Permitting Authorities / St. Johns County - Building Department
Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Unincorporated St. Johns County, FL?
Adopted codeSt. Johns County - Building Department
Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Unincorporated St. Johns County, FL, issued by St. Johns County - Building Department. St. Johns County's administrative chapter of the Florida Building Code (Ordinance No. 2022-33, section 105.2) exempts from permit "Roofing repairs or reroofs not exceeding 2 squares"; any larger roofing job, including a full re-roof, needs a building permit from the County Building Department. Building permit applications are generally accepted only after a Clearance Sheet is issued, and the County's Re-Roof Mitigation Worksheet notes that "A copy of the Property ID card or proof of insured value must be submitted along with each re-roof application." On that worksheet the contractor or owner-builder certifies compliance with the hurricane-mitigation re-roof requirements of section 553.844, Florida Statutes, and agrees to request "the 000 Informational Inspection* while under construction and the 123 inspection for the final." A Notice of Commencement must be recorded before the first inspection where the County's thresholds are met (its permit guidelines page says for permitted projects "exceeding $5,000"; its inspections page says where "the project cost is greater than $2500"). Small jobs: since July 1, 2026, state law requires the County to exempt single-family work valued at less than $7,500 on written request with a copy of the contract (not in a flood hazard area, and not electrical, plumbing, structural, mechanical or gas work). The County's building services fee schedule lists "Penalties" at "Double the applicable fee + $200.00.".
Roof code checklist: Unincorporated St. Johns County, FL
| Item | Answer | Code cite | Source | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Permit to replace a roof | Yes | ORD2022-33.pdf | 2026-09-26 | |
| Repair permit threshold | Published | ORD2022-33.pdf | 2026-09-26 | |
| Layer limit / roof-over | Published | R908.3 | codes.iccsafe.org | 2026-09-26 |
| Deck & sheathing | Published | Re-Roof-Mitigation-Worksheet.pdf | 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 | ORD2022-33.pdf | 2026-09-26 |
| Impact-resistant (Class 4) roofing | No | ORD2022-33.pdf | 2026-09-26 | |
| Wind design criteria | Published | sjcfl.us | 2026-09-26 | |
| Adopted code | Published | Sec. 553.73(6) | sjcfl.us | 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
St. Johns County, Florida (unincorporated)
Jurisdiction type
county
Address
4040 Lewis Speedway, St. Augustine, FL 32084
Contact
- url: https://www.sjcfl.us/departments/building-department/
- phone: 904-827-6800
- email: [email protected]
Permit portal
Roofing permit required
Required
Contractor registration required
Required
Registration details
- state_level: Roofing contractor is a separately licensed trade in Florida. 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." Section 489.113(2) provides 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 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." Section 489.103(7) contains an owner-builder exemption for owners "acting as their own contractor and providing direct, onsite supervision themselves of all work not performed by licensed contractors," including one- and two-family residences for the owner's own use and not offered for sale or lease; this record does not decide whether a particular reader falls within it.
- county_level: The County's permit guidelines state: "Contractors must be licensed and registered with St. Johns County to obtain a permit or perform any construction activity," and its Contractor Licensing page states: "All State Certified Contractors must register to operate in St. Johns County," citing Chapter 489, Florida Statutes, and St. Johns County Ordinance 2002-48 (the Contractor Licensing Ordinance). Section 4 of that ordinance makes it unlawful for any person, other than a Certified or Authorized Contractor, to engage in the business of Contractor in St. Johns County "until such person has first obtained a current Certified or Authorized Contractors License as provided in this ordinance." A State Certified contractor registers by filing the state license, proof of an active corporation, and liability and workers' compensation certificates naming St. Johns County as certificate holder. "Roofing Contractor" is one of the County's Class I licenses (State Registered, tested through the County): the applicant submits experience letters, passes the examination, is approved by the Contractor Review Board, obtains State Registration from the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, and pays a $71.00 activation fee; the County states "You cannot bid, execute a contract or start working on a construction project without first obtaining your St. Johns County license." Roofing is not on the County's list of work a Handyman (Nonstructural) Business Tax Receipt holder may do, and the County notes that a Business Tax Receipt "is not a license to practice contracting." For homeowners, the Building Department FAQ states that "Property owners that choose to apply for a building permit must comply with Florida Statute 489.103, chapter 7," and the County's Owner/Builder Affidavit must be signed in person at the Building Services Division.
Permit process note
St. Johns County's administrative chapter of the Florida Building Code (Ordinance No. 2022-33, section 105.2) exempts from permit "Roofing repairs or reroofs not exceeding 2 squares"; any larger roofing job, including a full re-roof, needs a building permit from the County Building Department. Building permit applications are generally accepted only after a Clearance Sheet is issued, and the County's Re-Roof Mitigation Worksheet notes that "A copy of the Property ID card or proof of insured value must be submitted along with each re-roof application." On that worksheet the contractor or owner-builder certifies compliance with the hurricane-mitigation re-roof requirements of section 553.844, Florida Statutes, and agrees to request "the 000 Informational Inspection* while under construction and the 123 inspection for the final." A Notice of Commencement must be recorded before the first inspection where the County's thresholds are met (its permit guidelines page says for permitted projects "exceeding $5,000"; its inspections page says where "the project cost is greater than $2500"). Small jobs: since July 1, 2026, state law requires the County to exempt single-family work valued at less than $7,500 on written request with a copy of the contract (not in a flood hazard area, and not electrical, plumbing, structural, mechanical or gas work). The County's building services fee schedule lists "Penalties" at "Double the applicable fee + $200.00."
Inspection requirements
Re-roof permits in unincorporated St. Johns County are inspected under section 110.3 of the County's administrative code (Ordinance No. 2022-33): a roofing inspection "made in at least two inspections" covering dry-in, roof coverings (in progress as necessary), flashing and final. On the County's Re-Roof Mitigation Worksheet the permit holder agrees to request the "000 Informational Inspection" (an in-progress inspection scheduled before 7:00 a.m. on the day it is needed; "The inspector will arrive and inspect your work at any stage") and the "123" final inspection. Inspections are scheduled by phone at (904) 827-6842 or online through a Private Account; the County's inspections page states that "Inspections scheduled before 7:00 a.m. will be performed on the same day." A recorded Notice of Commencement and the permit card must be posted on site.
Adopted code
Florida Building Code, 8th Edition (2023), Residential volume (2021 International Residential Code base), effective December 31, 2023, adopted statewide by the Florida Building Commission under Rule 61G20-1.001, Florida Administrative Code; section 553.73(6), Florida Statutes, provides that the code adopted by the commission "is deemed adopted for use statewide without adoptions by local government." The County's Building Codes and Standards page states: "The St. Johns County Building Department currently enforces the 2023 8th Edition Florida Building Code and the 2020 National Electric Code 8th Edition." The County's own administrative chapter, Ordinance No. 2022-33 (enacted April 19, 2022), adopts "The 2020 edition of Chapter 1 of the Florida Building Code, entitled 'Scope and Administration', as modified" by the County; its local technical amendments cover address identification (Residential R319) and flood provisions (Residential R322, Building section 202 and 1612, and Existing Building section 202) and do not touch the roofing chapters. The Florida Building Commission's local-amendment registry lists no St. Johns County amendment to the 2023 code. St. Johns County is not in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, which the Florida Building Code defines as Broward and Miami-Dade counties.
Drip edge
Required — Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th Edition (2023), section R905.2.8.5 Drip edge: "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." It "shall be mechanically fastened a maximum of 12 inches (305 mm) on center," tightening to 4 inches on center where the Vasd is 110 mph or greater or the mean roof height exceeds 33 feet. The requirement is written for shingle roofs. St. Johns County Ordinance No. 2022-33, read in full, does not amend it; the County's technical amendments cover address identification and flood provisions only. The County states that it enforces the 2023 8th Edition; its administrative ordinance adopts the 2020 edition of the code's administrative chapter only. About drip edge
Ice & water shield
Not required — Not required. The Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th Edition (2023) reads "R905.1.2 Ice barriers. Reserved." and, for asphalt shingles, "R905.2.7 Ice barrier. Reserved." Neither St. Johns County Ordinance No. 2022-33 (read in full; its technical amendments cover address identification and flood provisions only) nor any registered County amendment adds an ice barrier. A self-adhering ASTM D1970 underlayment remains one of the permitted underlayment methods; it is not prohibited. The County states that it enforces the 2023 8th Edition; its administrative ordinance adopts the 2020 edition of the code's administrative chapter only. About ice & water barrier
Mid-roof inspection
Required — St. Johns County Ordinance No. 2022-33, section 110.3 (required inspections), item 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, Final." For re-roofs of existing site-built single-family homes, the County's Re-Roof Mitigation Worksheet has the contractor or owner-builder agree to request "the 000 Informational Inspection* while under construction and the 123 inspection for the final," and explains: "The 'In Progress' inspection must be scheduled prior to 7:00a.m. on the day the inspection is needed. Please use request code #000 with your permit number. The inspector will arrive and inspect your work at any stage. You are not required to wait for the inspector or leave any area exposed to the weather." Item 5.1 of the same section allows the building official, at his or her discretion, to accept a notarized affidavit of a state or locally licensed roofing contractor for the re-roof sheathing fasteners in place of a re-roof sheathing inspection.
Impact-resistant roofing
Not required — Neither the Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th Edition (2023) roofing chapter nor St. Johns County Ordinance No. 2022-33 (the County's administrative chapter and local technical amendments, read in full) requires impact-rated roof coverings; no UL 2218 or Class 4 impact requirement appears in the code as it applies in unincorporated St. Johns County or in the County's amendments. The ordinance's "impact-resistant coverings" provisions and its opening-protection section concern windows and doors, not roof coverings, and Florida's shingle classes under section R905.2.6.1 (ASTM D3161, TAS 107, ASTM D7158) are wind ratings. The County states that it enforces the 2023 8th Edition; its administrative ordinance adopts the 2020 edition of the code's administrative chapter only.
Repair permit threshold
St. Johns County Ordinance No. 2022-33 (enacted April 19, 2022), which adopts the County's administrative chapter of the Florida Building Code, lists among the building work for which "Permits shall not be required": "15. Roofing repairs or reroofs not exceeding 2 squares." The same section (105.2) states that exemptions "shall not be deemed to grant authorization for any work to be done in any manner in violation of the provisions of this code or any other laws or ordinances of this jurisdiction, to include work in any special flood hazard area," and section 105.2.4 adds that "Work exempted from permitting in section 105.2 does not relieve any licensing requirements required by law." Its minor-repair clause (section 105.2.2) provides that "Ordinary minor repairs may be made with the approval of the building official without a permit," provided they do not include cutting away walls, removing or cutting structural beams or load-bearing supports, or changing required egress. Separately, section 553.79(1)(g), Florida Statutes (effective July 1, 2026), reads: "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"; "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"; and "A construction project may not be divided into more than one project for the purpose of evading the requirements of this paragraph." The Florida Building Code's 25 percent rule also applies to roof repairs (see the deck and sheathing field).
Wind design criteria
The St. Johns County Building Department states: "The current 2020 Florida Building Code wind design and wind borne debris criteria is currently based on ASCE 7-16 and may be determined by entering the project location using the ATC Hazards by Location website (atcouncil.org). Projects that will be permitted after December 31, 2023 will utilize the wind design load from ASCE 7-2022." The County publishes no fixed design wind speed; the design wind speed and wind-borne debris status are set by project location. For re-roofs, the County's Re-Roof Mitigation Worksheet asks whether the structure is "East or West of the Intracoastal Waterway" and "North or South of the Six Mile Boat Ramp at Guana Lake," and points to the County's iMap for the wind-borne debris region (https://www.gis.sjcfl.us/Html5Viewer/index.html?viewer=iMap). The statewide Florida Building Code wind map is Figure R301.2(4). St. Johns County is not in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, which the Florida Building Code defines as Broward and Miami-Dade counties.
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." Tear-off is also required where blisters are not cut open and secured, or where the existing covering is to be used for attachment and the securement provisions cannot be met. A single re-cover over one existing layer is therefore the most the code allows. St. Johns County Ordinance No. 2022-33, read in full, states no layer limit of its own and does not amend section R908.3. The County's Re-Roof Mitigation Worksheet, which lists "Roof-Overs (1 Time Maximum)" among the exceptions to its hurricane-mitigation retrofit requirements, is consistent with that limit. The County states that it enforces the 2023 8th Edition; its administrative ordinance adopts the 2020 edition of the code's administrative chapter only.
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, 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." Under section R908.7.1.1, plank decking "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 panel decks are re-nailed to Table R908.7.1.2. Section R908.1.1 (the 25 percent rule): "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 for roofs built, repaired or replaced under the 2007 Florida Building Code or later, where "only the repaired, replaced, or recovered portion is required to be constructed in accordance with the Florida Building Code in effect." St. Johns County's Re-Roof Mitigation Worksheet (section 553.844, Florida Statutes), which must accompany re-roofs of existing site-built single-family homes, states: "Roof deck attachments and fasteners must be strengthened and corrected, and a secondary water barrier must be installed regardless of house value." For homes in the wind-borne debris region with a valuation of $300,000 or more, "Roof to wall connections must be enhanced by up to 15% of the re-roof cost," except where roof-to-wall connections were installed at original construction or the cost would exceed 15% of the re-roof replacement value. The worksheet lists as exceptions "Roof-Overs (1 Time Maximum)," duplexes, condos, detached garages, townhomes and "Single Families Designed to the FBC," and states that where hurricane clips or gable-end bracing are needed, the roofer "must subcontract this work to a residential, building or general contractor for that portion of the work not to exceed 50% of the total contract amount." The County's administrative code (Ordinance No. 2022-33, section 110.3, item 5.1) lets the building official accept a notarized affidavit of a licensed roofing contractor for the additional sheathing fasteners, with an exception for "One-family dwellings constructed after March 1st 2002 under the Florida Building Code, Residential."
Sales & use tax
6.5% combined: 6% Florida state sales and use tax plus St. Johns County's 0.5% discretionary sales surtax. The Department of Revenue's Form DR-15DSS for calendar year 2026 lists the St. Johns surtax at .5%, effective January 1, 2016, with an expiration date of December 31, 2035. Per the Department, discretionary sales surtax "applies to the first $5,000 of the sales amount on the sale" of any item of tangible personal property. Under Rule 12A-1.051, Florida Administrative Code, "Roofing work" is a real property contract, and "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." The rate is the roofer's cost on materials, repair and replacement alike, not a tax charged to the homeowner.
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Related guides
The permitting authority for unincorporated St. Johns County. The Building Department permits and inspects construction activity in the county, and its Contractor Licensing program licenses local contractors and registers State-certified contractors to work in the county.
Hail reports near the center of St. Johns County, FL
- Reports, last 24 months
- 1
- Largest, last 24 months
- 1.00 in Jun 10, 2025
- Most recent
- Jun 10, 2025 1.00 in
- Reports, last 5 years
- 3
| Date | Hail size | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 10, 2025 | 1.00 in | 7 mi WSW |
| Sep 11, 2023 | 0.88 in | 7 mi WSW |
| Apr 27, 2023 | 1.75 in | 9 mi S |
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 St. Johns County, FL. Data through Sep 30, 2026. A report is an observation, not a damage record.
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Sources
- sjcfl.us verified 2026-09-26
- sjcfl.us verified 2026-09-26
- stjohnsclerk.com verified 2026-09-26
- leg.state.fl.us verified 2026-09-26
- sjcfl.us verified 2026-09-26
- sjcfl.us verified 2026-09-26
- sjcfl.us verified 2026-09-26
- codes.iccsafe.org verified 2026-09-26
- floridarevenue.com verified 2026-09-26
- sjcfl.us verified 2026-09-26