Which Florida Approval Is Right for You? Pros and Cons of FSA, NOA, and TER
Two common means of product evaluations in Florida are Florida Statewide Approvals (FSA’s) and Miami-Dade Notices of Acceptance (NOA’s).
To help determine whether these evaluations would be right for you, we’ve compiled a list of pros & cons for each type of evaluation.
The following reflects this firm’s interpretation based on industry experience.
Want To Learn More About Florida Statewide Approvals (FSA’s)?
See this comprehensive list of FSA Frequent Questions
Pros of a Florida Statewide Approval (FSA)
- ✔ No Per-Sealed Copy Fees: Once an FSA is obtained, sealed product approvals can be downloaded for free from the Florida Product Approval website, with no per-project fees. This is especially beneficial for high-volume products like mechanical equipment.
While FSAs involve up-front application costs, they eliminate the need to seal individual plans for each job. If an FSA is not pursued, approvals can still be obtained on a project-specific basis, either through Local Product Approvals (for products within the rule) or Technical Evaluation Reports (TERs) for those outside the rule. Read more on this topic.
- ✔ Easy Access and Permit Efficiency: Once approved, an FSA certification is simple to access online. In many cases, it’s not even necessary to provide a printed copy to the permit office. Officials can retrieve the sealed product evaluation report themselves using the approval number. This can streamline the permit review process.
- ✔ Marketing Advantage: Having an FSA can enhance product credibility and marketing appeal. Manufacturers and distributors can state that their product holds a “Florida Statewide Approval” officially registered with the State of Florida, giving them a competitive edge, especially in high-regulation regions.
- ✔ Easier Acceptance: Although Technical Evaluation Reports (TERs) are legally valid and cannot be rejected outright if the installation falls within the scope of the signed and sealed report, they can occasionally face pushback.
FSA applications undergo peer review by a third-party validator and are subject to additional requirements, including Quality Assurance documentation. These added layers of oversight and state-level review often make FSAs more readily accepted by building officials.
While Engineering Express TERs have an excellent track record of acceptance, some jurisdictions may request additional clarification or documentation, slowing the process. In rare cases where TERs are challenged due to misunderstanding, we work directly with the reviewer to resolve any concerns.
Cons of a Florida Statewide Approval (FSA)
- ✘ Higher Upfront Costs: Applying for an FSA involves multiple fees. The State of Florida charges over $500 per approval, and additional costs include Engineering Express fees for preparing and submitting the submittal package. Further expenses may include establishing a Quality Assurance (QA) contract and hiring a third-party validator, both required by the State.
- ✘ More Regulatory Requirements: FSAs require a yearly-renewed QA contract with an approved agency, adding ongoing administrative and financial obligations.
See QA and validator requirements here.
- ✘ Slow Approval Process : FSA certification takes longer to complete. Once the submittal package is prepared and submitted, there is a 2-3 month waiting period for the State of Florida to review the application and formally decide whether the submittal package is approved or rejected with comments.
- ✘ Harder to update: Updating an existing approval is also a more-involved process. Updating an approval requires a revision application to the State of Florida. If model numbers are being added to a mechanical equipment FSA for example, that requires a complete re-submission and approval, which means:
• Re-submitting to the State ($500+ fee per revision)
• Paying engineering fees for the updated documents
• Hiring a validator again
• Waiting 2–3 months for approval
Even after submission, the product will remain in “Applied For” or “Pending” status on the state website until officially approved.
FSAs must also be fully updated every time the Florida Building Code changes, typically every 3 years, repeating the process and its associated costs.
- ✘ Florida-Only Certification: FSAs bear a Florida professional engineer’s seal and are only valid for use within Florida. For projects in other states, local jurisdictions may require a seal from an engineer licensed in that specific state. With TER’s, Engineering Express can review codes per state and certify the report for use in over 40 states to which we are licensed and operate in.
Want To Learn More About Miami Dade NOA's?
See this comprehensive list of Miami NOA Frequent Questions
Pros of a Miami-Dade NOA (Similar to FSA pros)
- ✔ No Per-Copy Fees: Once an NOA is issued, certifications can be downloaded for free from the Miami-Dade Product Control website, with no additional cost per project. This makes it ideal for high-volume products.
- ✔ Easy Access: Approved NOA documents are readily accessible online. In many cases, you don’t need to provide a printed certification to a permitting official, simply giving them the NOA number allows them to look up the sealed evaluation report directly from the county’s database.
- ✔ Marketing Value: Some manufacturers/distributors may prefer to have an NOA for marketing purposes. A common slogan seen in product advertising in South Florida is “Miami-Dade County Approved”. In addition, one of the requirements of an NOA is: “Each unit shall bear a permanent label with the manufacturer’s name or logo, city, state, model/series, and following statement: “Miami-Dade County Product Control Approved”, unless otherwise noted”. This may be seen as a desirable accolade, in comparison to competitors’ products.
- ✔ Greater Acceptance: Products with an NOA generally face fewer permitting challenges. That’s because the approval is issued directly by the Miami-Dade County Product Control Department, which is known for its rigorous review process. This includes:
- • Substantiating calculations or testing to prove product performance
• Mandatory product labeling
• Peer review by a licensed Product Control P.E.
• Annual QA audits at the discretion of Miami-Dade
• Required updates and renewal with each building code cycle
• Separate fees for QA expiration renewals
These factors add credibility and typically lead to faster, smoother acceptance by building departments.
By comparison, while TERs are valid for products outside the rule, some permit officials may not be familiar with them, which can lead to extra questions or delays. These cases are rare, and Engineering Express has a strong record of TER acceptance. We also work directly with reviewers when clarification is needed. However, if your goal is to avoid delays and ensure quick approval, an NOA is often the more straightforward option.
Cons of a of a Miami-Dade NOA
- ✘ Higher up-front costs: Applying for a new NOA can be costly. As of 2025, Miami-Dade charges an application fee estimated at $4,300. Additional fees also apply for the certifying engineer to prepare and submit the submittal package.
- ✘ Strict Regulatory Requirements: All NOAs must comply with Miami-Dade’s product labeling rules and require an approved Quality Assurance (QA) program. Depending on the product type, further requirements may apply. For example, rooftop mechanical equipment (such as exhaust fans and ventilators) must include both engineering calculations and physical testing. See full requirements by product.
✘ Lengthy Approval Proces : Once the submittal package is prepared and submitted, there may be up to a 3-6 month period for Miami-Dade Product Control to review the application and formally grant approval for the NOA. In our experience, it is not uncommon for Miami-Dade to issue comments that need to be addressed prior to approval, which can lead to a longer timeframe within the aforementioned 3-6 month estimate. We suggest preparing for an 8-12 month time from start to finish.
- ✘ Complex and Costly Updates : Updating an existing NOA is also a more-involved process. Updating an NOA requires a revision application to Miami-Dade:
- • Miami-Dade charges a $1,612.50 estimated fee per revision application .
- • The certifying engineer charges fees for performing the revisions to the engineering document and submitting the application to Miami-Dade. Engineering Express’s fee may vary based on the amount of supporting calculations/documentation required, whether product requires re-testing, etc.
- • The revision application typically takes 1 to 3 months or longer to become fully approved and processed on the Miami-Dade website and additional concerns may be brought up at the time of review to comply with the latest standards of care.
- ✘ Faster Expiration: NOAs have two expiration points, each with separate renewal requirements and fees:
• Approval Expiration: typically 5 years from Miami-Dade’s issue date
• Code Cycle Expiration: when a new edition of the Florida Building Code (FBC) takes effect (every ~3 years), the existing NOA becomes obsolete unless updated
- ✘ Additional Fees: There may be additional fees that are not reflected in the above-mentioned services. For example, it is often recommend to file an application with Miami-Dade Product Control to review any test protocols to ensure Miami-Dade agrees with and approves of the proposed physical testing. Preparing said application would be covered in our NOA submittal fees, but Miami-Dade would charge an hourly rate to review and issue a verdict on said application.
- ✘ Florida-Only Certification: An NOA will bear the certifying engineer’s Florida seal. As such, the certification is formally only valid for use in Florida. For out-of-state applications, the other state may request the engineering document have a certifying engineer’s seal from their particular state. With TER’s, Engineering Express can accommodate certifying these in over 40 states in the US.
Takeaways: Our Suggestions on How to Best Utilize FSA’s, NOA’s & TER's
A Technical Evaluation Report (TER) provided by Engineering Express is often sufficient for certifying most mechanical equipment and other products that fall ‘outside the rule’. However, as noted in the “Pros” sections above, pursuing an FSA or NOA may offer added advantages depending on your product type, permitting needs, or marketing goals.
Florida Statewide Approvals (FSA)
In our experience, when a formal product evaluation is desired, most manufacturers choose an FSA over an NOA. FSA’s typically offer similar benefits at a lower cost, with fewer regulatory hurdles.
Our recommendation: Use both a TER and an FSA to maximize flexibility and minimize delays.
• The TER is prepared first and serves as the base product evaluation document.
• It is valid for use immediately and may be submitted for permitting while the FSA is still being processed.
• Once the FSA is approved by the State of Florida, it can be used in place of the TER for certification purposes in Florida.
Miami-Dade Notices of Acceptance (NOA)
An NOA is a more involved and rigorous process compared to an FSA.
The most common reason to pursue an NOA is if your product is required to have one to be sold or installed in Miami-Dade County. This typically applies to building products such as windows, doors, and hurricane shutters.
For most mechanical equipment, however, an NOA is not required. While some building officials may ask for an NOA number, our TERs are accepted in most cases.
That said, an NOA still has its own benefits (see: “Pros of an NOA”) and can add value depending on the market and jurisdiction. If you choose to pursue one, we also recommend preparing a TER alongside the NOA.
Technical Evaluation Report (TER)
FSA and NOA documents are sealed by a Florida-licensed engineer and are therefore valid only in Florida. For projects outside of Florida, a TER can be certified in over 40 U.S. states by Engineering Express, making it the most versatile option.
TERs are available through our Online Plan Store with state-specific seals, and can also be updated quickly and cost-effectively. In many cases, updates to a TER can be reflected in the FSA or NOA at a later stage, allowing the TER to serve as a short-term solution while more formal revision applications are processed.
This approach makes full use of the speed and flexibility of the TER, while still benefiting from the added credibility and formal approval of an FSA or NOA.
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Last Update: October 1, 2025