What is a Miami-Dade NOA, and how do you check one?

A Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance, or NOA, is the county's approval document for a building product. It names the product, says what it was tested to and shows when the approval expires. To check one, get the number from your quote, enter it in the county's public search, confirm the status, then compare the document to what you are buying. Anyone can do this search.

Miami-Dade and Broward are both in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ) under the Florida Building Code. Windows for that zone are tested for large-missile impact (TAS 201), static air pressure (TAS 202) and cyclic wind pressure (TAS 203). The NOA lets you see that for yourself instead of taking a salesperson's word for it. That goes for ours too.

Start with the number

Ask for the NOA number for each product on your quote before you sign. One job can involve several, because a casement window, a sliding glass door and an entry door are different products. Put them on a list and check them one at a time.

If your windows are already in, look through your product paperwork or for a sticker on the glass, or ask the company that installed them. You can also ask your building department how to look up the permit record.

The paperwork should be easy to get. Captiva O. wrote that "David & Carlos were quick to respond and provided specs for me to submit to my HOA board." Expect that from anyone bidding on your home.

Search the Miami-Dade site

Open the Miami-Dade product search. The page is plain and reads like a government form, so here is what to do with it.

1. If you have the number, type it in the Search by File box under Basic Search and press Go. The county calls the NOA number a File Number.
2. If you only have the manufacturer's name, use Advanced Search. Set File Classification to High velocity hurricane zone, pick the manufacturer under Applicant, and choose Windows or Doors.
3. Leave the other boxes alone at first. Each one you fill narrows the results, and a search that is too narrow can come back empty. If that happens, use your browser's Back button, click Reset and try fewer choices.
4. Find the file that matches your product, check its status, then open the approval and read it.

Check the status before anything else

The results page links to the county's NOA File Status Key, which defines each status. These four matter most to a homeowner:

• File Approved: the NOA is valid and can be used.
• Superseded: the NOA was revised and a newer one exists. The county says it can still be used until its expiration date.
• Expired: the NOA is no longer active.
• File Closed: the NOA is no longer valid.

Expired or File Closed is a reason to stop and ask. The number on your quote may just be out of date, or the product may have changed. Ask the installer which approval covers the product you are actually buying, then look that one up too. Don't sign until you have seen a current one.

What to read in the approval

You don't have to read every page. Three things will tell you most of what you need.

• The product. The company and product on the NOA should match your quote. If the quote only says impact window, ask for the exact product name.
• What it was tested to. Look for TAS 201, TAS 202 and TAS 203, and for large-missile impact.
• The expiration date. Compare it to your schedule. Signed contract to final inspection usually takes about 2 to 4 months, longer in late summer. If the date falls inside that stretch, ask what the plan is.

Then ask the installer to show you the page that covers your opening. One product can come in many sizes and glass options, so you want to see your own window in the document, not just the product name at the top.

If the quote lists a Florida approval

Some quotes give a Florida approval number, called an FL number. Those live in a different place, the Florida product approval search. Enter the number in the FL # box, or search by Product Manufacturer and code version. Start with one or two choices, as the site suggests, because each one narrows the results.

Two fields matter most: Approved for use in HVHZ and Impact Resistant. The form lets you search by them, so look for them in what comes back. Miami-Dade and Broward are both in the HVHZ, so the first one is the one to check here. If the results don't answer your question, ask your installer or your building department before you sign.

What an NOA does not tell you

An NOA says a product passed testing. It doesn't say the product suits your home, and it says nothing about how well it will be installed. Two companies can quote the same approved window and do very different work. That is why the approval is only one line on your list when you compare impact window quotes. Ask who installs it, what the price includes and who handles the permit too.

Keep a copy

Save the approval for every product with your contract. If you have an HOA, your board may want to see it with the rest of your permit and HOA paperwork.

It can help later too. Opening protection is one section of the wind mitigation form, so keep your product paperwork handy for your wind mitigation inspection. Impact products may qualify for insurance credits, and savings vary by insurer and inspection.