Miami-Dade County · City

Roofing in Miami Beach, Florida

Miami Beach sits on natural and man-made barrier islands between the Atlantic and Biscayne Bay. Water makes up 49.5% of the city's area, so wind and rain reach every roof. Most homes here are older, and 78.5% of units are in buildings of 10 or more. Who owns the roof, and who permits it, shapes your next step.

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Updated October 2026

White latticework canopy sculpture over pink bougainvillea and walkways beside palm trees on a sunny day. — Photo: City Center, Miami Beach by Madison L. Pereira, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped

At a glance

Miami Beach homes at a glance

People (2020 Census): 82,890
Median year homes were built: 1969
Share of homes built before 1980: 67.3%
Share of homes built 2010 or later: 3.9%
Owner-occupied share of occupied homes: 40.9%

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

Roof age

How old the buildings are and what that means

The median Miami Beach home was built in 1969, against 1980 for Miami-Dade County as a whole. Also, 67.3% of homes here date from before 1980. That suggests many original roofs, or their replacements, are well past 25 years old.

Age matters for insurance. Citizens Property Insurance asks for documentation of at least five years of remaining useful life on roofs older than 25 years (shingle) or 50 years (tile, slate, concrete or metal). Your own insurer or agent can tell you how an older Miami Beach roof fits your policy.

Only 3.9% of homes here were built in 2010 or later, and just 8.8% are single-family detached houses. Most roofs belong to condominium or apartment buildings, so the association often decides the work. Only 40.9% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.

Permits and review

Who permits a roof in Miami Beach

Roof permits are handled by the City of Miami Beach Building department. Before you plan a job, call that office and ask which forms your building needs.

The city also holds the Art Deco Historic District, listed on the National Register in 1979. It covers buildings from 1923 to 1943. If your building is in or near it, ask the building office whether extra review applies.

Miami-Dade is one of two counties in the High Velocity Hurricane Zone, so roofing products need Miami-Dade approval. Under the code, the owner records a Notice of Commencement and posts it at the site ahead of the first inspection. A permit goes invalid if no work starts within 6 months after issue.

Building permits

City of Miami Beach - Building

Official building page

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

Code rules

The 25 percent rule and the code edition

Florida's code caps repairs, replacement or recovery at 25 percent of a roof section in any 12-month period. Beyond that cap, the code requires the covering on the entire section to be replaced or recovered. The code carves out an exception for roofs already redone under the 2007 edition or any later one.

The Eighth Edition of the Florida Building Code went into effect on December 31, 2023. The Ninth Edition follows on December 31, 2026, and governs permit applications filed on or after that date.

On natural and man-made barrier islands between the Atlantic and Biscayne Bay.
The Art Deco Historic District (National Register, 1979) holds hundreds of hotels, apartments and other buildings from 1923-1943, which Wikipedia calls the world's largest collection of Art Deco architecture.
78.5% of housing units are in buildings with 10 or more units.
Water makes up 49.5% of the place's total area.

Local weather

Storms and rain on the barrier islands

Miami Beach normally gets 57.18 inches of rain a year. The Atlantic hurricane season starts June 1 and ends November 30, and activity crests around September 10. In a 10-year storm, an hour of rain falls at 3.35 inches.

Hurricane Irma in 2017 pushed surge 4 to 6 feet above ground along Biscayne Bay. About 1,000 Miami-Dade homes had major damage.

Services

Roofing services in Miami Beach

Questions

Miami Beach roofing questions

Who issues roofing permits in Miami Beach?

Your permit comes through the Building department at the City of Miami Beach. Because Miami-Dade is in the High Velocity Hurricane Zone, roofing products need Miami-Dade approval. A copy of the Notice of Acceptance must be available at the job site if the Building Official asks. Call the building office to confirm current steps for your address.

Source: City of Miami Beach - Building, read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Roof replacement

How old are the homes in Miami Beach?

The median home was built in 1969, and 67.3% were built before 1980. Miami-Dade County's median is 1980. That suggests many roofs here are likely past 25 years old, which matters for insurer rules.

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

Related: Roof inspections

Does the 25 percent roof rule apply here?

Yes, it is part of the Florida Building Code. No more than 25 percent of a roof section may be repaired or replaced in 12 months unless the whole section is replaced or recovered. An exception covers roofs built or replaced under the 2007 code or later. Ask the building office how it applies to your roof.

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

Related: Roof replacement

Can my condo association decide my roof work?

Often it does. In Miami Beach, 78.5% of homes are in buildings of 10 or more units, and 40.9% of occupied homes are owner-occupied. In a large building the roof is usually shared. Check your governing documents and ask the association before you hire anyone.

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

Related: Commercial roofing

When is hurricane season for a Miami Beach roof?

It runs June 1 to November 30, and the statistical peak is September 10. Miami Beach normally gets 57.18 inches of rain a year. Inspect flashing and loose materials before June.

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

Related: Roof repair

Nearby

Near Miami Beach

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