Yes, a home EV charger in South Florida needs an electrical permit. That is true whether it is a hardwired Level 2 unit on the garage wall or a new 240 volt outlet for a plug-in charger. What varies is who issues the permit, what they want to see, and who is allowed to sign the application. This guide walks through how that works in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach, what a state rule adopted in 2025 changed, and what a real city checklist asks for.
Who issues the permit depends on your address
The first step is finding the right building department, and in South Florida that is not always the county.
Miami-Dade
Miami-Dade County's building department handles permits for unincorporated Miami-Dade only. The county's own instructions say its process is solely for properties whose folio number starts with "30", and that each municipality in Miami-Dade has its own building official who issues permits for work within that city's limits (Miami-Dade, how to apply for a permit). So a house in Kendall or Westchester (unincorporated) goes to the county, while a house in Coral Gables, Miami Beach, Hialeah or Homestead goes to that city. Your property tax bill or the Property Appraiser's site shows the folio and the municipality.
For unincorporated addresses, the county's electrical permit page says it directly: "An electrical permit is required for electrical work," and it notes that owner-builder permits need an additional form (Miami-Dade electrical permits).
Broward
Broward works on the same principle: the building department for your address runs the permit. Pompano Beach's checklist (below), for example, calls for the Broward County Uniform Permit Application; other cities publish their own forms and checklists. If you are unsure which office covers your street, call your city's building department first and ask.
Palm Beach
In Palm Beach County, the same question applies: is the address inside a city or in an unincorporated area? Confirm which building department has jurisdiction before anything is submitted. We have not published city-by-city requirements for Palm Beach because they vary and change; your building department's current checklist is the authority.
Our county pages for Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach list the areas KRW Electric works in.
What Rule 5J-28 changed in 2025
In 2024 the Legislature preempted the regulation of EV charging stations to the state (section 366.94, Florida Statutes). The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services then adopted Rule 5J-28, effective May 1, 2025. For permits, the parts that matter are in Rule 5J-28.002:
- Local governments can still issue electrical permits and perform electrical inspections based on the rule's safety standards, and permit inspections may not include requirements unrelated to safety (Rule 5J-28.002).
- The permit must be issued, or the application denied, within 90 days of receiving a complete application (Rule 5J-28.002).
- The department has 30 days from receiving the application to tell the applicant about errors or omissions. If it does not flag them in time, the application is treated as complete as of the date it was first received (Rule 5J-28.002).
- Charging equipment is to be approved as an accessory use in all zoning districts, absent health and safety concerns (Rule 5J-28.002).
Two cautions. The 90 days is an outer limit, not a typical time; a simple residential electrical permit may move much faster or slower depending on the department's workload and whether plan review is needed. And parts of the rule, such as the parking-count and commercial zoning provisions, are aimed at public and commercial stations, so if you think a department is applying it wrongly to a home charger, ask the department first and get advice before assuming you have a claim. Our guide to Florida's EV charging preemption law explains the statute and rule in more detail.
A real example: the Pompano Beach checklist
Pompano Beach publishes a Vehicle Charging Station submittal checklist (City of Pompano Beach checklist). It is a useful look at what a South Florida city can ask for. The version online is marked updated January 29, 2024, and it says that each project is unique and more items may be required. It lists:
- a Broward County Uniform Permit Application with the building box checked, from a licensed general contractor, and one with the electrical box checked, from a licensed electrical contractor;
- a zoning compliance permit application;
- a fire review application, which the checklist says excludes single-family residences;
- the approval letter from the condominium association or HOA, if the charger is in one;
- anchoring details: a Florida Product Approval, a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance tie-down detail, or signed and sealed plans from an architect or engineer;
- a riser diagram, an electrical plan and load calculations;
- the installation manual and manufacturer specifications;
- a survey or site plan showing the charger's location.
Inspections listed include building footings, tie-downs and final structural, a zoning final, an electrical rough and electrical final, and a fire department final where applicable.
Read it as an example, not a template. The checklist predates Rule 5J-28, and some items, such as footings and tie-downs, read as if written for freestanding or pedestal units rather than a charger on a garage wall. Before you apply in Pompano Beach, or anywhere, ask the building department which items apply to your installation today.
What is typically submitted for a home charger
Where a department has not published an EV-specific checklist, the submittal for a residential charger generally includes the permit application signed by the licensed contractor (or the owner, under the owner-builder rules below), a description of the work, the charger's make, model and specifications, and enough electrical information to show the circuit is sized correctly for the panel. Some departments want a simple load calculation or panel schedule; some want a site plan for outdoor or pedestal units. Your building department decides, so ask before you submit.
The electrical rules the inspector checks come from the Florida Building Code 8th Edition, which uses NEC 2020 for electrical work (Florida Building Commission). For example, each EV charger must be on its own individual branch circuit (NEC 625.40), and receptacles installed for EV charging need GFCI protection (NEC 625.54).
Can a homeowner pull the permit?
Florida's electrical owner-builder exemption is in section 489.503(6), Florida Statutes, not in the general contractor statute people often quote. It lets an owner act as their own electrical contractor on their own single-family or duplex home, for their own use and not for sale or lease. The owner must personally appear and sign the permit application, and the permitting agency gives the owner a disclosure statement that begins "State law requires electrical contracting to be done by licensed electrical contractors." The exemption does not cover anyone the owner hires to do the work. Our guide to DIY EV charger installation in Florida covers the risks and what that disclosure means.
Condos and HOAs add a step
If you live in a condo or an HOA community, expect to need the association's approval as well as a permit, and some cities ask for the approval letter with the application. Condo owners have a statutory right to install a charger in their own space, with conditions (section 718.113(8), Florida Statutes); see our condo EV charger installation page. HOA owners depend on their governing documents; see Florida HOA EV charger rules.
Questions homeowners ask
Do I need a permit just to add a 240 volt outlet for a plug-in charger?
Yes. A new 240 volt circuit and receptacle is electrical work that needs a permit, whether or not the charger itself plugs in.
Does my installer pull the permit, or do I?
Normally the licensed electrical contractor applies for the permit and schedules the inspections. KRW Electric handles the permit and inspection on its jobs.
How do I know which building department covers my house?
Check the municipality on your property tax bill or the county Property Appraiser's website. In Miami-Dade, folio numbers that start with "30" are unincorporated and go to the county.
What happens if a charger was installed without a permit?
It can surface at resale, at an insurance claim, or at the next permit for other work. The usual fix is to apply for a permit for the existing work and have it inspected, which can mean opening walls or correcting the installation. Ask your building department how it handles work already done.
For the full picture, start at the Florida Home EV Charging Guide or read about our home EV charger installation service. When you are ready, send us your address, a photo of your panel and where you park, or call (305) 359-7312. KRW Electric (EC13012832) will tell you which building department covers your home and what the permit will involve.
Reviewed by Kyle White, KRW Electric Company LLC — licensed electrical contractor EC13012832.
