Historic District, Buena Vista East Historic District, Miami Modern/Biscayne Boulevard Historic District, Coconut Grove Village West Multiple Property Designation, and Riverview Historic District, contact Andre Jackson, at AnJackson@miamigov.com or 305-416-1427
  
  
• Ad Valorem Applications, Demolition Waivers, Charles Ave New Construction, Designation of Historic Resources, Historic Districts, Multiple Property Designations, Transfer of Development Density (TDD)/Transfer of Development Rights (TDR), and Section 106 Applications, contact Kenneth Kalmis, at KKalmis@miamigov.com or 305-416-1551

Collect Documents

You will need many of the following documents in order to get this certificate.  You will be instructed which documents are needed during your pre-application meeting, above.  You will also be sent a check-list after entering your application in ePlan. 

View check list(PDF, 207KB) or see below.  

• Signed application after entering information in ePlan (see below)
• Signed Letter of Intent (Describe Nature of Application)
• Proof of No Liens/Violations
• Survey with BBL established by (Signed and Sealed within one year of application date). If you do not have this, Public Works will do this internally.
• Context Map (for exterior restoration/alteration and new construction)
• Site Plan showing placement of new features & existing features (For pools, paving, landscaping, decks, fences, walls, gates, hedges). 
• Floor Plans, and Elevations (no larger than 11" x 17" showing existing and proposed work) 
• Landscape Plan (for exterior restoration/alteration and new construction)
• Materials Page
• Paint sample with manufactures color name and code (if applicable)
• Detailed Drawings Showing Existing and Proposed Dimensions (for windows & door replacement)
• Window and Door Schedule Specifying all Openings to be Replaced (Specify materials, size, type, operation, color, finish)

• Number Key Photos, Floor Plans, Elevations to Correspond with Window/Door Schedule 
• Dimensioned and Scaled Profile Section of New Windows 
• Photos of all Facades of the Property and Applicable Details, including historic photo if available. 
• Complete list of all folio number(s) and property address(es) [Note: If all folios and property addresses have not been submitted online, please provide supplemental documentation detailing all additional folios and property addresses]. 
• Roof Plan and Slope of Roof (For roof replacement, drawn to scale, no larger than 11" x 17")
• Material Specification (for roof replacement)
• Manufacturer's Brochure and/or Catalogue Photo of Proposed Replacements (For windows, doors, roof replacement, fences, walls, gates).
• Tree Survey (if removing trees or landscaping)
• Elevations and Details of Proposed Fencing, Wall, Gate, or Hedge - If removing trees or landscaping (no larger than 11" x 17")
• Complete list of all folio number(s) and property address(es) -  PDF Document (Note: If all folios and property addresses have not been submitted online, please provide supplemental documentation detailing all additional folios and property addresses. 

Prepare your Documents for Upload

You must follow a standard naming convention (i.e. each part of the plans must be titled a specific way) in order to upload documents or your application will be delayed. You should name your document properly now. 

These names can not change once they've been given.

View our naming instructions

NOTE: Any documentation prepared by a professional, that is required to be “signed and sealed” (see above checklist) will need a digital signature. Learn how to obtain a digital signature.

Apply for COA Online

• You will have to create an Eplan account or login to an existing account. 
• Select type "certificate of appropriateness". 

TIP: You can name your application whatever you'd like, but we recommend that you include your address in the project name.

• At the end, you will be asked if you'd like to submit your documents online. This is our recommendation.

  *If you hit "yes" follow the instructions below for submitting/uploading documents online.
  *If you select "no", because you need help with this process, you can visit the Building Department at 444 SW 2nd Ave, 4th Floor. 

Apply for COA Here

Upload Documents

• After you have completed your initial submission, you will receive an email from eplans@Miamigov.com prompting you to upload your documents. To do this, log back into the portal, and this time select "manage my existing projects". 
• Select your project number, and go to the "applicant upload task" tab.  Be sure you have named your documents correctly (see above) and obtained a digital signature, if necessary. 
• Upload documents and submit.
• This is also where you can manage your project as the below process progresses. 

NOTE: Once you hit "upload complete - send to City of Miami", your ability to upload any more documents will be restricted until the completion of the City's application acceptance process. 

Modify Plans and Documents, if Necessary

You will likely receive an email with comments from the City, as plans/documents often require modifications. Address the comments/issues to the best of your ability. Once you have addressed the comments from reviewers, you will need to re-submit your revised documents(go to "manage my existing project").  

Revise your Documents

NOTE: You may modify the content of your file(s), but do not change the file names when you re-submit, unless you've been instructed otherwise.

NOTE: If there is no activity on the project in Eplan within six months, the application will be considered abandoned and you will have to start over. 

Await Response

Staff will review your application, and either approve or approve with conditions.

• If approved, the certificate will be added to your ePlan account.
• If approved with conditions, these conditions will show up in your ePlan account. Make the necessary changes and re-submit plans (see above).

Continue Your Permitting Process

A COA is not a Building permit, and is only part of the permitting process.  Most applications still require a Building permit (painting does not) , to learn more visit this page.