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Hillsborough County ยท Census-designated place

Roofing in Thonotosassa, Florida

The Hillsborough River forms the northern edge of Thonotosassa, with I-4 on the south and I-75 on the west. Inside those lines sit 5,999 housing units, and 39.2 percent of them are mobile homes. That mix, plus a median build year of 1989, shapes what your roof needs and who must approve the work.

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Updated October 2026

Wooden fence in grass overlooks a wide lake under large white clouds and a power line.
Photo: Lake Thonotosassa by Piperpet, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped

At a glance

Thonotosassa homes at a glance

People (2020 Census)
15,238
Median year homes were built
1989
Share of homes built before 1980
25.6%
Share of homes built 2010 or later
20.2%
Owner-occupied share of occupied homes
66.9%

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

Roof age

Roof age in a town with a 1989 median build year

The median home here was built in 1989, and 63.9 percent of homes predate 2000. That suggests many original roofs are well past 25 years, or close to it. Only 20.2 percent of homes date from 2010 or later.

Age matters to your insurer. Citizens Property Insurance asks for documentation of five years of remaining useful life on a shingle roof older than 25 years. A metal, tile or concrete roof gets that same test after 50 years. Your insurance agent is the person to explain how your policy handles the age of your roof.

Mobile homes

Mobile and manufactured homes make up nearly 40 percent

Mobile homes are 39.2 percent of housing units here, against 47.5 percent for single-family detached homes. The two types are close to equal, so mobile home roofing is a normal part of the local picture, not a niche.

The year a home was manufactured changes the rules it was built under. Check your home's build date before you plan a reroof.

Permits and code

Permits, the 25 percent rule and the county office

Thonotosassa sits outside any city limits, so the county building office handles your roof permit. You do not go through a city office or a historic review board. Before any work begins, check the current forms and fees directly with that office.

On the 25 percent rule: if more than 25 percent of a roof section is repaired or replaced in any 12-month period, the whole section must be brought to current code. An exception applies when the existing roof was built or redone under the 2007 Florida Building Code or a later edition. The 2023 edition is in force now, and permit applications filed on or after December 31, 2026 fall under the Ninth Edition.

Once you have a permit, the building code requires you to record a Notice of Commencement and post it on the job site before the first inspection. A permit also lapses if no work starts within 180 days of issue. Keep the paperwork current.

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.

Storms

Rain and storms your Thonotosassa roof has to handle

Water covers 6.5 percent of the town's area, and the Hillsborough River borders it. Tampa's normal rainfall is 49.48 inches a year, and about 61 percent falls June through September. A 100-year storm here drops 11.5 inches in 24 hours, which tests flashing and roof edges.

The county has taken real storm hits. Hurricane Eta in 2020 dumped as much as 10.64 inches of rain near Sun City Center. Hurricane Irma in 2017 passed between Tampa and Orlando as a category 1 storm. The Tampa Bay corridor also sees the most lightning in the country, mostly May through October.

Local record

On record for Thonotosassa

  • The Hillsborough River forms the CDP's northern edge; I-4 forms the southern edge and I-75 the western edge.
  • Water covers 6.5% of the place's total area.

Services

Roofing services in Thonotosassa

Questions

Thonotosassa roofing questions

What is the 25% roof rule in Florida?

If more than 25 percent of a roof section is repaired, replaced or recovered in any 12-month period, the whole section must meet current code. An exception applies if the roof was built or redone under the 2007 Florida Building Code or later. In Thonotosassa, where the median home dates to 1989, many older roofs fall outside that exception. Contact the Hillsborough County building office to learn how its rules apply to your roof.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024), table B25035, via Census Reporter API, read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Roof replacement

Who issues roof permits in Thonotosassa?

The Hillsborough County building office does, since Thonotosassa has no city government of its own. Its Building Permits and Records page is the place to start. There is no separate city office or local historic review here. A permit lapses if work does not start within 6 months of issue, so schedule the job before you apply.

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

Related: Roof replacement

Can a mobile home in Thonotosassa get a new roof?

Yes. Mobile homes are 39.2 percent of housing units here, so reroofs on them are common. Check the home's manufacture date first. The code treats homes made before March 1, 2002 differently from those made after it. Confirm requirements with the Hillsborough County building office before you choose materials.

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 old can my roof be before Citizens asks questions?

For Citizens Property Insurance, a shingle roof older than 25 years needs documentation of five years of remaining life. Tile, slate, concrete or metal roofs get that test after 50 years. With a 1989 median build year in Thonotosassa, many original shingle roofs are likely past 25 years. Ask your insurer or agent for your policy's terms.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024), table B25035, via Census Reporter API, read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Roof inspections

Does Thonotosassa get heavy rain on roofs?

Yes, in summer especially. Tampa averages 49.48 inches a year, with about 61 percent from June through September. At Thonotosassa, a 10-year storm drops 2.93 inches in one hour. Plant City, in the east of the county, runs wetter at about 56.1 inches a year. Good flashing and clear drainage matter here.

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

Related: Roof repair

Nearby

Near Thonotosassa

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More in Hillsborough County

Sources for this page(34)
  1. 1.Median year homes were built: 1989. 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 2000: 63.9%. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024), table B25034, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  3. 3.Share of homes built 2010 or later: 20.2%. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024), table B25034, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  4. 4.Wikipedia (Riverview, Brandon); U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 table B25034. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  5. 5.Mobile homes, share of housing units: 39.2%. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024), table B25024, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  6. 6.Single-family detached share of housing units: 47.5%. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024), table B25024, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  7. 7.Permit office: Hillsborough County - Building Permits & Records (unincorporated Hillsborough County). Hillsborough County - Building Permits & Records (unincorporated Hillsborough County). Read Oct 10, 2026.
  8. 8.City of Tampa; City of Temple Terrace (official). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  9. 9.U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2020 place geography (AREALAND/AREAWATER) via TIGERweb tigerWMS_Census2020. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  10. 10.NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, station USW00012842 TAMPA INTL AP. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  11. 11.Wikipedia, "Thonotosassa, Florida" (secondary source). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  12. 12.Hurricane Eta (2020). NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Eta. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  13. 13.Hurricane Irma (2017). NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Irma. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  14. 14.NWS Melbourne, Lightning Facts and Trivia. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  15. 15.Hurricane Hermine (2016). NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Hermine. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  16. 16.Wikipedia articles for each place (secondary). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  17. 17.Housing units (ACS 5-year): 5,999. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024), table B25001, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  18. 18.NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, station USC00087205 PLANT CITY. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  19. 19.People (2020 Census): 15,238. U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census (POP100) via TIGERweb tigerWMS_Census2020. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  20. 20.Share of homes built before 1980: 25.6%. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024), table B25034, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  21. 21.Owner-occupied share of occupied homes: 66.9%. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024), table B25003, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  22. 22.U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024), table B25035, via Census Reporter API, U.S. Census Bureau (via Census Reporter). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  23. 23.Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, inspections FAQ (updated 2026-03-17), Citizens Property Insurance. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  24. 24.2023 Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed., Chapter 1 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription), UpCodes (Florida Building Code transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  25. 25.Hillsborough County - Building Permits & Records (unincorporated Hillsborough County), Hillsborough County. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  26. 26.2023 Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed., Chapter 15 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription), UpCodes (Florida Building Code transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  27. 27.FRSA, "New 2023 FBC Eighth Edition is Now in Effect", 2024-02-13, floridaroof.com. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  28. 28.Miami-Dade County RER notice, Miami. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  29. 29.Florida Statutes, section 713.135 (2026), Florida Legislature. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  30. 30.NOAA Atlas 14 Volume 9 version 2, partial-duration 24-hour depth estimates at the Thonotosassa 2020 Census internal point (28.0466, -82.2965), NOAA Hydrometeorological Design Studies Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  31. 31.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Eta, NOAA National Hurricane Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  32. 32.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Irma, NOAA National Hurricane Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  33. 33.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Hermine, NOAA National Hurricane Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  34. 34.NOAA Atlas 14 Volume 9 version 2, partial-duration intensity estimates at the Thonotosassa 2020 Census internal point (28.0466, -82.2965), NOAA Hydrometeorological Design Studies Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.

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