Permitting Authorities / Miami-Dade County - Regulatory and Economic Resources, Building
Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Unincorporated Miami-Dade County, FL?
Adopted codeMiami-Dade County - Regulatory and Economic Resources, Building
Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Unincorporated Miami-Dade County, FL, issued by Miami-Dade County - Regulatory and Economic Resources, Building. This office permits only properties in unincorporated Miami-Dade County. The department states that its process "is solely for properties with folios that start with "30" (unincorporated Miami-Dade County)" and that "Each municipality in Miami-Dade County has its own Building Official who issues building permits for work within that city's limits"; its County Municipal Approval page counts 35 municipalities. The department's own guidance says "exterior repair work like the replacement of windows, doors, siding or a new roof needs a permit", and the county fee schedule (Implementing Order 4-63, effective June 26, 2026) carries a dedicated "ROOFING (INCLUDING RE-ROOFING)" permit fee. Miami-Dade is in the Florida Building Code's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ), where Section 1512.3 of the Florida Building Code, Building states: "Permits within the HVHZ shall be required for all work in connection with the application, repair or maintenance of any roofing component or any roofing assembly and/or any of its components except as otherwise permitted in Section 105 of this code." The county's minor-repair list under Section 105.2.2 exempts "The replacement or repair of any roof covering performed by a licensed roofing contractor not exceeding $2,000.00 in value of materials and labor and work not exceeding two roofing squares in extent." Since July 1, 2026, section 553.79(1)(g), Florida Statutes, also requires an exemption for work valued under $7,500 on a single-family dwelling, excluding flood-hazard-area property and "electrical, plumbing, structural, mechanical, or gas work", and only on a written request with a copy of the contract. Every roofing permit uses the "Uniform Roofing Permit Application", which the department says "is required for all roofing permits", with the HVHZ roof-system sections (A and B, plus C for low-slope or D for steep-slope systems, and E tile calculations), Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA) product approvals, a fire directory listing, and, for reroofing, the Owner's Notification for Roofing Considerations. Licensed contractors can obtain residential roofing permits online through the county's E-Permitting system; the department's 2018 roofing E-Permitting guidelines state that "Commercial re-roofing permits cannot be obtained using the E-Permitting system." Owner-builder permits are offered, with an in-person or virtual owner validation before issuance.
Roof code checklist: Unincorporated Miami-Dade County, FL
| Item | Answer | Code cite | Source | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Permit to replace a roof | Yes | miamidade.gov | 2026-09-26 | |
| Repair permit threshold | Published | miamidade.gov | 2026-09-26 | |
| Layer limit / roof-over | Published | codes.iccsafe.org | 2026-09-26 | |
| Deck & sheathing | Published | miamidade.gov | 2026-09-26 | |
| Drip edge | Yes | codes.iccsafe.org | 2026-09-26 | |
| Ice & water shield | No | R905.1.2 | codes.iccsafe.org | 2026-09-26 |
| Mid-roof inspection | Yes | Sec. 1512.4.1 | codes.iccsafe.org | 2026-09-26 |
| Impact-resistant (Class 4) roofing | No | codes.iccsafe.org | 2026-09-26 | |
| Wind design criteria | Published | codes.iccsafe.org | 2026-09-26 | |
| Adopted code | Published | library.municode.com | 2026-09-26 | |
| Contractor license / registration | Yes | library.municode.com | 2026-09-26 | |
| Sales & use tax | Published | dr15dss_26.pdf | 2026-09-26 |
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
Miami-Dade County, Florida (unincorporated)
Jurisdiction type
county
Address
11805 SW 26 Street (Herbert S. Saffir Permitting and Inspection Center), Miami, FL 33175
Contact
- url: https://www.miamidade.gov/global/economy/building/roofing-permits.page
- phone: 786-315-2000
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." Section 489.103(7) provides an owner-builder exemption for owners building or improving their own one- or two-family residence for their own use and not for sale or lease.
- county_level: Miami-Dade County Code Sec. 10-3 makes it unlawful to act as a contractor "within the incorporated or unincorporated areas of the County, without having made application for and there having been issued a current valid certificate of competency or eligibility for the type of work done" from the state Construction Industry Licensing Board, the state Electrical Contractors' Licensing Board, or "The County's Construction Trades Qualifying Board", and "Holders of County certificates must also be registered with the State." Sec. 10-2 defines a roofing contractor as one "qualified and certified to install, repair and replace roof systems, as defined in the Florida Building Code, and the waterproofing thereof", and Sec. 10-19 requires certificate holders to keep public liability insurance of at least $300,000 per occurrence for bodily injury and $50,000 for property damage on file with the Board. Sec. 10-5 accepts permit applications only from certified and licensed contractors, with owner exceptions, and the county's owner-builder page states that "an owner-builder may apply for any trade permit including building, roofing, electrical, plumbing, gas and mechanical with no additional requirements or certifications necessary." The Florida Building Code's HVHZ roofing section (1512.3.1) states that the HVHZ Uniform Roofing Permit Application is to be "completed and executed by a licensed contractor". A county business tax receipt is a separate, general requirement and is not a contractor credential.
Permit process note
This office permits only properties in unincorporated Miami-Dade County. The department states that its process "is solely for properties with folios that start with "30" (unincorporated Miami-Dade County)" and that "Each municipality in Miami-Dade County has its own Building Official who issues building permits for work within that city's limits"; its County Municipal Approval page counts 35 municipalities. The department's own guidance says "exterior repair work like the replacement of windows, doors, siding or a new roof needs a permit", and the county fee schedule (Implementing Order 4-63, effective June 26, 2026) carries a dedicated "ROOFING (INCLUDING RE-ROOFING)" permit fee. Miami-Dade is in the Florida Building Code's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ), where Section 1512.3 of the Florida Building Code, Building states: "Permits within the HVHZ shall be required for all work in connection with the application, repair or maintenance of any roofing component or any roofing assembly and/or any of its components except as otherwise permitted in Section 105 of this code." The county's minor-repair list under Section 105.2.2 exempts "The replacement or repair of any roof covering performed by a licensed roofing contractor not exceeding $2,000.00 in value of materials and labor and work not exceeding two roofing squares in extent." Since July 1, 2026, section 553.79(1)(g), Florida Statutes, also requires an exemption for work valued under $7,500 on a single-family dwelling, excluding flood-hazard-area property and "electrical, plumbing, structural, mechanical, or gas work", and only on a written request with a copy of the contract. Every roofing permit uses the "Uniform Roofing Permit Application", which the department says "is required for all roofing permits", with the HVHZ roof-system sections (A and B, plus C for low-slope or D for steep-slope systems, and E tile calculations), Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA) product approvals, a fire directory listing, and, for reroofing, the Owner's Notification for Roofing Considerations. Licensed contractors can obtain residential roofing permits online through the county's E-Permitting system; the department's 2018 roofing E-Permitting guidelines state that "Commercial re-roofing permits cannot be obtained using the E-Permitting system." Owner-builder permits are offered, with an in-person or virtual owner validation before issuance.
Inspection requirements
Roofing work is inspected in phases under Florida Building Code, Building, Section 1512.4 (High-Velocity Hurricane Zone): for shingle, tile and other discontinuous roofs, during or after the base sheet, anchor sheet or underlayment; during installation of any cap sheet; during installation of the roof covering; a TAS 106 uplift test for adhesive-set and mortar-set tile before final; and a final inspection. At the first inspection the county expects on site a recorded Notice of Commencement for jobs over $2,500, the signed Owner's Notification for Roofing Considerations, the completed Section A and B roof plan, the permit forms and the Miami-Dade NOA product approvals, and, where they apply, the roof-decking and roof-to-wall hurricane mitigation affidavits. Inspections are requested online or by calling 786-315-2100 one business day ahead, before 4 p.m., using the permit number and three-digit inspection code.
Adopted code
Florida Building Code, 8th Edition (2023), effective December 31, 2023 (Rule 61G20-1.001, F.A.C.), including its High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ) provisions. Miami-Dade County Code Sec. 8-1 makes the Florida Building Code "the building code for both the incorporated and unincorporated areas of the County", and Sec. 8-2 incorporates "The provisions of the Florida Building Code as applicable to High Velocity Hurricane Zones" and adopts "The High Velocity Hurricane Zone roofing requirements with accompanying Roofing Application Standards (RAS)", except that "The prescriptive BUR requirements in RAS 150 shall not be implemented in Miami-Dade County." The department's HVHZ Uniform Roofing Permit Application is headed "Florida Building Code 8th Edition (2023)". Because Miami-Dade is in the HVHZ, roofing on houses follows Florida Building Code, Building, Sections 1512 through 1525 rather than Chapter 9 of the Residential volume (Residential Section R901.1, Exception, and Section R4402.1). The county's local amendments (Code Secs. 8-31 and 8-32) reach plumbing, pool electrical and floodplain administration and do not touch roofing.
Drip edge
Required — In the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, Florida Building Code, Building, Section 1518.7.3.4 requires for asphalt shingle roofs that "All perimeter termination and valleys shall be fabricated from metal", and Section 1518.7.3.3 states that "Shingles shall not extend more than 1/4 inch (6.4 mm) beyond the eave and rake drip." Section 1517.6.2.1 sets the drip edge profile: "The vertical face shall be a minimum of 1 1/2 inches (38 mm) and shall extend down not less than 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) below the sheathing or other member immediately contiguous thereto. In all cases, the deck flange shall be not less than 2 inches (51 mm) in width," with the deck flange "nailed with an approved minimum 12 gage annular ring shank nail at 4 inches (102 mm) o.c." (1517.6.2.6). For tile, Section 1518.8.7 requires tile to extend "beyond the drip edge (not including the rake) not less than 3/4 inch". The county's HVHZ Section D shingle permit form asks for the drip edge size and gauge, material type and fastener type. Miami-Dade County Code Chapter 8 adopts these HVHZ roofing requirements (Sec. 8-2) and amends none of them. About drip edge
Ice & water shield
Not required — Florida's residential code reserves the ice-barrier section ("R905.1.2 Ice barriers. Reserved."), and the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone roofing sections that apply in Miami-Dade (Florida Building Code, Building, Sections 1512 through 1525) contain no ice-barrier requirement. Miami-Dade County Code Chapter 8 adds none; its local technical amendments (Sec. 8-31) reach plumbing and pool electrical work only. A full-deck self-adhering ASTM D1970 underlayment remains one of the three permitted underlayment methods for shingle, metal, slate and similar roofs under Section 1518.2.1. About ice & water barrier
Mid-roof inspection
Required — Florida Building Code, Building, Section 1512.4.1 (High-Velocity Hurricane Zone): "All roofing work for which a permit is required shall be inspected by the building official. ... Certain roofing inspections shall be performed during specific phases of the applications". For shingle, tile and other discontinuous roofs these include "During or after application of the base sheet, anchor sheet or underlayment of any roofing system" (1512.4.2.1) and "During the installation of any prepared roof covering, such as shingles, tiles, slates, shakes and similar" (1512.4.2.3); adhesive-set and mortar-set tile also need a TAS 106 field uplift test before final (1512.4.2.4), and "After all roofing work has been completed, a final inspection shall be performed" (1512.4.3.3). The county requires the Affidavit of Compliance with Roof Decking Attachment and Secondary Water Barrier, where it applies, to be "provided to the Roofing Inspector at the time of first inspection". Section 1521.5 states that "The building official shall not be required to inspect the renailing of the sheathing under this section."
Impact-resistant roofing
Not required — Neither the Florida Building Code's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone roofing sections that apply in Miami-Dade (Building, Sections 1512 through 1525) nor Miami-Dade County Code Chapter 8, which adopts them and carries the county's local amendments, contains a UL 2218 or Class 4 impact requirement for roof coverings. The HVHZ sections' one impact provision, Section 1515.2.4, applies to low-slope roof coverings and refers to ASTM D3746, ASTM D4272, FM 4470 or TAS 114 testing; it is not a UL 2218 or Class 4 rating for shingles or other steep-slope coverings. Fire classes (Section 1516, ASTM E108 or UL 790) and wind ratings are separate requirements.
Repair permit threshold
County minor-repair exemption (Florida Building Code Section 105.2.2, as listed for unincorporated Miami-Dade County): "The replacement or repair of any roof covering performed by a licensed roofing contractor not exceeding $2,000.00 in value of materials and labor and work not exceeding two roofing squares in extent." The county's list of exemptions also includes "Roof painting (water proofing roof coatings require a permit)" and, for single-family residences, duplexes, townhouses and condominium units, "Re-application of roof maintenance coating over existing roof" (within a $5,000 aggregate cap in any 12-month period). State exemption since July 1, 2026, section 553.79(1)(g), Florida Statutes: "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." It 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", a project "may not be divided into more than one project" to evade it, and it requires "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." The county's permit-exemptions page applies this exemption to single-family homes, duplexes and townhouses, lists "Structural work (including windows, doors, wind-resistant fences, and sheds)" among work that always requires a permit, and takes the written request through its portal. Separately, the HVHZ 25 percent rule (Florida Building Code, Building, Section 1521.4): "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." Its exception: where the existing roof was built, repaired or replaced under the 2007 Florida Building Code or later, "only the repaired, replaced, or recovered portion is required to be constructed in accordance with the Florida Building Code in effect."
Wind design criteria
Miami-Dade County is in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ), which the Florida Building Code defines as Broward and Miami-Dade counties. Florida Building Code, Building, Section 1620.2 sets the wind velocity (3-second gust) used in structural calculations for Miami-Dade County at 165 mph for Risk Category I, 175 mph for Risk Category II, 186 mph for Risk Category III and 195 mph for Risk Category IV buildings and structures, and Section 1620.3 states: "All buildings and structures shall be considered to be in Exposure Category C, unless Exposure Category D applies". Roof-covering uplift pressures are taken from the HVHZ Roofing Application Standards (RAS 127 or RAS 128) or from Chapter 16 calculations, entered on the county's Uniform Roofing Permit Application. The department's 2023 code-change presentation shows RAS 127 tables for Risk Category II, Exposure C only, as the case "most used in Miami-Dade County". Asphalt shingles in the HVHZ are limited to a roof mean height of 33 feet unless the product approval states otherwise (Section 1518.7.2).
Roof layer limit / recover
Miami-Dade is in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, where reroofing follows Florida Building Code, Building, Section 1521 (adopted by Miami-Dade County Code Sec. 8-2 and not amended by the county) rather than the Residential code's reroofing section. Section 1521.9: "One additional roofing system may be applied over an original roofing assembly, providing the existing roofing assembly complies with the requirements of Section 1521." Section 1521.17: "Asphalt shingle assemblies may be applied over one existing layer of asphalt shingles having not more than 1/8-inch (3.2 mm) difference in level in the existing shingle material." Section 1521.16: "No recover application shall take place over existing wood shingles, shakes, slate, tile or metal shingles." Section 1521.19: "Roof coverings or roofing components, such as tile, slate or similar, shall not be applied over an existing roofing system." Section 1521.5 also bars a new roof "over an existing roof or over an existing roof deck where the roof sheathing has not been fastened in compliance with this code or where the roof sheathing will not permit effective fastening or where sheathing is water soaked or deteriorated so that effective attachment is not possible."
Deck & sheathing requirements
High-Velocity Hurricane Zone rules (Florida Building Code, Building): "All roofing systems and prepared roof coverings shall be installed over solid decks, unless otherwise specifically allowed in other sections of this code" (1515.2.1). On a reroof, no new roof may go over a deck "where the roof sheathing has not been fastened in compliance with this code"; "All areas of deteriorated sheathing shall be removed and replaced" (1521.5). Where an existing sloped roof has spaced sheathing, the existing prepared roof covering must be removed and "New sheathing shall be applied in compliance with Chapter 16 (High-Velocity Hurricane Zones), or open spacing shall be filled with dimensional lumber to create solid wood sheathing"; "Spaced sheathing is approved for use with wood shakes and wood shingles only" (1521.15). For houses built before the Florida Building Code, Florida Building Code, Existing Building, Section 706.7 applies when a roof covering on a wood deck is removed and replaced: "Roof-decking attachment shall be as required by Section 706.7.1" and "A secondary water barrier shall be provided as required by Section 706.7.2", with the exception that "Structures permitted subject to the Florida Building Code are not required to comply with this section." The county requires the roofing permit holder to give the roofing inspector an Affidavit of Compliance with Roof Decking Attachment and Secondary Water Barrier, certifying compliance with Existing Building Sections 706.7.1.1 or 706.7.1.2 and 706.7.2, at the first inspection. The county's required Owner's Notification for Roofing Considerations warns that "When replacing roofing, the existing wood roof deck may have to be renailed".
Fastening requirements
High-Velocity Hurricane Zone fastening rules (Florida Building Code, Building): underlayment and base-sheet nails "shall be minimum 12 gage, annular ring shank nails having not less than 20 rings per inch, heads not less than 3/8 inch (9.5 mm) in diameter" (1517.5.1), applied through "Tin caps" no less than 1 5/8 inches and not more than 2 inches in diameter and not less than 32 gage (1517.5.2). Asphalt shingles are installed "in no case with less than six approved roofing nails or approved fastening devices", and "Intersections, eaves, rakes, valleys, gable ends, and the starter course of asphalt shingles shall be set in an 8-inch (203 mm) wide bed of approved cold adhesive or roofing cement" (1518.7.3.2 and 1518.7.3.3). Where two layers of felt-type underlayment are used under Section 1518.2.1, "Metal caps are required where the ultimate design wind speed, Vult, equals or exceeds 170 mph". All roof assemblies, coverings and systems must have product approval (1515.1); the county checks the Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance for each system. About roofing nails
Sales & use tax
7% combined: the 6% Florida state sales and use tax plus Miami-Dade County's 1% discretionary sales surtax, which Florida Department of Revenue Form DR-15DSS for Calendar Year 2026 lists as two 0.5% surtaxes effective January 1, 1992 and January 1, 2003, each with no expiration date. The Department of Revenue states that 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." 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.
More roof permit pages in Florida
Unincorporated Nassau County, FLRoof permit
Unincorporated Okaloosa County, FLRoof permit
Unincorporated Orange County, FLRoof permit
Unincorporated Osceola County, FLRoof permit
Unincorporated Palm Beach County, FLRoof permit
Roofing in FloridaState hub
Related guides
The building department of Miami-Dade County's Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources, which issues building and trade permits, including roofing permits, for properties in unincorporated Miami-Dade County. Each incorporated municipality in the county has its own building official who issues permits within that city's limits.
Hail reports near the center of Miami-Dade County, FL
- Reports, last 24 months
- 1
- Largest, last 24 months
- 1.00 in Mar 25, 2025
- Most recent
- Mar 25, 2025 1.00 in
- Reports, last 5 years
- 7
| Date | Hail size | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 25, 2025 | 1.00 in | 10 mi SSE |
| May 15, 2022 | 1.75 in | 2 mi SSE |
| May 15, 2022 | 0.75 in | 5 mi NNE |
| Apr 3, 2022 | 1.00 in | 4 mi E |
| Apr 3, 2022 | 1.00 in | 5 mi E |
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database and daily storm reports (reports since the start of the current year are preliminary), within 10 miles of the center of Miami-Dade County, FL. Data through Sep 30, 2026. A report is an observation, not a damage record.
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Sources
- miamidade.gov verified 2026-09-26
- miamidade.gov verified 2026-09-26
- library.municode.com verified 2026-09-26
- miamidade.gov verified 2026-09-26
- library.municode.com verified 2026-09-26
- codes.iccsafe.org verified 2026-09-26
- miamidade.gov verified 2026-09-26
- floridarevenue.com verified 2026-09-26
- codes.iccsafe.org verified 2026-09-26
- miamidade.gov verified 2026-09-26