Inspections · Hernando County

Roof inspections in Hernando County, FL

Mobile homes make up 14.4 percent of Hernando County's housing units, and the county's median home was built in 1991. That suggests many roofs here are 15 years or older. Florida law lets you pay an authorized inspector to check an older roof before an insurer can force a replacement.

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Updated October 2026

Red brick county courthouse with white columns stands behind a veterans memorial wall and palm trees. — Photo: Brooksville, FL, Courthouse, Hernando County, South Side, 02-08-2007 by Georgia Guercio, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped

Top-down drone view of a gray-blend shingle roof with ridges, valleys and roof vents, lawn on both sides and a white fence at the left edge. — Photo: Brooksville, FL, Courthouse, Hernando County, South Side, 02-08-2007 by Georgia Guercio, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped

Roof inspection in Hernando County, in short

Order a roof inspection when you buy, sell, receive an insurer letter or after a storm. With a median build year of 1991, many county roofs are past 15 years. An authorized inspector can document five or more years of remaining life, which Florida law ties to non-renewal.

Sources for this answer

Hernando County figures

The Hernando County numbers behind this page

Median year homes were built: 1991
Share of homes built 2010 or later: 9.6%
Share of homes built before 1980: 18.6%
Mobile homes, share of housing units: 14.4%

Housing age

Why many Hernando County roofs are due a look

The median Hernando County home was built in 1991, give or take a year. That makes the typical original roof about 35 years old if it was never replaced. Only 9.6 percent of homes went up in 2010 or later, so few roofs here are new.

Another 18.6 percent of homes predate 1980. Those roofs have almost certainly been replaced at least once, and the permit date from that job matters to an insurer. Your roof's age is the first number any inspector will ask for.

Mobile and manufactured homes are 14.4 percent of units here, and Helene's evacuation orders named them all. Senate staff note that the 15-year roof rule does not apply to mobile home policies, so ask your insurer how it treats your roof.

The 15-year rule

The 15-year roof rule and Hernando County owners

An insurer cannot refuse to issue or renew a homeowner's policy solely because the roof is under 15 years old. Past 15 years, you may hire an authorized inspector, at your own expense, before the insurer requires a replacement.

If that inspection shows five or more years of useful life left, the insurer may not refuse or non-renew solely for roof age. A roofing contractor, a licensed home inspector, an engineer or a building code inspector can qualify, if the insurer accepts them. Policies issued or renewed from July 1, 2022 onward fall under this rule.

Citizens sets its own line: shingle roofs older than 25 years, or hard roofs older than 50, need documentation of five years of remaining life. With 26.4 percent of residents 65 or older, many owners here are keeping policies they have held for decades.

Inspection scope

What a roof inspection checks and records

The roof section of the 4-point form records the covering, age, remaining useful life, last permit date, any partial replacement and overall condition. Citizens requires the 4-point for applications on properties more than 20 years old.

Cracked, cupped or curled shingles, and granules washed off the surface
Exposed asphalt or felt, and loose, missing or cracked tabs or tiles
Soft spots in the roof decking
Leaks showing in the attic or as stains on interior ceilings

The OIR-B1-1802 form is what you fill out for a wind mitigation inspection, and it stands apart from other paperwork. It looks at roof deck attachment, roof-to-wall connections and the sealed roof deck, mostly in the attic. The form can be reused for up to five years while the structure stays unchanged.

Timing

When to order a roof inspection here

Order one before buying or selling, since 82.5 percent of occupied homes here are owner-occupied and the roof is often the first item a buyer's insurer questions. Order one when an insurer letter cites roof age, because the 15-year rule gives you the right to answer it with an inspection.

After a storm, inspect before you repair. Idalia brought a 58 mph gust at Brooksville-Tampa Bay Regional Airport, and Helene a 66 mph gust at Weeki Wachee. A tree or storm hole in the roof needs a county permit, while a repair of 200 square feet or less to missing or broken shingles does not. Confirm with the Hernando County Building Division. Brooksville runs its own.

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Inspections

Roof inspections by town in Hernando County

Roof cost estimator

See a ballpark for your roof

Answer a few questions about your roof and see a ballpark built from published Florida cost data, then get your written estimate.

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Ranges come from published Florida cost guides. They are not South Fork Roofing's prices.

Questions

Roof inspections in Hernando County: questions

How many Hernando County homes are mobile homes?

Mobile homes are 14.4 percent of Hernando County's housing units, by the 2024 American Community Survey. Helene's evacuation orders named all manufactured and mobile homes. Senate staff note that the 15-year roof rule does not apply to mobile home policies. Ask your insurer how it handles roof age and what documentation it wants for your home.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25024, via Census Reporter API (release acs2024_5yr), read Oct 5, 2026

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What does the 15-year roof rule mean for my insurance?

For a roof 15 years or older, your insurer must let you hire an authorized inspector at your own expense before requiring replacement. If the inspection shows five or more years of useful life, the insurer may not refuse or non-renew solely for roof age. With a median build year of 1991 in Hernando County, many owners will meet this rule. Your agent can explain your own policy.

Source: Florida Statutes, section 627.7011 (2026), read Oct 5, 2026

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Who can do the roof inspection an insurer accepts?

An authorized inspector must be one the insurer accepts. That can be a licensed home inspector, a building code inspector, a general, building or residential contractor, a roofing contractor, an engineer or an architect. Hernando County's median home was built in 1991, so many owners will need this. Confirm acceptance with your insurer first.

Source: Florida Statutes, section 627.7011 (2026), read Oct 5, 2026

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Do I need a permit for roof repairs in Hernando County?

Minor nonstructural repairs of 2 squares or 200 square feet or less, such as missing or broken shingles, need no permit under the county exemption list. A tree or storm hole in the roof, or damaged trusses, requires one. Brooksville has its own Building Division, so confirm with the right office.

Source: Hernando County, Residential Building Permit Exemption List (PDF linked from the Building page), read Oct 5, 2026

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How long is a wind mitigation inspection good for?

The current form, OIR-B1-1802 Rev. 04/26, is valid up to five years if no material changes are made to the structure and no inaccuracies are found. It records roof deck attachment, roof-to-wall connections and the sealed roof deck. Hernando County saw a 66 mph gust at Weeki Wachee during Helene, which is why insurers ask.

Source: Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26), read Oct 4, 2026

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Hernando County