Coral Gables residents planning a new roof, replacement windows or a driveway repaving may now be able to get their permit application reviewed the same day they submit it, under a pilot program the city’s Development Services Department is offering at no additional cost.
The Same Day Permit Program covers qualifying residential projects that do not require structural or mechanical review. Applications are automatically enrolled when they meet the program’s requirements; residents do not have to file a separate fast-track request.
The city says the program reviewed 158 qualifying applications during its first month. Sixty-five were approved and 52 permits were issued.
Those numbers also illustrate an important distinction: same-day review does not mean same-day approval.
How the program works
Qualifying applications submitted with their initial fees paid before 8 a.m. are reviewed that business day. Applications submitted after 8 a.m. are enrolled for review by the end of the following business day if they have not already been reviewed.
That is faster than the city’s stated normal intake timeline. Development Services says most permit applications enter active review within two to three business days after all required documents have been uploaded.
Eligible work at single-family homes includes roofing, doors and windows, exterior painting, asphalt driveways and certain kitchen and bathroom renovations.
Once all required disciplines approve an application, the city invoices the applicant for the remaining permit fees. If those fees are paid that day, the permit is automatically issued that evening. Work can begin once the permit has been issued, and inspections can then be scheduled.
But a same-day review does not guarantee an approval. Applications that require corrections or additional information must be revised before they can move forward.
Some projects don’t qualify
Several categories are excluded.
Historic properties and properties within historic districts do not qualify, nor do projects using private providers, projects requiring structural or mechanical review, or sub-permits that must be filed under a master permit.
Kitchen and bathroom renovations involving HVAC work also are excluded, as are range hoods requiring outside air or ventilation. A Board of Architects reviewer may remove an application from the program if it cannot be approved administratively.
The first month, by the numbers
Development Services processed 158 qualifying applications during the program’s first month and completed 295 individual discipline reviews across them.
Of those applications, 65 were approved and 52 resulted in issued permits. The city’s announcement does not say how many of the remaining 93 applications were awaiting corrections, remained under review, were withdrawn or fell into another category.
“We want to make the permitting process as straightforward and efficient as possible for residents completing routine home improvement projects,” said Doug Ramirez, acting director of Development Services.
“By automatically enrolling qualifying applications in the Same Day Review program, we can provide a faster review without requiring residents to complete any additional steps,” Ramirez said.
Another attempt to shorten permit waits
The new pilot is the latest in a series of changes and proposals aimed at the city’s permitting process.
Coral Gables now requires plan submissions and permit applications, including signatures, to be submitted electronically. The city’s online Citizen Self Service portal allows applicants to file applications, monitor permit status and pay fees.
In February, the commission also voted unanimously to direct staff not to issue new building permits to contractors who have expired permits elsewhere in Coral Gables, subject to the building official’s authority to make exceptions in special circumstances. The measure was sponsored by Mayor Vince Lago.
The city has tried a different kind of expedited review before.
In February 2025, commissioners approved a pilot proposed by Commissioner Melissa Castro that would have offered applicants expedited reviews of qualifying residential and commercial interior remodels for a 15 percent premium, with a targeted five-business-day turnaround for each review cycle.
That program never got off the ground. The commission rescinded it 3-2 in May 2025, with Lago, Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson and Commissioner Richard Lara voting to end it and Castro and Commissioner Ariel Fernandez opposed.
The city’s new Same Day Permit Program takes a different approach: qualifying residential applications are automatically routed for faster in-house review and applicants pay no premium.
Private-provider permitting remains available separately under Florida law, although projects using private providers are specifically excluded from the Same Day Permit Program. Under the private-provider system, qualified outside professionals may conduct building-code plan reviews, inspections or both, while zoning, historic preservation, public works and other municipal reviews remain with the city.
How to apply
Residents do not need to opt into the Same Day Permit Program separately.
Qualifying applications submitted through the city’s existing permitting portal are automatically enrolled. Applicants can submit documents, check their permit status and pay fees through the Citizen Self Service portal.
More information, including permit requirements and links to the online system, is available through the Development Services section of the city’s website.
This is the type of creative leadership that we must applaud from our Coral Gables permit department. I would say, however, that we must also encourage them to take another step in making this policy an even greater success. This involves urging our citizens to make sure that they secure adequate insurance if they retain a contractor. Failure to demand insurance from a contractor could lead to a lawsuit. If elected Mayor in the November 3rd election, I promise to promptly begin the process of reviewing all similar tips and drafting a free booklet for all residents so that they can be as informed as possible.