Burn Notice was created by Matt Nix and aired on USA Network from June 28, 2007, to September 12, 2013.

The series was filmed on location in and around Miami, with a permanent set built inside the former Coconut Grove Convention Center, where most episodes were shot.

In August 2012, the Miami City Commission and the producers reached an agreement allowing filming to continue at the Convention Center for one more year to enable a seventh season, in exchange for significantly higher rent; the set was torn down on August 30, 2013.

In a 2026 GQ interview, former CIA officer John Kiriakou said he met showrunner Matt Nix on a flight and asked about the show's uncredited script advisor; Nix said the series never had one, after which Kiriakou himself became a script advisor for Season 6.

The prequel TV movie Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe, focusing on Sam Axe's last days as a Navy SEAL, was directed by star Jeffrey Donovan, who also has a cameo in it; it premiered on USA on April 17, 2011, and leads into season five.

In 2010, Burn Notice was the #2 cable scripted series by viewership with 6.7 million viewers, behind Royal Pains, and as of 2024 the series holds an 88% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with individual seasons scoring as high as 94%.

The pilot episode, written by Matt Nix, won a 2008 Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Television Episode Teleplay, and composer John Dickson won ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards for Top TV Series in both 2008 and 2009.

Sharon Gless received a 2010 Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama for her role as Madeline Westen, and the show's sound mixing team received Emmy nominations in both 2008 and 2011.