Permit
A permit is needed
Florida’s code exempts no building work from permits (FBC Building § 105.2); in South Bay the reroof permit comes from the city’s building department.
Roof Replacement in South Bay, FL
Half of the 964 homes in South Bay were built before 1974. 90% 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 South Bay
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
Houses permitted before 2002
A secondary water barrier and deck re-nailing
If your site-built single-family home was permitted before the Florida Building Code took effect (March 1, 2002), a full roof replacement must include a secondary water barrier and re-nailing of the roof deck: at least two 8d nails per rafter, a nail counting as 8d if it is at least 0.113 inch thick and 2¼ inches long (Fla. Stat. § 553.844(3); FBC Existing Building 706.7).
90% of homes in South Bay were built before 2000 (ACS); the year the house was permitted is what counts.
Source: Fla. Stat. § 553.844; FBC Existing Building, 8th ed. (2023), Chapter 7
Checked against the code text on October 24, 2026. The state’s code edition and the rest of its rules: roof replacement in Florida.
Homes and roofs in South Bay
Of 881 occupied homes in South Bay, 535 (61%) are owner-occupied. Counting by decade, 11% before 1960, 67% before 1980, 90% before 2000 of the housing was in place, and 10% dates from 2000 on. (ACS 2020–2024.)
The housing is 65% detached houses, 11% buildings of two to four units, 15% manufactured homes.
Of the 46 Palm Beach County places on this site, South Bay has the 10th largest share of homes built before 2000: 90%, against a county range of 3% to 100%.
ZIP codes: 33493
South Bay and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 2000 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Bay | 1974 | 90% | 61% | 0% | 1 |
| Belle Glade | 1981 | 81% | 39% | 6% | 2 |
| Pahokee | 1972 | 85% | 43% | 3% | 0 |
| Clewiston | 1978 | 76% | 66% | 4% | 1 |
| Harlem | 1976 | 81% | 38% | 0% | 1 |
| Montura | 1987 | 70% | 72% | 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 South Bay
NOAA’s storm reports show 1 day since 2006 with hail of at least 1 inch inside a 10-mile circle around South Bay, topping out at 1 in on May 3, 2007.
That is fewer than most places in the state on this site (median 7 days).
Palm Beach County has had 8 federal major-disaster declarations for storms since 2006; the latest was 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 South Bay’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; 65% 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 | Simple roofs with long, unbroken slopes | 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 | Where the roof meets a wall or parapet |
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 South Bay 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 South Bay
Does a roof replacement in South Bay need a permit?
A permit is needed. Florida’s code exempts no building work from permits (FBC Building § 105.2); in South Bay the reroof permit comes from the city’s building department.
Do the old shingles have to come off in South Bay?
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 South Bay built?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in South Bay was built in 1974, 90% of homes were built before 2000, 61% are owner-occupied.
How many hail days has South Bay had?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 1 day within 10 miles of South Bay 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 South Bay 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 South Bay on DBPR.
What they will ask on the phone
- Your address or ZIP code in South Bay
- One story or two (or more), detached or attached
- The roof you have today, shingle, metal, slate, tile or flat, and its rough age
- Whether there is one layer or more, if you know
- That the job is a full replacement or a new roof, and your timing
- 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.