Permitting Authorities / Palm Beach County Planning, Zoning and Building Department - Building Division
Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Unincorporated Palm Beach County, FL?
Adopted codePalm Beach County Planning, Zoning and Building Department - Building Division
Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Unincorporated Palm Beach County, FL, issued by Palm Beach County Planning, Zoning and Building Department - Building Division. Residential reroofs in unincorporated Palm Beach County are applied for online through the ePZB portal under permit type "4081 – Reroof – SFD/Duplex/Attached Residential." The Building Division's Self-Issued Reroof Application asks a series of questions that "help determine whether the permit qualifies for self-issuance or needs to be routed to plan review." A qualifying permit is issued almost instantly with a number beginning "B"; one that does not qualify is "routed to plan review as it always has" with an application number beginning "PR." "You must still pay the fees before you can begin work. An unpaid building permit will expire in 10 days." The Division asks applicants to keep marking up the Notices of Acceptance and product approvals submitted with the application. The County's Reroofing Installation Summary Forms (Form 100 asphalt shingles or wood shakes/shingles, Form 200 concrete or clay tile, Form 300 metal, Form 400 flat roof) collect the roof pitch, mean roof height, roof area in squares, the underlayment method and the product approval numbers, and the Mandated Retrofits of Roof-to-Wall Connection form "MUST BE FILLED OUT AND INCLUDED WITH ALL RE-ROOFING APPLICATIONS FOR EXISTING STRUCTURES WITH WOOD ROOF DECKS." On the state's under-$7,500 permit exemption, the Building Division's notice posted July 1, 2026 states that "these exemptions do NOT apply within Palm Beach County. Why? Because the law excludes properties located within flood hazard areas, and all of Palm Beach County is designated as a flood hazard area under the Florida Building Code," and that "Current permit requirements remain unchanged in Palm Beach County." The County's permit fee schedule charges "4 times fees" for "Retroactive permitting after construction start.".
Roof code checklist: Unincorporated Palm Beach County, FL
| Item | Answer | Code cite | Source | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Permit to replace a roof | Yes | discover.pbc.gov | 2026-09-26 | |
| Repair permit threshold | Published | library.municode.com | 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. 110.3 | library.municode.com | 2026-09-26 |
| Impact-resistant (Class 4) roofing | No | library.municode.com | 2026-09-26 | |
| Wind design criteria | Published | PBC-Amendments-to-the-Florida-Bui... | 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
Palm Beach County, Florida (unincorporated)
Jurisdiction type
county
Address
2300 N. Jog Road, 1st Floor (Vista Center), West Palm Beach, FL 33411
Contact
- url: https://discover.pbc.gov/pzb/building/Pages/Contact-Us.aspx
- phone: 561-233-5100
Permit portal
Roofing permit required
Required
Contractor registration required
Required
Registration details
- state_level: Florida licenses roofing as its own contractor trade. Section 489.105(3)(e), Florida Statutes, defines a "Roofing contractor" as one whose services are unlimited in the roofing trade, with a scope that includes "required roof-deck attachments; any repair or replacement of wood roof sheathing or fascia as needed during roof repair or replacement; and the evaluation and enhancement of roof-to-wall connections for structures with wood roof decking." Section 489.113(2): "A person must be certified or registered in order to engage in the business of contracting in this state." A state certification is valid statewide; under section 489.117(1)(b), "Registration allows the registrant to engage in contracting only in the counties, municipalities, or development districts where he or she has complied with all local licensing requirements, if any, and only for the type of work covered by the registration." Section 489.103(7)(a) 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 improving one-family or two-family residences "for the occupancy or use of such owners and not offered for sale or lease"; the Building Division's Owner Builder Guidelines state that "The provision of Chapter 489 F.S. requires construction to be done by licensed contractors" and that an owner "may apply for a permit under an exemption."
- county_level: Palm Beach County's Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB), created by Special Act (Laws of Florida, Chapter 67-1876), issues local certificates of competency. County Code Sec. 7-16 defines a "Registrant" as a contractor "who holds a license issued by the CILB and who has registered with the State of Florida pursuant to F.S. Chapter 489," and Sec. 7-17 prohibits anyone to "Engage in the business or act in the capacity of a contractor ... without being duly registered or certified." The article applies in the unincorporated area (Sec. 7-22). Contractor licensing questions go to the County's Contractors Certification office, 561-233-5525. The County's roof-to-wall retrofit form notes that installing new straps or anchors "is outside the scope of a Roofing Contractor (CCC), and requires an appropriately licensed building Contractor (CGC, CBC or CRC)."
Permit process note
Residential reroofs in unincorporated Palm Beach County are applied for online through the ePZB portal under permit type "4081 – Reroof – SFD/Duplex/Attached Residential." The Building Division's Self-Issued Reroof Application asks a series of questions that "help determine whether the permit qualifies for self-issuance or needs to be routed to plan review." A qualifying permit is issued almost instantly with a number beginning "B"; one that does not qualify is "routed to plan review as it always has" with an application number beginning "PR." "You must still pay the fees before you can begin work. An unpaid building permit will expire in 10 days." The Division asks applicants to keep marking up the Notices of Acceptance and product approvals submitted with the application. The County's Reroofing Installation Summary Forms (Form 100 asphalt shingles or wood shakes/shingles, Form 200 concrete or clay tile, Form 300 metal, Form 400 flat roof) collect the roof pitch, mean roof height, roof area in squares, the underlayment method and the product approval numbers, and the Mandated Retrofits of Roof-to-Wall Connection form "MUST BE FILLED OUT AND INCLUDED WITH ALL RE-ROOFING APPLICATIONS FOR EXISTING STRUCTURES WITH WOOD ROOF DECKS." On the state's under-$7,500 permit exemption, the Building Division's notice posted July 1, 2026 states that "these exemptions do NOT apply within Palm Beach County. Why? Because the law excludes properties located within flood hazard areas, and all of Palm Beach County is designated as a flood hazard area under the Florida Building Code," and that "Current permit requirements remain unchanged in Palm Beach County." The County's permit fee schedule charges "4 times fees" for "Retroactive permitting after construction start."
Adopted code
Florida Building Code, 8th Edition (2023), including the Residential volume (2021 IRC base), effective December 31, 2023 under Rule 61G20-1.001, F.A.C.; the Florida Building Code applies statewide without local adoption. Palm Beach County Code Sec. 7-36 adopts "The Florida Building Code and the National Electrical Code, as amended from time to time" as "the minimum construction standards for all municipal and unincorporated areas within Palm Beach County, Florida." Sec. 7-51 (Ord. No. 2024-012, adopted June 11, 2024) adopts the County's amendments to the 8th Edition (2023) (Chapter 1, Administration, and Figures 1609.3(1) through (4), Wind Loads and Maps, of the Building volume, and Appendix F of the Plumbing volume) for the unincorporated area and for municipalities the County serves by interlocal agreement; the amendments also adopt Appendix Q (Tiny Houses) of the Residential volume. The Building Division lists "PBC Amendments to the Florida Building Code, 8th Edition (2023) - 12/31/2023" among the currently adopted technical standards for the unincorporated area. The County's amendments contain no amendment to the roofing chapters (Residential Chapter 9, Building Chapter 15) or to the reroofing provisions.
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." The section applies to shingle roofs; it also sets a 3-inch minimum overlap, requires the drip edge to be installed over the underlayment, and tightens mechanical fastening from 12 inches to 4 inches on center where the allowable-stress design wind speed is 110 mph or greater or the mean roof height exceeds 33 feet. Palm Beach County's amendments to the 8th Edition (Ord. No. 2024-012, County Code Sec. 7-52) do not amend Section R905.2.8.5. About drip edge
Ice & water shield
Not required — Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th Edition (2023), Section R905.1.2 reads in full: "Ice barriers. Reserved." Palm Beach County's amendments to the 8th Edition (Ord. No. 2024-012) do not add an ice barrier requirement. A self-adhered underlayment is still an accepted choice: the County's reroofing form for asphalt shingles lists "Self-Adhered (Direct to Deck)" ASTM D1970 polymer-modified bitumen underlayment as one of three underlayment options, alongside a taped-seam method and two layers of felt. About ice & water barrier
Mid-roof inspection
Required — Palm Beach County's amended Florida Building Code Section 110.3 (Required inspections): "Roofing inspection. Shall at a minimum be made in at least two inspections and include the following building components: Dry-in, Insulation, Roof coverings (including In Progress as necessary), Insulation on roof deck (according to submitted energy calculation), Flashing, Sheathing." Item 5.1 adds: "Re-Roof sheathing inspection. 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."
Impact-resistant roofing
Not required — Neither Palm Beach County's amendments to the Florida Building Code, 8th Edition (Ord. No. 2024-012, County Code Sec. 7-52) nor the roofing chapter of the Florida Building Code, Residential contains a UL 2218 or Class 4 impact-rating requirement for roof coverings. The County states that all of unincorporated Palm Beach County is within the wind-borne debris region; that designation concerns protection of glazed openings against windborne debris, not the hail-impact rating of roofing.
Repair permit threshold
Palm Beach County's amended Florida Building Code Section 105.2 (Work exempt from permit), Building item 1: "Building permits are not required for replacement or repair work having a value of less than $1,000.00, providing, however, that such work will not adversely affect the structural integrity, fire rating, exit access, or egress requirements." Section 105.2.2 adds that "Ordinary minor repairs may be made with the approval of the building official without a permit," within the limits that section lists. A full reroof exceeds the $1,000 line. The County's codified permit fee schedule carries its own roofing repair fee: "Repairs (or prepay per II.E.2.b) .....75.00 (Under 2 squares and less than $2,500.00 value)." State law: 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 for "any work valued at less than $7,500 on the owner's property," but not for "Work on a property that is partially or entirely located in a flood hazard area as defined by the Florida Building Code" or "Any electrical, plumbing, structural, mechanical, or gas work performed on property containing a single-family dwelling," and only on "a written request for exemption to the local enforcement agency with a copy of the contract or other documentation." The Building Division's notice of July 1, 2026 states that these exemptions "do NOT apply within Palm Beach County" because "all of Palm Beach County is designated as a flood hazard area under the Florida Building Code," and that "Current permit requirements remain unchanged in Palm Beach County." Separately, Florida Building Code, Residential Section R908.1.1 provides: "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 applies where the existing roof was built, repaired or replaced under the 2007 Florida Building Code or a later edition: then only the repaired, replaced or recovered portion must meet the code in effect. Work begun before the permit is issued is charged "4 times fees."
Wind design criteria
Palm Beach County adopts its own ultimate design wind speed maps as local amendments to the Florida Building Code, 8th Edition (Figures 1609.3(1) through (4), Ord. No. 2024-012). For Risk Category II buildings, which include ordinary homes, Palm Beach County Figure 1609.3(1) divides the county into three north-south bands, labeled "Use 150 mph" in the west (Lake Okeechobee area), "Use 160 mph" in the middle, and "Use 170 mph" in the east, out to the coast. Values are "ultimate design 3-second gust wind speeds in miles per hour at 33ft (10m) above ground for Exposure C category"; exposure categories follow Section 1609.4 of the Florida Building Code, Building. "To determine the applicable wind speed of a particular parcel, Palm Beach County has developed separate Geographic Information Systems (GIS) tools for each of the Risk Categories, available on the Building Division website." The map also states: "All of Unincorporated Palm Beach County is within the Wind-Borne Debris Region."
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." Its exceptions include complete and separate roofing systems, such as standing-seam metal systems that carry roof loads directly to the structure. Palm Beach County's amendments to the 8th Edition (Ord. No. 2024-012, County Code Sec. 7-52) do not amend Section R908.3. The County's own reroofing form for asphalt shingles and wood shakes agrees with the code's limit, listing "Re-cover (ONE ADDITIONAL LAYER ONLY/ MUST BE ALLOWED BY PRODUCT APPROVAL)"; its flat-roof form lists "Recover/ Roof-over (ALL MATERIALS AND COMPONENTS MUST BE COMPATIBLE WITH EXISTING MATERIALS)" and requires a "Roof Moisture Survey and Report" when re-covering.
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," roof-decking attachment "shall be as required by Section R908.7.1" and "A secondary water barrier shall be provided as required by Section R908.7.2," with the exception: "Structures permitted subject to the Florida Building Code are not required to comply with this section." R908.7.1.1 deems sawn lumber or plank decking "secured with at least two nails (minimum size 8d) to each roof framing member it crosses" to be sufficiently connected; R908.7.1.2 sets supplemental ring-shank fastener spacing for wood structural panels by existing fastener and design wind speed. 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," with exceptions for slopes under 2:12 with a continuous roof system and for tile systems installed to the code. Palm Beach County's reroofing forms state: "Re-nailing of plywood deck is not required if structure was built or reroofed after 5/1/1999. If so, provide permit number," and a sheath-over requires "ENGINEERING DETAILS ATTACHED." Under the County's inspection rules, the building official may accept "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." The County's amendments (Ord. No. 2024-012) do not amend these reroofing provisions.
Sales & use tax
6.5% combined (6% Florida state sales and use tax + 0.5% Palm Beach County discretionary sales surtax). The Florida Department of Revenue's Discretionary Sales Surtax Information for Calendar Year 2026 (form DR-15DSS) lists Palm Beach at a .5% total surtax rate: a new .5% school capital outlay surtax effective January 1, 2026, with an expiration date of December 31, 2035; the county's former 1% local government infrastructure surtax was repealed effective December 31, 2025. The Department states that discretionary sales 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." Rule 12A-1.051, F.A.C., lists "Roofing work" among real property contracts and provides: "Contractors are the ultimate consumers of materials and supplies they use to perform real property contracts and must pay tax on their costs of those materials and supplies, unless the contractor has entered a retail sale plus installation contract." Such contractors "should charge no tax to their customers, regardless of whether they itemize charges for materials and labor in their proposals or invoices." Repair and full replacement are treated the same way: the rate above is the roofer's cost on materials, not a tax charged to the homeowner.
More roof permit pages in Florida
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Roofing in FloridaState hub
Related guides
The permitting authority for unincorporated Palm Beach County. The Building Division's Permit Center processes building permit applications for construction in the unincorporated area of the county through the ePZB online portal, including residential re-roof permits.
Hail reports near the center of Palm Beach County, FL
- Reports, last 24 months
- 1
- Largest, last 24 months
- 1.00 in May 5, 2025
- Most recent
- May 5, 2025 1.00 in
- Reports, last 5 years
- 1
| Date | Hail size | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| May 5, 2025 | 1.00 in | 10 mi ENE |
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 Palm Beach County, FL. Data through Sep 30, 2026. A report is an observation, not a damage record.
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Sources
- discover.pbc.gov verified 2026-09-26
- discover.pbc.gov verified 2026-09-26
- leg.state.fl.us verified 2026-09-26
- library.municode.com verified 2026-09-26
- codes.iccsafe.org verified 2026-09-26
- floridarevenue.com verified 2026-09-26
- discover.pbc.gov verified 2026-09-26