Permitting Authorities / Seminole County - Building Division
Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Unincorporated Seminole County, FL?
Adopted codeSeminole County - Building Division
Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Unincorporated Seminole County, FL, issued by Seminole County - Building Division. Seminole County issues a dedicated residential re-roof permit (the county's permit-type chart lists "REROOF RESIDENTIAL"). Its Building Division page lists "Roof Repairs exceeding 100 sq. ft." among "examples of work that DOES require a permit" and "Roof Repairs not exceeding 100 sq. ft." among the "most common construction activities that DO NOT require a permit", adding: "Note, the list is illustrative only and is not meant to be exhaustive. Several factors may determine, if in fact, a permit is required, if you have any questions relating to the proposed work, please contact us at 407-665-7050." Contractors request an application number through Building Permits Online and upload the package to the county's ePlan system; to apply online "the contractor license must be current in our contractor database." The county's Re-Roof Inspection Process sheet (July 2026) lists the re-roof permit package: a completed permit application, "Copies of the Florida Product Approvals, and install guidelines, and/ or NOA for products that will be used on said project", the Property Record Card, the Permit Authorization Form, and a notice of commencement as required ("at minimum, must be submitted prior to scheduling of first inspection"); it asks that the scope of work be clearly outlined on the application "Due to changes to the previously noted 25% rule in the FBC". Metal, tile and TPO re-roofs go through plan review in ePlan; the county's EZ Permit e-mail process accepts "Residential Reroof - (Tile, Metal, and TPO Reroof must go through ePlan)". Where solar panels must come off, "Separate permits are required for the re-roof and for the solar panels." Owners acting as their own contractor must first visit the office at 1101 E. 1st St., Sanford, with government-issued identification. Since July 1, 2026 a state statute (Section 553.79(1)(g), Florida Statutes) lets the owner of a single-family home, or the owner's contractor, request a written exemption for work valued at less than $7,500 that is not structural, electrical, plumbing, mechanical or gas work and is not on property in a flood hazard area; the Building Official's letter of June 8, 2026 says "You are still required to submit a Permit Exemption request form to our office for review to be eligible for this exemption." The county has published no statement on whether roof work qualifies, and this record does not decide it. Under the county's Section 109.4, anyone who starts permit work before obtaining the permit is subject to a fee set by the Board of County Commissioners in addition to the permit fees; for emergency work "the required permit(s) must be applied for within three (3) business days and any unreasonable delay in obtaining those permit(s) shall result in the charge or a double fee.".
Roof code checklist: Unincorporated Seminole County, FL
| Item | Answer | Code cite | Source | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Permit to replace a roof | Yes | seminolecountyfl.gov | 2026-09-26 | |
| Repair permit threshold | Published | seminolecountyfl.gov | 2026-09-26 | |
| Layer limit / roof-over | Published | R908.3 | codes.iccsafe.org | 2026-09-26 |
| Deck & sheathing | Published | re-roofinspectionprocess-072326ad... | 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 | re-roofinspectionprocess-072326ad... | 2026-09-26 |
| Impact-resistant (Class 4) roofing | No | library.municode.com | 2026-09-26 | |
| Wind design criteria | Published | R905.2.6.1 | SC_WindSpeedDesignations.pdf | 2026-09-26 |
| Adopted code | Published | library.municode.com | 2026-09-26 | |
| Contractor license / registration | Yes | seminolecountyfl.gov | 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
Seminole County, Florida (unincorporated)
Jurisdiction type
county
Address
1101 E. First Street, County Services Building, First Floor (West Entrance), Sanford, FL 32771
Contact
- url: https://www.seminolecountyfl.gov/departments-services/development-services/building-division/
- phone: 407-665-7050
- 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 holds the local competency licence (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."). Verify a licence on the Department of Business and Professional Regulation licence search.
- county_level: Seminole County requires every contractor to be entered in its contractor database before permitting. Its Residential Permit Submittal Guide (revised 8/7/26): "all contractors and sub-contractors that are listed on the application must be current in the County's license database, including certified or registered licenses. A current License Administration Form, worker's compensation insurance, and general liability are required for each listed contractor and sub-contractor prior to issuance." Certified contractors submit the License Administration form, a copy of the state licence, and proof of workers' compensation (or an exemption) and general liability insurance listing Seminole County, 1101 E. 1st St., Sanford, FL 32771 as certificate holder. Registered contractors must have their testing scores or letter of reciprocity sent directly from the testing agency, have DBPR list Seminole County as a county where they may work, disclose any disciplinary action in a Florida jurisdiction within the past twelve months, and sign a county competency card in person at the Building Division. Contractor records can be checked through the county's Contractor Permit Inquiry. Seminole County Code Chapter 40, Part 2 (Contractor Licensing), sets out the competency-card program; it was amended by Ordinance No. 2026-7 (May 12, 2026), which also reorganized the county's contractor board as the Building Codes Board of Appeals.
- owner_builder: Section 489.103(7)(a), Florida Statutes, exempts owners "when acting as their own contractor and providing direct, onsite supervision themselves of all work not performed by licensed contractors" when building or improving one-family or two-family residences for their own use and occupancy. The Building Division's page answers "Do I need a contractor?": "Not if you own and occupy the house. State statutes allow the owners of real property to act as their own contractor. The exemption may only be used if you own and occupy the home. As an owner builder though, if you don't complete all of the work yourselves, you must supervise the work, and hire licensed trade subcontractors (electric, plumbing, a/c, and roof) in accordance with state law." It adds: "You cannot act as your own contractor for rental property." Owners complete the county's Owner Builder Statement / Affidavit and must visit the office with government-issued identification to start the permit. Whether a particular owner qualifies is for the statute and the county to say, not this record.
Permit process note
Seminole County issues a dedicated residential re-roof permit (the county's permit-type chart lists "REROOF RESIDENTIAL"). Its Building Division page lists "Roof Repairs exceeding 100 sq. ft." among "examples of work that DOES require a permit" and "Roof Repairs not exceeding 100 sq. ft." among the "most common construction activities that DO NOT require a permit", adding: "Note, the list is illustrative only and is not meant to be exhaustive. Several factors may determine, if in fact, a permit is required, if you have any questions relating to the proposed work, please contact us at 407-665-7050." Contractors request an application number through Building Permits Online and upload the package to the county's ePlan system; to apply online "the contractor license must be current in our contractor database." The county's Re-Roof Inspection Process sheet (July 2026) lists the re-roof permit package: a completed permit application, "Copies of the Florida Product Approvals, and install guidelines, and/ or NOA for products that will be used on said project", the Property Record Card, the Permit Authorization Form, and a notice of commencement as required ("at minimum, must be submitted prior to scheduling of first inspection"); it asks that the scope of work be clearly outlined on the application "Due to changes to the previously noted 25% rule in the FBC". Metal, tile and TPO re-roofs go through plan review in ePlan; the county's EZ Permit e-mail process accepts "Residential Reroof - (Tile, Metal, and TPO Reroof must go through ePlan)". Where solar panels must come off, "Separate permits are required for the re-roof and for the solar panels." Owners acting as their own contractor must first visit the office at 1101 E. 1st St., Sanford, with government-issued identification. Since July 1, 2026 a state statute (Section 553.79(1)(g), Florida Statutes) lets the owner of a single-family home, or the owner's contractor, request a written exemption for work valued at less than $7,500 that is not structural, electrical, plumbing, mechanical or gas work and is not on property in a flood hazard area; the Building Official's letter of June 8, 2026 says "You are still required to submit a Permit Exemption request form to our office for review to be eligible for this exemption." The county has published no statement on whether roof work qualifies, and this record does not decide it. Under the county's Section 109.4, anyone who starts permit work before obtaining the permit is subject to a fee set by the Board of County Commissioners in addition to the permit fees; for emergency work "the required permit(s) must be applied for within three (3) business days and any unreasonable delay in obtaining those permit(s) shall result in the charge or a double fee."
Adopted code
Florida Building Code, 8th Edition (2023), Residential (2021 IRC base), effective December 31, 2023, adopted statewide by Rule 61G20-1.001, Florida Administrative Code, with no local adoption needed. The Building Division's "Adopted Codes" list names the "Florida Building Code 8th Edition (2023)", "Which includes Building, Residential, Plumbing, Mechanical, Fuel Gas, Existing Building, Florida Energy Conservation and the Florida Accessibility Code for Building Construction", and the "Seminole County Amended Chapter 1 - Administrative Code". Seminole County Code Sec. 40.1 adopts "the Florida Building Code, as amended" and adopts Chapter 1, Administration, "with amendments as set forth in Appendix" A (most recently amended by Ordinance No. 2024-16, June 11, 2024); the county's amendments are administrative only (Chapter 1). Ordinance No. 2026-7 (May 12, 2026) amended other parts of Chapter 40 (contractor licensing, surveys and finished floor elevations, disaster emergency permitting).
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." Eave drip edges extend 1/2 inch below the sheathing and 2 inches back onto the roof and are installed over the underlayment. This applies to shingle roofs. Seminole County's amendments to the Florida Building Code (Seminole County Code Chapter 40 and its Appendix A) are administrative only and do not touch the roofing chapter, so the state text applies unchanged. About drip edge
Ice & water shield
Not required — Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th Edition (2023): "R905.1.2 Ice barriers. Reserved." There is no ice-barrier requirement in the Florida code, and Seminole County's amendments (Chapter 40 and its Appendix A) do not touch the roofing chapter. Self-adhered underlayment is still used in Florida, but as a secondary water barrier or underlayment method, not as an ice barrier. About ice & water barrier
Mid-roof inspection
Required — Seminole County's own required-inspection list (Section 110.3 as amended in Seminole County Code Chapter 40, Appendix A): "5. 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." The county's Re-Roof Inspection Process sheet (July 2026) schedules the in-progress inspection "for the time when your team will have all the existing roof system(s) removed, all roof sheathing re-nailed (as applicable), and all flashing and underlayment installed," allowing "no more than 35% of the final materials" to be installed at the roofer's own risk, and states: "The In-Progress inspection is required." At the roof final the county wants a signed, notarized nail-off affidavit and pictures of the in-progress work on site, but "pictures are not a replacement for the required In-progress inspection." Large or phased roofs, and tile roofs using a slip sheet, may need more than one in-progress inspection. Final roof inspections for tile roofs are done by FaceTime with the county inspector or on a notarized Tile Affidavit from a third-party Florida licensed roofing contractor or a signed and sealed one from an architect or engineer.
Impact-resistant roofing
Not required — Seminole County's amendments to the Florida Building Code (Seminole County Code Chapter 40, including its Appendix A amendments to Chapter 1, and Ordinance No. 2026-7) contain no roof-covering rating provision, and no UL 2218 or Class 4 impact requirement appears in the Florida Building Code's residential roofing chapter, the Building volume's roofing chapter or the Existing Building volume's reroofing provisions, or in the county's amendments. Florida's shingle classifications (ASTM D3161, TAS 107, ASTM D7158) are wind ratings, not hail-impact ratings. An insurer's discount for an impact-rated roof is not a code requirement.
Repair permit threshold
100 square feet. The Building Division lists "Roof Repairs not exceeding 100 sq. ft." among the "most common construction activities that DO NOT require a permit" and "Roof Repairs exceeding 100 sq. ft." among the examples of work that "DOES require a permit"; it calls the list "illustrative only" and asks anyone unsure to call 407-665-7050. The county's enacted permit exemptions (Section 105.2 of the Florida Building Code, Chapter 1, as amended by Seminole County Code Chapter 40, Appendix A) name no roof work; its Section 105.2.2 provides: "Ordinary minor repairs may be made with the approval of the building official without a permit," subject to exclusions for structural, egress, piping, wiring and mechanical work. 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 property "partially or entirely located in a flood hazard area" 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 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." The county's Building Official describes it this way: "Work valued below $7,500, associated with a single-family structure, will now be exempt from permitting. There are exceptions to this that include any structural, electrical, mechanical, plumbing or gas work." 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. Separately, the Florida Building Code, Existing Building (Section 706.1.1) limits partial work: "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," except that 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
Seminole County sets no wind speed in its building chapter (Seminole County Code Chapter 40 and its Appendix A amendments to Chapter 1 of the Florida Building Code), so the Florida Building Code's statewide maps apply: read the site's ultimate design wind speed from Figure R301.2(4) of the Residential volume (Figure 1609.3 series in the Building volume). The county has posted a one-page "Seminole County Ultimate Design Wind Speed Designations" sheet listing 129 mph for Risk Category I (Figure 1609C), 139 mph for Risk Category II (Figure 1609A) and 149 mph for Risk Categories III and IV (Figure 1609B), with the footnote "Linear interpolation of wind speeds between contours is permitted by a state of Florida registered engineer." Those figure numbers are from earlier editions of the Florida Building Code, not the 8th Edition (2023), so confirm the speed for the site against the current map before relying on it. Seminole 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" (Section R905.2.6.1).
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 is water soaked or deteriorated, where it is wood shingle or shake, slate, clay, cement or asbestos-cement tile, and where the existing covering cannot meet the code's securement provisions; the Existing Building volume (Section 706.3) repeats the same conditions. One re-cover over a single existing layer is therefore the most the code allows. Seminole County's building chapter (Seminole County Code Chapter 40, with its Appendix A amendments to Chapter 1, and Ordinance No. 2026-7) does not touch the reroofing sections, and the county's re-roof handouts state no layer number of their own. 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 triggers deck re-nailing and a secondary water barrier. Florida Building Code, Existing Building, 8th Edition (2023), Section 706.7: "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" (roof-decking attachment under Section 706.7.1 and a secondary water barrier under Section 706.7.2), with the 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 fastener provisions of Section 706.7.1.2. Section 706.7.2: "When a roof covering is removed and replaced, a secondary water barrier shall be installed." Seminole County checks the deck at the in-progress inspection, scheduled once "all roof sheathing re-nailed (as applicable)" and all flashing and underlayment are installed, and wants a notarized Re-Roof Affidavit on site for the final inspection in which a licensed contractor, architect or engineer states that he or she "did personally inspect the roof deck nailing" and found the roof deck attachment "was done in accordance with the current Florida Building Code - Existing Building Volume." The county's amended Section 110.3 also lets the building official accept, at his discretion, a notarized affidavit from a state or locally licensed roofing contractor "for the installation of additional sheathing fasteners as required by the Existing Building Code." Seminole County's amendments do not change the state deck provisions.
Sales & use tax
7% combined on materials: the 6% Florida state sales and use tax plus Seminole County's 1% discretionary sales surtax (effective January 1, 2015, with an expiration date of December 31, 2034, per the Florida Department of Revenue's Form DR-15DSS for calendar year 2026). 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
Unincorporated St. Johns County, FLRoof permit
Unincorporated Sumter County, FLRoof permit
Unincorporated Volusia County, FLRoof permit
West Palm Beach, FLRoof permit
Boca Raton, FLRoof permit
Roofing in FloridaState hub
Related guides
The building department of Seminole County, Florida (Sanford and the north Orlando suburbs). The Building Division, part of Development Services, reviews plans, issues building permits, including residential re-roof permits, registers contractor licenses and performs inspections for unincorporated Seminole County.
Hail reports near the center of Seminole County, FL
- Reports, last 24 months
- 2
- Largest, last 24 months
- 1.00 in May 12, 2026
- Most recent
- May 12, 2026 1.00 in
- Reports, last 5 years
- 9
| Date | Hail size | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| May 12, 2026 | 1.00 in | 5 mi W |
| May 12, 2026 | 1.00 in | 6 mi SW |
| Feb 4, 2024 | 1.00 in | 7 mi SSW |
| Jun 6, 2022 | 1.25 in | 9 mi WSW |
| Jun 6, 2022 | 1.00 in | 5 mi W |
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 Seminole County, FL. Data through Sep 30, 2026. A report is an observation, not a damage record.
Working an insurance claim in Unincorporated Seminole County, FL? Everything on this page (drip edge, ice & water shield, inspections, Class 4 rules) formatted as a claim-ready evidence pack: verbatim ordinance quotes, code section cites, verification dates, and official source links, ready to attach to a supplement. See a real sample pack (PDF, 4 pages, free).
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Sources
- seminolecountyfl.gov verified 2026-09-26
- library.municode.com verified 2026-09-26
- codes.iccsafe.org verified 2026-09-26
- seminolecountyfl.gov verified 2026-09-26
- library.municode.com verified 2026-09-26
- floridarevenue.com verified 2026-09-26
- seminolecountyfl.gov verified 2026-09-26