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Inspections ยท University

Roof inspections in University (Hillsborough County), FL

In University, 74.1 percent of homes were built before 2000, and 31.5 percent were built before 1980. That suggests many roofs here are old enough to draw an insurer's attention. A roof inspection tells you the covering, its condition and how much life is left.

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Updated October 2026

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.

University figures this page uses

Median year homes were built
1986
Owner-occupied share of occupied homes
12.9%
Share of homes built before 2000
74.1%
Share of homes built before 1980
31.5%

Roof age

Roof age and the 15-year line in University

The median home here was built in 1986, with a margin of error of 2 years. Homes from that era were framed to older standards. Ask the seller or owner when the current covering went on, because the home's age does not tell you the roof's age.

Florida sets the roof-age line at 15 years. Below it, your insurer cannot refuse to issue or renew the policy over roof age alone. At 15 years or more, the insurer must allow an inspection by an authorized inspector you hire, and a report showing 5 or more years of useful life blocks a refusal based on age.

Only 12.9 percent of occupied homes in University are owner-occupied. If you own a rental here, the inspection report is your record of the roof's condition, kept for your insurer and your tenants alike.

Inspection scope

What a roof inspection actually checks

The roof section of the 4-point form records the covering material, roof age, remaining useful life, the date of the last roofing permit, and whether the replacement was full or partial. It also records overall condition and the damage list. Citizens requires a 4-point inspection for properties more than 20 years old, and most University homes fall in that group.

  • Cracked, cupped or curling shingles and tiles
  • Worn granules, with felt or asphalt showing through
  • Loose, missing or broken tabs and tiles
  • Soft decking underfoot
  • Stains or leaks on attic wood and ceilings below

Citizens asks for documentation of at least five years of remaining useful life on roofs older than 25 years for shingle, or 50 years for tile, slate, clay, concrete or metal.

Timing

When to order one in University

Order one before you buy, before you list, or when your insurer sends a letter about roof age. After a storm is the other common time. Hurricane Eta in 2020 put 3 to 4 feet of surge across the Tampa Bay area and dropped up to 10.64 inches of rain in Hillsborough County. Check the roof after heavy weather.

Watch the claim clocks. A storm in 2020 sets a notice window of 1 year for a new claim and 18 months for a supplemental one, counted from the date of loss. For what your own policy pays, talk to your insurer or agent.

A roofer may not offer you anything of value for an inspection or a claim, and may not advise on coverage. Any inspection offered with a gift or a deductible waiver breaks Fla. Stat. 489.147.

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Questions

Roof inspections in University: questions

What is the 15 year roof rule in Florida?

The origin of Florida's 15 year roof rule is Fla. Stat. 627.7011(5). For a roof 15 years or older, the insurer must allow you to have an authorized inspector check it at your expense before requiring replacement. If the inspection shows 5 years or more of useful life remaining, the insurer may not refuse or non-renew the policy solely because of roof age. Under 15 years, roof age alone cannot be the reason to refuse or non-renew. In University, 74.1 percent of homes were built before 2000, so many owners meet this rule.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024), table B25034, via Census Reporter API, read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Roof inspections

Who can do the roof inspection for my insurer in University?

Your insurer has to accept the inspector. The list includes a licensed home inspector, a certified building code inspector, a licensed general, building, residential or roofing contractor, a professional engineer, or an architect. With 12.9 percent of occupied University homes owner-occupied, many landlords handle this for tenants. Confirm with your insurer before you book, since the inspection is at your expense.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024), table B25003, via Census Reporter API, read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Roof inspections

Does the 15 year rule apply to my mobile home in University?

The 15 year roof rule in Fla. Stat. 627.7011(5) is written for homeowner's policies, and it likely does not cover a mobile home policy. In University, 7.2 percent of housing units are mobile homes. Where it does apply, an insurer must allow an authorized inspector you hire, at your expense, to check a roof 15 years or older. It may not refuse or non-renew solely for age if the inspection shows 5 years or more of useful life remaining. Ask your insurer or agent which roof papers they want from you.

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

Related: Roof inspections

How long is a wind mitigation inspection good for?

The current form, OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26), is valid for up to five years if no material changes were made to the structure and no inaccuracies were found on it. The form covers roof deck attachment, roof-to-wall connections, roof covering and opening protection. In University, where the median home dates to 1986, several of those items sit in the attic where you cannot see them, so a trained inspector takes photos.

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

Related: Roof inspections

Nearby

Roof inspections near University

Sources for this page(37)
  1. 1.Median year homes were built: 1986. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024), table B25035, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  2. 2.Owner-occupied share of occupied homes: 12.9%. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024), table B25003, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  3. 3.Share of homes built before 2000: 74.1%. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024), table B25034, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  4. 4.Hurricane Eta (2020). NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Eta. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  5. 5.Permit office: Hillsborough County - Building Permits & Records (unincorporated Hillsborough County). Hillsborough County - Building Permits & Records (unincorporated Hillsborough County). Read Oct 10, 2026.
  6. 6.Hurricane Hermine (2016). NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Hermine. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  7. 7.Hurricane Irma (2017). NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Irma. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  8. 8.Wikipedia (Riverview, Brandon); U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 table B25034. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  9. 9.Share of homes built before 1980: 31.5%. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024), table B25034, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  10. 10.Wikipedia, "University, Hillsborough County, Florida" (secondary source). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  11. 11.Mobile homes, share of housing units: 7.2%. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024), table B25024, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  12. 12.Florida Statutes, section 627.7011 (2026). Read Oct 4, 2026.
  13. 13.Insp4pt 03 25. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  14. 14.Citizens Property Insurance Corporation. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  15. 15.Citizens 4-Point Inspection Form, Sample Form Insp4pt 03 25. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  16. 16.Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, inspections FAQ (updated 2026-03-17). Read Oct 4, 2026.
  17. 17.Florida Statutes, section 627.70132 (2026). Read Oct 4, 2026.
  18. 18.Florida Statutes, section 489.147 (2026). Read Oct 4, 2026.
  19. 19.OIR form. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  20. 20.Citizens Property Insurance Corporation. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  21. 21.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.
  22. 22.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Eta, NOAA National Hurricane Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  23. 23.Hillsborough County - Building Permits & Records (unincorporated Hillsborough County), Hillsborough County. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  24. 24.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Hermine, NOAA National Hurricane Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  25. 25.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Irma, NOAA National Hurricane Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  26. 26.Fla. Stat. 489.147-, Florida Legislature. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  27. 27.City of Tampa; City of Temple Terrace (official), City of Tampa. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  28. 28.Florida Statutes, section 713.135 (2026), Florida Legislature. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  29. 29.U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024), table B25034, via Census Reporter API, U.S. Census Bureau (via Census Reporter). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  30. 30.2023 Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed., Chapter 1 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription), UpCodes (Florida Building Code transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  31. 31.2023 Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed., Chapter 15 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription), UpCodes (Florida Building Code transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  32. 32.FRSA, "New 2023 FBC Eighth Edition is Now in Effect", 2024-02-13, floridaroof.com. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  33. 33.Miami-Dade County RER notice, Miami. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  34. 34.NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, station USW00012842 TAMPA INTL AP, NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  35. 35.NOAA Atlas 14 Volume 9 version 2, partial-duration intensity estimates at the University 2020 Census internal point (28.0769, -82.4333), NOAA Hydrometeorological Design Studies Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  36. 36.NOAA Atlas 14 Volume 9 version 2, partial-duration 24-hour depth estimates at the University 2020 Census internal point (28.0769, -82.4333), NOAA Hydrometeorological Design Studies Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  37. 37.NWS Melbourne, Lightning Facts and Trivia, National Weather Service. Read Oct 5, 2026.

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Roof inspections in University

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