Permitting Authorities / City of Miami - Building Department
Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Miami, FL?
Adopted codeCity of Miami - Building Department
Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Miami, FL, issued by City of Miami - Building Department. The department's roofing-permit page states: "A building permit is required for all roofing work in both residential and commercial properties." Miami is in the Florida Building Code's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ), where Florida Building Code, Building, Section 1512.3 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." City Code Section 10-5 requires a permit to "construct, enlarge, alter, repair" a building; its list of permit exemptions names no roofing work and relieves only "Ordinary minor repairs" made "with the approval of the Building Official". The City's permit fee schedule (City Code Section 10-18) lists roofing permits by name among the permits exempt from the City solid waste surcharge. 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. Section 1512.3.1 requires an HVHZ Uniform Roofing Permit Application for "All new roofing construction, including recovering and reroofing, repair or maintenance", and the department's page lists the Uniform Roofing Application as the document to collect and states that "All roofing materials must have a Miami-Dade County Notice of Acceptance (NOA) or Florida Product Approval." Applications are filed online through the City's iBuild system and plans are uploaded through its ePlan portal; the page states that the first review cycle for a building permit "can take up to 14 business days" and that the printed permit card must be kept on site. Work started without a required permit is charged two times the permit fee plus $110.00 on homestead properties and four times the fee plus $110.00 on other properties (City Code Section 10-18).
Roof code checklist: Miami, FL
| Item | Answer | Code cite | Source | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Permit to replace a roof | Yes | library.municode.com | 2026-09-26 | |
| Repair permit threshold | Published | library.municode.com | 2026-09-26 | |
| Layer limit / roof-over | Published | codes.iccsafe.org | 2026-09-26 | |
| Deck & sheathing | Published | library.municode.com | 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. 10-10 | library.municode.com | 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 | leg.state.fl.us | 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
City of Miami, Florida
Jurisdiction type
city
Address
444 SW 2nd Avenue, 4th Floor, Miami, FL 33130
Contact
- url: https://www.miami.gov/Permits-Construction/Permit-Catalog/Get-a-Roofing-Permit
- phone: 305-416-1100
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 acting as their own contractor when 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".
- county_level: Miami-Dade County Code Sec. 10-3 applies "within the incorporated or unincorporated areas of the County", including the City of Miami. It makes it unlawful to act as a contractor without "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."
- city_level: The City's roofing-permit page states that "Owners of residential properties may qualify as an owner/builder, which requires an exam and an interview. However, this option is available to shingle roofs only." Florida Building Code, Building, Section 1512.3.1 (High-Velocity Hurricane Zone) states that the HVHZ Uniform Roofing Permit Application is to be "completed and executed by a licensed contractor". City business tax receipts are a separate, general requirement and are not a contractor credential.
Permit process note
The department's roofing-permit page states: "A building permit is required for all roofing work in both residential and commercial properties." Miami is in the Florida Building Code's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ), where Florida Building Code, Building, Section 1512.3 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." City Code Section 10-5 requires a permit to "construct, enlarge, alter, repair" a building; its list of permit exemptions names no roofing work and relieves only "Ordinary minor repairs" made "with the approval of the Building Official". The City's permit fee schedule (City Code Section 10-18) lists roofing permits by name among the permits exempt from the City solid waste surcharge. 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. Section 1512.3.1 requires an HVHZ Uniform Roofing Permit Application for "All new roofing construction, including recovering and reroofing, repair or maintenance", and the department's page lists the Uniform Roofing Application as the document to collect and states that "All roofing materials must have a Miami-Dade County Notice of Acceptance (NOA) or Florida Product Approval." Applications are filed online through the City's iBuild system and plans are uploaded through its ePlan portal; the page states that the first review cycle for a building permit "can take up to 14 business days" and that the printed permit card must be kept on site. Work started without a required permit is charged two times the permit fee plus $110.00 on homestead properties and four times the fee plus $110.00 on other properties (City Code Section 10-18).
Inspection requirements
City Code Section 10-10 requires a roofing inspection "in at least two inspections" covering dry-in, insulation, roof coverings (including in progress as necessary) and insulation on the roof deck, plus flashing, and lists a re-roof sheathing inspection for which a notarized roofing contractor affidavit on added sheathing fasteners "may be accepted at the discretion of the Building Official". Work for which a permit is required "shall remain exposed and provided with access for inspection purposes until approved." Under Florida Building Code, Building, Section 1512.4 (High-Velocity Hurricane Zone), shingle, tile and other discontinuous roofs are inspected during or after the base sheet, anchor sheet or underlayment, during installation of any cap sheet and of the roof covering, with a TAS 106 uplift test for adhesive-set and mortar-set tile before final, and "After all roofing work has been completed, a final inspection shall be performed". The City's permit card must state that a notice of commencement "MUST BE RECORDED AND POSTED ON THE JOB SITE BEFORE THE FIRST INSPECTION" (City Code Section 10-5).
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)". The City's own building code, Chapter 10, Article I, Division 1 of the City Code (repealed and reenacted by Ordinance No. 14279, adopted May 9, 2024), carries the City's administrative provisions; the Florida Building Commission's registry lists City of Miami amendments to the 2023 code only as administrative amendments to Building Chapter 1 (Sections 101 to 118), with no technical amendments. Because Miami is in the HVHZ, roofing on houses follows Florida Building Code, Building, Sections 1512 through 1525 rather than Chapter 9 of the Residential volume, whose Section R901.1 states: "Exception: Buildings and structures located within the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone shall comply with the provisions of Chapter 44."
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 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," and "The deck flange shall be nailed with an approved minimum 12 gage annular ring shank nail at 4 inches (102 mm) o.c." (1517.6.2.6). Miami-Dade County Code Sec. 8-2 adopts these HVHZ roofing requirements for the incorporated and unincorporated county, and neither the County Code nor the City's building code (City Code Chapter 10) amends them. About drip edge
Ice & water shield
Not required — The High-Velocity Hurricane Zone roofing sections that apply in Miami (Florida Building Code, Building, Sections 1512 through 1525) contain no ice-barrier requirement, and the Residential volume reserves its ice-barrier section ("R905.1.2 Ice barriers. Reserved."). Neither the City's building code (City Code Chapter 10) nor Miami-Dade County Code Chapter 8 adds one. A full-deck self-adhering ASTM D1970 underlayment remains one of the permitted underlayment methods for shingle, metal, slate and similar roofs under Section 1518.2.1. About ice & water barrier
Mid-roof inspection
Required — City Code Section 10-10 states: "Roofing inspection. Shall at a minimum be made in at least two inspections and include the following building Components: A. Dry-in B. Insulation C. Roof coverings (including In Progress as necessary) D. Insulation on roof deck (according to submitted energy calculation)". Florida Building Code, Building, Section 1512.4.1 (High-Velocity Hurricane Zone) adds that "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), with a TAS 106 field uplift test for adhesive-set and mortar-set tile before the final inspection (1512.4.2.4).
Impact-resistant roofing
Not required — Neither the City's building code (City Code Chapter 10, whose only impact provisions concern impact-resistant coverings for openings) nor Miami-Dade County Code Chapter 8, which adopts the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone roofing requirements for the incorporated and unincorporated county, nor the HVHZ roofing sections themselves (Florida Building Code, Building, Sections 1512 through 1525) 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
No roofing-specific repair allowance appears in the City's enacted code. City Code Section 10-5 exempts "Ordinary minor repairs (defined in Section 105.2.2, Florida Building Code)", which "may be made with the approval of the Building Official without a Permit"; its enumerated building exemptions (wallpapering, painting, floor finishes, cabinets and similar) do not name roofing. In the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, Florida Building Code, Building, Section 1512.3 requires a permit for "all work in connection with the application, repair or maintenance of any roofing component or any roofing assembly" except as Section 105 permits. 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 as defined by the Florida Building Code" or to "Any electrical, plumbing, structural, mechanical, or gas work performed on property containing a single-family dwelling"; 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." 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, as applicable."
Wind design criteria
Miami is in Miami-Dade County, part of the Florida Building Code's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ). 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, as defined in Section 26.7 of ASCE 7." The HVHZ Uniform Roofing Permit Application must include calculations under Chapter 16 (High-Velocity Hurricane Zones) "unless the roofing assembly is less than the height/pressure threshold allowed in the applicable protocols herein" (Section 1512.3.2). Asphalt shingles in the HVHZ are limited to "a roof mean height of 33 feet (10 m), unless otherwise specifically noted in the product approval" (Section 1518.7.2).
Roof layer limit / recover
Miami is in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, where reroofing follows Florida Building Code, Building, Section 1521 (adopted for the incorporated and unincorporated county by Miami-Dade County Code Sec. 8-2) rather than the Residential code's reroofing section. The City's building code (City Code Chapter 10) and County Code Chapter 8, both read in full, amend nothing in Section 1521. 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 roofing system "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 roofing system 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." City Code Section 10-10 lists a "Re-roof sheathing inspection" and states: "An affidavit with a notarized signature of a state or locally licensed roofing Contractor for the installation of additional sheathing fasteners as required by the Existing Building Code may be accepted at the discretion of the Building Official." Section 1521.5 states that "The building official shall not be required to inspect the renailing of the sheathing under this section."
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 City of Miami levies no separate sales tax. 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
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Related guides
The City of Miami Building Department, which City Code Section 10-3 names as the department charged with enforcing the Florida Building Code in the City of Miami. It issues building permits, including roofing permits, for properties inside city limits; the department's roofing-permit page tells applicants to confirm the property is in the City of Miami by its folio number before applying.
Hail reports near Miami, FL
- Reports, last 24 months
- 0
- Largest, last 24 months
- None
- Most recent
- None in 24 months
- Reports, last 5 years
- 2
| Date | Hail size | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| May 21, 2024 | 1.00 in | 9 mi SW |
| Apr 3, 2022 | 1.50 in | 9 mi WSW |
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 Miami, FL (Census point). Data through Sep 30, 2026. A report is an observation, not a damage record.
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Sources
- library.municode.com verified 2026-09-26
- leg.state.fl.us verified 2026-09-26
- library.municode.com verified 2026-09-26
- miami.gov verified 2026-09-26
- codes.iccsafe.org verified 2026-09-26
- floridarevenue.com verified 2026-09-26
- codes.iccsafe.org verified 2026-09-26