Paver patio in Miami
Miami Paver Co. is a guide run by Terragroupe, LLC. We do not install anything and we are not booking jobs yet.
In unincorporated Miami-Dade, open patios, walkways and pavers are exempt from a building permit, with a cap of 5,000 USD per 12 months (aggregate cap)1. That covers the building permit only. County drainage review of pavers on single-family and duplex lots can still apply 2, and the City of Miami may differ.
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
Paver patio in Miami: local facts
| 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) | [1] undated (retrieved October 18, 2026) |
| 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 | [2] September 4, 2024 |
| City of Miami page: from 1 July 2026 a single-family project valued under $7,500 can be exempt from a building permit by written request, but not electrical, plumbing, structural, mechanical or gas work, and not property in a flood hazard area; a project may not be split to stay under the limit | 7,500 USD | [3] October 18, 2026 |
| 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 | [2] September 4, 2024 |
The county's building permit exemption
As of October 18, 2026
Miami-Dade's permit exemption page lists open patios, walkways and pavers as not needing a building permit. This holds in single-family, duplex, townhouse and condo work. The catch is a cap on the total cost of your exempt work: 5,000 USD per 12 months (aggregate cap)1.
The cap counts your exempt jobs together. A patio, a walkway and a repair can add up to it.
The exemption is from the building permit only. Zoning, public works and drainage approvals can still apply. The page does not name driveways, so read the paver driveway page for those.
The City of Miami's small-project exemption
The City of Miami has its own process. Since July 1, 2026, a single-family project valued under 7,500 USD3 can be exempt from a building permit by written request. Electrical, plumbing, structural, mechanical and gas work is excluded, and so is property in a flood hazard area.
A project may not be split to stay under the limit. Approval comes as a letter that must be posted on site before work starts. The page does not say whether patios or pavers qualify, so ask the city.
These are different rules with different limits. Do not mix them up when you plan.
County drainage review still matters for a patio
As of October 18, 2026
The exemption above is for the building permit. Since March 31, 2025, pavers on a single-family or duplex lot also fall under Miami-Dade's impervious surface rule 2. The exemption page itself says drainage approvals can still apply.
The lot standard reads: 20% pervious (lots <=5,500 sq ft); 25% (lots >5,500 sq ft) minimum pervious lot area2. A patio of uncertified pavers counts toward the hard surface on your lot 2.
To count as pervious, a paver needs the maker's certificate and soil that drains at least 0.8 in/hr, or an underdrain 2. The water table must also sit at least 24 inches below the paver base 2.
A city may run its own review if the County Director finds its rules at least as strict 2. Ask the City of Miami Building Department and the county which office reviews your lot.
What a paver patio costs
National price guides list paver patios at 8-25 USD per sq ft installed (national)4 and travertine pavers at 15-27 USD per sq ft installed (national)5. These are national ranges, not Miami quotes.
Measure first. Multiply your length by your width to get square feet, then compare quotes on the same size and the same base.
What to check for a patio
- Size and the cap. Tally other exempt work you plan, so you know how close you are.
- Who covers you. Confirm county or city, since the exemptions differ.
- HOA or condo rules. Ask for paver color and pattern limits in writing.
- Drainage. Where does water go once the patio is down?
- Sealing. Read sealing pavers in Miami before you choose a finish.
National price ranges for paver patio
| Job | Range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| HomeAdvisor: travertine pavers cost about $15 to $27 per sq ft installed (material $4 to $11). A 300 sq ft patio is $4,200 to $8,550 (avg $6,380). A pool deck is roughly $9,000 to $16,200, and the page suggests about 20% extra for custom pool decks. | 15-27 USD per sq ft installed (national) | [5]National price guide range, How Much Does It Cost to Install Travertine Pavers? [2025 Data], June 2026 |
| HomeAdvisor: paver installation costs between $8 and $25 per square foot (flagstone and other high-end stone up to $50); a 280 sq ft patio averages $3,800, most homeowners spending $2,400 to $7,000.National range from a price guide, not a local quote. | 8-25 USD per sq ft installed (national) | [4]National price guide range, How Much Does a Paver Patio Cost? (HomeAdvisor), June 2026 |
| Angi: travertine pavers cost $15 to $27 per square foot installed; the average installation is $6,380 and most homeowners pay $4,200 to $8,550National range from a price guide, not a local quote. | 15-27 USD per sq ft installed (national) | [6]National price guide range, How Much Do Travertine Pavers Cost? [2026 Data] (Angi), May 2026 |
| Angi: concrete pavers are listed at $8 to $15 per square foot in its paver-patio-by-material table (brick or clay $10 to $20, natural stone $15 to $50), with installer labor priced separately at $4 to $11 per square footNational range from a price guide, not a local quote. | 8-15 USD per sq ft (national; the page does not say whether this is paver cost only or installed) | [7]National price guide range, How Much Does a Paver Patio Cost to Install? [2026 Data] (Angi), August 2026 |
What this site gives you now
This guide cuts the guesswork and the paperwork. You can learn the permit path and the paver system before you spend anything.
- A way to size up your site
Take photos of your site and note your address and what is there now. They help you see what the project involves and which paver system fits. - A permit path to follow
The Paver Plan Check lists the rules we could confirm for your city and the offices to call. Each rule names the page we read and shows its date. - A written scope and price to ask for
Ask any installer for a scope that lists base depth, compaction, edge restraint, drainage, paver, joint sand and sealing, with the price. Nothing should start until you say yes. - The right paver for the job
Concrete pavers, travertine or a permeable system. The guides help you match the choice to how you use the space and to what your city allows. - A photo habit
Take photos of the base, the laying and the finish, so you can see the work you paid for. - What to ask for in writing
Ask any installer to put the workmanship term in your written scope. We will publish an installer's term on this site if one signs.
This site is free to read. It sells no work and takes no payment. If the rules make pavers not worth the paperwork on your lot, the Plan Check and the guides will show it. Any work is agreed in writing between you and the installer who does it.
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.
More paver work in Miami
Questions people ask
Can I skip the permit if my paver patio costs less than the cap?
As of October 18, 2026
Only the building permit, and only under the county's rules for unincorporated areas. County drainage review of pavers on a single-family or duplex lot can still apply 2. Zoning and public works approvals can too. If you live in the City of Miami, ask the City of Miami Building Department which rule covers you.
How much does a paver patio cost in Miami?
We have no Miami quote yet. National guides list paver patios at 8-25 USD per sq ft installed (national)4. Ask for a written price that names the size, the base and the paver, and read the cost guide.
Sources
- Miami-Dade County Permit - Permit Exemptions, undated (retrieved October 18, 2026)
- Miami-Dade legislative file 241793 (final version), Board action 4 Sep 2024, reference 24-92, September 4, 2024
- Building Permit Exemption Approval Process for Residential Properties - Miami, October 18, 2026
- How Much Does a Paver Patio Cost? (HomeAdvisor), June 17, 2026
- How Much Does It Cost to Install Travertine Pavers? [2025 Data], June 19, 2026
- How Much Do Travertine Pavers Cost? [2026 Data] (Angi), May 2, 2026
- How Much Does a Paver Patio Cost to Install? [2026 Data] (Angi), August 3, 2026