Florida Product Approval and Miami Dade NOA Requirements

Miami Dade NOA’s, contrary to popular understanding, are in themselves NOT approved as a statewide product approval. They are adopted by the state system through the ‘Local Approval Process’.

NOA’s also permit more evaluation categories than Florida’s system since it’s not state-regulated, but still doesn’t encompass every product type.

NOA’s are officially approve-able for use by building departments either by the NOA holder registering the NOA with the state system and obtaining a state FL number (if the product category is even applicable for the state system, sometimes it is not as described above) or by a process called a Local Product Approval (see FS 553.8425).  Thanks to this process, building officials typically see an NOA as meeting the Local Product Approval Process and consider them deemed to comply.

Engineering Express are experts in Local Product Approvals, even owning and maintaining the industry’s most recognized website on the topic, www.FloridaLocalApprovals.com. 

Other evaluations (such as TER’s – Technical Evaluation Reports – and Master Plan Sheets) are also permitted through this same local approval process, and in many cases can be approved just by the engineer rational analysis and evaluation per code.  There’s much more on this topic by clicking the links below.

…It’s just been a longstanding myth that an “NOA” is required for all building products…

Click here for more about Florida Building Code Product Approvals from the state’s website.

Florida Administrative Code 61G20-3.002 Definitions.

(23) Product means any individual type of manufactured goods, system or method of construction.

(24) Product Approval:

State product approval means the approval of a product or system of construction by the Commission for acceptance of a product on a state or regional basis consistent with an evaluation conducted pursuant to Rule 61G20-3.005, F.A.C. In addition, this includes the approval of a product by the Department pursuant to paragraph 61G20-3.007(1)(d), F.A.C.

(33) Subcategory of product or construction system means a specific functionality:

(a) For exterior door:

1. Exterior door assemblies: roll-up, sectional, sliding, swinging, automatic; pre-engineered roof access hatches; and products introduced as a result of new technology;
2. Exterior door components and products introduced as a result of new technology;

(b) For windows: awning, casement, dual-action, double-hung, single hung, fixed, horizontal slider, projected, pass through, mullions, and products introduced as a result of new technology;

(c) For panel walls: siding, soffits, exterior insulation finish system (EIFS), storefronts, curtain walls, wall louver, glass block, and products introduced as a result of new technology;

(d) For roofing products: built-up roofing, modified bitumen roof system, single-ply roof systems, spray-applied polyurethane roof system, roofing fasteners, roofing insulation, asphalt shingles, wood shingles and shakes, roofing slate, roof tile adhesives, cements-adhesives-coatings, liquid applied roof systems, underlayments, metal roofing, roofing tiles, waterproofing, roofing accessories that are an integral part of the roofing system and products introduced as a result of new technology;

(e) For shutters: accordion, Bahama, storm panels, fabric storm panel, colonial, roll-up, pre-engineered equipment, protection, and products introduced as a result of new technology;

(f) For skylights: skylight, and products introduced as a result of new technology; and

(g) For structural components: truss plates, wood connectors, anchors, exterior coolers-freezers, insulation form systems, engineered lumber, pre-engineered air conditioner stands, structural wall components, and roof deck, and products introduced as a result of new technology.

(h) For impact protective systems include types that are fixed, operable, or removable.