Roofing guide · Jacksonville, FL
The 25 percent roof rule after SB 4-D, for Jacksonville roofs
By Holden Lovett, Roofing Guides Editor · Updated September 2026
For years Florida homeowners heard that if a quarter of a roof was damaged, the whole roof had to be replaced. That rule changed in 2022 for most newer roofs. Here is what it says now, which roofs it still reaches, and how it shapes a repair-or-replace decision.
- Building code
- Repair or replace
- Jacksonville, FL
Florida's 25 percent roof rule was a building code provision requiring a roof section to be brought up to current code when more than 25 percent of it was repaired or replaced in a 12-month period. Since SB 4-D took effect on May 26, 2022, a roof built or replaced under the 2007 Florida Building Code or later no longer needs full replacement in that case; only the repaired portion must meet current code.
Before 2022
What the old rule said
The Florida Building Code's existing-building provisions long held that if more than 25 percent of a roof section was repaired, replaced or recovered in a 12-month period, the whole section had to be brought up to current code. In practice that often meant replacing the section, or the roof, rather than patching it.
The rule existed for a reason: patching a quarter of an old roof leaves the other three quarters built to an older standard. But it also turned modest storm damage on otherwise sound roofs into full replacements.
SB 4-D
What changed in 2022
SB 4-D, which took effect on May 26, 2022, carved out newer roofs. If a roof was built or replaced under the 2007 Florida Building Code or later, which was in force from March 1, 2009, it no longer has to be fully replaced when more than 25 percent is repaired. Only the repaired portion has to meet current code.
The reasoning is that roofs built since 2009 already met modern wind standards, so a large repair does not leave the rest of the roof dangerously behind.
Not sure which rule your roof falls under?
Call and we will check the permit record and the roof before recommending a repair or a replacement.
Older roofs
Which roofs it still applies to
Roofs installed before the 2007 code took effect are still under the older rule. On those roofs, repairing more than a quarter of a section in a year can still require that section to be replaced to current code. Many older Jacksonville houses fall here, especially where the roof has not been replaced in decades.
The deciding fact is when the roof was installed and permitted, not when the house was built. The permit record usually settles it, and it is the first thing to check before agreeing a repair scope.
The arithmetic
How the code measures a roof section
The 25 percent is counted per roof section, not against the whole roof. The code divides a roof into sections by physical breaks, such as parapet walls, changes in roof covering, or changes in the roof's plane or elevation, rather than treating every slope as its own section. How a particular roof divides up is a technical call, and it is worth having the roofer explain it on your roof, with the measurements.
Because the older rule counts repairs over a 12-month period, several small repairs after back-to-back storms can add up past the threshold on a pre-2009 roof. Keep a record of every repair, with dates and the area involved, so the running total is never a surprise.
In practice
How the rule shapes a repair-or-replace decision
The rule sets a floor, not the whole decision. A roof can be allowed a large repair and still be a poor candidate for one.
| Situation | Likely direction |
|---|---|
| Newer roof (2009 or later), storm damage on one slope | Repair the damaged area to current code |
| Newer roof, damage on every slope | Replacement may still be the better value |
| Older roof, damage under a quarter of a section | Repair is usually allowed |
| Older roof, damage over a quarter of a section | That section may need replacing to current code |
| Any roof worn out across the board | Replace, whatever the rule says |
Questions to ask
What to ask before agreeing to a scope
A clear repair scope answers these questions in writing. If an estimate cannot, ask before you sign. See shingle roof repair and roof replacement for how each path runs.
- When was the roof last replaced, according to the permit record?
- How much of each section is damaged, measured rather than guessed?
- Will the repaired area get current fastening and underlayment?
- Can the repair be matched in color and profile?
- Is the rest of the roof worth keeping, or near the end anyway?
Questions we hear
25 Percent rule questions
Yes, for roofs built before the 2007 Florida Building Code took effect. Roofs built or replaced under the 2007 code or later have been exempt from the full-replacement trigger since SB 4-D.
The permit record for the last reroof is the best source; home inspection reports from a purchase can help too.
It is a building code provision. How a claim is handled is between you and your insurer; ask your agent.
Not always. If wear is spread across the roof, replacement can still be the better value.
The repaired portion does, which is why repairs include current fastening and underlayment wherever the roof is opened.
Find out which rule your roof falls under
Call any hour. We check the permit record and the roof before recommending a repair or a replacement in Jacksonville.
