Hillsborough County · Census-designated place

Roofing in Palm River-Clair Mel, Florida

The Palm River forms the northern boundary of Palm River-Clair Mel, about 6 miles southeast of downtown Tampa. Your roof here sits in unincorporated Hillsborough County, so the county building office issues the permit. The housing mix matters too: 58.9 percent of homes were built before 2000, and many of those roofs are likely near or past 15 years old.

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Updated October 2026

Drone view looking down on a single-story home with a gray shingle roof, a backyard patio with chairs, a white vinyl fence, palm trees and a debris container at the edge of the frame.

At a glance

Palm River-Clair Mel homes at a glance

People (2020 Census): 26,142
Median year homes were built: 1993
Share of homes built before 1980: 35.9%
Share of homes built 2010 or later: 24.5%
Owner-occupied share of occupied homes: 60.5%

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

Housing age

Home age and roof age in the CDP

The median home in Palm River-Clair Mel was built in 1993. Of the 10,749 housing units, 35.9 percent date before 1980, and 24.5 percent were built in 2010 or later. That split suggests a mix: some original roofs are well past their expected life, while newer homes may still be on their first.

Insurers look at roof age. Under Florida Statute 627.7011(5), your insurer may not refuse or non-renew a policy solely because the roof is under 15 years old. A roof of 15 years or more is different: before any replacement is demanded, you can hire an authorized inspector, at your own cost. A report showing 5 or more years of useful life blocks a refusal based only on age. Your insurer or agent can explain your own policy.

Home types

Mobile homes and apartment buildings in the CDP

Single-family detached houses are 61.4 percent of housing units here. Mobile homes make up 7.2 percent, and 16.4 percent of homes sit in buildings with five or more units.

Ownership also shapes who decides. Owners occupy 60.5 percent of occupied homes, so the rest are rentals. If you manage a multi-unit building, the roof decision often belongs to the owner or association, not the tenant.

Permits and code

County permits and the 25 percent repair limit

Palm River-Clair Mel is an unincorporated CDP, so permits come from the Hillsborough County building office. The city of Tampa borders the CDP to the north and west, but its historic-district review applies inside city limits, where exterior repairs go through a Certificate of Appropriateness. Confirm your parcel's jurisdiction with the county before you sign anything.

The 25 percent rule limits repairs. Repair or replace more than a quarter of a roof section within 12 months, and the whole section must be replaced. A roof built, repaired or replaced under the 2007 Florida Building Code or later, which took effect March 1, 2009, gets an exception for the repaired part only.

Code editions also change. Permit applications filed on or after December 31, 2026 fall under the Ninth Edition, while earlier filings stay under the 2023 edition. A permit becomes invalid if work has not started 6 months after issuance, so schedule the crew before you apply.

Building permits

Hillsborough County - Building Permits & Records (unincorporated Hillsborough County)

Official building page

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

Local weather

Rain, surge and lightning near Tampa Bay

Normals at Tampa International Airport total 49.48 inches a year, with about 61 percent landing June through September. At this town, NOAA Atlas 14 puts a 10-year, 1-hour downpour at 2.92 inches. A 100-year, 24-hour storm drops 11.2 inches. Roof edges, flashing and drainage take that load.

Recent storms reached this part of Tampa Bay. Hurricane Eta in 2020 brought 3 to 4 feet of surge inundation to the Tampa Bay area. Hermine in 2016 produced a 4.09 foot surge at the McKay Bay Entrance gauge. The area also sits in the corridor that gets the most lightning in the United States, where over 90 percent of strikes come May through October.

Local record

On record for Palm River-Clair Mel

The Palm River forms the CDP's northern boundary; the CDP includes the unincorporated communities of Clair-Mel City and Palm River, about 6 miles southeast of downtown Tampa.
Bordered by the city of Tampa to the north and west; U.S. 41 Business crosses East Bay/McKay Bay from the CDP toward downtown Tampa.
U.S. 301 forms the eastern edge of the CDP, with Brandon to the east and Progress Village to the south.

Services

Roofing services in Palm River-Clair Mel

Questions

Palm River-Clair Mel roofing questions

What is the 15 year roof rule in Florida?

Under Florida Statute 627.7011(5), an insurer may not refuse to issue or renew your homeowner's policy solely because the roof is under 15 years old. At 15 years or older, you may have an authorized inspector check the roof at your expense. If it shows 5 or more years of useful life, the insurer cannot refuse or non-renew only for age. With 58.9 percent of local homes built before 2000, this matters here. Your insurer or agent can speak to your policy.

Source: Florida Statutes, section 627.7011 (2026), read Oct 4, 2026

Related: Roof inspections

What is the 25% roof rule in Florida?

Florida Building Code section 1511.1.1 says not more than 25 percent of a roof section may be repaired, replaced or recovered in any 12-month period unless the entire section is replaced. A roof built, repaired or replaced under the 2007 Florida Building Code or later is treated differently for the repaired part. In Palm River-Clair Mel, the Hillsborough County building office reviews your permit, so ask it how the rule fits your roof.

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

Related: Roof replacement

Who issues a roofing permit in Palm River-Clair Mel?

Hillsborough County issues roof permits here because the CDP is unincorporated. Its Building Permits & Records office handles them. The city of Tampa borders the CDP on the north and west, but city rules do not apply to a parcel in the county. A permit becomes invalid if work has not started within 6 months of issuance, so plan your start date first.

Source: Hillsborough County - Building Permits & Records (unincorporated Hillsborough County), read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Roof replacement

Does a mobile home here follow the Florida Building Code?

Mobile homes are 7.2 percent of housing units in Palm River-Clair Mel. Confirm roof requirements for your home with the Hillsborough County building office before ordering materials or signing a contract.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024), table B25024, via Census Reporter API, read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Roof replacement

How much rain should my roof and gutters handle here?

Tampa International Airport averages 49.48 inches a year, and about 61 percent falls June through September. NOAA Atlas 14 puts a 10-year, 1-hour rain at 2.92 inches. Eta in 2020 dropped up to 10.64 inches near Sun City Center in Hillsborough County. Flashing, edges and drainage get tested every summer.

Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, station USW00012842 TAMPA INTL AP, read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Roof repair

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Roofing in Palm River-Clair Mel, Florida

Palm River-Clair Mel homes at a glance

Roofing services in Palm River-Clair Mel

What is the 15 year roof rule in Florida?

What is the 25% roof rule in Florida?

Who issues a roofing permit in Palm River-Clair Mel?

Does a mobile home here follow the Florida Building Code?

How much rain should my roof and gutters handle here?

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Roofing in Palm River-Clair Mel: tell us about yours.