The Roofing Book

Home / Roofing by City / Key West, Florida

Roofing in Key West, Florida

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Key West, FL, issued by City of Key West - Building Department. Re-roofing in Key West is permit work. City Code section 14-37(a) provides that "Building permits shall be procured from the chief building official before performance of any work or construction of any character, whether permanent or temporary," and the City's fee schedule (City Code section 14-2) has its own line for "Roofing (includes repairs and new roofs)", charged per $1,000.00 of contract price with a minimum fee of $100.00. The Building Department publishes a "Checklist for Roofing/Reroofing Permit Application" asking for the job valuation "including all overhead, labor, and cost of materials," a detailed scope with the square footage and materials, "Design pressures for roof and structure," a site plan and a "Notice of Acceptance (NOA) for all components (water barrier, roofing materials, etc.)"; it notes that "A recorded Notice of Commencement (NOC) is required for projects valued at $5,000 or more prior to scheduling the first inspection" and that "Homeowner Builders must submit a signed and notarized Owner-Builder Disclosure Form with application." Since January 1, 2025 the Department states that it "will no longer accept incomplete building permit applications." In the City's historic zoning districts, City Code section 14-40(a) provides that no building permit "shall be issued until a certificate of appropriateness has been granted" by the Historic Architectural Review Commission (HARC). Work started before a permit is issued carries an after-the-fact penalty under section 14-2 of $250.00 on the first $5,000.00 of contract price and "Double the permit fee" above $5,000.00. The permit must be posted at the work site within 48 hours of issuance so that it is "readily visible from an adjacent public street throughout the term of the work.". This hub aggregates roofing permit and contractor-registration requirements for Key West, Florida, along with sourced roofing material references — every fact linked to its directory record.

Roofing permits & building code in Key West

Roofing permit and contractor-licensing rules in Key West are set locally by City of Key West - Building Department. Florida licenses roofing contractors at the state level — a roofing contractor is either certified by the state to work anywhere in Florida or registered to work only where it holds a local certificate of competency — and the Florida Building Code applies statewide, with any local amendment required to be more stringent and filed with the Florida Building Commission — always confirm the current requirements with the authority before starting work.

Roofing permit
Required
Contractor registration
Required
Adopted building 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. City Code section 14-31 adopts "The most current editions as adopted by the State of Florida Building Commission of the Florida Building Code," including the Building, Existing Building and Residential volumes. The City's amendments in section 14-35 (last amended by Ord. No. 23-27, September 14, 2023) are an amended Building section 107.3.5 (flood plan review items), the definitions of Substantial Damage and Substantial Improvement, and section 1612.5 flood hazard documentation, all flood provisions; none touches the roofing chapters. Key West is in Monroe County, outside the Florida Building Code's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (Broward and Miami-Dade counties).
Registration details
  • state_level: Roofing is a separately licensed trade in Florida. Section 489.105(3)(e), Florida Statutes, defines a "Roofing contractor" as "a contractor whose services are unlimited in the roofing trade"; section 489.113(2) states 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 anywhere in Florida; 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) provides an owner-builder exemption for owners building or improving a one-family or two-family residence "for the occupancy or use of such owners and not offered for sale or lease"; this record does not decide whether a particular reader falls within it.
  • city_level: The City's Building Department FAQ states: "Building permits are issued in the name of the person performing the work. Only licensed contractors or owners/builders may obtain a permit," and that "Separate permits required for Electrical, Plumbing, Roofing, and Mechanical work." The City's Permit and Licensing Business Center asks state-certified or registered contractors working inside the City for copies of their "License from the State of Florida or another website as applicable" and of their "Liability insurance and workers' compensation coverage or exemption," with a commercial business address or the Mobile Service Addendum. A City business tax receipt is a separate, general requirement and is not a contractor credential.
Permit process
Re-roofing in Key West is permit work. City Code section 14-37(a) provides that "Building permits shall be procured from the chief building official before performance of any work or construction of any character, whether permanent or temporary," and the City's fee schedule (City Code section 14-2) has its own line for "Roofing (includes repairs and new roofs)", charged per $1,000.00 of contract price with a minimum fee of $100.00. The Building Department publishes a "Checklist for Roofing/Reroofing Permit Application" asking for the job valuation "including all overhead, labor, and cost of materials," a detailed scope with the square footage and materials, "Design pressures for roof and structure," a site plan and a "Notice of Acceptance (NOA) for all components (water barrier, roofing materials, etc.)"; it notes that "A recorded Notice of Commencement (NOC) is required for projects valued at $5,000 or more prior to scheduling the first inspection" and that "Homeowner Builders must submit a signed and notarized Owner-Builder Disclosure Form with application." Since January 1, 2025 the Department states that it "will no longer accept incomplete building permit applications." In the City's historic zoning districts, City Code section 14-40(a) provides that no building permit "shall be issued until a certificate of appropriateness has been granted" by the Historic Architectural Review Commission (HARC). Work started before a permit is issued carries an after-the-fact penalty under section 14-2 of $250.00 on the first $5,000.00 of contract price and "Double the permit fee" above $5,000.00. The permit must be posted at the work site within 48 hours of issuance so that it is "readily visible from an adjacent public street throughout the term of the work."
Inspections
Inspections are requested through the City's eTRAKiT permit portal. The City's Inspections page states that "Required inspections shall be called in a specific order" and must be approved "to complete the building process." Under City Code section 14-37(a), inspections may not be performed if the permit is not posted and the address numbers are not at least 4 inches high and clearly visible from the street. Re-inspection fees under City Code section 14-2 are $25.00 for the first, $50.00 for the second and $100.00 each for three or more.
Portal
Permit portal

View the full Key West permitting authority record →

Roofing materials for Key West

Compare roofing material families — service life, weight, cost band, and durability — for a Key West reroof. Every material entry in the directory carries a cited, dated source.

Start with all roofing materials or the asphalt vs. metal vs. tile comparison.

Local permitting authority

City of Key West - Building Departmentcity

Roofing guides

Class 4 Impact-Resistant ShinglesGuide Asphalt vs. Metal vs. TileGuide Wind & Fire RatingsGuide

Sources