Florida's product approval system for glazing is one of the most rigorous in the country — and one of the most commonly misunderstood by project teams. A failed product approval at inspection means re-glazing windows and doors at full cost. Understanding how the system works, what to verify, and what ACG includes in every submittal package keeps your project out of that situation.
What Is a Florida Product Approval?
The Florida Product Approval (PA) program is administered by the Florida Building Commission, a division of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). Every glazing product installed in a Florida building under a building permit must have either a Florida Product Approval or a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (for HVHZ work).
A Florida Product Approval is assigned a unique FL# number — for example, FL14956. The approval document specifies:
- The approved manufacturer and product line
- The applicable product category (windows, doors, storefronts, curtainwall)
- The testing standards and test reports that support the approval
- The approved configurations — maximum panel dimensions, design pressure ratings (positive and negative)
- The glass types permitted within the approval
- The required installation method (anchoring pattern, sealant type)
- The approval expiration date
The approval is product-specific and configuration-specific. A product approval for a 4" storefront frame in a 6-foot-wide opening may not cover the same frame in a 10-foot-wide opening at the same design pressure. The approval document must be read carefully, not just cited by number.
The FL# System: How to Look Up Product Approvals
Florida product approvals are searchable at floridabuilding.org through the Product Approval section of the Florida Building Commission website. You can search by:
- FL# number: Fastest method when you have the number from a submittal
- Product category: Browse all approved products in a category (windows, doors, etc.)
- Manufacturer name: Useful when reviewing a product before it's been specified
Verify three things when you look up a product approval: (1) the approval is not expired, (2) the product name and manufacturer match what's being installed, and (3) the specific configuration being installed — glass size, design pressure, installation conditions — is within the approved parameters.
Florida PA vs. Miami-Dade NOA: A Critical Distinction
The Florida Product Approval system and the Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance system are parallel but separate approval tracks with different requirements.
A Florida Product Approval (FL#) is issued by the Florida Building Commission and is valid statewide. It is required for all glazing products installed under Florida building permits outside the HVHZ.
A Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA) is issued by Miami-Dade County's Product Control Section and is required for all products installed in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone — Miami-Dade and Broward counties. NOA testing requirements are more stringent than standard Florida PA requirements, including mandatory large-missile impact testing and cyclic pressure testing for all exterior glazing.
Key rule: An NOA-approved product is accepted statewide — the NOA effectively supersedes the Florida PA requirement. But a standard Florida PA is NOT sufficient for HVHZ work. A glazing sub who submits FL# numbers on an HVHZ project without corresponding NOA documentation is submitting an incomplete package.
Engineer-of-Record Requirements
Florida Building Code requires that glazing systems on commercial projects be designed by a registered engineer. The engineer-of-record (EOR) must verify that the specified products have product approvals that cover the design pressures required at each opening location, based on the building's wind speed, exposure category, building height, and opening location (field, edge, or corner).
On curtainwall projects, the EOR typically provides anchor design calculations and reviews the glazing sub's shop drawings. On storefront projects, the EOR may rely on the product approval to demonstrate code compliance, but must still confirm that the specified product approval covers the required design pressures for the specific building and location.
GCs should confirm at subcontract that the EOR has reviewed and stamped the glazing specifications for code compliance — not just the structural elements of the building.
What Happens When the Wrong Product Is Installed
Product approval failures at inspection are more common than GCs expect. The scenarios that cause failures:
- Expired approval: The sub specified a product with a valid approval at bid, but the approval expired before installation. The installed product is out of compliance even if it was correctly specified.
- Substituted product: The glazing sub substituted a different manufacturer or product line without notifying the GC or architect, and the substitute product either has no Florida approval or has an approval that doesn't cover the required design pressures.
- Configuration out of range: The product has a valid approval, but the specific panel size or design pressure at that location exceeds the tested parameters. Common on corner openings where design pressures are significantly higher than field locations.
- HVHZ work with Florida PA only: Sub submitted FL# numbers, but the project is in Broward or Miami-Dade and NOA documentation is required.
The consequence of an inspection failure is removal and reinstallation of the non-compliant glazing at the glazing sub's cost — assuming the subcontract is properly written. In practice, disputes over this are common and costly. The best protection is requiring FL# numbers in the original submittal and verifying them before glass is ordered.
What ACG's Submittals Always Include
ACG includes Florida Product Approval documentation in every commercial glazing submittal package. For each product in the scope, our submittals identify:
- The FL# or NOA number for the framing system
- The FL# or NOA number for the glass unit configuration
- Confirmation that the approval covers the required design pressures at each opening location
- The approval expiration date (with a flag if renewal is needed before installation)
On HVHZ projects, we provide NOA documentation for all exterior glazing products and coordinate with the EOR to verify configuration compliance. Our AI-managed project tracking system flags any product with an approval expiration within 6 months of the planned installation date so we can proactively address it before it becomes an inspection issue.
Learn more about our commercial glazing services or see examples from our completed Florida projects. Ready to get started? Send us your plans and we'll have a scope back within 48 hours.
FAQ
How do I verify a Florida product approval for glazing?
Search by FL# number, manufacturer, or product category at floridabuilding.org. Verify that the approval is current, the manufacturer and product match what's being installed, and the specific configuration — glass dimensions, design pressure — falls within the approved parameters. For HVHZ projects, verify Miami-Dade NOA documentation at miamidade.gov/building through the Product Control section.
What is the difference between a Florida PA and a Miami-Dade NOA?
A Florida Product Approval (FL#) is issued by the Florida Building Commission and is valid statewide. A Miami-Dade NOA is issued by Miami-Dade County and is required for the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (Miami-Dade and Broward). NOA requirements are more stringent — all NOA products are accepted statewide, but FL# approvals are not sufficient in HVHZ. On HVHZ projects, require NOA documentation, not just FL# numbers.