Skip to content

Palm Beach County ยท Town

Roofing in Palm Beach, Florida

Palm Beach is a barrier-island town separated from West Palm Beach and Lake Worth Beach by the Intracoastal Waterway. Its housing is older than the county around it. The median home was built in 1970, while the county median is 1986. For a roof here, that means the roof on your home may be well past its original life, and the local rules that apply to a re-roof are worth knowing before work starts.

Request a quote407-242-2840

Updated October 2026

Large cream-coloured hotel building behind palm trees and traffic signals at a street crossing.
Photo: Palm Beach by qwesy, CC BY 3.0, cropped

At a glance

Palm Beach homes at a glance

People (2020 Census)
9,245
Median year homes were built
1970
Share of homes built before 1980
70%
Share of homes built 2010 or later
3.8%
Owner-occupied share of occupied homes
83.7%

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

Roof age

How old Palm Beach homes affect your roof

The median home here was built in 1970. Seventy percent of homes date from before 1980. That is a large share of roofs that have already passed a typical 25-year life, so an age check is a reasonable first step.

Age also affects insurance. Citizens requires documentation of at least five years of remaining useful life for roofs older than 25 years if the covering is soft, such as shingle, or older than 50 years if it is hard, such as tile or metal. Ask your insurer or agent how these rules apply to your roof.

Permits and review

Permit requirements, local review and the 25 percent threshold

The Town of Palm Beach Planning, Zoning and Building Department is where roof permits get processed in Palm Beach. The town also publishes a Post-Storm Permitting Plan and a Tropical Storm and Hurricane Recovery Permitting Guide for 2026. Check both before you file.

Under the 25 percent rule, no more than 25 percent of the roof area in any 12-month period can be repaired, replaced or recovered unless the entire roof covering is replaced. When your roof meets the 2007 code or newer, the only portion that has to satisfy current standards is the section being repaired. Local review may also apply here, since the town includes the Royal Poinciana Way Historic District.

Building permits

Town of Palm Beach - Planning, Zoning & Building Department

Official building page

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

Weather

Rain and storms that reach Palm Beach

Atlantic storm activity typically spans June 1 through November 30, with the statistical high point landing around September 10. Hurricane Irma in 2017 pushed 2 to 4 feet of storm surge above ground along coastal northern Palm Beach County. Tropical-storm-force winds from Hurricane Matthew in 2016 reached coastal areas of the county.

Rain is heavy here. About 67 percent of the normal yearly rain at West Palm Beach International Airport falls from May through October. In a 10-year storm, a one-hour rain falls at 3.54 inches an hour, and 24-hour totals reach 9.35 inches. Check that gutters and drains can carry that volume.

Local record

On record for Palm Beach

  • Barrier-island town separated from West Palm Beach and Lake Worth Beach by the Intracoastal Waterway.
  • The town publishes a Post-Storm Permitting Plan and a Tropical Storm & Hurricane Recovery Permitting Guide.
  • 64.9% of housing units are in buildings with 10 or more units.
  • 39.0% of all housing units are vacant and held for seasonal, recreational or occasional use.

Services

Roofing services in Palm Beach

Questions

Palm Beach roofing questions

What is the 25% roof rule in Florida?

Under the building code, no more than 25 percent of the roof area of an existing building can be repaired, replaced or recovered in any 12-month period unless the entire roof covering is replaced. Should your roof have been constructed or fixed under the 2007 Florida Building Code or a later edition, you need to bring only the repaired area up to current standards. Ask the Planning, Zoning and Building Department how the rule 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

Will my roof need to meet new code if I repair part of it in Palm Beach?

Possibly. Under the 25 percent rule, a partial repair can trigger a full replacement if it covers more than 25 percent of the roof in a 12-month period. The Town of Palm Beach Planning, Zoning and Building Department will confirm the requirement for your property.

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

Related: Roof replacement

How old are most roofs in Palm Beach?

The median home here was built in 1970, and 70 percent of homes were built before 1980. It's probable that a significant share of roofs in the area are more than 25 years old. Have the roof age and condition checked before you plan work.

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

Does my roof need a permit in Palm Beach?

Permits for roofs are granted by the Town of Palm Beach Planning, Zoning and Building Department. Contact them to confirm what your project requires, and review their Tropical Storm and Hurricane Recovery Permitting Guide.

Source: Town of Palm Beach - Planning, Zoning & Building Department, read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Roof replacement

Does Citizens need a roof age document for my home?

For roofs older than 25 years with soft covering, or older than 50 years with hard covering, Citizens requires documentation of at least five years of remaining useful life. Check this rule with your insurance carrier or agent before you begin work.

Source: Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, inspections FAQ (updated 2026-03-17), read Oct 4, 2026

Related: Roof inspections

How much rain should my gutters handle in Palm Beach?

In a 10-year storm, a one-hour rain falls at 3.54 inches an hour here, and a 24-hour total reaches 9.35 inches. Use these figures when you check gutter and downspout capacity.

Source: NOAA Atlas 14 Volume 9 version 2, partial-duration intensity estimates at the Palm Beach 2020 Census internal point (26.6948, -80.0419), read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Gutters

Nearby

Near Palm Beach

Palm Beach CountyOur 20 counties

Palm Beach County

More in Palm Beach County

Sources for this page(26)
  1. 1.Median year homes were built: 1970. 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.Share of homes built before 1980: 70%. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25034, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  3. 3.U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25035, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  4. 4.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.
  5. 5.Permit office: Town of Palm Beach - Planning, Zoning & Building Department. Town of Palm Beach - Planning, Zoning & Building Department. Read Oct 10, 2026.
  6. 6.Official website: Town of Palm Beach, Post-Storm Permitting Plan 2026. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  7. 7.Wikipedia, 'Palm Beach, Florida' (revision 1373516471). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  8. 8.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Climatology. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  9. 9.Hurricane Irma (2017). NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Irma (AL112017). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  10. 10.Hurricane Matthew (2016). NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Matthew (AL142016). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  11. 11.U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25024, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  12. 12.U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25004, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  13. 13.Hurricane Dorian (2019). NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Dorian (AL052019). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  14. 14.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.
  15. 15.NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (access data service). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  16. 16.People (2020 Census): 9,245. U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census counts (POP100, HU100) via TIGERweb tigerWMS_Census2020 layer 26 (Incorporated Places). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  17. 17.Share of homes built 2010 or later: 3.8%. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25034, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  18. 18.Owner-occupied share of occupied homes: 83.7% (4,585 of 5,479). U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25003, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  19. 19.Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, inspections FAQ (updated 2026-03-17), Citizens Property Insurance. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  20. 20.Town of Palm Beach - Planning, Zoning & Building Department, townofpalmbeach.com. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  21. 21.2023 Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed., Chapter 15 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription), UpCodes (Florida Building Code transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  22. 22.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Irma (AL112017), NOAA National Hurricane Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  23. 23.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Matthew (AL142016), NOAA National Hurricane Center. 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.NOAA Atlas 14 Volume 9 version 2, partial-duration intensity estimates at the Palm Beach 2020 Census internal point (26.6948, -80.0419), NOAA Hydrometeorological Design Studies Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  26. 26.NOAA Atlas 14 Volume 9 version 2, partial-duration 24-hour depth estimates at the Palm Beach 2020 Census internal point (26.6948, -80.0419), NOAA Hydrometeorological Design Studies Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.

South Fork Roofing

Roofing in Palm Beach: tell us about yours.

Answer a few questions about your roof, or call.

Request a quote407-242-2840
CallGet a quote