Dear Friends, Clients, & Colleagues,
As always, I hope our #EthicsMatters brief finds you well.
As a new year dawns, familiar questions arise. None is more vitally important than the ethics and regulations on County government lobbying and lobbyist registrations.
This #EthicsMatters brief focuses on these specific questions — just in time for the 2026 annual Lobbyist Registration due — January 15.
Who? The Miami-Dade County Code defines lobbyists as “any person, firm, or corporation seeking to influence any action, decision or recommendation of County Personnel” including the Board of County Commissioners.
What? The Miami-Dade County Code requires that individuals retained as a lobbyists register with the Clerk of the Board within five days of being retained by a client or before engaging in any lobbying activity. Any existing registrations must be renewed at the beginning of each year.
Where? Lobbyists can now register or renew their registrations online. Login to your existing account at https://miamidade.gocivix.com/ .
When? Registration renewal is for the 2026 calendar year (January 1 – December 31, 2026) and MUST be submitted to the Clerk of the Board by FRIDAY JANUARY 15, 2026. The Lobbyist Registration platform will begin accepting renewals on December 15, 2025.
Ethics Course Requirement: The Miami-Dade County Code requires that all lobbyists take a Lobbyist Ethics Course approved by the Commission on Ethics and Public Trust within 60 days of their lobbyist registration. The Commission on Ethics requires that lobbyists complete a Refresher Ethics Course every two years following their initial registration. A certificate of completion must be sent to the Clerk of the Board to lobbyist@miamidade.gov.
If you have any questions or require further assistance with the renewal process, contact the Clerk of the Board at 305-375-5137 or email lobbyist@miamidade.gov.
As always, we hope this information is helpful.
Warmest regards,
Jorge Luis Lopez, Esq.
Governmental Affairs Counsel