Shingle Roof Replacement in South Florida

This page is for homeowners in South and Central Florida whose asphalt shingle roof has reached the end of its life. The one thing that matters most in Florida: a shingle roof is only as strong as the deck under it and the way it is nailed and sealed. The 8th Edition of the Florida Building Code, in force since December 31, 2023, requires one of three upgraded underlayment methods under every new shingle roof,¹² and in Miami-Dade and Broward every shingle must carry a product approval tested for wind-driven rain.³

Repair or replace?

The 25 percent rule. No more than 25 percent of a roof, or of a roof section, may be repaired or replaced in any 12-month period unless that whole roof or section is brought up to the current code.⁴ Since 2022, state law carves out an exception: if your roof was built, repaired or replaced under the 2007 Florida Building Code or later, only the part being worked on has to meet today’s code.⁵ The 2007 edition took effect March 1, 2009, so an older roof usually does not qualify.¹

The age of the roof. This Old House puts asphalt shingles at 12 to 18 years in Florida.⁶ Insurers treat 15 years as a threshold (see below). A roof near that age that leaks in several places, or has shingles lifting across several slopes, is usually a replacement. If the damage is small and local, see shingle roof repair.

How a shingle re-roof works

1. Permit. Florida law makes it unlawful to repair or alter a building without a permit from the local building department, unless a law says otherwise.⁷ We pull the permit and schedule the inspections.
2. Tear-off. Outside Miami-Dade and Broward, the code requires removal down to the deck when the roof has two or more layers, is water-soaked or deteriorated, or cannot hold the new fasteners. In Miami-Dade and Broward, no new roof may go over a deck that is not fastened to code.³
3. Deck attachment. If your house was permitted before the Florida Building Code (the first statewide code took effect March 1, 2002), the deck has to be brought up to FBC Existing Building Section 706.7.1 once the old roof is off. Board decking needs at least two 8d nails into every rafter or truss it crosses; plywood held with staples, 6d nails, or 8d nails more than 6 inches apart gets extra ring-shank nails at no more than 6 inches on center.⁴
4. Upgraded underlayment (secondary water barrier). On slopes of 2:12 or steeper, the code gives three options: cover the whole deck with self-adhered ASTM D1970 membrane; tape every deck joint with a self-adhered strip at least 3-3/4 inches wide and then underlay the whole roof; or install two layers of approved felt or synthetic underlayment lapped half a sheet.²
5. Roof-to-wall connections, when required. On a pre-code home in the wind-borne debris region with an insured value of $300,000 or more, the re-roof must also strengthen the roof-to-wall connections, capped at 15 percent of the re-roof cost.⁴⁵
6. Shingles, drip edge and flashing. Outside Miami-Dade and Broward, each strip shingle needs at least four nails (or the manufacturer’s number, if higher), 12-gauge with a 3/8-inch head and at least 3/4 inch into the sheathing, and drip edge laps at least 3 inches.² In Miami-Dade and Broward, the minimum is six nails per shingle, through the sheathing by at least 1/8 inch,³ and drip edge follows RAS 111.⁸
7. Inspections and final. The building department inspects the work before it closes the permit. In Miami-Dade and Broward the code sets the inspection sequence, described below.

In Miami-Dade and Broward (HVHZ)

The code defines the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone as Miami-Dade and Broward and no other county.⁹ Here the rules are stricter:

• Product approval. Every roofing component needs a current product approval, and the roof is installed exactly as it describes.³ That can be a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA), searchable on Miami-Dade’s Product Control Search,¹⁰ or a Florida approval listed for HVHZ use, searchable at floridabuilding.org.¹¹
• Tested shingles. Shingles are installed under RAS 115, and the shingle system must pass TAS 100 (wind-driven rain), TAS 107, ASTM D3462 and ASTM D3018.³ Each shingle is labeled on the underside with its product approval number (or the code’s approval insignia) and the manufacturer’s mark.³
• Tin caps. Underlayment is nailed with 12-gauge ring-shank nails through metal “tin caps” 1-5/8 to 2 inches across, or approved cap nails.³
• Paperwork. The permit needs the HVHZ Uniform Roofing Permit Application and the Owner’s Notification for Roofing Considerations, which you initial. Miami-Dade also requires a signed affidavit that the deck fastening was strengthened and a secondary water barrier installed.¹²
• Inspections. Miami-Dade County’s building department schedules inspection 059 (Tin Cap / Dry In) before the roof is covered, an in-progress inspection while shingles go on, and 001 (Final).¹³³
• Wind speed. The code fixes 175 mph for houses in Miami-Dade and 170 mph in Broward.¹⁴

Palm Beach, Southwest and Central Florida

HVHZ rules and NOAs do not apply here. Instead:

• Florida Product Approval. Roofing products must be approved under F.S. 553.842 before use in Florida.¹⁵ Each approval has an FL number you can search at floridabuilding.org.¹¹
• Your wind speed. The design wind speed comes from FBC Figure 1609.3(1); the ASCE 7 Hazard Tool gives the value for an address.¹⁴¹⁶
• Wind class on the wrapper. Shingles must be tested under ASTM D3161, ASTM D7158 or TAS 107, and the wrapper must show the class. Above 129 mph, a D3161-tested shingle must be Class F; above 155 mph, a D7158-tested shingle must be Class H.³ Coastal Palm Beach and Collier counties reach about 170 mph on the map.¹⁷

Shingle types and how long they last here

3-tab shingles are flat, single-layer strips. Architectural (dimensional) shingles are thicker and layered. HomeGuide lists architectural shingles as rated for up to 130 mph against 60 mph for standard 3-tab.¹⁸ Whatever the brochure says, the code test is the class printed on the wrapper.

Lifespans vary by source:

• Asphalt shingles in Florida: 12 to 18 years (This Old House), against 20 to 30 years in milder climates.⁶ HomeAdvisor gives 15 to 30 years for Florida.¹⁹
• National averages: 3-tab 15 to 20 years; architectural 25 to 30 years (Fixr) or 20 to 30 years (HomeGuide).²⁰¹⁸

Plan with the Florida figures.

What it costs

HomeAdvisor puts a Florida asphalt shingle roof at $7,250 to $15,925 for a 2,000-square-foot roof.¹⁹ HomeGuide’s national figures are $200 to $500 per square (100 square feet) installed for 3-tab and $400 to $600 for architectural.¹⁸ In unincorporated Miami-Dade, the permit is $0.11 per square foot of roof ($0.100 under the county’s pilot for existing homes), with a $147 minimum, plus surcharges.²¹ Our own price comes after we measure your roof. See the shingle roof cost guide for every source.

Insurance: what a new roof changes

• Roof age. An insurer may not refuse to write or renew a policy solely because the roof is under 15 years old. At 15 years or more, you can get an inspection first, and if it shows at least 5 years of life left, the insurer cannot refuse solely on age.²² Citizens asks shingle roofs older than 25 years to document 5 years of remaining life.²³
• Age counts from a full replacement. Roof age runs from the last time 100 percent of the roof surface was replaced to code.²² Patches do not reset it.
• Wind mitigation. Insurers must offer discounts for wind-resistant features such as roof covering and roof strength.²⁴ The wind mitigation form records the roof covering and its approval, deck attachment and secondary water resistance, so an older form will not reflect your new roof.²⁵ A roofer can do the work, but insurers only have to accept the form from signers on the F.S. 627.711(2) list, which does not include roofing contractors.²⁶
• Your contract. It must say the contractor cannot offer rebates or deductible waivers, and tell you in bold to call your insurer before signing if the work is tied to a claim.²⁷

Our installation carries a 10-year workmanship warranty; manufacturer warranty terms vary by product. To get your roof measured, contact us. If you are weighing other materials, compare metal roof replacement or tile roof replacement.