Permitting Authorities / Osceola County - Community Development Department, Building Office
Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Unincorporated Osceola County, FL?
Adopted codeOsceola County - Community Development Department, Building Office
Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Unincorporated Osceola County, FL, issued by Osceola County - Community Development Department, Building Office. Osceola County lists "Re-roofs & Structural roofing repair" among the residential work that requires a permit, and its online Permit Center has a dedicated "Roofing Permit" record type for "Re-roofing and roof replacement." The county's instructions: "Residential roofing, re-roofing, A/C change-outs, and water heater/plumbing change-outs can be issued immediately online or over-the-counter, and only require the Florida product approvals." Apply at permits.osceola.org or at 1 Courthouse Square, Suite 1400, Kissimmee. Owner-builders "cannot apply online" and must deliver an Owner Builder Statement Affidavit with the application in person or by mail. The county fee schedule (effective October 1, 2025, Resolution 25-036R) charges $80.00 for a residential "Re-roofing Permit" with no plan review fee ($150.00 where solar panels are removed and replaced or solar shingles are installed), and lists "Failure to Obtain a Permit" at "$80.00 + Double Normal Permit Fee". For jobs valued at $5,000 or more a recorded Notice of Commencement must be filed and posted on the job site. The permit card, the Notice of Commencement, the Florida product approvals and the manufacturer's installation instructions must be on site for every inspection. Since July 2026 the county applies the state's $7,500 owner exemption (Section 553.79(1)(g), Florida Statutes, which the county calls HB 803) through its Owner Disclosure of Exempt Work form, and states that "Structural work", electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas work and "Work on properties located partially or entirely within a flood hazard area" are excluded "regardless of the project's value"; the county has published nothing on whether roof work qualifies, and this record does not decide it. The county's advice: "If you have any questions regarding eligibility or the exemption process, please contact our office before beginning any work.".
Roof code checklist: Unincorporated Osceola County, FL
| Item | Answer | Code cite | Source | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Permit to replace a roof | Yes | osceola.org | 2026-09-26 | |
| Repair permit threshold | Published | 082020_roofing-requirements.pdf | 2026-09-26 | |
| Layer limit / roof-over | Published | R908.3 | codes.iccsafe.org | 2026-09-26 |
| Deck & sheathing | Published | codes.iccsafe.org | 2026-09-26 | |
| Drip edge | Yes | R905.2.8.5 | codes.iccsafe.org | 2026-09-26 |
| Ice & water shield | No | R905.1.2 | codes.iccsafe.org | 2026-09-26 |
| Mid-roof inspection | Yes | Sec. 553.791 | 082020_roofing-requirements.pdf | 2026-09-26 |
| Impact-resistant (Class 4) roofing | No | library.municode.com | 2026-09-26 | |
| Wind design criteria | Published | R905.2.6.1 | osceola.org | 2026-09-26 |
| Adopted code | Published | Sec. 553.73(6) | osceola.org | 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
Osceola County, Florida (unincorporated)
Jurisdiction type
county
Address
1 Courthouse Square, Suite 1400, Kissimmee, FL 34741
Contact
- url: https://www.osceola.org/Doing-Business/Building-and-Permits
- phone: 407-742-0200
- email: [email protected]
Permit portal
Roofing permit required
Required
Contractor registration required
Required
Registration details
- state_level: Roofing is its own licensed trade in Florida. Section 489.113(2), Florida Statutes: "A person must be certified or registered in order to engage in the business of contracting in this state." Section 489.105(3)(e) defines a "Roofing contractor" as one whose services are unlimited in the roofing trade and who can "install, maintain, repair, alter, extend, or design" all kinds of roofing. A state-certified contractor may work statewide; a state-registered contractor may work only where he or she meets the local licensing requirements (Section 489.117: "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."). Verify a licence on the Department of Business and Professional Regulation licence search (myfloridalicense.com).
- county_level: Osceola County Code Sec. 5-186(a): "Persons desiring to work as a contractor in the construction industry in the county, in any capacity, shall not only be certified or registered, whichever is applicable under the requirements of the construction industry licensing board or the state department of professional regulation, but shall also obtain a certificate of competency as required by the county unless certified pursuant to F.S. ch. 489." Sec. 5-174: "Prior to the issuance of a permit to any contractor, such contractor shall file with the county building department a surety bond, payable to the board of county commissioners in the amount of five thousand dollars ($5,000.00)." Sec. 5-186(b) requires the county competency card or state certification card on the contractor's person at work unless the permit is posted and the state licence number is on the work vehicle at the site. Before pulling permits, a contractor registers the state licence on the county Permit Center (Licenses > Register a License) with the Business Tax Receipt, liability insurance and workers' compensation details, naming "Osceola County Board of County Commissioners" as certificate holder and additional insured; building office staff then approve the licence for permitting. Renewal is annual by September 30 with the Business Tax Receipt; a state-registered contractor also renews the $5,000 surety bond and the county competency card ($75.00, the Roofing Contractor category included). Questions go to [email protected]. The county Business Tax Receipt, issued by the Tax Collector, is a business tax, not a trade licence.
- owner_builder: Section 489.103(7)(a), Florida Statutes, exempts "Owners of property when acting as their own contractor and providing direct, onsite supervision themselves of all work not performed by licensed contractors" when "building or improving farm outbuildings or one-family or two-family residences on such property for the occupancy or use of such owners and not offered for sale or lease"; a sale or lease within 1 year after completion creates a presumption that the work was for sale or lease. The county's homeowner page adds: "Licensed subcontractors must be hired for regulated trades such as electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and roofing," and owner-builders must complete the Owner-Builder Statement/Affidavit and file it with the permit application in person. Whether a particular owner qualifies, and whether an owner may do his or her own roofing, is for the statute and the county to say, not this record.
Permit process note
Osceola County lists "Re-roofs & Structural roofing repair" among the residential work that requires a permit, and its online Permit Center has a dedicated "Roofing Permit" record type for "Re-roofing and roof replacement." The county's instructions: "Residential roofing, re-roofing, A/C change-outs, and water heater/plumbing change-outs can be issued immediately online or over-the-counter, and only require the Florida product approvals." Apply at permits.osceola.org or at 1 Courthouse Square, Suite 1400, Kissimmee. Owner-builders "cannot apply online" and must deliver an Owner Builder Statement Affidavit with the application in person or by mail. The county fee schedule (effective October 1, 2025, Resolution 25-036R) charges $80.00 for a residential "Re-roofing Permit" with no plan review fee ($150.00 where solar panels are removed and replaced or solar shingles are installed), and lists "Failure to Obtain a Permit" at "$80.00 + Double Normal Permit Fee". For jobs valued at $5,000 or more a recorded Notice of Commencement must be filed and posted on the job site. The permit card, the Notice of Commencement, the Florida product approvals and the manufacturer's installation instructions must be on site for every inspection. Since July 2026 the county applies the state's $7,500 owner exemption (Section 553.79(1)(g), Florida Statutes, which the county calls HB 803) through its Owner Disclosure of Exempt Work form, and states that "Structural work", electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas work and "Work on properties located partially or entirely within a flood hazard area" are excluded "regardless of the project's value"; the county has published nothing on whether roof work qualifies, and this record does not decide it. The county's advice: "If you have any questions regarding eligibility or the exemption process, please contact our office before beginning any work."
Adopted code
Florida Building Code, 8th Edition (2023), Residential (2021 IRC base), effective December 31, 2023, adopted by the Florida Building Commission by Rule 61G20-1.001, Florida Administrative Code, and "deemed adopted for use statewide without adoptions by local government" (Section 553.73(6), Florida Statutes). The Osceola County Building Office states: "The effective date for the 8th edition (2023) Florida Building Codes and the 2020 National Electrical Code is December 31, 2023. All applications submitted on, or after, December 31, 2023, shall be designed in accordance with the 8th edition (2023) Florida Building Code for Building, Residential, Existing Building, Energy Conservation, Fuel Gas, Mechanical, Plumbing, and/or the 2020 National Electrical Code," and its residential permit application is headed "2023-8th Edition Florida Building Code." To the question "Does Osceola County enforce any local ordinance that could change the Florida Building Code 2023?" the office answers: "No, Osceola County Building Office does not enforce any local ordinance that could change the Florida Building Code 2023." The Florida Building Commission's local-amendment registry lists no amendments for the County of Osceola under the 2023 or 2020 code. Osceola County Code Chapter 5, Article III (Secs. 5-56 to 5-62, read in full; codified through Ordinance No. 2026-51, August 17, 2026) still adopts by reference "The 1994 editions" of the Standard Building Code and related Standard codes (Sec. 5-56, last amended by Ordinance No. 2016-64, 2016); its Sec. 5-60 amends Florida Building Code sections only on flood provisions (104.10.1, 107.6.1, 117 and R322.2.1) and contains no roofing provision. This record states the 2023 Florida Building Code, which state law applies statewide and which the county's Building Office says it enforces; the 1994 Standard Building Code text was not obtained, and whether the codified 1994 reference has any effect today is not decided here.
Drip edge
Required — Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th Edition (2023), Section R905.2.8.5: "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." This applies to shingle roofs. Osceola County's building chapter (County Code Secs. 5-56 to 5-62) contains no roofing provision, the county's Building Office says it enforces no local ordinance that changes the 2023 code, and the state registry lists no county amendment, so the state text applies unchanged. The county's codified chapter still names the 1994 Standard Building Code (Sec. 5-56); this note states the 2023 Florida Building Code, which state law applies statewide without local adoption and which the county's Building Office says it enforces; the 1994 text was not obtained. About drip edge
Ice & water shield
Not required — Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th Edition (2023): "R905.1.2 Ice barriers. Reserved." The Florida code has no ice-barrier requirement, and Osceola County's building chapter (County Code Secs. 5-56 to 5-62) contains no roofing provision; the state registry lists no county amendment. Self-adhered underlayment is still used in Florida, but as an underlayment or secondary water barrier method, not as an ice barrier. The county's codified chapter still names the 1994 Standard Building Code (Sec. 5-56); this note states the 2023 Florida Building Code, which state law applies statewide without local adoption and which the county's Building Office says it enforces; the 1994 text was not obtained. About ice & water barrier
Mid-roof inspection
Required — Osceola County's inspection list includes "1380 Roof in Progress", "1385 Roof Sheathing and/or ISO", "1390 Roof Dry-in/Flashing" and "1400 Roof Final" (each but the final also offered as a video inspection). The county's Roofing Requirements sheet for residential re-roofs: "In-progress inspections are allowed for re-roofs (at contractors own risk). The existing roof may be removed, deck re-nailed, dry-in applied, and up to fifty (50) percent of the shingles can be applied to all roof planes before an inspection is obtained. The 1385 Roof Sheathing and 1390 Roof Dry-in & Flashing inspection may be scheduled and inspected at the same time as in-progress inspections. The inspector may require several areas of the roof dry-in to be opened up to view the roof deck nailing." Once 1385 and 1390 are approved and the roof, clean-up and dumpster removal are done, the 1400 Roof Final may be scheduled; "If the 1385 and 1390 were not previously approved prior to the Final Roofing inspection, the contractor will have to schedule an appointment to meet with the inspector on the job site. The contractor will need to provide access to the roof and open up the roof per the inspector's instructions." The county also accepts roofing inspection affidavits by architects or engineers and inspections by private providers (Section 553.791, Florida Statutes). The state code's required-inspection list (Florida Building Code, Building, Section 110.3) includes "5. Roofing inspection. Shall at a minimum include the following building components: Dry-in, Insulation, Roof coverings, Flashing."
Impact-resistant roofing
Not required — Osceola County's building chapter (County Code Chapter 5, Article III, Secs. 5-56 to 5-62, read in full) contains no roof-covering provision, the county's Building Office says it enforces no local ordinance that changes the 2023 Florida Building Code, and the state registry lists no county amendment; no UL 2218 or Class 4 impact requirement appears in the Florida Building Code's residential roofing chapter or in the county's code. Florida's shingle classifications (ASTM D3161, TAS 107, ASTM D7158) are wind ratings, not hail-impact ratings, and the code's "impact" provisions for windborne debris concern openings such as windows and doors. An insurer's discount for an impact-rated roof is not a code requirement. The county's codified chapter still names the 1994 Standard Building Code (Sec. 5-56); this note states the 2023 Florida Building Code, which state law applies statewide without local adoption and which the county's Building Office says it enforces; the 1994 text was not obtained.
Repair permit threshold
Osceola County's own line is 100 square feet. The county's Roofing Requirements sheet (dated August 2020): "1. Roofing repairs over 100 sq. ft. require a permit" and "2. Roofing repairs over 25% of the roof require the entire roof to be replaced and permitted." The county's storm and flood repair guide (2022) repeats the line: "Roofing repairs under 100 square feet" need no permit; "Roofing repairs over 100 square feet" do; and "Emergency repairs of items requiring permits" need permits "the next business day." Re-roofs always need a permit. The Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th Edition (2023), Section R908.1.1: "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: if the existing roof "was built, repaired, or replaced in compliance with the requirements of the 2007 Florida Building Code, or any subsequent editions," only the repaired, replaced or recovered portion must meet the current code (the same exception is in Section 553.844(5), Florida Statutes, which bars local amendment of it). The county's 2020 sheet states the 25 percent rule without that exception. State law adds one dollar test. Section 553.79(1)(g), Florida Statutes (effective July 1, 2026): "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 construction project may not be divided into more than one project for the purpose of evading the requirements of this paragraph"; and "the owner or the owner's contractor must submit 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." Osceola County takes the request on its Owner Disclosure of Exempt Work form (emailed to [email protected]), limits it to single-family dwelling units, and says "The total scope and value of the project will be considered when determining eligibility." Neither the statute nor the county says whether roof work is "structural" work, and this record does not decide it; a full reroof is ordinarily valued above $7,500 in any case. "A local government has no legal duty to the owner, contractor, or successors or assigns thereof for exempted work performed under this paragraph."
Wind design criteria
Osceola County publishes its wind speeds as a map, not a number. Its Building Codes, Rules and Regulations page: "Click here to view the Wind Speed Categories of your choice in the Active Building Permits map. Make your selection(s) in the layers field on the right. This information is provided as per Section 1609 of the 2023, 8th Florida Building Code." Read the site's ultimate design wind speed from that county map or from the statewide map (Florida Building Code, Residential, Figure R301.2(4)). Osceola County is not in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, which the code defines as "Broward and Miami-Dade counties." Asphalt shingles "shall be tested and classified in accordance with ASTM D3161, TAS 107 or ASTM D7158 and shall meet the required classification in accordance with Table R905.2.6.1 to resist the basic wind speed in accordance with Figure R301.2(4)" (Section R905.2.6.1), and drip edge fastening tightens where the design wind speed is higher. The county's permit instructions require Florida Product Approval sheets for roofing.
Roof layer limit / recover
Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th Edition (2023), Section R908.3: "New roof coverings shall not be installed without first removing all existing layers of roof coverings where any of the following conditions occur: ... 3. Where the existing roof has two or more applications of any type of roof covering." Tear-off is also required where the existing roof or 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", where the existing covering is "wood shingle or shake, slate, clay, cement or asbestos-cement tile", where blisters are not cut or scraped open and secured, and where the existing covering is to be used for attachment and the securement provisions of Section R905 cannot be met. One re-cover over a single existing layer is therefore the most the code allows. Osceola County's building chapter (County Code Chapter 5, Article III, Secs. 5-56 to 5-62, read in full) does not touch reroofing, the county's Roofing Requirements sheet states no layer number, and the state registry lists no county amendment. The county's codified chapter still names the 1994 Standard Building Code (Sec. 5-56); this record states the 2023 Florida Building Code, which state law applies statewide without local adoption and which the county's Building Office says it enforces; the 1994 text was not obtained. Chapter 9: https://codes.iccsafe.org/content/FLRC2023P1/chapter-9-roof-assemblies
Deck & sheathing requirements
On a house not originally permitted under the Florida Building Code, a reroof brings deck re-nailing and a secondary water barrier. Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th Edition (2023), Section R908.7: "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." Sawn lumber or plank decking up to 12 inches wide "secured with at least two nails (minimum size 8d) to each roof framing member it crosses shall be deemed to be sufficiently connected"; wood structural panels follow the supplemental fastener table in Section R908.7.1.2, using ring shank nails at no more than 6 inches on center where the existing fastening falls short. Section R908.7.2: "When a roof covering is removed and replaced, a secondary water barrier shall be installed in accordance with Section R905.1.1 or Section 1518.2 of the Florida Building Code, Building" (roofs under 2:12 with a continuous roof system, and clay and concrete tile systems installed to the code, are deemed to comply). Osceola County's Notice to Contractors on hurricane mitigation retrofits (revised February 2010, written under an earlier code edition) applies these re-roof requirements to single-family residences "constructed prior to the implementation of the Florida Building Code (March 1, 2002)" and asks the contractor to hand the inspector, "At the time of final inspection", a completed inspection affidavit "attesting to the fact that the applicable requirements of the Hurricane Mitigation Retrofit Manual have been met." The county's re-roof inspections include "1385 Roof Sheathing", and the inspector "may require several areas of the roof dry-in to be opened up to view the roof deck nailing." Osceola County's code does not amend these provisions.
Sales & use tax
7.5% combined on materials: the 6% Florida state sales and use tax plus Osceola County's 1.5% discretionary sales surtax, which the Florida Department of Revenue's Form DR-15DSS for calendar year 2026 lists in two parts, 1% (effective September 1, 1990, with an expiration date of December 31, 2045) and 0.5% (effective January 1, 2017, with an expiration date of December 31, 2036). The surtax applies only to the first $5,000 of the sales amount of any single item of tangible personal property (Department of Revenue discretionary sales surtax guidance). Florida treats roofing as a real property contract (Rule 12A-1.051, Florida Administrative Code, lists "(cc) Roofing work"): "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 "They should charge no tax to their customers, regardless of whether they itemize charges for materials and labor in their proposals or invoices." Repairs and replacements are treated the same way.
More roof permit pages in Florida
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Roofing in FloridaState hub
Related guides
The building department of Osceola County, Florida (the Kissimmee and St. Cloud area). The Community Development Department's Building Office reviews plans, issues building permits, including roofing permits, registers contractors and performs inspections for the unincorporated county. The City of Kissimmee and the City of St. Cloud issue permits within their own limits.
Hail reports near the center of Osceola County, FL
- Reports, last 24 months
- 0
- Largest, last 24 months
- None
- Most recent
- None in 24 months
- Reports, last 5 years
- 1
| Date | Hail size | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Apr 2, 2022 | 1.00 in | 6 mi WNW |
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 Osceola County, FL. Data through Sep 30, 2026. A report is an observation, not a damage record.
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Sources
- osceola.org verified 2026-09-26
- osceola.org verified 2026-09-26
- osceola.org verified 2026-09-26
- library.municode.com verified 2026-09-26
- osceola.org verified 2026-09-26
- osceola.org verified 2026-09-26
- codes.iccsafe.org verified 2026-09-26
- osceola.org verified 2026-09-26
- library.municode.com verified 2026-09-26
- floridarevenue.com verified 2026-09-26
- osceola.org verified 2026-09-26