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Re-roofs ยท Pinellas County

Roof replacement in Pinellas County, FL

More than half of Pinellas County's homes, 58.8%, were built before 1980, two decades before Florida had a statewide building code. A roof replacement in Pinellas County, FL is when those houses meet today's re-roof rules: deck fastening checked, a secondary water barrier added, and two inspections from your city or the county.

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Updated October 2026

Drone view of a single-story home mid re-roof: part of the roof stripped to white synthetic underlayment, the rest still in gray shingles, a dump trailer of debris and a pickup in the driveway.

Re-roofing in Pinellas, the short version

Get the permit from the office for your address: your city's building department, SAFEbuilt in Belleair Bluffs and North Redington Beach, or Pinellas County Building Services for unincorporated land and six towns. Once the old covering is off a wood deck, the code calls for deck fastening to R908.7.1 and a secondary water barrier. A storm-damaged home in a flood hazard area may face a town review first.

Sources for this answer

Pinellas County figures

The Pinellas County numbers behind this page

Share of homes built before 1980
58.8%
Median year homes were built
1977
Share of homes built 2010 or later
5.8%

Roof age

Pre-1980 houses and what the code adds at tear-off

Half the county's homes date to 1977 or earlier; just 5.8% were built in 2010 or later. Florida's first statewide code replaced the old local codes on March 1, 2002, so most decks here were nailed off before it existed. Tear-off exposes that deck, and four code rules come into play:

  • Fastening: sheathing held by staples or 6d nails gets supplemental fasteners at 6 inches on center or tighter (Table R908.7.1.2).
  • A secondary water barrier on every re-roof of a wood deck (R908.7.2); for a wind mitigation credit, standard underlayment alone does not qualify.
  • Tear-off, not a re-cover, when the old roof is water-soaked or badly deteriorated, already carries two coverings, or is tile, slate or wood shake (R908.3).
  • Two inspections: sheathing or dry-in while the deck is open, then the roofing inspection (FBC-B 110.3).

Wind

Barrier-island re-roofs and roof-to-wall connections

Treasure Island lists wind speed requirements of 147 to 150 mph with Exposure D. The code's wind-borne debris region takes in any area designed for 140 mph or more, plus land within a mile of the coast at 130 mph where Exposure D lies upwind.

That region changes a re-roof. Fla. Stat. 553.844(3) had the state add roof-to-wall connections to re-roofs of site-built homes above a set value inside the wind-borne debris region, but only where the gable ends or all corners can be done for 15 percent of the re-roof's cost; the gable ends come first unless the hip is more than 1.5 times wider. Your design speed comes from the ASCE 7-22 hazard tool by address.

Flood rules

After Helene: when the town reviews the whole house

Helene's surge reached 7.26 feet above mean higher high water at Madeira Beach and 6.75 feet at Clearwater Beach in September 2024, and the storm destroyed at least 419 homes across Pinellas and Hillsborough. On a storm-damaged house in a flood hazard area, the roof can wait on a larger review: St. Pete Beach posts a 2026 50% Rule packet, Redington Shores wants a Hurricane Helene permit application with a Substantial Improvement packet, and Largo runs a Substantial Damage Inspection and Assessment Process.

St. Petersburg's HB 803 permit exemption does not cover this work either; the city says it excludes roofing and properties in a flood hazard area.

Permits

Which office permits the job, and the March 2009 code line

Most Pinellas cities permit their own re-roofs, while Pinellas County Building Services takes Palm Harbor, East Lake, Lealman and the rest of unincorporated Pinellas. Reroofs need no plan review (FBC-B 107), but each office keeps its own form list.

The install date matters later. A roof built or replaced under the 2007 Florida Building Code or newer, in force from March 1, 2009, falls under Fla. Stat. 553.844(5): a later repair of 25% or more only has to bring the repaired part to current code. With so few Pinellas houses built since then, the roof's own permit date decides which side of the line you are on.

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Re-roofs

Roof replacement by town in Pinellas County

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Questions

Roof replacement in Pinellas County: questions

Does a re-roof in Pinellas County need a permit, and from which office?

Yes. The Florida Building Code requires a permit to alter or repair a building (FBC-B 105.1), and a full re-roof is far more than a minor repair. The office depends on the address: the city's building department in places such as St. Petersburg, Clearwater or Largo; SAFEbuilt for Belleair Bluffs and North Redington Beach; and Pinellas County Building Services for unincorporated areas plus six towns, Oldsmar and Safety Harbor among them. An owner doing the work on a one- or two-family home for personal use may act as an owner-builder under Fla. Stat. 489.103(7).

Source: FBC-B 2023 Ch. 1, read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Roof replacement

Is there a Pinellas County roofing affidavit?

Our research did not find one county-wide reroof affidavit. Each permit office keeps its own list of forms, so the answer for an Oldsmar or Kenneth City home comes from Pinellas County Building Services, while a Clearwater or Dunedin home goes by that city's list. Two requirements apply everywhere. Roofing products need Florida product approval (Fla. Stat. 553.842(5)), and above a set contract amount the permitting office wants a recorded Notice of Commencement before the first inspection (Fla. Stat. 713.135). Ask the office for your address for its current reroof checklist.

Source: Florida Statutes, section 553.842 (2026), read Oct 5, 2026

Related: FAQ

Will a re-roof on a Pinellas barrier island add hurricane straps?

Possibly. Fla. Stat. 553.844(3) adds improved roof-to-wall connections to re-roofs of site-built single-family homes above a set value when the home sits in the wind-borne debris region, which the code applies wherever the design wind speed reaches 140 mph. Treasure Island lists 147 to 150 mph. The work has a ceiling: it applies only if the gable ends or all corners can be connected for 15 percent of the re-roof's cost. Your building office and the ASCE 7-22 figure for your address settle whether it applies.

Source: Fla. Stat. 553.844, read Oct 4, 2026

Related: Roof replacement

What must a Pinellas re-roof contract say under Florida law?

Fla. Stat. 489.147 puts two notices in every residential roof contract. One says the contractor may not offer a rebate, gift, deductible waiver or anything of value for a roof inspection or an insurance claim; if it is missing, you may void the contract within 10 days. The other, in bold type of at least 14 points on the signature page, tells you to check coverage, deductibles and policy terms with your insurer before signing if the work relates to a claim. With FEMA disaster declarations for Debby, Helene and Milton in Pinellas in 2024 alone, read both before signing.

Source: Florida Statutes, section 489.147 (2026), read Oct 4, 2026

Related: FAQ

Pinellas County

More in Pinellas County

Sources for this page(35)
  1. 1.Share of homes built before 1980: 58.8%. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024), table B25034, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  2. 2.Median year homes were built: 1977. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024), table B25035, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  3. 3.Share of homes built 2010 or later: 5.8%. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024), table B25034, via Census Reporter API. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  4. 4.Town of Indian Shores; City of Treasure Island (official). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  5. 5.Hurricane Helene (2024). NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Helene. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  6. 6.City of St. Pete Beach; Town of Redington Shores; City of Largo (official). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  7. 7.City of St. Petersburg, Building Permits (official). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  8. 8.Permit office: Pinellas County Building and Development Review Services - Building Services (unincorporated Pinellas plus Belleair Beach, Belleair Shore, Indian Rocks Beach, Kenneth City, Oldsmar and Safety Harbor). Pinellas County Building and Development Review Services - Building Services (unincorporated Pinellas plus Belleair Beach, Belleair Shore, Indian Rocks Beach, Kenneth City, Oldsmar and Safety Harbor). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  9. 9.Pinellas County, "Building Departments in Pinellas County" (official). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  10. 10.Hurricane Debby (2024). NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Debby. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  11. 11.Hurricane Milton (2024). NOAA National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Milton. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  12. 12.Senate SB 808 staff analysis pp. 3-4. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  13. 13.2023 Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed., Chapter 1 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026. FBC text read from UpCodes (unofficial transcription): check floridabuilding.org or the ICC viewer before quoting (spec 8.7).
  14. 14.FBCR Ch. 9. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  15. 15.Florida OIR, Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form OIR-B1-1802. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  16. 16.FBC-B 2023 Ch. 1. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  17. 17.FBCR Ch. 2. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  18. 18.Fla. Stat. 553.844. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  19. 19.OIR form. Read Oct 4, 2026.
  20. 20.Florida Statutes, section 553.844 (2026). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  21. 21.Florida Building Commission, "Florida Building Code Effective Dates". Read Oct 5, 2026.
  22. 22.Florida Statutes, section 489.103 (2026). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  23. 23.Florida Statutes, section 553.842 (2026). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  24. 24.Florida Statutes, section 489.147 (2026). Read Oct 4, 2026.
  25. 25.Florida Statutes, section 713.135 (2026), Florida Statutes, section 713.135 (2026). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  26. 26.Florida Statutes, section 718.112 (2026), Florida Statutes, section 718.112 (2026). Read Oct 5, 2026.
  27. 27.FBC-Building 2023 Chapter 2 definitions, FBC-Building 2023 Chapter 2 definitions. Read Oct 5, 2026. unofficial transcription; verify on floridabuilding.org
  28. 28.FRSA, "New 2023 FBC Eighth Edition is Now in Effect", 2024-02-13, FRSA, "New 2023 FBC Eighth Edition is Now in Effect", 2024-02-13. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  29. 29.Miami-Dade County RER notice, Miami-Dade County RER notice. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  30. 30.FEMA FL-RA2, FEMA FL-RA2. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  31. 31.ICC Building Safety Journal, Karl Fippinger, 2024-02-07, ICC Building Safety Journal, Karl Fippinger, 2024-02-07. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  32. 32.2023 Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th ed., Chapter 8 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription), 2023 Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th ed., Chapter 8 (UpCodes viewer, unofficial transcription). Read Oct 5, 2026. unofficial transcription; verify on floridabuilding.org
  33. 33.Florida Statutes, section 627.7011 (2026), Florida Statutes, section 627.7011 (2026). Read Oct 4, 2026.
  34. 34.NOAA NHC, NOAA NHC. Read Oct 5, 2026.
  35. 35.Wikipedia, "Pinellas County, Florida" (secondary), Wikipedia, "Pinellas County, Florida" (secondary). Read Oct 5, 2026.

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Roof replacement in Pinellas County

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