Quick AnswerBroward County's 31 municipalities each operate their own code enforcement under Florida Statute Chapter 162, with Special Magistrate hearings governing fines, compliance, and lien recordation. Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, and Pembroke Pines run the most active enforcement programs. Fines reach $1,000/day for first violations and $5,000/day for repeats under §162.09(1); Final Orders become liens under §162.09(3) at 12% interest for 20 years.
We are South Florida's dedicated code enforcement defense practice, headquartered in Fort Lauderdale. The Code Clinic, PLLC is the firm Broward property owners hire when they want a flat fee, an attorney who has appeared in their specific city's hearings, and an outcome rather than billable hours. Ari Pregen has been featured by CBS Miami for his work defending Broward property owners against six-figure code fines. Free review at (305) 396-1495.
How Broward code enforcement works
Each Broward city operates a Code Enforcement Division (or Community Enhancement and Compliance, in Fort Lauderdale's case) that issues Notices of Violation and refers uncorrected matters to a Special Magistrate. The Special Magistrate is a licensed Florida attorney appointed by the city commission, with full authority under §162.07 to find violations, impose fines, and order recorded liens.
The County also operates Code Enforcement for unincorporated areas, with hearings before the Broward County Code Compliance Division. Different cities have different cultures of enforcement: Fort Lauderdale's program is among the most aggressive in the state, with the city's Special Magistrate hearing dozens of cases per docket. Hollywood's beach corridor and older residential areas see frequent property maintenance citations. Coral Springs and Plantation tend to focus on landscaping and exterior maintenance.
The procedural framework is identical from city to city under Chapter 162 — but the local culture, the inspector's typical evidence, and the magistrate's preferences vary significantly. Local experience matters.
CBS Miami covered our representation of a Fort Lauderdale couple facing potential $5,000-per-day fines over code violations. After negotiation and presentation to the City, the proposed penalty was reduced to $600 — a result CBS reported in detail.
Most common Broward violations
Across our caseload, the violations that account for the majority of Broward enforcement actions:
- Unpermitted construction — additions, renovations, and accessory structures built without a building permit. Frequently triggered when work is visible from satellite imagery used by city aerial review programs.
- Open or expired permits — permits pulled but never closed out with a final inspection. Often discovered at closing and stop sales cold. Read more on real estate closings.
- Property maintenance citations — exterior paint, vegetation overgrowth, fence condition, swale maintenance.
- Repeat violations — the $5,000/day enhancement applies when a property has previously been cited under the same ordinance within five years. Learn how repeat violations work.
- Short-term rental violations — in cities like Fort Lauderdale and Pompano Beach, STR registration and operation violations are aggressively enforced.
- Junk vehicles and storage — inoperable vehicles, recreational vehicles stored in front yards, exterior storage of materials.
Cities we appear in regularly
The CBS Miami case — why daily fines matter
In 2024, CBS Miami covered our representation of a Fort Lauderdale couple who feared $5,000-per-day fines over code violations. The accumulated exposure on a multi-month enforcement timeline could have reached six figures. The case ended with a proposed $600 penalty — the kind of resolution that's possible when the procedural defenses are correctly raised and the city's attorney is faced with a competent opposing counsel.
The pattern repeats across Broward: cities open enforcement actions with the maximum statutory rate as their initial position, knowing that pro se property owners often pay rather than fight. When defended properly, those rates rarely survive the first hearing.
Hearing scheduled? Don’t go alone.
The city has an attorney at every hearing. You should too. Flat-fee representation including emergency hearings days away.
Lauderdale Lakes and the six-figure fine problem
CBS Miami also covered our advocacy for Lauderdale Lakes property owners facing six-figure code enforcement fines — and the political battle at the city commission over relief measures. These are the situations where representation is not optional. Six-figure fines on properties valued under that amount happen with some regularity in Broward, particularly when violations have accrued over years of inaction.
The path forward in those cases is almost always a Florida Statute §162.09(2)(a) reduction motion, brought after compliance is achieved, presenting the magistrate with the specific factors required for reduction. Learn how the lien reduction process works in detail.
"I worked with Ari at The Code Clinic on a code enforcement matter in Broward County. The whole ordeal felt complex and uncertain. But the outcome was entirely in my favor, thanks to Ari. From the outset, Ari took full control of the process. He managed all communication with the county, kept everything organized, and maintained a clear line of communication. His consistency stood out. He was accessible whenever needed, responsive to every question, and direct in his explanations. For a municipal code issue, where the process can feel opaque, drawn out, and confusing, this level of clarity made a huge difference."
What to do if you receive a Broward Notice of Violation
Broward Code Violation Action Checklist
- Find the compliance deadline on the notice. This is the most important date. Add 30 days for the appeal of any subsequent Final Order.
- Identify which city or whether the County issued the citation. The applicable ordinance is on the notice.
- Pull every permit ever issued for the property — equitable estoppel cases turn on this.
- Do not communicate substantively with the inspector before consulting an attorney. Anything you say is admissible at the hearing.
- Take dated photographs of the cited condition from your perspective.
- Get the case file from the city's code enforcement office — you have the right to inspect public records.
- Contact a defense attorney before the hearing. Same-week representation is harder but possible.
Frequently asked questions
How does Broward County code enforcement work?
Broward's 31 cities each operate their own Code Enforcement Division under Florida Statute Chapter 162, with Special Magistrates conducting hearings. Broward County also operates code enforcement for unincorporated areas. Fines reach $1,000/day for first violations and $5,000/day for repeat violations under §162.09(1), and Final Orders become liens against the property under §162.09(3).
Which Broward cities have the most aggressive code enforcement?
Fort Lauderdale runs one of the most active programs in the state through its Community Enhancement and Compliance Division, with Special Magistrate dockets containing dozens of cases. Hollywood, Pompano Beach, and Pembroke Pines also enforce heavily. Cities like Weston, Parkland, and Southwest Ranches have lower volumes but tend to be strict on landscaping and exterior maintenance.
How much are code violation fines in Fort Lauderdale?
Fort Lauderdale follows the Chapter 162 maximums: up to $1,000 per day for standard violations and $5,000 per day for repeat violations. The city's Special Magistrate, a licensed Florida attorney, has discretion within those caps. Once a Final Order is recorded under §162.09(3), the lien attaches to the property for 20 years and accrues interest at 12% per year.
Can a Fort Lauderdale code lien really be reduced?
Yes. Florida Statute §162.09(2)(a) gives the Special Magistrate authority to reduce accrued fines after compliance. We have reduced six-figure liens to fractions of the recorded amount. The process requires a written motion, a noticed hearing, and presentation of the specific factors the magistrate considers — gravity of violation, time to compliance, financial circumstances, and equitable factors.
Do I need a lawyer for a Broward code violation hearing?
Florida law doesn't require representation, but the math usually does. Every Broward city sends its attorney to every hearing. The inspector has testified hundreds of times. Property owners who appear pro se typically lose by default — not because their facts are weak, but because they don't know which arguments must be raised at the hearing or are waived. Given that fines accrue daily during the time it takes to fix a defective hearing, the economics of representation are usually obvious within the first ten minutes of a free review.
What does the Code Clinic charge for Broward cases?
Broward representation under our flat-fee model usually runs $3,000 to $5,000 for a single-property hearing matter. Multi-property cases, recorded liens above $50,000, repeat-violation enforcement, and circuit court appeals begin at $10,000 and scale with complexity. Every quote is in writing before engagement so the cost is locked in.