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Inspections ยท South Bay

Roof inspections in South Bay, FL

In South Bay, 13.3 percent of housing units are mobile homes, and that changes what an inspector looks at. Another 67.9 percent of all homes here were built before 1980. A roof inspection checks the covering, the decking and the leaks, then gives you a written condition you can hand to a buyer or an insurer.

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Updated October 2026

Two-story white city hall with peach trim and palm trees under a blue sky.
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.Our work
Photo: South Bay FL city hall01 by Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped

South Bay figures this page uses

Median year homes were built
1974
Share of homes built before 1980
67.9%
Mobile homes, share of housing units
13.3%
Owner-occupied share of occupied homes
59.8%

Housing age

Roof age in a town of 1970s housing

Half the homes in South Bay date to 1974 or earlier, while the Palm Beach County median is 1986. Only 33.5 percent of county homes predate 1980, so South Bay's 67.9 percent is about double. That suggests many roofs here have been replaced at least once, and some may be near or past the 15-year mark.

Mobile homes make up 13.3 percent of units here, compared with 2.8 percent countywide. Their roofs fall under the HUD code rather than the Florida Building Code. The 15-year insurer rule is also described as not reaching mobile home policies, so a South Bay mobile home owner should ask the insurer what roof papers it wants.

Insurer rules

Where the 15-year rule meets the roof section of a 4-point inspection

Once a roof reaches 15 years, Florida lets you bring in an authorized inspector at your own cost before your insurer acts on roof age. Should that inspector find 5 or more years of useful life remaining, your insurer may not turn you down or non-renew your policy solely because of the roof's age. A roof under 15 years old cannot be a reason to refuse you.

The statute names who counts as an authorized inspector: a licensed home inspector, a building code inspector, a roofing contractor or an engineer, among others. Your insurer has to sign off on the person, so call your agent first and get the name in writing.

For properties over 20 years old, Citizens wants a 4-point inspection on file. By our arithmetic, a South Bay home built in the 1974 median year is 52 years old in 2026, so many owners here may meet that line. The roof section records the covering, roof age, remaining useful life and the last permit.

Inspection basics

Inspector's checklist and the best times to book one

An inspector looks for cracking, curling, heavy granule loss, exposed felt, loose or missing tabs and soft decking. The attic gets checked for leaks on the underside of the decking, and ceilings get checked for stains. Photos of each roof slope go into the report.

Schedule one before a sale, after an insurer's roof-age letter, or following a storm. With 59.8 percent of South Bay households owning their homes, a written condition report helps many owners show a buyer or insurer what the roof looks like. Know the claim clock: notice of a new claim must reach your insurer within 1 year of the loss.

Under Florida law, a roofer cannot give you anything of value in exchange for an inspection, and cannot advise you about your coverage. Take any policy questions to your insurer or your agent. Roof permit questions go to City of South Bay Planning and Building; confirm requirements with that office before work starts.

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Questions

Roof inspections in South Bay: questions

Does my South Bay roof need an inspection at 15 years?

Florida does not require one by date. The 15-year line matters for insurance. Once your roof reaches 15 years of age, your insurer has to allow an authorized inspector to examine it, with the cost falling on you. With 67.9 percent of South Bay homes built before 1980, many owners may reach this question. If the inspector finds 5 or more years of useful life left, the insurer may not refuse or non-renew you for roof age alone.

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

Related: Roof inspections

Do mobile homes in South Bay fall under the 15-year roof rule?

The 15-year roof rule is Fla. Stat. 627.7011(5), and it covers homeowner policies, so a mobile home policy is not clearly covered by it. Where the rule applies, a roof under 15 years old cannot be the only reason an insurer declines to write or renew your policy. If your roof is 15 years or older, you can have an authorized inspector examine it at your own expense, and when that inspection shows 5 or more years of useful life remaining, the insurer may not refuse or non-renew based on age alone. In South Bay, the median year homes were built is 1974. Ask your insurer which rules apply to your mobile home policy.

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

What does Citizens want to see for an older roof?

Citizens requires documentation of at least five years of remaining useful life for roofs older than 25 years if soft, such as shingle, or 50 years if hard, such as tile or metal. A 4-point inspection is also required for any property older than 20 years. South Bay's median build year is 1974, so many homes here may be past that age. Your agent can confirm which forms apply.

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

How long does a roof inspection report stay useful?

The wind mitigation form, OIR-B1-1802, is valid for up to five years if no material changes are made to the structure. A roof condition report for an insurer or buyer has no set life, so insurers may want a recent one. Hurricane Irma in 2017 produced 2 to 4 feet of surge along the Palm Beach County coast, a reminder to re-inspect after any major storm.

Source: Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26), read Oct 4, 2026

Related: Roof inspections

Nearby

Roof inspections near South Bay

Sources for this page(33)
  1. 1.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 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, B25034, B25024, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  4. 4.Median year homes were built: 1974. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25035, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  5. 5.Share of homes built before 1980: 67.9%. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25034, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  6. 6.U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024), table B25024, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  7. 7.Hurricane Matthew (2016). NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Matthew (AL142016). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  8. 8.Hurricane Dorian (2019). NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Dorian (AL052019). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  9. 9.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.
  10. 10.Mobile homes, share of housing units: 13.3%. 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: 59.8% (515 of 861). 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.Permit office: City of South Bay - Planning and Building. City of South Bay - Planning and Building. Read Oct 10, 2026.
  13. 13.Hurricane Irma (2017). NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Irma (AL112017). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  14. 14.Florida Statutes, section 627.7011 (2026). Read Oct 4, 2026.
  15. 15.Citizens Property Insurance Corporation. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  16. 16.Insp4pt 03 25. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  17. 17.Citizens 4-Point Inspection Form, Sample Form Insp4pt 03 25. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  18. 18.Citizens Property Insurance Corporation. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  19. 19.Florida Statutes, section 627.70132 (2026). Read Oct 4, 2026.
  20. 20.Florida Statutes, section 489.147 (2026). Read Oct 4, 2026.
  21. 21.Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, inspections FAQ (updated 2026-03-17). Read Oct 4, 2026.
  22. 22.Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26). Read Oct 4, 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.City of South Bay - Planning and Building, southbaycity.com. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  26. 26.NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Irma (AL112017), NOAA National Hurricane Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  27. 27.2023 Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed., Chapter 1 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription), UpCodes (Florida Building Code transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  28. 28.2023 Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed., Chapter 15 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription), UpCodes (Florida Building Code transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  29. 29.NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (access data service), NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  30. 30.NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (access data service), NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  31. 31.NOAA Atlas 14 Volume 9 version 2, partial-duration intensity estimates at the South Bay 2020 Census internal point (26.6884, -80.7355), NOAA Hydrometeorological Design Studies Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  32. 32.Wikipedia, 'South Bay, Florida' (revision 1377594144), Wikipedia. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  33. 33.NOAA Atlas 14 Volume 9 version 2, partial-duration 24-hour depth estimates at the South Bay 2020 Census internal point (26.6884, -80.7355), NOAA Hydrometeorological Design Studies Center. Read Oct 5, 2026.

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Roof inspections in South Bay

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