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Martin County ยท Census-designated place

Roofing in Palm City, Florida

Palm City sits between Florida's Turnpike on the west and the South Fork of the St. Lucie River on the southeast, with Stuart on its eastern edge. The median home here went up in 1993, so many roofs are now 30 years old. Permits come from Martin County, not a city office. South Fork Roofing explains what that means for you.

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Updated October 2026

White modern library building with a metal-roofed entrance, palm trees, and a parked red minivan.
Photo: Peter and Julie Cummings Library Palm City FL-001 by Stephen B Calvert Clariosophic, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped

At a glance

Palm City homes at a glance

People (2020 Census)
25,883
Median year homes were built
1993
Share of homes built before 1980
10.6%
Share of homes built 2010 or later
8.5%
Owner-occupied share of occupied homes
89.7%
Single-family detached share of housing units
74%

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

Roof age

How old are Palm City roofs, and does it matter?

The median Palm City home was built in 1993, with a margin of 2 years. By our arithmetic, that is a gap of 7 years from the Martin County median of 1986. That suggests many original shingle roofs here are already past the 25-year mark.

Age matters to insurers. Citizens Property Insurance wants proof of five more years of useful life once a shingle roof passes 25 years, or a tile, slate, clay, concrete or metal roof passes 50. If your Palm City policy is with Citizens, ask your agent how they apply that to your roof.

Only 10.6 percent of homes here were built before 1980, and 8.5 percent were built in 2010 or later. Most of the housing sits in the middle, built under the Florida Building Code's early editions.

Permits and rules

Who issues roof permits in Palm City?

Palm City is unincorporated, so roof permits come from the Martin County Building Department. There is no separate town building office. Confirm current steps with the department before you apply.

Code editions change on a schedule. The Eighth Edition has applied since the last day of 2023, and the Ninth Edition governs any application filed on or after December 31, 2026. A Martin County job filed after that date follows the newer book.

A permit also runs on clocks. It lapses if no work starts within 6 months of issuance, or if work stops for 6 months. Work counts as active when it has passed an inspection within 180 days.

Building permits

Martin County Building Department

Official building page

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

Housing mix

What kind of homes and owners are here?

About 74 percent of housing units are single-family detached homes, and 89.7 percent of occupied homes are owner-occupied. Mobile homes are just 0.1 percent of units, against 8.8 percent countywide. Roof decisions here are mostly made by the people who own and live under the roof.

Residents 65 and older make up 28.9 percent of the town, and the median age is 52.1 years. About 7 percent of homes are seasonal or occasional-use. If you are away part of the year, have someone check the roof and attic after any storm.

Storms and rain

What storms and rain hit Palm City roofs?

Stuart normally gets 62.72 inches of rain a year, and 67.6 percent of it falls from May to October. August is the wettest month at 8.49 inches. Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, so the wettest months and the storm months overlap.

NOAA Atlas 14 puts a 100-year 24-hour rain at this town at 12.6 inches. Water covers 15.4 percent of the town's area, so a lot of homes sit near the river or canals. During Hurricane Milton in October 2024, a confirmed tornado flipped a truck on I-95 about 7 miles west of Palm City.

The strictest wind-zone rules, the High Velocity Hurricane Zone, apply only in Miami-Dade and Broward, so they do not reach Martin County. Storm-rated roofing products here still need Florida statewide product approval. Check the approval number in the Florida Building Commission lookup.

Local record

On record for Palm City

  • Unincorporated community bordered by Stuart on the east, the South Fork of the St. Lucie River on the southeast and Florida's Turnpike on the west.
  • During Hurricane Milton (Oct 9, 2024) a confirmed tornado flipped a truck on I-95 at mile marker 109, about 7 miles west of Palm City.
  • Water makes up 15.4% of the place's total area.

Services

Roofing services in Palm City

Questions

Palm City roofing questions

What is the 25% roof rule in Florida?

If more than 25 percent of a roof or roof section is repaired, replaced or recovered in any 12-month period, the whole roof or section must be replaced or recovered to current code. There is an exception. If the existing roof was built or repaired under the 2007 Florida Building Code or later, only the repaired part must meet current code. Many Palm City homes date from 1993, so confirm with the Martin County Building Department which side of the line your roof falls on.

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

Related: Roof replacement

Who do I call for a roof permit in Palm City?

Roof permits come from the Martin County Building Department, because Palm City is an unincorporated community. Confirm the current application steps with that office before you start. The permit lapses if work does not begin within 6 months of issuance. It also lapses when work stalls for 6 months.

Source: Wikipedia, 'Palm City, Florida' (revision 1367808772), read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Roof replacement

What is the new law in Florida about roofs?

The change on the calendar is the Ninth Edition of the Florida Building Code, effective December 31, 2026. Permit applications and plans submitted on or after that date must comply with it. For a Palm City home, the Martin County Building Department issues the permit. If your application is filed before that date, the 2023 code still governs the work.

Source: FRSA, "New 2023 FBC Eighth Edition is Now in Effect", 2024-02-13, read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Roof replacement

Will my insurer care how old my Palm City roof is?

It can. Citizens Property Insurance sets its roof-age lines at 25 years for shingle and 50 years for tile, slate, clay, concrete or metal, and asks for documented remaining life past those lines. The median Palm City home was built in 1993, so many original shingle roofs are likely past 25 years. Your own policy decides what applies to you, so put that question to your agent.

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

Related: Roof inspections

When is roof storm risk highest in Martin County?

Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, and the peak is around September 10. Most activity falls from mid-August to mid-October. Stuart's wettest month is August at 8.49 inches, so heavy rain and storm risk arrive together. Check flashing, loose shingles and gutters before June.

Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Climatology, read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Roof repair

Nearby

Near Palm City

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Martin County

More in Martin County

Sources for this page(35)
  1. 1.Median year homes were built: 1993. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25035, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  2. 2.U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25035, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  3. 3.Hurricane Dorian (2019). NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Dorian (AL052019). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  4. 4.Florida Building Commission, 'Setting New Standards for Safety: The Florida Building Code' (2004 publication; wind-speed figures in it are outdated and not used). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  5. 5.U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25035, B25034, B25024, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  6. 6.Share of homes built before 1980: 10.6%. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25034, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  7. 7.Share of homes built 2010 or later: 8.5%. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25034, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  8. 8.Wikipedia, 'Palm City, Florida' (revision 1367808772). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  9. 9.Permit office: Martin County Building Department. Martin County Building Department. Read Oct 10, 2026.
  10. 10.Single-family detached share of housing units: 74%. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25024, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  11. 11.Owner-occupied share of occupied homes: 89.7% (9,292 of 10,354). U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25003, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  12. 12.Mobile homes, share of housing units: 0.1%. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25024, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  13. 13.Residents 65 and older: 28.9%. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B01001, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  14. 14.Median age: 52.1. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B01002, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  15. 15.Seasonal, recreational or occasional-use homes (share of all units): 7%. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25004, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  16. 16.NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (access data service). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  17. 17.NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (access data service). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  18. 18.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Climatology. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  19. 19.U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census counts (POP100, HU100) via TIGERweb tigerWMS_Census2020 (AREALAND/AREAWATER). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  20. 20.NOAA Storm Prediction Center, preliminary storm reports 2024-10-09 (12Z-12Z). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  21. 21.Hurricane Irma (2017). NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Irma (AL112017). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  22. 22.Hurricane Matthew (2016). NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Matthew (AL142016). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  23. 23.People (2020 Census): 25,883. U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census counts (POP100, HU100) via TIGERweb tigerWMS_Census2020 layer 28 (Census Designated Places). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  24. 24.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Dorian (AL052019), NOAA National Hurricane Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  25. 25.Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, inspections FAQ (updated 2026-03-17), Citizens Property Insurance. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  26. 26.2023 Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed., Chapter 1 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription), UpCodes (Florida Building Code transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  27. 27.Martin County Building Department, Martin County Building Department. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  28. 28.FRSA, "New 2023 FBC Eighth Edition is Now in Effect", 2024-02-13, floridaroof.com. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  29. 29.Miami-Dade County RER notice, Miami. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  30. 30.2023 Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed., Chapter 15 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription), UpCodes (Florida Building Code transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  31. 31.NOAA Atlas 14 Volume 9 version 2, partial-duration 24-hour depth estimates at the Palm City 2020 Census internal point (27.1775, -80.2891), NOAA Hydrometeorological Design Studies Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  32. 32.Florida Statutes, section 553.842 (2026), Florida Legislature. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  33. 33.Florida Building Commission, Florida Building Commission. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  34. 34.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Irma (AL112017), NOAA National Hurricane Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  35. 35.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Matthew (AL142016), NOAA National Hurricane Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.

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