The Roofing Book

Permitting Authorities / City of West Palm Beach - Building Division

Do you need a permit to replace a roof in West Palm Beach, FL?

Adopted code

City of West Palm Beach - Building Division

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in West Palm Beach, FL, issued by City of West Palm Beach - Building Division. West Palm Beach issues its own roofing permits. Applications, fee payments, plan review resubmittals and inspection requests go through the city's Civic Access (EPL) online portal; the city's building permit application is the Universal County-Wide/Municipal Building Permit Application Form (January 2024 Edition), which lists "ROOFING" as a trade to check. For a direct contract greater than $5,000 the form requires a certified copy of the recorded Notice of Commencement (or a notarized statement that it has been filed) before the first inspection; the city asks that the recorded NOC be emailed to [email protected] with the permit number in the subject. The Building Division says it has no roof package or roofing affidavit of its own: "Do you have a Roofing Affidavit or Roof Package? No, we do not have a roofing affidavit or roof package." Instead, once "you have an approved roofing permit, prior to starting work," you can "Schedule a Building Miscellaneous inspection type prior to starting work and meet your inspector to discuss expectations on the required inspections," or call the Building Chief Inspector. If bad weather keeps you from calling in required inspections on time, the city advises taking "lots of pictures" and calling the inspections in as soon as possible, "prepared to provide your inspector with the pictures and Roofing Affidavit from Palm Beach County"; "Ultimately, it will be at the discretion of your building inspector to pass or fail any inspections." Work done without a required permit: "you will be required to get a permit to remove the work, or you will have to pay a penalty fee of 4 times the regular permit fee to obtain a permit for the work," and an unpermitted work case may go to a Special Magistrate hearing. An issued permit expires "if 180 consecutive days (6 months) have elapsed from the Issue Date without a passed or partially passed inspection." The state's $7,500 permit exemption for single-family homes (Section 553.79(1)(g), Florida Statutes, effective July 1, 2026) runs through the city's written Permit Exemption request process; see the repair threshold.

Roof code checklist: West Palm Beach, FL

ItemAnswerCode citeSourceVerified
Permit to replace a roofYeswpb.org2026-09-26
Repair permit thresholdPublishedwpb.org2026-09-26
Layer limit / roof-overPublishedR908.3codes.iccsafe.org2026-09-26
Deck & sheathingPublishedcodes.iccsafe.org2026-09-26
Drip edgeYesR905.2.8.5codes.iccsafe.org2026-09-26
Ice & water shieldNot published
Mid-roof inspectionYesSec. 110.3wpb.org2026-09-26
Impact-resistant (Class 4) roofingNot published
Wind design criteriaNot published
Adopted codePublished§ 120.536online.encodeplus.com2026-09-26
Contractor license / registrationYeswpb.org2026-09-26
Sales & use taxPublisheddr15dss_26.pdf2026-09-26

Each row comes from the sourced record on this page; full wording is in the table below. "Not published" means no official source for that item was found when the record was last verified.

Jurisdiction
City of West Palm Beach, Florida
Jurisdiction type
city
Address
401 Clematis Street, 1st Floor (City Hall), West Palm Beach, FL 33401
Contact
  • url: https://www.wpb.org/Departments/Development-Services/Building-Division
  • phone: 561-805-6700
  • email: [email protected]
Permit portal
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.
  • city_level: West Palm Beach City Code Sec. 18-3 (Certification and competency of contractor): "Every person engaged or intending to engage in business in this city as a contractor, general contractor, building contractor, residential contractor, or other trade regulated by and as defined in F.S. § 489.105, Division I and Division II, shall present to the building official a certificate of competency from the department of business and professional regulation, except for those registered heretofore under the grandfather clause, or take such examination as to their competency to engage in the business of construction as may be approved by the city." Contractors must register with the Building Division before applying for permits: "To register as a contractor, send an email to [email protected] with copies of the following: Your State license or County competency license. Your valid local business tax receipt from the City or County your business is located/domiciled in. Your certificate(s) of insurance for both general liability and worker's compensation. Must have the City as the certificate holder" (City of West Palm Beach, 401 Clematis St), or a copy of a workers' compensation exemption. A business tax receipt is a tax, not a contractor licence.
  • 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 improving one-family or two-family residences "for the occupancy or use of such owners and not offered for sale or lease." The city's permit FAQ says a homeowner may pull a permit under the Owner-Builder exemption "if the property is not titled through a company, and you are not currently renting the property and do not sell or rent the property for a minimum of one year after completing the work," and must "appear in person before permit issuance at City Hall at 401 Clematis St to sign the permit application form and Owner-Builder affidavit." Whether a particular owner qualifies is for the statute and the city to say, not this record.
Permit process note
West Palm Beach issues its own roofing permits. Applications, fee payments, plan review resubmittals and inspection requests go through the city's Civic Access (EPL) online portal; the city's building permit application is the Universal County-Wide/Municipal Building Permit Application Form (January 2024 Edition), which lists "ROOFING" as a trade to check. For a direct contract greater than $5,000 the form requires a certified copy of the recorded Notice of Commencement (or a notarized statement that it has been filed) before the first inspection; the city asks that the recorded NOC be emailed to [email protected] with the permit number in the subject. The Building Division says it has no roof package or roofing affidavit of its own: "Do you have a Roofing Affidavit or Roof Package? No, we do not have a roofing affidavit or roof package." Instead, once "you have an approved roofing permit, prior to starting work," you can "Schedule a Building Miscellaneous inspection type prior to starting work and meet your inspector to discuss expectations on the required inspections," or call the Building Chief Inspector. If bad weather keeps you from calling in required inspections on time, the city advises taking "lots of pictures" and calling the inspections in as soon as possible, "prepared to provide your inspector with the pictures and Roofing Affidavit from Palm Beach County"; "Ultimately, it will be at the discretion of your building inspector to pass or fail any inspections." Work done without a required permit: "you will be required to get a permit to remove the work, or you will have to pay a penalty fee of 4 times the regular permit fee to obtain a permit for the work," and an unpermitted work case may go to a Special Magistrate hearing. An issued permit expires "if 180 consecutive days (6 months) have elapsed from the Issue Date without a passed or partially passed inspection." The state's $7,500 permit exemption for single-family homes (Section 553.79(1)(g), Florida Statutes, effective July 1, 2026) runs through the city's written Permit Exemption request process; see the repair threshold.
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; the code applies statewide without local adoption. West Palm Beach City Code Sec. 18-31 (Florida Building Code adopted) recites that "The Florida Building Commission has adopted, by rule pursuant to F.S. §§ 120.536(1) and 120.54, the Florida Building Code," and names no edition. Sec. 18-32 (last amended by Ordinance No. 4966-21, September 20, 2021): "The city administrative amendments and technical amendments to the Florida Building Code are hereby adopted by reference as if fully set out in this section and shall remain in force and effect as provided by law. The city wind map amendments are hereby adopted by reference as if fully set out in this section and shall remain in force and effect as provided by law." The amendments adopted by reference are not set out in the City Code, and the city has not published them online. The technical amendments that are set out in the code are Sec. 18-33 (Residential: substantial improvement and minimum building elevations and enclosures in flood hazard areas, Ordinance No. 5116-24); Sec. 18-34 (Building) was repealed by Ordinance No. 5116-24, and Sec. 18-35 (Existing Building) carries a heading and no text. None of the set-out amendments touches roofing. The Florida Building Commission's local-amendment registry lists no amendments for the City of West Palm Beach under the 2023 or 2020 code.
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." This applies to shingle roofs. The building code amendments West Palm Beach sets out in its City Code (Chapter 18, Article II: flood provisions only) do not touch the roofing chapter, and the state registry lists no city amendment. The City Code also adopts, by reference, city amendments that are not set out in the code; Florida law allows local amendments only where they are more stringent than the state code. About drip edge
Mid-roof inspection
Required — The Building Division's permit FAQ, on roofing permits, lists the required inspections a roofing job may carry: "That may include but not be limited to Roof Framing, Roof Metal/Tin Tag, Roof Sheathing, Roofing in Progress, or a Final inspection." The city recommends scheduling "a Building Miscellaneous inspection type prior to starting work" to meet the inspector and discuss the required inspections, and says "it will be at the discretion of your building inspector to pass or fail any inspections." The state code's required inspections (Florida Building Code, Building, Section 110.3) include "5. Roofing inspection. Shall at a minimum include the following building components:" dry-in, insulation, roof coverings and flashing.
Repair permit threshold
West Palm Beach's own exemption process applies the state's $7,500 exemption and sets no separate dollar or size line for roof work. The state's exemption, Section 553.79(1)(g), Florida Statutes (effective July 1, 2026), exempts "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," but it "does not apply to" work on a 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," and requires "a written request for exemption to the local enforcement agency with a copy of the contract or other documentation demonstrating the nature and the value of the work to be performed." A full reroof ordinarily costs more than $7,500. West Palm Beach applies the exemption through a "Permit Exemption" request in its Civic Access portal with a notarized Permit Exemption Request Affidavit (Rev. 07/01/2026). The city's FAQ lists scopes that "are not eligible for the exemption and still require a permit regardless of cost:" structural, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, gas, fences, fence pool barriers and driveways, and any work on a property in a flood hazard area, and adds "A construction project may not be divided into two or more smaller projects for the purpose of staying under the $7,500 threshold to qualify for the exemption." The affidavit asks the owner to affirm that "the proposed scope of work does not contain any electrical, plumbing, structural, mechanical, or gas work." Neither names roofing either way. If approved, "the City will issue an Exemption Certificate verifying your approval to commence your proposed scope of work without a permit. If your exemption request is denied, a permit will be required for your proposed scope of work." Separately, under Section 553.844(5), Florida Statutes, where the existing roof was built, repaired or replaced under the 2007 Florida Building Code or later and 25 percent or more is being repaired, replaced or recovered, "only the repaired, replaced, or recovered portion is required to be constructed in accordance with the Florida Building Code in effect, as applicable."
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:" including "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," "Where the existing roof covering is wood shingle or shake, slate, clay, cement or asbestos-cement tile," and "3. Where the existing roof has two or more applications of any type of roof covering." Under that text one re-cover over a single existing layer is the most the state code allows. West Palm Beach's set-out building code amendments (City Code Sec. 18-33, flood provisions; Sec. 18-34 repealed; Sec. 18-35 without text) do not touch reroofing, and the state registry lists no city amendment. The City Code also adopts, by reference, city administrative and technical amendments that are not set out in the code and are not published online, so this record does not state that no local layer rule exists. The city states no layer number of its 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: (a) Roof-decking attachment shall be as required by Section 706.7.1. (b) A secondary water barrier shall be provided as required by Section 706.7.2. Exception: Structures permitted subject to the Florida Building Code are not required to comply with this section." West Palm Beach's permit FAQ lists "Roof Sheathing" among the inspections a roofing permit may carry. The city's set-out building code amendments (City Code Chapter 18, Article II) do not change these provisions, and the state registry lists no city amendment.
Sales & use tax
6.5% combined on materials: the 6% Florida state sales and use tax plus Palm Beach County's 0.5% discretionary sales surtax. The Florida Department of Revenue's Form DR-15DSS for calendar year 2026 lists Palm Beach at ".5% Total Surtax Rate": a "New .5% school capital outlay surtax begins 1/1/2026 and expires 12/31/2035," and the "Current 1% local government infrastructure surtax is repealed effective 12/31/2025." The 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" (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.

Local roofing hub

Roofing in West Palm Beach, FloridaCity hub

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The Building Division of the City of West Palm Beach Development Services Department processes and reviews building permit applications, including roofing permits, and inspects work inside the city limits for building code compliance. Applications, fees and inspection requests go through the city's Civic Access (EPL) online portal.

Hail reports near West Palm Beach, FL

Reports, last 24 months
7
Largest, last 24 months
1.50 in May 23, 2025
Most recent
Jun 24, 2026 1.00 in
Reports, last 5 years
16
5 most recent reports, last 5 years
DateHail sizeDistance
Jun 24, 20261.00 in8 mi SW
May 23, 20251.50 in9 mi S
May 23, 20251.00 in9 mi SSE
May 23, 20251.00 in5 mi SSW
May 5, 20251.00 in9 mi SSW

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 West Palm Beach, FL (Census point). Data through Sep 30, 2026. A report is an observation, not a damage record.

Working an insurance claim in West Palm Beach, 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

Roofing questions: West Palm Beach, FL

Do you need a permit to replace a roof in West Palm Beach, FL?

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in West Palm Beach, FL. West Palm Beach's own exemption process applies the state's $7,500 exemption and sets no separate dollar or size line for roof work. The state's exemption, Section 553.79(1)(g), Florida Statutes (effective July 1, 2026), exempts "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," but it "does not apply to" work on a 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," and requires "a written request for exemption to the local enforcement agency with a copy of the contract or other documentation demonstrating the nature and the value of the work to be performed." A full reroof ordinarily costs more than $7,500. West Palm Beach applies the exemption through a "Permit Exemption" request in its Civic Access portal with a notarized Permit Exemption Request Affidavit (Rev. 07/01/2026). The city's FAQ lists scopes that "are not eligible for the exemption and still require a permit regardless of cost:" structural, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, gas, fences, fence pool barriers and driveways, and any work on a property in a flood hazard area, and adds "A construction project may not be divided into two or more smaller projects for the purpose of staying under the $7,500 threshold to qualify for the exemption." The affidavit asks the owner to affirm that "the proposed scope of work does not contain any electrical, plumbing, structural, mechanical, or gas work." Neither names roofing either way. If approved, "the City will issue an Exemption Certificate verifying your approval to commence your proposed scope of work without a permit. If your exemption request is denied, a permit will be required for your proposed scope of work." Separately, under Section 553.844(5), Florida Statutes, where the existing roof was built, repaired or replaced under the 2007 Florida Building Code or later and 25 percent or more is being repaired, replaced or recovered, "only the repaired, replaced, or recovered portion is required to be constructed in accordance with the Florida Building Code in effect, as applicable."

Is drip edge required in West Palm Beach, FL?

Yes. Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th Edition (2023), Section R905.2.8.5: "Provide drip edge at eaves and gables of shingle roofs." This applies to shingle roofs. The building code amendments West Palm Beach sets out in its City Code (Chapter 18, Article II: flood provisions only) do not touch the roofing chapter, and the state registry lists no city amendment. The City Code also adopts, by reference, city amendments that are not set out in the code; Florida law allows local amendments only where they are more stringent than the state code.

Can you roof over an existing roof in West Palm Beach, FL?

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:" including "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," "Where the existing roof covering is wood shingle or shake, slate, clay, cement or asbestos-cement tile," and "3. Where the existing roof has two or more applications of any type of roof covering." Under that text one re-cover over a single existing layer is the most the state code allows. West Palm Beach's set-out building code amendments (City Code Sec. 18-33, flood provisions; Sec. 18-34 repealed; Sec. 18-35 without text) do not touch reroofing, and the state registry lists no city amendment. The City Code also adopts, by reference, city administrative and technical amendments that are not set out in the code and are not published online, so this record does not state that no local layer rule exists. The city states no layer number of its own. Chapter 9: https://codes.iccsafe.org/content/FLRC2023P1/chapter-9-roof-assemblies

Do roofing contractors need a license or registration in West Palm Beach, FL?

Yes.

What building code does West Palm Beach, FL use?

Florida Building Code, 8th Edition (2023), Residential (2021 IRC base), effective December 31, 2023, adopted statewide by Rule 61G20-1.001, Florida Administrative Code; the code applies statewide without local adoption. West Palm Beach City Code Sec. 18-31 (Florida Building Code adopted) recites that "The Florida Building Commission has adopted, by rule pursuant to F.S. §§ 120.536(1) and 120.54, the Florida Building Code," and names no edition. Sec. 18-32 (last amended by Ordinance No. 4966-21, September 20, 2021): "The city administrative amendments and technical amendments to the Florida Building Code are hereby adopted by reference as if fully set out in this section and shall remain in force and effect as provided by law. The city wind map amendments are hereby adopted by reference as if fully set out in this section and shall remain in force and effect as provided by law." The amendments adopted by reference are not set out in the City Code, and the city has not published them online. The technical amendments that are set out in the code are Sec. 18-33 (Residential: substantial improvement and minimum building elevations and enclosures in flood hazard areas, Ordinance No. 5116-24); Sec. 18-34 (Building) was repealed by Ordinance No. 5116-24, and Sec. 18-35 (Existing Building) carries a heading and no text. None of the set-out amendments touches roofing. The Florida Building Commission's local-amendment registry lists no amendments for the City of West Palm Beach under the 2023 or 2020 code.

Is a mid-roof inspection required in West Palm Beach, FL?

Yes. The Building Division's permit FAQ, on roofing permits, lists the required inspections a roofing job may carry: "That may include but not be limited to Roof Framing, Roof Metal/Tin Tag, Roof Sheathing, Roofing in Progress, or a Final inspection." The city recommends scheduling "a Building Miscellaneous inspection type prior to starting work" to meet the inspector and discuss the required inspections, and says "it will be at the discretion of your building inspector to pass or fail any inspections." The state code's required inspections (Florida Building Code, Building, Section 110.3) include "5. Roofing inspection. Shall at a minimum include the following building components:" dry-in, insulation, roof coverings and flashing.