Strange as it may sound, in the state of Florida, all elevators are required to be licensed. The regulation of elevators is handled by the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation, and the specific licenses are granted by the Division of Hotels and Restaurants and the Bureau of Elevator Safety. There are several different permits, licenses, and certificates involved in elevator installation, relocation, and operation. In this Fact Sheet, we'll take you through which of these you'll need to get your elevator up and running, and how to keep your elevator current with the law.

Obtaining a License and Permit

At this link, you can see the various types of permits and the like needed for maintaining an elevator on your premises. Primarily, you will need a permit to install the elevator, and a license to operate it. Licenses related to elevator professions (certified elevator technician and certified elevator inspector) will be dealt with in separate Fact Sheets, though we will tell you when you'll need to make contact with these professionals. This Fact Sheet is focused solely on running your own elevator.

The first thing to note is that these regulations do not apply to elevators in single-family homes, so if you are a wealthy person looking to install one for personal use, don't worry about it. However, if your elevator is for any other purpose, including multi-family dwellings, you will need a permit for installation and use. Second, the state Bureau of Elevator Safety has contracted out its licensing in certain counties and cities throughout Florida, specifically: Broward and Miami Dade counties, Miami and Miami Beach cities, and the Reedy Creek Improvement District. You can go to this page to contact those municipalities directly for their licensing information.

Also, your elevator will have to be professionally installed by a registered elevator company. These companies will not proceed until you actually obtain your license. You can download an application here, and apply online or by mailing the printed application to the Bureau of Elevator Safety. After your hired company draws up a construction plan (but prior to beginning construction), they will be required to submit an affidavit of code compliance to the Bureau, which can be found on the same page previously linked.

Note that while the application is the same for installing or relocating an elevator, the fees are different. An installation application costs $325 and will get you both a permit to install and a license to operate. An application to relocate an existing elevator is $250, and you will only receive a permit, as presumably you already have a license to operate an elevator.

Maintaining your License and Permit

After your elevator has been successfully installed, but before you can begin running it, you will need to submit to an inspection by a certified elevator inspector. Not to worry: this is handled by the elevator company that performed the installation, including the required paperwork.

If, after installation, you wish to alter your elevator, you will first need to file an application for a permit to alter an elevator, which you can find here. The fee for this application is 200 dollars.

Each year, your elevator will need to reapply for a new Certificate of Operation (also called a license of operation). Licenses expire on July 31 of each year, and its important to make timely renewal prior to that date, because continuing to operate your elevator with an expired license is against the law, and can subject you to fines. Find out more here on the renewal process. The good news is that Certificate/License renewal mainly involves one yearly inspection. The State of Florida has provided some great, in-depth guides for elevator owners focusing on the inspection process. Here, you can read about how to make your inspection happen, and how to submit the inspection papers to the state. Also be sure to refer to this guide, “What Every Elevator Operator Needs to Know.”

And that's it! Enjoy your new, safe, method of moving between floors!