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Roofing in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

Hurricane Milton's EF-3 tornado on October 9, 2024 did its worst damage in Avenir, where homes lost large parts of their roofs. That storm is the local reason to check your roof now. Palm Beach Gardens homes are newer than most of the county, but newer does not mean untouched. Permits come from the city's Building Division.

Request a quote407-242-2840

Updated October 2026

White statue of a robed figure on a beige wall framed by palm trees under a blue sky.
Photo: Cathedral of Saint Ignatius Loyola - Palm Beach Gardens 06 by Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped

At a glance

Palm Beach Gardens homes at a glance

People (2020 Census)
59,182
Median year homes were built
1995
Share of homes built before 1980
17.8%
Share of homes built 2010 or later
15.1%
Owner-occupied share of occupied homes
73%

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

Recent storms

Tornado damage and what it means for your roof

In Avenir, the Milton tornado collapsed a large part of a new supermarket roof, blew in impact windows and heavily damaged home roofs. Those were new buildings, so age was not the only factor. If your roof was in the tornado's path, have it inspected for lifted edges and loose decking.

An earlier EF-2 tornado began just east of I-95 on April 29, 2023. NWS estimated peak winds at 130 mph over 11 minutes on the ground. Two tornadoes in about eighteen months is a pattern worth noting when you decide how soon to repair.

Storm season starts June 1 and ends November 30, and activity is heaviest from mid-August to mid-October. The High Velocity Hurricane Zone rules apply only in Miami-Dade and Broward, so a Palm Beach Gardens roof follows the standard 2023 Florida Building Code.

Housing age

How old are the roofs in Palm Beach Gardens?

The median home here was built in 1995, against 1986 for Palm Beach County. Only 17.8 percent of homes predate 1980, while 15.1 percent were built in 2010 or later. By our arithmetic, a 1995 home is now about 30 years old.

Many roofs from that era are likely original shingle and past the 25-year mark. Citizens Property Insurance asks for documentation of at least five years of remaining life on roofs older than 25 years (shingle) or 50 years (tile, metal and other hard roofs). Your agent can tell you how that applies to your policy.

Single-family detached homes are 47.4 percent of housing units, and 16.9 percent sit in buildings of 10 or more units. If you live in a condo or HOA community, the association may control the roof. Check your governing documents before calling anyone.

Local rules

Who pulls the permit and how the 25 percent rule applies

Your roof permit is handled by the Palm Beach Gardens Building Division, whose official city page checked out as live. Today the 2023 Florida Building Code governs. A Ninth Edition arrives December 31, 2026, and any application filed that day or later is held to it.

The 25 percent rule says that no more than 25 percent of a roof section may be repaired in any 12-month period without replacing the whole section. A roof built or replaced under the 2007 code or later is treated differently: only the repaired part must meet current code. Ask the Building Division which case fits your roof.

Recording a Notice of Commencement is the owner's protection, and the code requires it posted at the job before the first inspection. Skipping the permit card could mean you end up paying for the same work twice. Separately, a permit expires if no work begins within 180 days of filing, so do not pull one early.

Building permits

City of Palm Beach Gardens - Building Division

Official building page

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

Climate and use

Rain, wind and seasonal homes

West Palm Beach Intl Airport records 61.75 inches of rain in a normal year, and 67.3 percent of it falls May through October. NOAA Atlas 14 puts a 100-year 24-hour rain at 16.2 inches here. Flashing, valleys and drainage take the load.

Seasonal or occasional-use homes make up 8.8 percent of units, and 32.5 percent of residents are 65 or older. If you are away part of the year, arrange for someone to check the roof after any named storm.

Local record

On record for Palm Beach Gardens

  • Developed by John D. MacArthur as a 'garden city' on land that had been cattle ranches and pine forest.
  • Hurricane Milton's EF-3 tornado (Oct 9, 2024) did its most considerable damage in the Avenir community: a large part of a new supermarket roof collapsed, and homes had heavy roof damage and blown-in impact windows.
  • An EF-2 tornado (peak winds estimated at 130 mph, 11 minutes on the ground) began just east of I-95 in Palm Beach Gardens on April 29, 2023.
  • Census building-permit data list 398 new single-family homes and 6 units in 5+ unit buildings permitted here in 2025.

Services

Roofing services in Palm Beach Gardens

Questions

Palm Beach Gardens roofing questions

What is the 25% roof rule in Florida?

Under the Florida Building Code, no more than 25 percent of a roof section can be repaired, replaced or recovered in any 12-month period unless the whole section is replaced. A roof built or replaced under the 2007 code or later gets lighter treatment: only the repaired part must meet current code. With a median build year of 1995 in Palm Beach Gardens, many older roofs may fall under the full rule. Confirm with the Building Division.

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 issues roof permits in Palm Beach Gardens?

Palm Beach Gardens permits roofs through its Building Division, and its official city page was checked and confirmed. A Notice of Commencement must be recorded and posted at the job before the first inspection. The permit expires if work has not started within six months of the date it was issued. Ask the Building Division what your job needs.

Source: City of Palm Beach Gardens - Building Division, read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Roof replacement

How do I know if my roof was damaged by the Avenir tornado?

The Milton tornado of October 9, 2024 did its most considerable damage in Avenir, with heavy roof damage to homes. Damage can be subtle: lifted shingle edges, loose decking, cracked flashing. If you live in or near Avenir, have the roof inspected. Contact your insurer or agent about any claim, since only they can say what a policy covers.

Source: NWS Miami, 'Hurricane Milton' StoryMap (Oct 9, 2024 tornado outbreak; preliminary data), read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Roof repair

Are Palm Beach Gardens homes newer than the rest of the county?

Yes. The median home here was built in 1995, while the county median is 1986. In Palm Beach Gardens, 17.8 percent of homes predate 1980, against 33.5 percent countywide. That suggests fewer very old roofs here, though many 1995 roofs are now about 30 years old and may need replacement.

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: New construction roofing

Does Citizens Property Insurance care how old my roof is?

Citizens requires documentation of at least five years of remaining useful life for roofs older than 25 years (shingle) or 50 years (tile, metal, slate, concrete or clay). With a median build year of 1995 here, a 1995 shingle roof is past that 25-year line. Ask your agent or insurer what your policy requires before you decide on repair or replacement.

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

Nearby

Near Palm Beach Gardens

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More in Palm Beach County

Sources for this page(34)
  1. 1.NWS Miami, 'Hurricane Milton' StoryMap (Oct 9, 2024 tornado outbreak; preliminary data). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  2. 2.NWS Miami, 'Palm Beach Gardens EF-2 Tornado - April 29th, 2023' StoryMap. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  3. 3.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Climatology. 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.Median year homes were built: 1995. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25035, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  6. 6.U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25035, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  7. 7.Share of homes built before 1980: 17.8%. 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.Share of homes built 2010 or later: 15.1%. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25034, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  9. 9.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.
  10. 10.Hurricane Matthew (2016). NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Matthew (AL142016). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  11. 11.Hurricane Dorian (2019). NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Dorian (AL052019). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  12. 12.Single-family detached share of housing units: 47.4%. 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.Share of homes in buildings with 10+ units: 16.9%. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25024, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  14. 14.Permit office: City of Palm Beach Gardens - Building Division. City of Palm Beach Gardens - Building Division. Read Oct 10, 2026.
  15. 15.NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (access data service). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  16. 16.NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (access data service). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  17. 17.Seasonal, recreational or occasional-use homes (share of all units): 8.8%. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25004, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  18. 18.Residents 65 and older: 32.5%. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B01001, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  19. 19.U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25004, B01001, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  20. 20.People (2020 Census): 59,182. U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census counts (POP100, HU100) via TIGERweb tigerWMS_Census2020 layer 26 (Incorporated Places). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  21. 21.Owner-occupied share of occupied homes: 73.0% (19,935 of 27,294). U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25003, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  22. 22.Wikipedia, 'Palm Beach Gardens, Florida' (revision 1373593296). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  23. 23.U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2025 annual place file (so2025a.txt). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  24. 24.Fla. Stat. 489.105(3)(e), Florida Legislature. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  25. 25.FRSA, "New 2023 FBC Eighth Edition is Now in Effect", 2024-02-13, floridaroof.com. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  26. 26.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Matthew (AL142016), NOAA National Hurricane Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  27. 27.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Dorian (AL052019), NOAA National Hurricane Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  28. 28.Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, inspections FAQ (updated 2026-03-17), Citizens Property Insurance. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  29. 29.City of Palm Beach Gardens - Building Division, City of Palm Beach Gardens. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  30. 30.Miami-Dade County RER notice, Miami. 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.Florida Statutes, section 713.135 (2026), Florida Legislature. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  33. 33.2023 Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed., Chapter 1 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription), UpCodes (Florida Building Code transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  34. 34.NOAA Atlas 14 Volume 9 version 2, partial-duration 24-hour depth estimates at the Palm Beach Gardens 2020 Census internal point (26.8488, -80.1671), NOAA Hydrometeorological Design Studies Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.

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