Permitting Authorities / Bradford County - Building Department
Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Unincorporated Bradford County, FL?
Adopted codeBradford County - Building Department
Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Unincorporated Bradford County, FL, issued by Bradford County - Building Department. Re-roofing in unincorporated Bradford County is permit work. The Building Department's FAQ lists, among "examples of items that are required to be permitted," "Alterations: Re-roof, garage conversions, new windows and doors, etc." State law makes it "unlawful for any person, firm, corporation, or governmental entity to construct, erect, alter, modify, repair, or demolish any building within this state without first obtaining a permit" (section 553.79(1)(a), Florida Statutes). Permit applications may be emailed, mailed or brought in; the Department states that "If you choose to submit through email please allow 24 hrs for a permit to be issued. If REVIEWS are needed from the Building Official it will take 2-3 weeks." Its FAQ adds that "A Notice of Commencement is required for any permitted work in excess of $2,500" and that "The minimum cost for any permit is $54.00 (the permit being $50 & a $4 state surcharge fee)." The FAQ also warns that most insurers want proof "that a permit was obtained and all required inspections were APPROVED" on a new roof, and that permitting work after it is finished "is not a normal procedure, and is not something that the building official must do by law." Homes inside the City of Starke limits, or on City of Starke utilities, are permitted by the City of Starke Building and Zoning Department.
Roof code checklist: Unincorporated Bradford County, FL
| Item | Answer | Code cite | Source | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Permit to replace a roof | Yes | bradfordcountyfl.gov | 2026-10-16 | |
| Repair permit threshold | Published | library.municode.com | 2026-10-16 | |
| Layer limit / roof-over | Published | R908.3 | codes.iccsafe.org | 2026-10-16 |
| Deck & sheathing | Published | codes.iccsafe.org | 2026-10-16 | |
| Drip edge | Yes | R905.2.8.5 | codes.iccsafe.org | 2026-10-16 |
| Ice & water shield | No | R905.1.2 | codes.iccsafe.org | 2026-10-16 |
| Mid-roof inspection | Yes | Sec. 110.3 | codes.iccsafe.org | 2026-10-16 |
| Impact-resistant (Class 4) roofing | No | library.municode.com | 2026-10-16 | |
| Wind design criteria | Not published | |||
| Adopted code | Published | Sec. 553.73(6) | library.municode.com | 2026-10-16 |
| Contractor license / registration | Yes | leg.state.fl.us | 2026-10-16 | |
| Sales & use tax | Published | dr15dss_26.pdf | 2026-10-16 |
Each row comes from the sourced record on this page; full wording is in the table below. "Not published" means no official source for that item was found when the record was last verified.
Jurisdiction
Bradford County, Florida (unincorporated)
Jurisdiction type
county
Address
945 N. Temple Ave, Court House, North Wing, Starke, FL 32091
Contact
- url: https://bradfordcountyfl.gov/building-zoning/
- phone: 904-966-6223
Permit portal
Roofing permit required
Required
Contractor registration required
Required
Registration details
- state_level: Roofing contractor is a separately licensed trade in Florida. Section 489.105(3)(e), Florida Statutes, defines a "Roofing contractor" as "a contractor whose services are unlimited in the roofing trade," with a scope that includes "required roof-deck attachments; any repair or replacement of wood roof sheathing or fascia as needed during roof repair or replacement." Section 489.113(2) provides that a person "must be certified or registered in order to engage in the business of contracting in this state." A state-certified contractor may work statewide; under section 489.117(1)(b), "Registration allows the registrant to engage in contracting only in the counties, municipalities, or development districts where he or she has complied with all local licensing requirements, if any, and only for the type of work covered by the registration." Section 489.103(7) contains an owner-builder exemption for "Owners of property when acting as their own contractor and providing direct, onsite supervision themselves of all work not performed by licensed contractors," including one- and two-family residences for the owner's own occupancy or use and not offered for sale or lease; this record does not decide whether a particular reader falls within it.
- county_level: Contractors register with the County to pull permits. The Building Department's FAQ states that a state-certified contractor needs a "Copy of current State Contractors License," a valid driver's license, proof of workers' compensation insurance or exemption, and "Proof of General Liability Insurance made out to Bradford County." For a state-registered contractor it lists a letter of reciprocity from the county where the contractor tested, proof of the technical and business-and-law exams, the state registration and the same insurance, with "a $90.00 fee to register with Bradford County then an annual fee of $40.00 to stay active." On owner-builders the FAQ states: "May I do my own work and permitting? Yes you may!" and quotes section 489.103(7)(a), adding that an owner who hires workers directly becomes their employer and must carry workers' compensation.
Permit process note
Re-roofing in unincorporated Bradford County is permit work. The Building Department's FAQ lists, among "examples of items that are required to be permitted," "Alterations: Re-roof, garage conversions, new windows and doors, etc." State law makes it "unlawful for any person, firm, corporation, or governmental entity to construct, erect, alter, modify, repair, or demolish any building within this state without first obtaining a permit" (section 553.79(1)(a), Florida Statutes). Permit applications may be emailed, mailed or brought in; the Department states that "If you choose to submit through email please allow 24 hrs for a permit to be issued. If REVIEWS are needed from the Building Official it will take 2-3 weeks." Its FAQ adds that "A Notice of Commencement is required for any permitted work in excess of $2,500" and that "The minimum cost for any permit is $54.00 (the permit being $50 & a $4 state surcharge fee)." The FAQ also warns that most insurers want proof "that a permit was obtained and all required inspections were APPROVED" on a new roof, and that permitting work after it is finished "is not a normal procedure, and is not something that the building official must do by law." Homes inside the City of Starke limits, or on City of Starke utilities, are permitted by the City of Starke Building and Zoning Department.
Inspection requirements
Inspections are scheduled by calling 904-966-6223, extension 1, or online through the County's iWorQ portal, "1 business day before you need the inspection. Must be before 4:30PM," and results can be checked online. The FAQ states that inspections "are generally performed from 8:30 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday," that "One SITE COPY set of your drawings and your Permit must be posted on the construction site," and that "By Law the 911 site address must be properly posted before the First Inspection or the inspection will be cancelled."
Adopted code
Florida Building Code, 8th Edition (2023), Residential volume (2021 International Residential Code base), effective December 31, 2023, adopted statewide by the Florida Building Commission under Rule 61G20-1.001, Florida Administrative Code; section 553.73(6), Florida Statutes, provides that the code and each update "is deemed adopted for use statewide without adoptions by local government." County Code section 14-31 adopts "that certain building code known as the Florida Building Code which is a single statewide unified code developed and maintained by the Florida Building Commission" (Ord. No. 07-47, October 18, 2007), and section 14-34 provides that "all building permits issued in the county are subject to the requirements of the version of the Florida Building Code in effect on the date of application for said building permit." The County has published no statement naming the edition it enforces. Its local technical amendments in section 14-33 concern wind speed lines and flood elevation (Residential R322.2.1); the County's building code article (Chapter 14, Article II, read in full) makes none to the roofing chapters, and the Florida Building Commission's registry of local technical amendments to the 8th Edition lists none from Bradford County.
Drip edge
Required — Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th Edition (2023), section R905.2.8.5 Drip edge: "Provide drip edge at eaves and gables of shingle roofs. Overlap to be a minimum of 3 inches (76 mm). Eave drip edges shall extend 1/2 inch (13 mm) below sheathing and extend back on the roof a minimum of 2 inches (51 mm). Drip edge shall be installed over the underlayment." It "shall be mechanically fastened a maximum of 12 inches (305 mm) on center," with closer spacing where the Vasd is 110 mph or greater. The requirement is written for shingle roofs. The County's building code article (County Code Chapter 14, Article II, read in full) does not amend it, and no registered local amendment reaches Residential Chapter 9. About drip edge
Ice & water shield
Not required — Not required. The Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th Edition (2023) reads "R905.1.2 Ice barriers. Reserved." and, for asphalt shingles, "R905.2.7 Ice barrier. Reserved." Neither the County's building code article (County Code Chapter 14, Article II, read in full) nor any registered local amendment adds an ice barrier. A self-adhering ASTM D1970 underlayment remains one of the permitted underlayment methods under section R905.1.1.1; it is not prohibited. About ice & water barrier
Mid-roof inspection
Required — The Florida Building Code, Building, 8th Edition (2023), section 110.3, which Residential section R101.2.1 applies to the Residential code, lists a "Roofing inspection" that "Shall at a minimum include the following building components" listed as dry-in, insulation, roof coverings and flashing; the dry-in inspection is made while the roof is in progress. The County's FAQ states that "The building official will need to inspect all aspects of the work before it is covered or concealed from view" and that if work is concealed first "the building official may require that the work be uncovered at the expense of the contractor or owner."
Impact-resistant roofing
Not required — The County's building code article (County Code Chapter 14, Article II, read in full) amends the Florida Building Code only for wind speed lines and flood elevation, and the Florida Building Commission's registry lists no Bradford County technical amendment to the roofing chapters; no UL 2218 or Class 4 impact requirement appears in the Florida Building Code, Residential Chapter 9, Building Chapter 15 or Existing Building Chapter 7 as they apply in unincorporated Bradford County. Florida's shingle classes under section R905.2.6.1 (ASTM D3161, TAS 107, ASTM D7158) are wind ratings, not impact ratings, and the County code's wind-borne debris language concerns the protection of openings, not roof coverings.
Repair permit threshold
The County's building code article (County Code Chapter 14, Article II, read in full) adds no permit exemption of its own. The Florida Building Code, Building, section 105.2.2 allows "Ordinary minor repairs" to "be made with the approval of the building official without a permit." Section 553.79(1)(g), Florida Statutes (effective July 1, 2026), reads: "A local government that issues building permits shall exempt an owner of a single-family dwelling or the owner's contractor from the requirement to obtain a building permit to perform any work valued at less than $7,500 on the owner's property," does not apply to "Work on a property that is partially or entirely located in a flood hazard area" or to "Any electrical, plumbing, structural, mechanical, or gas work," requires "a written request for exemption to the local enforcement agency with a copy of the contract," and provides that "A construction project may not be divided into more than one project for the purpose of evading the requirements of this paragraph." Separately, the Florida Building Code's 25 percent rule applies to roof repairs (see the deck and sheathing field).
Roof layer limit / recover
Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th Edition (2023), section R908.3 Recovering versus replacement: "New roof coverings shall not be installed without first removing all existing layers of roof coverings where any of the following conditions occur: 1. Where the existing roof or roof covering is water soaked or has deteriorated to the point that the existing roof or roof covering is not adequate as a base for additional roofing. 2. Where the existing roof covering is wood shingle or shake, slate, clay, cement or asbestos-cement tile. 3. Where the existing roof has two or more applications of any type of roof covering." Tear-off is also required where blisters are not cut open and secured, or where the existing covering is to be used for attachment and the securement provisions cannot be met. A single re-cover over one existing layer is therefore the most the code allows. The County's building code article (County Code Chapter 14, Article II, read in full) states no layer limit of its own and does not amend section R908.3, and no registered local amendment reaches Residential Chapter 9.
Deck & sheathing requirements
Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th Edition (2023), section R908.7 Wind mitigation: "When a roof covering on an existing structure with a sawn lumber, wood plank or wood structural panel roof deck is removed and replaced, the following procedures shall be permitted to be performed by the roofing contractor: (a) Roof-decking attachment shall be as required by Section R908.7.1. (b) A secondary water barrier shall be provided as required by Section R908.7.2. Exception: Structures permitted subject to the Florida Building Code are not required to comply with this section." Under section R908.7.1.1, plank decking "secured with at least two nails (minimum size 8d) to each roof framing member it crosses shall be deemed to be sufficiently connected." Section R908.1.1 (the 25 percent rule): "Not more than 25 percent of the total roof area or roof section of any existing building or structure shall be repaired, replaced or recovered in any 12-month period unless the roof covering on the entire existing roof system or roof section is replaced or recovered to conform to the requirements of this code," with an exception for roofs built, repaired or replaced under the 2007 Florida Building Code or later, where only the repaired, replaced or recovered portion must meet the code in effect. The County's building code article (County Code Chapter 14, Article II, read in full) does not amend these sections.
Sales & use tax
7% combined on materials: the 6% Florida state sales and use tax plus Bradford County's 1% discretionary sales surtax, which the Florida Department of Revenue's Form DR-15DSS for calendar year 2026 lists as effective March 1, 1993, with no expiration date. Per the Department, the surtax "applies to the first $5,000 of the sales amount on the sale, use, lease, rental, or license to use any item of tangible personal property." Under Rule 12A-1.051, Florida Administrative Code, "Roofing work" is a real property contract, and "Contractors are the ultimate consumers of materials and supplies they use to perform real property contracts and must pay tax on their costs of those materials and supplies, unless the contractor has entered a retail sale plus installation contract"; such contractors "should charge no tax to their customers, regardless of whether they itemize charges for materials and labor in their proposals or invoices." The rate is the roofer's cost on materials, repair and replacement alike, not a tax charged to the homeowner.
The Bradford County Building Department, located with Zoning and Fire Prevention at the County Courthouse in Starke, issues building permits and performs inspections under the Florida Building Code for unincorporated Bradford County, including re-roof permits. Property inside the City of Starke goes to the City's own building department.
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Sources
- bradfordcountyfl.gov verified 2026-10-16
- bradfordcountyfl.gov verified 2026-10-16
- leg.state.fl.us verified 2026-10-16
- library.municode.com verified 2026-10-16
- codes.iccsafe.org verified 2026-10-16
- codes.iccsafe.org verified 2026-10-16
- floridarevenue.com verified 2026-10-16