If you manufacture a building product and want it specified on Florida permits, the Florida Building Code requires documented evidence of code compliance. One accepted route is an evaluation report developed, signed and sealed by a professional engineer licensed in Florida. That is the service on this page.
Under Florida Statute §553.842(5)(a), a manufacturer demonstrates code compliance by submitting one of several accepted forms of evidence. One of them, at §553.842(5)(a)4, is a product evaluation report "developed and signed and sealed by a professional engineer or architect, licensed in this state." A parallel provision at §553.842(5)(b)2 covers products for which no standardized test method exists. Separately, §553.842(7) requires validation by third-party entities independent of the product's manufacturer, and §553.842(6) requires manufacturers holding statewide approval to operate quality assurance programs for approved products.
The practical consequence for a manufacturer outside Florida — including European manufacturers entering the US market — is that the engineering evaluation must be produced by someone licensed here and independent of you. A CE mark, an EN test report or an approval from another jurisdiction does not by itself satisfy the Florida route, although existing test data is often usable as part of the engineering basis.
Drawings, materials, dimensions, existing test reports, and the intended Florida application.
We tell you which code path fits, what evidence you already have, and what is missing.
Analysis against the applicable code provisions and wind conditions.
An evaluation report signed and sealed under FL PE #102290, stating its engineering basis and limits.
Franca Engineering performs each evaluation independently of the manufacturer. Conclusions follow the engineering evidence, applicable codes and standards, and the test documentation provided. We do not accept engagements structured around a predetermined conclusion. If our analysis does not support compliance, that is what the report will say.
Often partly. Existing test data can frequently support the engineering basis, but the evaluation itself has to be made against the Florida Building Code by a Florida-licensed professional. We will tell you honestly how far your existing data carries before you commit to anything.
No. Florida statewide approval and Miami-Dade NOA are separate routes with separate authorities. We provide the Florida PE engineering evaluation; we are not the approval authority in either system.
No, and you should be cautious of anyone who does. Approval decisions rest with the state system, not with the evaluating engineer. What we provide is a competent, independent engineering evaluation and a clear statement of its basis.
It can. When code editions and referenced test protocols change, previously evaluated products may need re-evaluation against the new provisions. Check current edition status and effective dates on the official Florida Building Commission site, floridabuilding.org, before planning around any particular date.
Yes. If you only need the product accepted on a particular job, project-specific engineering is often the faster and cheaper route than a statewide approval.
Send drawings, materials and any existing test reports. We will tell you which route fits and what the engineering scope looks like — before you commit.