Commercial roofs · Seminole County

Commercial roofing in Seminole County, FL

Seminole County counted 199,565 housing units in the 2020–2024 Census survey, and a large share of them sit in multi-unit buildings, not single-family houses. Single-family detached homes are 61.4 percent, so the rest is attached housing, apartments and association buildings. Those buildings usually have low-slope roofs. They are permitted through the Seminole County Building Division.

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Updated October 2026

Winter Springs City Hall sign reading Movie Night, with the tan municipal building and oak trees behind. — Photo: Winter springs city hall sign winter springs florida by Connor J. Williams, CC BY 3.0, cropped

A low-slope roof section with a granulated cap sheet in the foreground meeting a gray shingle slope, neighboring homes and a cloudy sky behind. — Photo: Winter springs city hall sign winter springs florida by Connor J. Williams, CC BY 3.0, cropped

Commercial roofing in Seminole County, in short

A commercial roof here is permitted through the Seminole County Building Division under the 2023 Florida Building Code, not the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, which covers only Miami-Dade and Broward. Low-slope roofs need at least a 2 percent slope, and your bid should state the system, drainage and permit plan.

Sources for this answer

Seminole County figures

The Seminole County numbers behind this page

Median year homes were built: 1988
Share of homes built before 1980: 29.1%
Share of homes built 2010 or later: 12.3%
Owner-occupied share of occupied homes: 66.2%

Permits and codes

Who permits a commercial roof in Seminole County

The county permit office is the Seminole County Building Division. Cities may run their own desks, and Oviedo and Winter Springs each post a re-roof affidavit form. If your building sits inside a city, confirm with that city's building office which desk takes your application.

The Eighth Edition of the 2023 Florida Building Code became effective on December 31, 2023. The Ninth Edition becomes effective December 31, 2026, and applications submitted on or after that date must follow it. Timing your application across that date changes which edition your roof must meet.

Seminole County is outside the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, which the code limits to Broward and Miami-Dade. Bids that quote Miami-Dade approval documents for a Sanford or Lake Mary job are using the wrong rulebook. Statewide Florida product approval is the standard here.

Building stock

What the housing stock tells you about roof types

The median home here was built in 1988, and 29.1 percent of units predate 1980. That suggests many multi-unit and association roofs are on a second or third covering. Only 12.3 percent of units were built in 2010 or later, so newer low-slope roofs are the minority.

Older flat roofs raise a tear-off question. The code bars a recover where the existing roof is water soaked, or where it already has two or more coverings. In those cases the old material comes off to the deck, and the bid should say so.

Owners occupy 66.2 percent of occupied homes, so the rest are rented. That points to many landlord and association buildings, where one board or manager signs for the whole roof.

Roof systems

Low-slope systems, drainage and ponding water

New low-slope roofs need a minimum slope of one-fourth unit in 12, or 2 percent. Built-up roofs, modified bitumen, single-ply membranes, sprayed foam, and liquid-applied coatings all fall under this rule. Florida places TPO and PVC inside the single-ply section, each tied to its own ASTM standard.

Drainage matters here because Sanford averages 54.03 inches of rain a year, and 24.49 inches fall from June through August. The code defines positive drainage as water clearing the roof within 48 hours. If a parapet can hold standing water, the code calls for secondary overflow drains or scuppers.

Hurricane Milton brought 6 to 10 inches of rain to the county, locally 13. Ask each bidder how they will leave the roof draining, and whether existing drains and overflows are staying, moving or being replaced.

Comparing bids

How a property manager should compare bids

Put every bid on the same page. Each should name the membrane and its ASTM standard, the slope or tapered insulation plan, the edge metal and the drain work. Edge metal on low-slope roofs must be tested to the ANSI/SPRI ES-1 methods, so ask for that detail.

Who pulls the permit, and with which office.
Whether the 25 percent rule forces a full re-roof of your building.
Whether rooftop equipment is being replaced or moved.
The Notice of Commencement must be recorded by the party named before the first inspection takes place.

A roofing job needs a state-certified or registered roofing contractor, and a general contractor may not advertise as one unless registered as such. Look up the license on the state's online database prior to signing any contract. A permit that sits idle for 6 months becomes invalid.

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Commercial roofs

Commercial roofing by town in Seminole County

Bids

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Questions

Commercial roofing in Seminole County: questions

Does Seminole County use the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone rules for commercial roofs?

That area is limited to Broward and Miami-Dade counties; the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone covers nothing else. Seminole County follows the 2023 Florida Building Code and statewide product approval, which you can search by FL number on the Florida Building Commission lookup. A Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance may be accepted only where the local building official allows it, so confirm with the Seminole County Building Division.

Source: Seminole County Building Division, read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Commercial roofing

What is the minimum slope for a flat commercial roof in Seminole County?

New low-slope roofs need at least one-fourth unit in 12, which is 2 percent. That covers built-up, modified bitumen, single-ply, sprayed polyurethane foam and liquid-applied systems. Coal-tar built-up is allowed 1/8:12. Where water ponds, the code expects positive drainage, meaning the roof clears within 48 hours of rain. With 54.03 inches of rain a year in Sanford, slope and drains deserve a line in every bid.

Source: NOAA NCEI, U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (annual/seasonal), access-data API, read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Commercial roofing

Does the 25 percent rule apply to a commercial building here?

Yes. The code says no more than 25 percent of a roof or roof section may be repaired, replaced or recovered in a 12-month period unless the whole roof or section is replaced. An exception exists if the existing roof was built or replaced under the 2007 Florida Building Code or later, then only the repaired part must meet current code. With a median build year of 1988, many older roofs here may not qualify for that exception.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates (acs2024_5yr), via Census Reporter API, tables B25034/B25035, read Oct 5, 2026

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Which office do I call for a re-roof permit on an apartment or association building?

Start with the Seminole County Building Division. Oviedo and Winter Springs publish their own re-roof affidavit forms, and Lake Mary posts an After the Storm Permitting Guide. If your property is inside one of those cities, confirm with that city's building office whether it or the county issues your permit.

Source: City of Oviedo, Online Building Permit Applications, read Oct 5, 2026

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Can a new membrane go over my old flat roof?

Sometimes, but not always. The code bars a recover where the existing roof is water soaked or too deteriorated to serve as a base, or where it already has two or more coverings. Blisters must be cut and secured first. With 29.1 percent of Seminole County units built before 1980, layered roofs are likely. Ask each bidder for a written tear-off or recover decision with moisture findings.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates (acs2024_5yr), via Census Reporter API, tables B25034/B25035, read Oct 5, 2026

Related: Commercial roofing

Seminole County