Permeable pavers and Miami-Dade rules
Miami Paver Co. is a guide run by Terragroupe, LLC. We do not install anything and we are not booking jobs yet.
Permeable pavers are made to let rain pass through the surface. Under Miami-Dade's adopted drainage rule, pavers count as hard surface unless they pass the county's tests 1. That makes the maker's certificate and your soil the first things to check.
Miami Paver Co. is a guide run by Terragroupe, LLC. We do not install anything and we are not booking jobs yet.
Last reviewed October 18, 2026 against the cited sources. A guide, not legal, tax or engineering advice.
Updated . Sources
What the county rule says about pavers
Miami-Dade's Board adopted this rule on September 4, 2024 1. Since March 31, 2025, pavers on single-family and duplex lots go through county review 1. Under the rule, a paver counts as pervious only if every one of these holds:
- The paver sits in a low-traffic area with sandy soil.
- The slope is under 5 degrees 1.
- At least 24 inches separate the water table from the paver base 1.
- The maker certifies the paver as pervious.
- Soil permeability is at least 0.8 in/hr, or an underdrain is used 1.
For single-family and duplex lots, the rule also lists one way to meet its storm standard. On a lot of 5,500 sq ft or less, the listed pervious share is 20% 1. On a larger lot, it is 25% 1.
The rule asks owners to keep permeable pavers clear, and it names pressure cleaning 1.
Which office reviews your lot
The rule applies in cities and in unincorporated areas 1. A city may run its own review only if the County Director finds its rules at least as strict 1. We have not found a list of cities that hold that approval.
Do you live in the City of Miami or another city? Ask the city and the county's RER-DERM office which one reviews your lot. Ask before you choose a paver system.
We have not confirmed the review fee, the form name or any penalty, so we print none.
What permeable pavers cost
HomeAdvisor lists permeable paver driveways at 10-70 USD per sq ft (national)2. It lists concrete pavers at 10-25 USD per sq ft (national)2. These are national ranges, not Miami quotes.
We found no source that compares permeable pavers with poured concrete, so we do not print that comparison.
Do not expect a fee discount
The City of Miami charges a single-family home a flat stormwater fee of $7.00 a month 3. The fee page describes no credit for pervious surface or permeable pavement on a developed residential lot 3. We found no Miami-Dade or City of Miami rebate for permeable pavers. A search that finds nothing is not proof, so ask.
Doral already asks for permeable parking
Doral says an added parking space beside the driveway must be permeable 4. Its guide names several options 4. They are open-cell pavers, gravel grids, porous concrete, permeable pavers, permeable asphalt and tire strips with sod. The guide is undated, so confirm with Doral Building.
Questions to ask before you choose
- Does my county or city apply a drainage review to pavers on my lot?
- Does the maker certify this paver as pervious, and can I see the paper?
- What do the soil and the water table look like at my address?
- Who keeps the joints and openings clear, and how?
- What does the written scope say about the base and the underdrain?
Facts used in this guide
As of October 18, 2026
| Fact | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Dade's permit-exemption page lists open patios, walkways and pavers as not needing a building permit in single-family, duplex, townhouse and condo work, if the total cost of all exempt work in any 12 months stays at or under $5,000. | 5,000 USD per 12 months (aggregate cap) | [5] undated (retrieved October 18, 2026) |
| A Miami-Dade RER exemptions sheet (updated 26 Dec 2018) lists 'paving and drainage' under items not regulated by the Florida Building Code, with a note that a Zoning Improvement Permit is required. | Zoning Improvement Permit permit type | [6] December 26, 2018 |
| Under the impervious surface ordinance Miami-Dade adopted on 4 Sep 2024 (file 241793, ref. 24-92), from 31 Mar 2025, installing, replacing or expanding 'non-structural impervious surface improvements', including pavers, needs County (RER-DERM) review for single-family and duplex lots in the unincorporated area. A municipality may run its own review if the Director finds it at least as stringent. | from 2025-03-31 effective date | [1] September 4, 2024 |
| Under s. 24-42.8 of the adopted ordinance, pavers count as impervious unless all of these hold: low-traffic area with sandy soil; slope under 5 degrees; at least 24 inches between water table and paver base; manufacturer certifies the paver as pervious; soil permeability at least 0.8 in/hr, or an underdrain. | 0.8 in/hr and 24 in to water table thresholds | [1] September 4, 2024 |
| For single-family and duplex lots, s. 24-42.8(4)(b) of the adopted ordinance requires retaining the 25-year/10-minute storm with zero off-site discharge. A listed equivalent for lots of 5,500 sq ft or less is a 5-ft pervious setback on 3 sides, a 6-inch swale around the perimeter and 20% pervious lot area. For lots over 5,500 sq ft it is the same with 25% pervious. | 20% pervious (lots <=5,500 sq ft); 25% (lots >5,500 sq ft) minimum pervious lot area | [1] September 4, 2024 |
| Miami-Dade's Board of County Commissioners adopted the impervious surface ordinance as amended on 4 September 2024 (legislative file 241793, reference 24-92). It applies in incorporated and unincorporated areas; a city may run its own single-family/duplex review only if the County Director finds its rules at least as strict. | adopted 2024-09-04 | [1] September 4, 2024 |
| Miami-Dade Public Works says a construction covenant, recorded with the Clerk of the Court, is required for driveways other than asphalt or plain concrete, with brick pavers given as an example. Public Works permits are applied for on the county's online permit system. | recorded construction covenant for paver driveways document | [7] undated (retrieved October 18, 2026) |
| The county's 'Save Our Swales' brochure says swales are public property that owners must maintain, and shows a fully paved swale with a parked car as a 'poorly maintained' example. | do not pave the swale guidance | [8] 2017-07 (form 403_01-176 7/17) |
| Florida HB 803 takes effect 1 July 2026. Pinecrest (a Miami-Dade village) says work on single-family homes valued under $7,500 may be exempt from a building permit by request, but not electrical, plumbing, mechanical, gas or structural work, and not property in a flood hazard area. It is 'not an automatic exemption' and does not override zoning. | 7,500 USD value threshold | [9] 2026-07-01 (HB 803 effective date; page itself undated) |
| Miami-Dade Clerk of the Court and Comptroller: recording a letter- or legal-size document in the Official Records costs $10 for the first page | 10 USD (first page) | [10] undated (retrieved October 18, 2026) |
| Miami-Dade Clerk of the Court and Comptroller: each additional page of a letter- or legal-size recorded document costs $8.50 | 8.5 USD (each additional page) | [10] undated (retrieved October 18, 2026) |
Cities we cover in Miami-Dade
Paver Plan Check
Pick your city and read the rules we found, each with its source and date.
Start the Paver Plan CheckMiami Paver Co. is a guide run by Terragroupe, LLC. We do not install anything and we are not booking jobs yet.
Questions people ask
Do I need county review before I install pavers?
On a single-family or duplex lot, yes. Since March 31, 2025, new, replaced or expanded pavers need county review 1. A city can run its own review if the County Director finds its rules at least as strict 1.
Do permeable pavers qualify for a credit in Miami-Dade?
Not automatically. Under the county's adopted rule, pavers count as hard surface unless every test is met 1. In the City of Miami, the stormwater fee page describes no credit for permeable pavement on a developed home lot 3. Ask the county and your city.
Is a permeable driveway cheaper than concrete?
Not on the national guide we read. It lists permeable paver driveways at 10-70 USD per sq ft (national)2. It lists concrete pavers at 10-25 USD per sq ft (national)2. We have no source for poured concrete, so we do not compare.
Do I have to maintain permeable pavers?
The county's adopted rule asks owners to keep permeable pavers clear, and it names pressure cleaning 1. Ask your installer for written care steps.
Sources
- Miami-Dade legislative file 241793 (final version), Board action 4 Sep 2024, reference 24-92, September 4, 2024
- How Much Does It Cost to Install a Paver Driveway? (HomeAdvisor), June 19, 2026
- Stormwater Assessment (Fees), City of Miami, January 8, 2026
- A Guide to Driveway Regulations (City of Doral; guide undated, PDF file created 2023-03-22), March 22, 2023
- Miami-Dade County Permit - Permit Exemptions, undated (retrieved October 18, 2026)
- Permit Exemptions (Miami-Dade County Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources), December 26, 2018
- Other Permits (Miami-Dade County), undated (retrieved October 18, 2026)
- Save Our Swales (Miami-Dade Public Works brochure), 2017-07 (form 403_01-176 7/17)
- $7,500 Exemption | Village of Pinecrest, 2026-07-01 (HB 803 effective date; page itself undated)
- Official Records (Miami-Dade Clerk of the Court and Comptroller), undated (retrieved October 18, 2026)