Permit
A permit is needed
Florida’s code exempts no building work from permits (FBC Building § 105.2); in Fort Myers Beach the reroof permit comes from the town’s building department.
Roof Replacement in Fort Myers Beach, FL
Fort Myers Beach has 14,354 homes, and half of them were standing by 1984. 85% predate 2000, and Florida’s reroof rules depend on when the house was permitted.
New Roofing Costs connects homeowners with independent local roofing contractors. We do not perform roofing work.
Call (833) 781-1806 Replacement and new roofs only · homeowners
This number connects homeowners who are planning a new roof or a full roof replacement with independent local roofing contractors. It is not for leak repairs or patch jobs. The call must come from the homeowner who decides on the roof. Calls may be recorded.
The rules for a reroof in Fort Myers Beach
Layers
When the old roof must come off
A tear-off to the deck is required where the roof already has two layers, where the covering is tile, slate or wood shake, or where it is water-soaked or deteriorated (FBC Existing Building 706.3).
The 25 percent rule
Partial work can bring in the whole roof
Florida limits partial work: if more than 25 percent of a roof or roof section is redone in 12 months, the whole roof or section has to meet the current code. Roofs built or replaced under the 2007 Florida Building Code or later are exempt; only the new part must meet the code in effect (FBC Existing Building 706.1.1; Fla. Stat. § 553.844(5)).
Source: FBC Existing Building, 8th ed. (2023), Chapter 7; Fla. Stat. § 553.844
Manufactured homes
Say it is a manufactured home
The Florida rules for older site-built houses above apply to “site-built, single-family residential structures” (Fla. Stat. § 553.844(3)); a manufactured home is not one. Tell the person on the line it is a manufactured home.
Source: Fla. Stat. § 553.844
Checked against the code text on October 24, 2026. Code edition, permit and contract rules for the whole state: roof replacement in Florida.
Homes and roofs in Fort Myers Beach
Of 4,420 occupied homes in Fort Myers Beach, 3,947 (89%) are owner-occupied. Counting by decade, 4% before 1960, 36% before 1980, 85% before 2000 of the housing was in place, and 15% dates from 2000 on. (ACS 2020–2024.)
The housing is 25% detached houses, 5% buildings of two to four units, 22% manufactured homes.
22% of homes in Fort Myers Beach are manufactured homes (3,093). A roof on a manufactured home is its own kind of job; tell the person on the line that it is one, since Florida’s reroof upgrades for older houses are written for site-built homes.
48% of the homes in Fort Myers Beach are seasonal or occasional-use homes (ACS 2020–2024). If yours is one of them and you live elsewhere, the call still has to come from you as the owner.
Of the 14 Lee County places on this site, Fort Myers Beach has the 2nd largest share of homes built before 2000: 85%, against a county range of 28% to 87%.
ZIP codes: 33931
Fort Myers Beach and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 2000 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Myers Beach | 1984 | 85% | 89% | 3% | 3 |
| San Carlos Park | 1994 | 62% | 71% | 8% | 6 |
| Estero | 2004 | 32% | 87% | 14% | 3 |
| Three Oaks | 2009 | 28% | 59% | 11% | 6 |
| Bonita Springs | 2000 | 53% | 81% | 8% | 6 |
| Sanibel | 1983 | 87% | 90% | 2% | 0 |
Median built: median year the homes were built. Before 2000: share of homes built then. Owners: share of homes that are owner-occupied. Row, twin: share of homes that are rowhouses, twins or townhouses. Census ACS 2020–2024. Hail days: days with hail of 1 inch or larger within 10 miles, 2006–2025, NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
Hail and storms near Fort Myers Beach
NOAA’s storm reports show 3 days since 2006 with hail of at least 1 inch inside a 10-mile circle around Fort Myers Beach, topping out at 1 in on July 2, 2015.
That is fewer than most places in the state on this site (median 7 days).
At the county level, Fort Myers Beach shares Lee County’s record of 9 storm disaster declarations since 2006, the newest DR-4834 (Hurricane Milton, October 2024). (OpenFEMA.)
Storm reports are what observers logged, not a measure of damage to any roof. When wind or hail damage means a new roof.
What goes on the roof next
HUD’s useful-life figures are for planning; a warranty is a separate promise. For Fort Myers Beach’s houses: More in the guides to shingles, metal, slate, tile and flat roofs.
| Material | HUD useful life | Fits a house like | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asphalt shingles | 20 years | Most pitched roofs; 25% of homes here are detached | Wind class set by the design wind speed (IRC Table R905.2.4.1) |
| Metal (standing seam, panels) | 50 years | Low pitches and long runs | A complete standing-seam system may go over the old roof (R908.3.1) |
| Slate | 75 years | Older and historic houses | Can’t be roofed over; check the framing for the weight |
| Clay or concrete tile | 60 years | Houses framed for tile | Can’t be roofed over (FBC-EB 706.3) |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Additions and porch roofs | Seams at walls and drainage |
Checking a contractor in Florida
Roofing in Florida takes a state license: Certified Roofing Contractor (CCC), valid statewide, or Registered Roofing Contractor (RC), valid only where the contractor holds a local certificate. 9,419 CCC licenses were active on October 23, 2026. Look up the number of anyone pricing a roof in Fort Myers Beach on DBPR.
Contracts, deposits and the right to cancel: Florida roofing licenses. What moves the price: new roof cost in Florida.
Questions about a new roof in Fort Myers Beach
Do I need a permit to replace a roof in Fort Myers Beach?
A permit is needed. Florida’s code exempts no building work from permits (FBC Building § 105.2); in Fort Myers Beach the reroof permit comes from the town’s building department.
Can a new roof go over the old one in Fort Myers Beach?
A tear-off to the deck is required where the roof already has two layers, where the covering is tile, slate or wood shake, or where it is water-soaked or deteriorated (FBC Existing Building 706.3).
When were most homes in Fort Myers Beach built?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Fort Myers Beach was built in 1984, 85% of homes were built before 2000, 89% are owner-occupied.
How often does hail hit Fort Myers Beach?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 3 days within 10 miles of Fort Myers Beach from 2006 through 2025 (NOAA Storm Prediction Center). A report means hail fell nearby, not that a roof was damaged.
What license or registration should a roofer in Fort Myers Beach have?
Roofing in Florida takes a state license: Certified Roofing Contractor (CCC), valid statewide, or Registered Roofing Contractor (RC), valid only where the contractor holds a local certificate. 9,419 CCC licenses were active on October 23, 2026. Look up the number of anyone pricing a roof in Fort Myers Beach on DBPR.
What they will ask on the phone
- Where the house is: the Fort Myers Beach address or ZIP
- One story or two (or more), detached or attached
- Whether it is a manufactured home
- The roof you have today, shingle, metal, slate, tile or flat, and its rough age
- The number of layers, if anyone has counted
- That you want a new roof or a full replacement, and when you want the work done
- The year the house was built and the year the roof was last replaced
- That the house is yours and the decision is yours
The full list: before you call.