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Guide

Florida roof rules for commercial and condo buildings

Three rules decide a lot about a Florida roof: the building code’s 25% rule, the milestone inspection and the structural integrity reserve study. Here’s what each one says, from the code and the statutes, and how to tell which apply to your building. We roof condo and HOA buildings across Florida, including building after building at Century Village.

From the Florida Building Code and Florida StatutesAbout a 6-minute read

Which rules apply to you Call the office, Mon–Fri 8–4(954) 782-5851

Your building

Which rules apply to your building?

Answer three questions. Each rule shows whether it applies, and why, with a link to the details further down.

What kind of building is it?

Three or more habitable stories?

Was the roof built to the 2007 Florida Building Code or later?

3 apply

  1. Applies

    The 25% rule

    Repair, replace or re-cover more than 25% of a roof or roof section within 12 months, and the whole roof or section has to meet today’s code. Not sure which code your roof was built to? Your permit records show it.

    The 25% rule, from the code

  2. Applies

    Milestone inspection

    Condo and co‑op buildings three habitable stories or taller need one by December 31 of the year they turn 30, then every 10 years.

    Milestone inspections

  3. Applies

    Structural integrity reserve study

    Condo buildings three habitable stories or taller need one at least every 10 years, and the roof is the first item it covers.

    Reserve studies

This reads the code and the statutes. It isn’t legal advice: your attorney, engineer and building department decide what applies to your building.

Florida Building Code

The 25% rule: repair more than a quarter, and the whole roof meets today’s code

“Not more than 25 percent of the total roof area or roof section … repaired, replaced or recovered in any 12-month period unless the entire existing roofing system or roof section is replaced.”

Florida Building Code, Existing Building, 706.1.1

In plain words: if more than a quarter of a roof, or of one roof section, gets repaired, replaced or re-covered within a year, the whole roof or section has to be brought up to the current code. It’s the reason a big repair can turn into a full replacement.

The exception. State law says that for roofs built to the 2007 Florida Building Code or later, only the part being repaired, replaced or re-covered has to meet the current code (Florida Statutes 553.844). Your permit records show which code your roof was built to.

Florida Statutes 553.899

Milestone inspections: due the year the building turns 30

Which buildings
Condo and co‑op buildings three habitable stories or taller.
When
By December 31 of the year the building turns 30, then every 10 years. Your local building department can set 25 years instead.
Who
A licensed architect or engineer.
Phase one
A visual examination of the building and an assessment of its structural condition.
Phase two
Only if phase one finds substantial structural deterioration.
After phase two
Repairs must start within 365 days of the report, or sooner if your county or city sets a shorter deadline.

Read Florida Statutes 553.899 · See your building’s dates on our roof calendar

Florida Statutes 718.112

Reserve studies: the roof comes first, every 10 years

Condo associations with buildings three habitable stories or taller need a structural integrity reserve study at least every 10 years. The roof is the first item the law lists, and the association’s reserves must include roof replacement. Owners can’t vote to fund less than the law requires for these items.

A reserve study puts a number and a timeline on the roof. It doesn’t, on its own, mean the roof must be replaced now: that comes down to the roof’s condition.

Read Florida Statutes 718.112

Where we come in

When a rule puts a date on your roof, we look, quote and pull the permits

  1. We look at the roof

    We walk it and find what it needs: a coating if it’s sound, spray foam over it, or a tear-off if it has failed.

  2. You get it in writing

    A written quote with the system, the price and the warranties, ready for the board, the engineer or the reserve study.

  3. We pull the permits

    We apply once the contract is signed and see the job through to the final inspection.

“We had bids from 4 different companies, and each one was much higher than Polo… It did not cost a single penny additional then the contract.”

Jeromre Spinner · Westbury F Condominium Association · Google review, July 2025

At Century Village in Deerfield Beach, condo building after condo building has hired us for a new roof since May 2024. How we work with condo boards · See our reviews on Google

Coat, cover or replace: how we decide Or call (954) 782-5851 Get a Quote

Certified installer for

  • Manta
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  • Everest Systems
  • Henry
  • GE Silicones
  • Carlisle
  • Polyglass
  • Gaco Western

Questions

Questions about Florida’s roof rules

Ask the office(954) 782-5851 Get a Quote
What is the 25% rule for roofing in Florida?

Florida’s building code says that when more than 25% of a roof or roof section is repaired, replaced or re-covered within 12 months, the whole roof or section has to be brought up to the current code. For roofs built to the 2007 Florida Building Code or later, state law says only the part being worked on has to meet current code.

Does the 25% rule apply to commercial buildings?

It’s in the code’s rules for existing buildings, not a homeowner-only rule. Your building department applies it when it reviews the roofing permit. See which rules apply to your building.

Does a 20-year-old roof have to be replaced?

None of these three rules sets an age limit for the roof. The milestone inspection runs on the building’s age, the reserve study comes every 10 years, and the 25% rule is about how much of the roof gets repaired. Whether a 20-year-old roof needs replacing depends on its condition, and an inspection tells you.

Who does a milestone inspection?

A licensed architect or engineer. If phase one finds substantial structural deterioration, a phase two inspection follows, and repairs have to start within 365 days of that report.

Does a reserve study mean we have to replace the roof?

Not by itself. The study covers the roof and sets what the association must save for it. Whether it needs a coating, foam over it or a replacement now depends on its condition, which our inspection tells you in writing, with a price.

Who pulls the roofing permit?

Usually your roofing contractor. On our jobs, we apply once the contract is signed and see the job through to the final inspection.

Get a quote

Get a quote for your roof

  1. We call you to set a time.
  2. We inspect the roof and tell you what it needs.
  3. You get a written quote with the system and the price.
Call the office(954) 782-5851
Polo International, Inc.
1001 NW 62nd Street, Suite 116
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309
Monday–Friday, 8–4

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