The Roofing Book

Permitting Authorities / City of Key West - Building Department

Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Key West, FL?

Adopted code

City of Key West - Building Department

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Key West, FL, issued by City of Key West - Building Department. Re-roofing in Key West is permit work. City Code section 14-37(a) provides that "Building permits shall be procured from the chief building official before performance of any work or construction of any character, whether permanent or temporary," and the City's fee schedule (City Code section 14-2) has its own line for "Roofing (includes repairs and new roofs)", charged per $1,000.00 of contract price with a minimum fee of $100.00. The Building Department publishes a "Checklist for Roofing/Reroofing Permit Application" asking for the job valuation "including all overhead, labor, and cost of materials," a detailed scope with the square footage and materials, "Design pressures for roof and structure," a site plan and a "Notice of Acceptance (NOA) for all components (water barrier, roofing materials, etc.)"; it notes that "A recorded Notice of Commencement (NOC) is required for projects valued at $5,000 or more prior to scheduling the first inspection" and that "Homeowner Builders must submit a signed and notarized Owner-Builder Disclosure Form with application." Since January 1, 2025 the Department states that it "will no longer accept incomplete building permit applications." In the City's historic zoning districts, City Code section 14-40(a) provides that no building permit "shall be issued until a certificate of appropriateness has been granted" by the Historic Architectural Review Commission (HARC). Work started before a permit is issued carries an after-the-fact penalty under section 14-2 of $250.00 on the first $5,000.00 of contract price and "Double the permit fee" above $5,000.00. The permit must be posted at the work site within 48 hours of issuance so that it is "readily visible from an adjacent public street throughout the term of the work.".

Roof code checklist: Key West, FL

ItemAnswerCode citeSourceVerified
Permit to replace a roofYescityofkeywest-fl.gov2026-10-16
Repair permit thresholdPublishedlibrary.municode.com2026-10-16
Layer limit / roof-overPublishedR908.3codes.iccsafe.org2026-10-16
Deck & sheathingPublishedcodes.iccsafe.org2026-10-16
Drip edgeYesR905.2.8.5codes.iccsafe.org2026-10-16
Ice & water shieldNoR905.1.2codes.iccsafe.org2026-10-16
Mid-roof inspectionYesSec. 110.3cityofkeywest-fl.gov2026-10-16
Impact-resistant (Class 4) roofingNolibrary.municode.com2026-10-16
Wind design criteriaNot published
Adopted codePublishedSec. 14-31library.municode.com2026-10-16
Contractor license / registrationYesleg.state.fl.us2026-10-16
Sales & use taxPublisheddr15dss_26.pdf2026-10-16

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
City of Key West, Florida
Jurisdiction type
city
Address
1300 White Street, Key West, FL 33040
Contact
  • url: https://www.cityofkeywest-fl.gov/1077/Building-Department
  • phone: 305-809-3956
Permit portal
Permit portal
Roofing permit required
Required
Contractor registration required
Required
Registration details
  • state_level: Roofing 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"; section 489.113(2) states 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 anywhere in Florida; 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) provides an owner-builder exemption for owners building or improving a one-family or two-family residence "for the occupancy or use of such owners and not offered for sale or lease"; this record does not decide whether a particular reader falls within it.
  • city_level: The City's Building Department FAQ states: "Building permits are issued in the name of the person performing the work. Only licensed contractors or owners/builders may obtain a permit," and that "Separate permits required for Electrical, Plumbing, Roofing, and Mechanical work." The City's Permit and Licensing Business Center asks state-certified or registered contractors working inside the City for copies of their "License from the State of Florida or another website as applicable" and of their "Liability insurance and workers' compensation coverage or exemption," with a commercial business address or the Mobile Service Addendum. A City business tax receipt is a separate, general requirement and is not a contractor credential.
Permit process note
Re-roofing in Key West is permit work. City Code section 14-37(a) provides that "Building permits shall be procured from the chief building official before performance of any work or construction of any character, whether permanent or temporary," and the City's fee schedule (City Code section 14-2) has its own line for "Roofing (includes repairs and new roofs)", charged per $1,000.00 of contract price with a minimum fee of $100.00. The Building Department publishes a "Checklist for Roofing/Reroofing Permit Application" asking for the job valuation "including all overhead, labor, and cost of materials," a detailed scope with the square footage and materials, "Design pressures for roof and structure," a site plan and a "Notice of Acceptance (NOA) for all components (water barrier, roofing materials, etc.)"; it notes that "A recorded Notice of Commencement (NOC) is required for projects valued at $5,000 or more prior to scheduling the first inspection" and that "Homeowner Builders must submit a signed and notarized Owner-Builder Disclosure Form with application." Since January 1, 2025 the Department states that it "will no longer accept incomplete building permit applications." In the City's historic zoning districts, City Code section 14-40(a) provides that no building permit "shall be issued until a certificate of appropriateness has been granted" by the Historic Architectural Review Commission (HARC). Work started before a permit is issued carries an after-the-fact penalty under section 14-2 of $250.00 on the first $5,000.00 of contract price and "Double the permit fee" above $5,000.00. The permit must be posted at the work site within 48 hours of issuance so that it is "readily visible from an adjacent public street throughout the term of the work."
Inspection requirements
Inspections are requested through the City's eTRAKiT permit portal. The City's Inspections page states that "Required inspections shall be called in a specific order" and must be approved "to complete the building process." Under City Code section 14-37(a), inspections may not be performed if the permit is not posted and the address numbers are not at least 4 inches high and clearly visible from the street. Re-inspection fees under City Code section 14-2 are $25.00 for the first, $50.00 for the second and $100.00 each for three or more.
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. City Code section 14-31 adopts "The most current editions as adopted by the State of Florida Building Commission of the Florida Building Code," including the Building, Existing Building and Residential volumes. The City's amendments in section 14-35 (last amended by Ord. No. 23-27, September 14, 2023) are an amended Building section 107.3.5 (flood plan review items), the definitions of Substantial Damage and Substantial Improvement, and section 1612.5 flood hazard documentation, all flood provisions; none touches the roofing chapters. Key West is in Monroe County, outside the Florida Building Code's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (Broward and Miami-Dade counties).
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." The requirement is written for shingle roofs. The City's building code article (City Code Chapter 14, Article II, read in full) does not amend it. 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." The City's building code article (City Code Chapter 14, Article II, read in full) adds no ice barrier. A self-adhering ASTM D1970 underlayment remains one of the permitted underlayment methods; it is not prohibited. About ice & water barrier
Mid-roof inspection
Required — The Florida Building Code, Building, section 110.3 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 takes place while the roof is in progress. The City's Inspections page states that "Required inspections shall be called in a specific order" and that "All jobs may not require every inspection. Please check with inspectors concerning your individual needs." The City's roofing checklist requires a recorded Notice of Commencement for projects valued at $5,000 or more "prior to scheduling the first inspection."
Impact-resistant roofing
Not required — The City's building code article (City Code Chapter 14, Article II, read in full, including its Florida Building Code amendments in section 14-35, which concern flood provisions only) does not amend 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 Key West. Florida's shingle classes under section R905.2.6.1 (ASTM D3161, TAS 107, ASTM D7158) are wind ratings, not impact ratings, and the City's hurricane shutter and window requirements concern openings, not roof coverings.
Repair permit threshold
City Code section 14-37(a), Exception 1: "Total contract price less than $1,000.00 per FBC Sect. 105.2.2 Minor Repairs. Ordinary minor repairs may be made with the approval of the chief building official without a building permit, provided the repairs do not include the cutting away of any wall, partition or portion thereof, the removal or cutting of any structural beam or load-bearing support," among other limits. The section adds: "Work that falls under the $1,000.00 threshold for a building permit may be performed only by the property owner or a licensed contractor." The Building Department's Permits page states: "A building permit is required prior to any work or construction of any kind, permanent or temporary, that has a value greater than $1,000 including materials and labor at the discretion of the building official." Since July 1, 2026, section 553.79(1)(g), Florida Statutes, requires a local government to exempt a single-family owner or the owner's contractor from a permit "to perform any work valued at less than $7,500 on the owner's property", except "Work on a property that is partially or entirely located in a flood hazard area" and "Any electrical, plumbing, structural, mechanical, or gas work", and only on "a written request for exemption to the local enforcement agency with a copy of the contract or other documentation demonstrating the nature and the value of the work to be performed"; "A construction project may not be divided into more than one project for the purpose of evading the requirements of this paragraph." The City's Building Department pages read for this record publish no statement on how the City applies that exemption to roof work. Separately, Florida Building Code, Residential, section R908.1.1 limits roof repairs to 25 percent of the roof area or roof section in any 12-month period unless the whole roof or roof section is brought to code (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 City's building code article (City Code Chapter 14, Article II, read in full) states no layer limit of its own and does not amend section R908.3.
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." 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 City's submittal requirements for roofs ask for a "Photo of house where the roof will be replaced and a photo showing roof condition." City Code section 14-35 does not amend these sections.
Sales & use tax
7.5% combined: the 6% Florida state sales and use tax plus Monroe County's 1.5% discretionary sales surtax, which Florida Department of Revenue Form DR-15DSS for Calendar Year 2026 lists as two parts, a 1% surtax effective November 1, 1989 with an expiration date of December 31, 2048, and a 0.5% surtax effective January 1, 1996 with an expiration date of December 31, 2035. For roofing, Rule 12A-1.051, F.A.C., lists "Roofing work" among real property contracts and states that "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", and that such contractors "should charge no tax to their customers". The rule's definition of a real property contract covers work to "Erect, construct, alter, repair, or maintain" a building, so repairs and full replacements are treated alike.

Local roofing hub

Roofing in Key West, FloridaCity hub

More roof permit pages in Florida

Kissimmee, FLRoof permit Lake Worth Beach, FLRoof permit Lakeland, FLRoof permit Largo, FLRoof permit Lauderdale Lakes, FLRoof permit Roofing in FloridaState hub

Related guides

Denver-Metro Roofing Permits Filing a Hail Insurance Claim Colorado Hail Season Prep Hiring a Contractor

The City of Key West Building Department, which enforces the Florida Building Code and the City of Key West Code of Ordinances. Its divisions handle permitting, plan review, inspections and floodplain management, and it issues building permits, including roofing and reroofing permits, at its front desk at City Hall and through the City's eTRAKiT permit portal.

Working an insurance claim in Key West, FL? Everything on this page (drip edge, ice & water shield, inspections, Class 4 rules) formatted as a claim-ready evidence pack: verbatim ordinance quotes, code section cites, verification dates, and official source links, ready to attach to a supplement. See a real sample pack (PDF, 4 pages, free).

Code items like drip edge and ice & water shield are what adjusters ask you to document.

Buy this jurisdiction's pack: $12 Delivered by email within minutes. Digital download: all sales are final once delivered, except for a failed delivery, a defective file, a duplicate purchase, or a pack materially different from its description. See Section 6 of our Terms of Use.

Questions about the Key West, FL pack?

Not ready to buy, or need a different jurisdiction? Tell us and we’ll reply directly.

By submitting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Sources

Roofing questions: Key West, FL

Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Key West, FL?

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Key West, FL. City Code section 14-37(a), Exception 1: "Total contract price less than $1,000.00 per FBC Sect. 105.2.2 Minor Repairs. Ordinary minor repairs may be made with the approval of the chief building official without a building permit, provided the repairs do not include the cutting away of any wall, partition or portion thereof, the removal or cutting of any structural beam or load-bearing support," among other limits. The section adds: "Work that falls under the $1,000.00 threshold for a building permit may be performed only by the property owner or a licensed contractor." The Building Department's Permits page states: "A building permit is required prior to any work or construction of any kind, permanent or temporary, that has a value greater than $1,000 including materials and labor at the discretion of the building official." Since July 1, 2026, section 553.79(1)(g), Florida Statutes, requires a local government to exempt a single-family owner or the owner's contractor from a permit "to perform any work valued at less than $7,500 on the owner's property", except "Work on a property that is partially or entirely located in a flood hazard area" and "Any electrical, plumbing, structural, mechanical, or gas work", and only on "a written request for exemption to the local enforcement agency with a copy of the contract or other documentation demonstrating the nature and the value of the work to be performed"; "A construction project may not be divided into more than one project for the purpose of evading the requirements of this paragraph." The City's Building Department pages read for this record publish no statement on how the City applies that exemption to roof work. Separately, Florida Building Code, Residential, section R908.1.1 limits roof repairs to 25 percent of the roof area or roof section in any 12-month period unless the whole roof or roof section is brought to code (see the deck and sheathing field).

Is ice & water shield required in Key West, FL?

No. Not required. The Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th Edition (2023) reads "R905.1.2 Ice barriers. Reserved." The City's building code article (City Code Chapter 14, Article II, read in full) adds no ice barrier. A self-adhering ASTM D1970 underlayment remains one of the permitted underlayment methods; it is not prohibited.

Is drip edge required in Key West, FL?

Yes. 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." The requirement is written for shingle roofs. The City's building code article (City Code Chapter 14, Article II, read in full) does not amend it.

Can you roof over an existing roof in Key West, FL?

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 City's building code article (City Code Chapter 14, Article II, read in full) states no layer limit of its own and does not amend section R908.3.

Do roofing contractors need a license or registration in Key West, FL?

Yes.

What building code does Key West, FL use?

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. City Code section 14-31 adopts "The most current editions as adopted by the State of Florida Building Commission of the Florida Building Code," including the Building, Existing Building and Residential volumes. The City's amendments in section 14-35 (last amended by Ord. No. 23-27, September 14, 2023) are an amended Building section 107.3.5 (flood plan review items), the definitions of Substantial Damage and Substantial Improvement, and section 1612.5 flood hazard documentation, all flood provisions; none touches the roofing chapters. Key West is in Monroe County, outside the Florida Building Code's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (Broward and Miami-Dade counties).