Which code your Florida project is actually inspected against
The governing document is the Florida Building Code, 8th Edition (2023), in force since 31 December 2023; the 9th Edition takes effect 31 December 2026, so a project running into 2027 should be checked against both. The High-Velocity Hurricane Zone that covers Miami-Dade and Broward is defined in the code itself, at FBC §202 and R202 — not in the statute, which is a common citation error.
On product approvals: Miami-Dade RER Product Control Notices of Acceptance cover building-envelope products. There is no NOA category for a sauna cabin, a steam room or a plunge tank — but the doors, glazing, roofing and fasteners around them do need one, and that is where an outdoor or rooftop wellness suite meets the requirement.
On water: Florida Statutes Chapter 515, the Preston de Ibern/McKenzie Merriam Residential Swimming Pool Safety Act, applies to residential pools deeper than 24 inches and sets the safety-feature options at §515.27. Whether a cold plunge falls inside that definition is genuinely unsettled — no Florida statute, rule or declaratory statement uses the term — and Florida has not adopted the ISPSC. We design plunges to the Chapter 515 safety provisions as a matter of course rather than argue the point with a plans examiner.