Permit
A permit is needed
Florida’s code exempts no building work from permits (FBC Building § 105.2); in South Palm Beach the reroof permit comes from the town’s building department.
Roof Replacement in South Palm Beach, FL
Half of the 1,937 homes in South Palm Beach were built before 1975. 99% 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 Palm 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
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).
99% of homes in South Palm Beach 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 Palm Beach
Owners live in 870 of South Palm Beach’s occupied homes, or 87%. Counting by decade, 5% before 1960, 76% before 1980, 99% before 2000 of the housing was in place, and 1% dates from 2000 on. (ACS 2020–2024.)
The housing is 1% detached houses.
40% of the homes in South Palm 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 46 Palm Beach County places on this site, South Palm Beach has the 2nd largest share of homes built before 2000: 99%, against a county range of 3% to 100%.
ZIP codes: 33480
South Palm Beach and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 2000 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Palm Beach | 1975 | 99% | 87% | 1% | 15 |
| Lantana | 1981 | 82% | 65% | 6% | 15 |
| Hypoluxo | 1990 | 83% | 77% | 26% | 14 |
| San Castle | 1967 | 95% | 64% | 4% | 14 |
| Lake Worth Beach | 1968 | 87% | 44% | 5% | 13 |
| Seminole Manor | 1970 | 95% | 75% | 8% | 16 |
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 Palm Beach
Within 10 miles of South Palm Beach, hail of an inch or more was reported on 15 days between 2006 and 2025, the biggest stones 2 in on April 15, 2016. The most recent was May 23, 2025.
That is more hail days than 81% of the places in the state on this site.
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 Palm 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; 1% 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 | Never a base for a new layer (R908.3.1.1); heavy |
| 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
Ask anyone quoting a roof in South Palm Beach for a Florida license number, Certified Roofing Contractor (CCC, statewide) or Registered Roofing Contractor (RC, local), and check it on DBPR; 9,419 CCC licenses were active on October 23, 2026.
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 Palm Beach
Is a permit required for a new roof in South Palm Beach, FL?
A permit is needed. Florida’s code exempts no building work from permits (FBC Building § 105.2); in South Palm Beach the reroof permit comes from the town’s building department.
Can a new roof go over the old one in South Palm 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 South Palm Beach built?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in South Palm Beach was built in 1975, 99% of homes were built before 2000, 87% are owner-occupied.
How often does hail hit South Palm Beach?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 15 days within 10 miles of South Palm 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 South Palm Beach have?
Ask anyone quoting a roof in South Palm Beach for a Florida license number, Certified Roofing Contractor (CCC, statewide) or Registered Roofing Contractor (RC, local), and check it on DBPR; 9,419 CCC licenses were active on October 23, 2026.
What they will ask on the phone
- The street address in South Palm Beach, or at least the ZIP code
- How many stories the house has, and whether it is detached or attached
- What covers the roof now and about when it went on
- 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 you are the owner and the one who decides
The full list: before you call.