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Re-roofs ยท Hillsborough County

Roof replacement in Hillsborough County, FL

Half of Hillsborough County's homes were built in 1991 or earlier, and 30.4% before 1980, so a roof replacement here often opens a deck first nailed before Florida had one building code. The permit, the deck re-nailing and a sealed underlayment layer are what separate a Hillsborough re-roof from a simple shingle swap.

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Updated October 2026

Drone view of a single-story home mid re-roof: part of the roof stripped to white synthetic underlayment, the rest still in gray shingles, a dump trailer of debris and a pickup in the driveway.

Re-roofing in Hillsborough County, in short

Pull the permit from the office that covers your address: the City of Tampa, Temple Terrace, Plant City, or Hillsborough County for every unincorporated area. Plan on a sheathing inspection at dry-in and a final roofing inspection. If the house predates 2002, expect deck re-nailing and a secondary water barrier; both are code items, not upgrades.

Sources for this answer

Hillsborough County figures

The Hillsborough County numbers behind this page

Median year homes were built
1991
Share of homes built before 1980
30.4%
Share of homes built 2010 or later
18.6%

Older homes

Hillsborough homes built before 1991 and the re-roof code

The Florida Building Code replaced local codes on March 1, 2002. With the county's median home built in 1991, a majority of houses here sit on decks that were framed and nailed before that date. Fla. Stat. 553.844(3) had the state adopt rules by October 1, 2007 so that a roof replacement on a site-built single-family home includes a secondary water barrier and stronger deck attachment, and the residential code spells both out in R908.7.

  • Deck attachment: existing staples or 6d nails, at any spacing, get supplemental ring-shank nails at 6 inches on center or closer; 8d nails already at 6 inches or tighter need nothing more (Table R908.7.1.2).
  • Secondary water barrier: with the covering off, a sealed-deck layer goes down under R905.1.1, such as a fully adhered membrane or taped deck seams (R908.7.2).
  • Old metal: rusted or damaged flashing, edge metal, drain outlets and vent collars may not be reinstalled (R908.5).

The same items appear on the wind mitigation form insurers use, OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26), which grades deck attachment and secondary water resistance. On that form, standard underlayment or hot-mopped felt alone does not count as a secondary water barrier.

Permits

Your re-roof permit: city, or Hillsborough County?

A Hillsborough re-roof permit comes from one of four desks. Houses inside Tampa go to the City of Tampa's Construction Services, Temple Terrace and Plant City each permit their own, and the unincorporated rest of the county, Brandon, Riverview and Town 'n' Country included, files with Hillsborough County Building Permits & Records.

  1. 01

    Permit

    Required for a re-roof (FBC-B 105.1), though reroofs skip plan review (107).

  2. 02

    Notice of Commencement

    Above a set contract amount, the office wants a recorded copy before the first inspection, and the permit card warns that skipping it can mean paying twice (FBC-B 105.8; Fla. Stat. 713.135).

  3. 03

    Sheathing inspection

    Deck, fasteners and dry-in, checked while the deck is still visible (110.3).

  4. 04

    Roofing inspection

    Dry-in, insulation, coverings and flashing at a minimum (110.3).

  5. 05

    Keep it active

    A permit lapses if work has not started 6 months after issue or stops for 6 months (105.4.1).

Historic homes

Re-roofing in Tampa's historic districts and Temple Terrace

A house in one of the City of Tampa's four Local Historic Districts, or one of its 64 Local Historic Landmarks, needs a Certificate of Appropriateness for exterior repairs, and a new roof is an exterior change. Temple Terrace began its own preservation program in 2023 with Ordinance 1550, so owners of its older houses should ask the city whether theirs is covered.

After the storms

Tear-off or recover after Helene and Milton

Helene's surge and Milton's rain reached the county about two weeks apart in 2024. Whether an old roof can take a second layer after that is not a judgment call: the code requires a full tear-off when the existing roof is water-soaked or too deteriorated to serve as a base, when it is tile, slate or wood shake, or when it already has two or more layers (R908.3).

Where a recover is possible, note that the 8th edition lists the residential re-cover sections as Reserved; ask your building office whether it accepts an overlay.

If your roof went on under the 2007 code or later, which took effect March 1, 2009, only the replaced portion has to meet current code, even past 25% of the roof (Fla. Stat. 553.844(5)). That describes the original roofs on the 18.6% of county homes built since 2010.

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Re-roofs

Roof replacement by town in Hillsborough County

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Questions

Roof replacement in Hillsborough County: questions

Do I need a permit to replace my roof in Hillsborough County?

Yes. The state code requires a permit to alter or repair a building, and a re-roof is no exception, though it skips plan review. Which office issues yours depends on the address: Tampa, Temple Terrace and Plant City permit their own, and every unincorporated community from Lutz to Ruskin files with Hillsborough County Building Permits & Records. Once work starts, plan on a sheathing inspection at dry-in and a roofing inspection at the end.

Related: Roof replacement

Does Hillsborough County require a roofing affidavit?

Ask the office that will issue your permit, since it decides which forms go with the application. The document the state code itself names is the Notice of Commencement: the permit card warns that failing to record one can mean paying twice, and on contracts above a set amount the office wants a copy before the first inspection. If Hillsborough County Building Permits & Records or your city also asks for an affidavit, its own current form is the one to use.

Related: FAQ

How long is a Hillsborough County roof permit good for?

Six months to get started, and it has to keep moving after that. Under FBC-B 105.4.1 a permit becomes invalid if work has not begun 6 months after it was issued, or if the job is suspended or abandoned for 6 months. Work counts as active once the permit has an approved inspection within 180 days. These clocks come from the statewide code, which the City of Tampa, Plant City, Temple Terrace and the county office all enforce.

Related: Roof replacement

Does a new roof change my wind mitigation form?

It can. The state's form, OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26), grades roof deck attachment, roof-to-wall connections and whether there is a secondary water barrier, and a re-roof is the moment the deck is exposed. With the median Hillsborough house built in 1991, a tear-off is when any supplemental nailing that R908.7 calls for goes in, and a new inspection can record it. What any change is worth on your premium is a question for your insurer or agent.

Hillsborough County

More in Hillsborough County

Sources for this page(45)
  1. 1.Median year homes were built: 1991. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024), table B25035, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  2. 2.Share of homes built before 1980: 30.4%. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024), table B25034, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  3. 3.Permit office: Hillsborough County - Building Permits & Records (unincorporated Hillsborough County). Hillsborough County - Building Permits & Records (unincorporated Hillsborough County). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  4. 4.City of Tampa; City of Temple Terrace (official). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  5. 5.Hurricane Helene (2024). NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Helene. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  6. 6.Hurricane Milton (2024). NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Milton. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  7. 7.Share of homes built 2010 or later: 18.6%. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024), table B25034, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  8. 8.Senate SB 808 staff analysis pp. 3-4. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  9. 9.FBCR Ch. 9. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  10. 10.Florida OIR, Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form OIR-B1-1802. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  11. 11.Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26). Read Oct 4, 2026.
  12. 12.FBC-B 2023 Ch. 1. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  13. 13.2023 Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed., Chapter 1 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026. FBC text read from UpCodes (unofficial transcription): check floridabuilding.org or the ICC viewer before quoting (spec 8.7). Source URL inherited from C-3 (the research cites it "as C-3").
  14. 14.Florida Statutes, section 553.844 (2026). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  15. 15.Florida Building Commission, "Florida Building Code Effective Dates". Read Oct 5, 2026.
  16. 16.U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024), table B01003, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  17. 17.Hillsborough County, Building Permits & Records (unincorporated Hillsborough County). Read Oct 5, 2026. Official page fetched 2026-10-05 (HTTP 200).
  18. 18.City of Tampa, Construction Services. Read Oct 5, 2026. Official page fetched 2026-10-05 (HTTP 200).
  19. 19.City of Plant City, Building (Development Services). Read Oct 5, 2026. Official page fetched 2026-10-05 (HTTP 200).
  20. 20.City of Temple Terrace, Building and Permitting. Read Oct 5, 2026. Official page fetched 2026-10-05 (HTTP 200).
  21. 21.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Helene. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  22. 22.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Milton. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  23. 23.Fla. Stat. 553.844. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  24. 24.Florida Statutes, section 713.135 (2026). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  25. 25.Wikipedia (Riverview, Brandon); U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 table B25034. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  26. 26.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Hermine. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  27. 27.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Irma. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  28. 28.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Eta. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  29. 29.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Ian. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  30. 30.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Idalia. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  31. 31.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Debby. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  32. 32.NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, station USW00012842 TAMPA INTL AP. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  33. 33.NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, station USC00087205 PLANT CITY. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  34. 34.NWS Melbourne, Lightning Facts and Trivia. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  35. 35.Wikipedia articles for each place (secondary). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  36. 36.U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census (POP100) via TIGERweb tigerWMS_Census2020 layer 82. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  37. 37.NOAA Atlas 14 Volume 9 (Southeastern States) version 2, partial-duration series point estimates, via the HDSC PFDS endpoint (ops/research/v3/services/data/noaa-atlas14-florida-rainfall.tsv), NOAA Hydrometeorological Design Studies Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  38. 38.OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 (Hillsborough County, 2016 on), FEMA. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  39. 39.Florida Statutes, section 627.7011 (2026). Read Oct 4, 2026.
  40. 40.FEMA FL-RA2. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  41. 41.ICC Building Safety Journal, Karl Fippinger, 2024-02-07. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  42. 42.FBC-Building 2023 Chapter 2 definitions. Read Oct 5, 2026. Unofficial transcription; verify on floridabuilding.org.
  43. 43.OIR form. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  44. 44.FBCR Ch. 2. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  45. 45.National Weather Service. Read Oct 5, 2026.

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Roof replacement in Hillsborough County

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