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Roofing in Cocoa, Florida

Cocoa's first families arrived around 1860 along the Indian River, and the city was incorporated in 1895. That history shows up on roofs today. The median home here was built in 1975, and more than half of the 10,230 housing units were built before 1980. If your roof is original or close to it, you should know its age, your insurer's rules, and which permits the city requires before any work starts.

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Updated October 2026

Covered pavilion and wooden boardwalk along a riverfront with palm trees and a few small distant people.
Photo: Cocoa Riverfront Park 2 by COCOAFL, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped

At a glance

Cocoa homes at a glance

People (2020 Census)
19,041
Median year homes were built
1975
Share of homes built before 1980
54.9%
Share of homes built 2010 or later
15.2%
Owner-occupied share of occupied homes
63.5%

Census figures; each one is listed in the sources at the end of this page.

Housing age

Why older homes in Cocoa change roof decisions

The median home in Cocoa was built in 1975, with a margin of error of plus or minus 5 years. Countywide the median is 1988, so Cocoa's housing stock is noticeably older than the rest of Brevard County. That is 13 years older. Many roofs on these homes are likely past 25 years of age, which is the threshold where insurers start asking for more paperwork.

Citizens Property Insurance sets a documentation bar for older roofs. A shingle roof past 25 years must show at least five years of remaining life. A tile, metal or concrete roof is held to a 50-year threshold instead. If your roof is past 25 years, ask your insurer or agent what proof they will need before you schedule work. Do not assume a repair will satisfy them.

Permits and rules

Mobile homes and permits in Cocoa

Mobile homes make up 4.9 percent of housing units in Cocoa, compared with 7.2 percent across the county. Homeowners in mobile or manufactured homes should note that the city's permit list includes a separate set-up permit type for manufactured homes, alongside its Reroof permit type. Confirm which permit your job needs before any crew starts.

Roof permits in Cocoa run through the City of Cocoa Building & Permitting office. Ask the office whether a roof replacement or repair needs a Reroof permit, and whether any local review, such as a historic district or flood rule, applies to your address. The city's permit list does not name those reviews, so confirm them directly with the building office.

Building permits

City of Cocoa Building & Permitting

Official building page

Office names and links only. Fees, forms and timing change; check the official page.

Weather risk

Storms and rain that test Cocoa roofs

Hurricane Matthew in 2016 passed about 25 miles offshore and brought peak gusts of 81 mph to Merritt Island and 77 mph to Cocoa Beach. Damage across the region generally involved roof shingles, soffits and awnings. Hurricane Irma in 2017 damaged more than 7,132 homes countywide, including 400 with major damage. Shingle loss from wind was a common problem in both storms.

Rain here is heavy. Titusville averages 55.20 inches a year and Melbourne International averages 50.79 inches, based on 1991-2020 normals. In a 10-year storm the 24-hour total is 7.46 inches, and a 100-year storm produces 13.1 inches. Check flashing and seals after heavy rain, because water that enters at a roof edge can damage the decking below.

Local record

On record for Cocoa

  • Cocoa's first families arrived around 1860 along the Indian River; the city was incorporated in 1895.
  • Cocoa's online permit list includes a separate "Reroof" permit type and manufactured-home set-up permits.
  • Water is 14.6% of the place's total area.

Services

Roofing services in Cocoa

Questions

Cocoa roofing questions

What is the 15 year roof rule in Florida?

The 15 year roof rule is a Florida insurance rule, Fla. Stat. 627.7011(5). An insurer may not refuse or non-renew a homeowner's policy solely because the roof is less than 15 years old. For a roof 15 years or older, the insurer must let the homeowner have an authorized inspector check it at the homeowner's expense, and may not refuse or non-renew solely for age if the inspection shows 5 or more years of useful life left. The median Cocoa home was built in 1975, so many owners here may meet this rule.

Source: 2023 Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed., Chapter 15 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription), read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Roof replacement

What is the new law in Florida about roofs?

The newest building-code change is the Ninth Edition of the Florida Building Code, effective December 31, 2026. A Cocoa roof permit applied for on or after that day falls under it. Before that, the Eighth Edition from 2023 governs. Ask the City of Cocoa Building & Permitting office which edition applies to your permit.

Source: Miami-Dade County RER notice, read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Roof replacement

How old is the typical home in Cocoa?

The median home in Cocoa was built in 1975, with a margin of error of plus or minus 5 years. About 54.9 percent of housing units were built before 1980. Countywide the median is 1988. If your roof is original, ask your insurer what documentation it requires for a roof older than 25 years.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates (acs2024_5yr), via Census Reporter API, table B25034, read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Roof inspections

Do mobile homes need a different permit in Cocoa?

The City of Cocoa's online permit list includes manufactured-home set-up permits as a separate type from its Reroof permit. Mobile homes are 4.9 percent of housing units here. Confirm with the City of Cocoa Building & Permitting office which permit your roof work needs before it begins.

Source: City of Cocoa, Building & Permitting, read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Roof replacement

How much rain falls on Cocoa roofs?

Titusville averages 55.20 inches of rain a year and Melbourne International averages 50.79 inches, based on 1991-2020 normals. In a 10-year storm, the 24-hour total is 7.46 inches. Check flashing and seals after heavy rain.

Source: NOAA NCEI, U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (annual/seasonal), access-data API, read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Roof repair

Nearby

Near Cocoa

Brevard CountyOur 20 counties

Brevard County

More in Brevard County

Sources for this page(29)
  1. 1.Median year homes were built: 1975. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates (acs2024_5yr), via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  2. 2.U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates (acs2024_5yr), via Census Reporter API, table B25035. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  3. 3.U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates (acs2024_5yr), via Census Reporter API, tables B25034/B25035. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  4. 4.Brevard County, Building Code Wind Speed Maps. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  5. 5.Mobile homes, share of housing units: 4.9%. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates (acs2024_5yr), via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  6. 6.U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates (acs2024_5yr), via Census Reporter API, table B25024. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  7. 7.City of Cocoa, Building & Permitting. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  8. 8.Permit office: City of Cocoa Building & Permitting. City of Cocoa Building & Permitting. Read Oct 10, 2026.
  9. 9.Hurricane Matthew (2016). NWS Melbourne, Post Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Matthew (2016). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  10. 10.Hurricane Irma (2017). NWS Melbourne, Post Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Irma (2017). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  11. 11.NOAA NCEI, U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (annual/seasonal), access-data API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  12. 12.U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census (TIGERweb tigerWMS_Census2020 MapServer: POP100, HU100, AREALAND, AREAWATER). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  13. 13.City of Cocoa, History & Culture. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  14. 14.Housing units (ACS 5-year): 10,230. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates (acs2024_5yr), via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  15. 15.Share of homes built before 1980: 54.9%. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates (acs2024_5yr), via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  16. 16.U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates (acs2024_5yr), via Census Reporter API, table B25034. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  17. 17.People (2020 Census): 19,041. U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census (TIGERweb tigerWMS_Census2020 MapServer: POP100, HU100, AREALAND, AREAWATER) (2020 Census count). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  18. 18.Share of homes built 2010 or later: 15.2%. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates (acs2024_5yr), via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  19. 19.Owner-occupied share of occupied homes: 63.5%. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates (acs2024_5yr), via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  20. 20.U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census (TIGERweb tigerWMS_Census2020 MapServer: POP100, HU100, AREALAND, AREAWATER). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  21. 21.U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates (acs2024_5yr), via Census Reporter API, U.S. Census Bureau (via Census Reporter). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  22. 22.Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, inspections FAQ (updated 2026-03-17), Citizens Property Insurance. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  23. 23.City of Cocoa Building & Permitting, City of Cocoa Building & Permitting. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  24. 24.NWS Melbourne, Post Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Matthew (2016), National Weather Service. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  25. 25.NWS Melbourne, Post Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Irma (2017), National Weather Service. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  26. 26.NOAA Atlas 14 Volume 9 version 2, partial-duration 24-hour depth estimates at the Cocoa 2020 Census internal point (28.3766, -80.7633), NOAA Hydrometeorological Design Studies Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  27. 27.2023 Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed., Chapter 15 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription), UpCodes (Florida Building Code transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  28. 28.Miami-Dade County RER notice, Miami. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  29. 29.FRSA, "New 2023 FBC Eighth Edition is Now in Effect", 2024-02-13, floridaroof.com. Read Oct 5, 2026.

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