Miami-Dade NOA Verification Guide For Metal Railings

A Miami-Dade County NOA Is A Product-Specific Approval Issued By The Miami-Dade County Product Control Section For An Assembly That Has Passed The Required TAS (Testing Application Standard) Protocols. Common TAS Protocols For Railings And Related Envelope Products Include TAS 201 Large-Missile Impact, TAS 202 Cyclic Wind Loading, And TAS 203 Uniform Static Air Pressure. An NOA Approves A Specific Assembly With Specific Components, Specific Anchorage, And Specific Design Pressure Limits. An NOA Is Not A Generic Approval For A Category Of Product, It Does Not Cover Modifications Made In The Field, And It Expires On A Fixed Date Unless Renewed.

1. Ask The Fabricator For The NOA Number. An NOA Number Is Formatted As A Year-Sequence-Version, For Example 24-0627.04. If The Fabricator Cannot Give You A Number, Treat The Assembly As Un-Approved Until Proven Otherwise.
2. Go To The Miami-Dade Product Control Search. Search On The Miami-Dade County Product Control Website For The NOA Number. The Live Approval Will Show The Manufacturer, The Approved Assembly, The Design Pressures, And The Expiration Date.
3. Confirm The Application Matches. The NOA Approves A Specific Application - Guardrail Vs Balcony Rail Vs Pool Fence, For Example. The Application On Your Project Must Match The Approved Use Or A New Analysis Is Required.
4. Confirm The Design Pressure. The Wind Pressure Calculated For Your Building Elevation And Exposure Must Not Exceed The Design Pressure The NOA Was Approved For.
5. Confirm The Expiration Date Is In The Future. A Lapsed NOA Is Not A Valid Product Approval. The Assembly Must Be Approved At The Time Of Permit And At The Time Of Installation.
6. Verify Anchorage Matches The Approved Detail. The Anchor Type, Embedment, And Base Plate Detail On The NOA Must Match What Will Be Installed. Substituted Anchors Void The Approval.

NOA Is Typically Required When

• The Railing Is Part Of A Building Envelope And Faces The Exterior In A HVHZ Jurisdiction.
• The Building Or The Contract Documents Specify An NOA-Approved Assembly.
• Local Plans Examiners Have Historically Required NOA Documentation For The Application Type.

Engineered Design May Be Accepted In Lieu Of NOA When

• The Application Is Custom, Interior, Or Not Covered By A Suitable NOA Assembly.
• The Design Team Provides A Site-Specific Engineered Analysis With PE-Sealed Drawings And The Plans Examiner Accepts It For Permit.

The Deciding Reference Is The Building Department And The Contract. Read Both Before Making Assumptions.

1. Confirm The Contract Requirement - NOA Assembly Or Engineered Design.
2. Where NOA Is Required, Identify A Current NOA That Matches The Assembly, Application, And Design Pressure. Provide The Number In The Bid.
3. Where Engineered Design Is Required, Coordinate PE-Sealed Shop Drawings With Structural Calculations Per ASCE 7-22 And FBC 2023.
4. Verify Anchor Type And Base Plate Detail Match The Approved Or Engineered Detail Before Fabrication.
5. Provide As-Built Documentation And The NOA Reference On Handover For The Owner's Records.

We Do Not Invent Or Cite NOA Numbers That Are Not Current, Not Applicable, Or Not Verifiable. If An NOA Is Not Available For The Assembly, We Recommend Engineered Design And Coordinate The Permit Path Accordingly.

Where Do I Look Up A Miami-Dade NOA Number?

The Miami-Dade County Product Control Section Publishes The NOA Search On The Miami-Dade County Website. The Search Returns The Approved Assembly, The Manufacturer, The Design Pressures, And The Expiration Date.

Can An NOA Be Modified In The Field?

No. An NOA Approves A Specific Assembly With Specific Components And Specific Anchorage. Field Substitutions - Different Anchors, Different Base Plates, Different Post Spacing - Void The Approval Unless The Manufacturer Issues An Amended NOA That Covers The Substitution.

What If My Project Does Not Match Any Existing NOA?

Where No Suitable NOA Exists For The Application, The Path Is Site-Specific Engineered Design With PE-Sealed Shop Drawings And Structural Calculations Per ASCE 7-22 And FBC 2023. The Plans Examiner Accepts Or Rejects The Engineered Path At Permit.

How Long Is An NOA Valid?

Each NOA Carries An Expiration Date - Typically 5 Years - After Which It Must Be Renewed By The Manufacturer To Remain Valid. The Assembly Must Be Approved At The Time Of Permit And At The Time Of Installation.

Does GOPELIA Fabricate NOA-Approved Railings?

GOPELIA Installs Railing Assemblies That Carry A Current Miami-Dade NOA Where The Application Requires One. We Verify The NOA At The Time Of Bid. For Custom Assemblies That Are Not Covered By An Existing NOA, We Coordinate Engineered Design With PE-Sealed Shop Drawings.

Who Is Responsible For NOA Verification - GC, Architect, Or Fabricator?

In Practice, All Three Have A Role. The Fabricator Cites The Assembly And The NOA Number In The Submittal. The Architect And Structural Engineer Review That The Assembly Meets The Design. The GC Confirms The Submittal Is Complete Before Delivering It To The Building Department. The Owner's Best Protection Is To Insist On Verifiable NOA Numbers From The Fabricator, In Writing.