Florida Product Approval and Miami-Dade NOA Lookup
How to search the two public databases for an impact window or door, find an approval when you only know the brand, and check that the approval actually covers your openings.
Two approvals, two search tools
Every impact window and impact door installed under a Florida permit needs a product approval. There are two kinds. A Florida Product Approval (the "FL number") comes from the Florida Building Commission. A Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (the "NOA") comes from Miami-Dade County Product Control. Each has its own free public search.
- Florida Building Code Online product approval search for FL numbers.
- Miami-Dade Product Control Search for NOAs.
FL number vs. Miami-Dade NOA
| Florida Product Approval | Miami-Dade NOA | |
|---|---|---|
| Who issues it | Florida Building Commission, through Florida Building Code Online (floridabuilding.org) | Miami-Dade County Product Control |
| Number format | FL plus the application number; each product under it adds a decimal (FL#####.#) | File number in YY-MMDD.NN form; the first part is the filing date, not the approval date |
| Where it is valid | Statewide; use in the HVHZ only when the approval says it is approved for HVHZ use | Written for the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone and accepted in other areas where the building department allows it |
| What the file contains | Approval record online plus the sealed installation drawings | Cover page with conditions and expiration, evidence pages, and the stamped drawings |
| Where to search | Florida Building Code Online product approval search | Miami-Dade Product Control Search |
Miami-Dade and Broward are the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone. There the approval has to be valid for HVHZ use: an NOA, or a Florida Product Approval approved for HVHZ use. In Palm Beach County and the rest of the state, a Florida Product Approval is the usual path, and an NOA can be used too. The Florida Building Code guide explains the HVHZ tests behind both.
How to search a Florida Product Approval
- Open the product approval search on Florida Building Code Online.
- If you have the FL number, type it in the FL # field. The site accepts the application number (five digits) or a product number with its decimal. Choose the code version and search. The current code version is the 2023 Florida Building Code, effective December 31, 2023. Older approvals are filed under earlier versions.
- If you only know the brand, pick the product manufacturer and the code version. The site suggests starting with one or two criteria and narrowing from there.
- Narrow with the category (windows, exterior doors, shutters, or impact protective systems). There are also filters for Approved for use in HVHZ, Approved for use outside HVHZ, Impact Resistant, and design pressure.
- Open the result. Check the application status, the product list with each decimal product number, and the attached installation drawings.
How to search a Miami-Dade NOA
- Open the Miami-Dade Product Control Search. The county's product approval overview explains the program.
- Basic search: enter the file number exactly as printed on the NOA, in YY-MMDD.NN form with the dash and the dot.
- Advanced search: choose any mix of file classification (HVHZ or non-HVHZ), applicant or manufacturer, category (windows, doors, shutters, and others), impact rating (large or small missile), and maximum positive and negative design pressure. Each choice narrows the list.
- Open the NOA PDF. Read the cover for the product description, the expiration date, any limitations, and which earlier NOA it revises. Then read the stamped drawings for sizes, glass, anchors, and pressures.
The first part of an NOA number is the date the application was filed, not the date of approval, so an older-looking number can still be current and a newer one can be expired. Always read the expiration on the cover. When a product is revised or renewed, a new NOA number usually replaces the old one; use the newest document in that chain.
What to check once you find it
Finding the approval is half the job. The drawings attached to it decide whether it covers a particular opening.
- Product and series. Match the series number and the impact type on the approval to the product on the order. Marketing names and approval names often differ.
- HVHZ. In Miami-Dade or Broward, confirm the approval is valid for HVHZ use.
- Size. The tested size on the chart has to be equal to or larger than the opening in every dimension. A dash in a chart cell means no rating at that size, not zero.
- Glass. Charts are often split by glass type. The laminate on the order has to match the column you read.
- Design pressure, both signs. The positive and negative ratings must each meet the opening's pressures. The wind load calculator estimates those pressures for planning, and the design pressure guide explains how to read them.
- Missile level. On a house, openings within 30 feet of grade need a large missile rating. The hurricane window ratings guide shows how the pressure rating, missile test, and approval read on one product.
- Mullions and anchors. Mulled units and the anchors into your wall (concrete, block, or wood buck) have their own charts. The lowest rating in the system governs.
- Expiration and status. Check both against the date the permit will be submitted.
For a permit, the approvals go in with wind load calculations sealed by a Florida-licensed Professional Engineer, or a county chart the building department accepts for the home.
Product approval lookup questions
How do I look up a Florida Product Approval number?
Open the product approval search on Florida Building Code Online (floridabuilding.org). If you already have the number, type it in the FL # field as the application number or as the product number with its decimal, choose the code version, and search. If you do not have the number, pick the manufacturer and the code version, then narrow by category, such as windows or exterior doors. The result shows the approval status and links to the documents.
How do I look up a Miami-Dade NOA?
Use the Miami-Dade Product Control Search. Enter the NOA file number in the basic search, in the same YY-MMDD.NN format printed on the document. Without a number, use the advanced search and choose the applicant or manufacturer, the category (windows, doors, or shutters), the impact rating (large or small missile), and the design pressure you need.
What is the difference between an NOA and a Florida Product Approval?
A Florida Product Approval is the statewide approval issued through the Florida Building Commission. A Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance is issued by Miami-Dade County Product Control and is written for the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone. Many manufacturers carry both for the same product line, often with different drawing numbers. In Miami-Dade and Broward, the approval has to be valid for HVHZ use.
Can I use a Florida Product Approval in Miami-Dade or Broward?
Only an approval that is approved for use in the HVHZ, and only when the building department accepts it. The state search has a filter for "Approved for use in HVHZ". A statewide approval without that designation is not enough in the HVHZ. Ask the building department or the permit contractor what it will accept for your address.
Where do I find the approval number for windows already on my house?
Look for a permanent label on the frame that names the manufacturer and the approval, then check the permit records and the documents from the installation. The etching in the corner of the glass usually identifies the glass or laminate, not the approved window assembly. With the manufacturer and model, you can search either database even without a number.
Is an approval number in a quote proof the product is approved?
No. Look the number up yourself. Check that the status is approved or validated, that it is not expired, revoked, or suspended, that it is the newest revision, and that the model, size, glass, and design pressures on the drawing cover each opening on the order.
Want approved impact products matched to your openings?
National Glass & Construction quotes impact windows and doors for South Florida homes and pulls the product approvals that go with the permit. This site is the guide. The estimate comes from National Glass.