The City of Hialeah has a full time Community Development Department. It has the responsibility to enforce city and county zoning ordinances and building codes. It is staffed with a full complement of clerks, plans examiners, and building inspectors.

Business and home owners desiring to build new structures or modify existing buildings must apply to the Community Development Department for a permit. The first step is submitting an application along with drawings (Plans), for review by the Planning Division. From there, the documents will go to the Building Division for review by the different building disciplines for compliance with the building codes.

Once the permit for construction is issued, a series of in-progress inspections will be performed to ensure that the construction materials and methods comply with the approved drawings and the building codes. Upon completion of any new structure, a Certificate of Occupancy (CO) will be issued, granting the owner of the building permission to occupy and use the building for its intended purposes.

Additionally, the Community Development Department has the responsibility to conduct damage assessment and hazardous structure identification after any disaster occurs. The inspectors and examiners of P & D are trained professionals that have been certified by the State of Florida, and Miami-Dade County.