Sarasota County · Town

Roofing in Longboat Key, Florida

Longboat Key is a town that fills its barrier island between Sarasota Bay and the Gulf, and it is split between Manatee County to the north and Sarasota County to the south. That split matters for your roof because the permit and review rules you follow can depend on which side of the line your home sits. Most of the island's 7,505 residents, as counted in 2020, lived on the Sarasota County side. Start by checking your county before you call anyone about a repair.

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Updated October 2026

Two-storey white historic house with a green-trimmed entrance, palm trees, and a green lawn in daylight. — Photo: Longboat Key FL Jordan House01 by Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped

At a glance

Longboat Key homes at a glance

People (2020 Census): 7,505
Median year homes were built: 1980
Share of homes built before 1980: 50.7%
Share of homes built 2010 or later: 2.9%
Owner-occupied share of occupied homes: 93.6%

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

Roof age

How old are the roofs on Longboat Key?

The median home here was built in 1980, and about half of all homes date to before 1980. That suggests many original roofs are now well past the age where a repair is the cheaper choice.

Only 2.9 percent of homes were built in 2010 or later, so a newer roof on a neighbor's house is the exception. Ask for the roof's installation record before you assume it is recent.

Permits and review

Who issues roof permits and what local review applies?

The Town of Longboat Key's Building Division handles roof permits. Any repair subject to damage review must be permitted through the Town, and a FEMA Substantial Damage/Improvement form must accompany every building permit.

The Town takes part in the National Flood Insurance Program and its Community Rating System, so flood rules can affect roof work near the water. Confirm the current requirements with the Building Division before work starts.

Building permits

Town of Longboat Key - Building Division (Planning, Zoning & Building)

Official building page

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

Storm and rain risk

How do storms and rain affect a Longboat Key roof?

Hurricane Helene in 2024 produced a storm tide of 6.68 feet above mean higher high water at a sensor on Longboat Key. Hurricane Milton brought 4 to 6 feet of surge from Longboat Key to Venice, with the island sensor measuring 5.04 feet.

Normal annual rainfall at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport is 49.05 inches, and about 60 percent falls from June through September. That is roughly 29 inches of rain in the four summer months.

Under NOAA Atlas 14 at this town, a 24-hour rain in a 10-year storm reaches 7.1 inches. Check flashing, drains and the seams where the roof meets walls before the summer rains start.

Local record

On record for Longboat Key

A town coterminous with its barrier island between Sarasota Bay and the Gulf, split between Manatee County (north) and Sarasota County.
Of the town's 7,505 residents in 2020, 4,759 lived in the Sarasota County part and 2,746 in the Manatee County part.
Hurricane Helene (2024): a USGS sensor on Longboat Key measured a wave-filtered storm tide of 6.68 ft above MHHW.
A FEMA Substantial Damage/Improvement form must be submitted with every building permit, and all repairs subject to that review must be permitted through the Town.
The Town participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and the Community Rating System.

Services

Roofing services in Longboat Key

Questions

Longboat Key roofing questions

What is the 25% roof rule in Florida?

In any 12-month window, no more than 25 percent of a roof may be repaired, replaced or recovered. The Florida Building Code says not more than 25 percent of the total roof area can be done unless the entire roof covering is replaced. When the roof was built or fixed under the 2007 Florida Building Code or a newer edition, just the section you repair has to satisfy current code. Ask the Longboat Key Building Division 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

Who issues roof permits on Longboat Key?

The Town of Longboat Key Building Division issues building permits for roof work on the island. Every building permit must include a FEMA Substantial Damage/Improvement form, and repairs subject to damage review must be permitted through the Town. Check with the Building Division for the current forms before you start.

Source: Town of Longboat Key - Building Division (Planning, Zoning & Building), read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Roof replacement

Will my insurer require a newer roof?

Citizens Property Insurance asks for paperwork showing at least five years of remaining useful life on soft roofs like shingle that are more than 25 years old. Hard roofs such as tile or metal need the same documentation after 50 years. Many homes here date to 1980, so check with your insurer or agent about what they need. Your insurer or agent is the right person to explain your own policy terms.

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

Related: Roof inspections

What rain should I plan for on my roof?

NOAA Atlas 14 shows a 24-hour rain in a 10-year storm at this town reaches 7.1 inches, and a 100-year storm reaches 12.4 inches. Normal annual rainfall at the airport is 49.05 inches, with about 60 percent falling June through September. Clear gutters and drains before the wet season.

Source: NOAA Atlas 14 Volume 9 version 2, partial-duration 24-hour depth estimates at the Longboat Key 2020 Census internal point (27.4005, -82.6442), read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Roof repair

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