Florida’s 25% Reroofing Rule: What Central Florida Homeowners Should Know
If you live in Central Florida and your roof gets hit by wind, rain, or falling debris, the next conversation usually goes like this:
- You want the leak stopped fast.
- Your insurance carrier wants documentation.
- The building department wants the job permitted correctly.
And then someone drops the line: “Florida has a 25% rule… so you might have to replace the whole roof.” That statement can be true, but it’s often incomplete.
The reality is that Florida’s “25% reroofing rule” sits inside the Florida Building Code (Existing Building). It limits how much of a roof area (or a defined roof section) can be repaired, replaced, or recovered in any 12-month period before broader code compliance is triggered. Even more important: Florida law now includes an exception that can prevent a forced full replacement for many roofs that were built or reroofed under the 2007 Florida Building Code (or newer).
Let’s break it down in plain English, with Central Florida permitting realities in mind.
What the 25% rule actually says
Here’s the core requirement from the Florida Building Code—Existing Building:
If more than 25% of the total roof area or roof section is repaired, replaced, or recovered within any 12-month period, the entire existing roofing system or roof section generally must be brought into compliance with the current code.
In homeowner terms:
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That “within a year” part matters more than most people expect, and we’ll get to that.
Roof area vs. roof section: the term that changes everything
Many homeowners assume “25%” means 25% of the entire roof on the home.
Not always.
The code uses roof area or roof section, and “roof section” has a specific meaning. Florida defines a roof section as a separation or division of a roof area based on things like joints, parapet walls, flashing (excluding valleys), differences of elevation (excluding hips and ridges), roof type, or even legal description. It also does not include the roof area needed for a proper tie-off with the existing system.
This matters in Central Florida because many homes have multiple roof configurations:
- Main roof + garage roof
- Add-on porches or Florida rooms
- Areas with different materials (shingle vs. flat/low-slope)
- Changes in elevation between sections
Depending on your roof layout, you could be over 25% in one roof section while the rest of the roof is unaffected.
The 12-month window: why timing impacts your permit
The rule isn’t based on calendar years. It’s “ any 12-month period .”
That means multiple separate repairs can stack up.
Example:
● You repaired a wind-damaged slope last summer.
● Another storm hits this year and affects the same roof section.
● The combined scope (within 12 months) can push you past 25%.
This is one reason reputable roofers ask about prior repairs and pull permit history when the scope is borderline.
“Repair” vs. “replace” vs. “recover” (and why your scope wording matters)
Florida’s roofing definitions draw clear lines between types of work:
● Roof recover: installing an additional roof covering over a prepared existing roof covering without removing the existing covering.
● Roof repair: reconstruction or renewal of any part of an existing roof for maintenance purposes.
● Roof replacement: removing the existing roof covering, repairing any damaged substrate, and installing a new roof covering.
Why you should care:
these terms show up in permit applications and inspection conversations. If your documentation doesn’t match the actual scope, projects get delayed, corrected, or re-permitted.
The biggest update homeowners need to know: the 2007+ code exception
Florida Statute 553.844(5) changes the conversation for a lot of homeowners.
It states that if an existing roofing system or roof section was built, repaired, or replaced in compliance with the 2007 Florida Building Code (or later), and 25% or more is being repaired/replaced/recovered, then only the repaired/replaced/recovered portion must be constructed in accordance with the code in effect.
In plain terms:
● If your roof is a “newer-code roof” (2007 FBC or later), crossing 25% does not automatically mean you must replace the entire roof section.
● Instead, the portion you’re working on must meet the current Florida Building Code requirements.
The statute also notes that local governments may not adopt an ordinance that amends that exception. This is why two neighbors can have similar storm damage and get two different outcomes—because their roof permit history is different.
What “2007 Florida Building Code” usually means in real-world dates
Homeowners commonly think: “My house was built after 2007, so I’m covered.”
Not necessarily.
Florida’s official building code effective date chart shows the 2007 Florida Building Code became effective March 1, 2009.
So, if your roof was replaced (under permit) around March 2009 or later, you have a stronger chance of fitting the statutory exception—but the deciding factor is whether the system/section was built, repaired, or replaced in compliance with the 2007 code (or later), which is ultimately a documentation question.
What “current code” is in Central Florida right now
Florida is on the 8th Edition (2023) Florida Building Code.
The Florida Building Code—Building (8th Edition, 2023) lists an effective date of December 31, 2023.
Locally, Central Florida jurisdictions apply that code through their permitting process. For example, the City of Orlando states that applications submitted after December 30, 2023 are reviewed using the Florida Building Code 8th edition (2023), including the Existing Building Code.
So when the 25% topic comes up, your actual permit date and jurisdiction determine what the building department considers “in effect” for your project.
How it plays out for Central Florida homeowners (two common scenarios)
Scenario 1: Older roof, major damage in one section
If your roof section predates the 2007+ compliance threshold and a storm damages 30–40% of that section, the project can be pushed into a code-driven replacement of the entire roof section, not just a patchwork repair.
Scenario 2: Newer-code roof, damage crosses 25%
If your roof section was built/reroofed under the 2007 Florida Building Code or later (and compliance is documented), then even if 25% or more is being worked on, the statute allows the project to focus code compliance on the portion being repaired/replaced/recovered—without forcing replacement of the full roof section.
That distinction can materially affect cost, project timeline, and the scope you submit for permit.
The biggest myths (and what to say instead)
Myth 1: “If it’s over 25%, the whole roof must be replaced.”
Reality: The base code rule can trigger roof section replacement, but Florida law provides an exception for roofs built/repaired/replaced under the 2007 code or later.
Myth 2: “The insurance company decides.”
Reality: Insurance may influence scope through coverage, but the building department enforces the code through permits and inspections.
Myth 3: “We can just do two separate repairs and avoid the rule.”
Reality: The threshold is measured across “any 12-month period,” so breaking work into phases doesn’t automatically avoid the calculation.
A practical checklist before you approve any big repair
If a contractor (or adjuster) tells you the 25% rule forces a full replacement, slow down and verify these items first:
- Which roof section are we talking about?
- Ask them to identify the roof section boundaries using the Florida definition.
- What’s the measured area being repaired?
- You want square footage numbers tied to the roof section—not estimates.
- What roof work has been done in the last 12 months?
- Prior repairs can affect the calculation. (ICC Digital Codes)
- When was the last permitted reroof, and under what code era?
- Remember: 2007 FBC effective date is tied to March 1, 2009.
- Does the statutory exception apply to your roof section?
- If yes, crossing 25% changes what must be brought up to current code (often the repaired area only). (Online Sunshine)
This isn’t about “winning” an argument. It’s about scoping the project correctly so you don’t pay for work you didn’t actually need.
Central Florida roofing help: Logams Roofing
Logams Roofing focuses on the Central Florida region and lists service coverage across Lake, Orange, Seminole, Polk, Osceola, Sumter, and Marion counties. If you’re facing storm damage or an insurance-driven scope and the 25% rule is being used as the deciding factor, Logams Roofing can help you verify:
- Roof section boundaries
- The measured percentage of affected area
- Permit history and code-era context
- A permit-ready scope aligned with your jurisdiction’s current code set (including what Orlando applies on newer applications)
- If you want a second opinion before committing to a full reroof, start with a documented inspection and a clear measurement-based scope. That’s how you keep the project compliant—and keep control of the cost.