Citizens Insurance roof requirements: age, condition and forms

Citizens Property Insurance looks at two things about your roof: how old it is and what condition it is in. For personal residential policies, a hard roof (tile, slate, clay, concrete or metal) over 50 years old, or a shingle or other roof over 25 years old, needs documentation of full replacement, unless documentation shows at least five years of remaining useful life. Every roof must also be in acceptable condition, documented by a Florida-licensed inspector.

Checked against Citizens’ published pages and FAQs on October 20, 2026. Citizens updates its underwriting rules and FAQs regularly, so confirm the current requirement with your Citizens-appointed agent before you book an inspection or sign a contract.

Roof age thresholds

From Citizens’ FAQ on roof age requirements (last updated March 17, 2026), for the Personal Residential Multiperil and Personal Residential Wind Only products:

Roof covering	Age at which full-replacement documentation is required
Tile, slate, clay, concrete or metal	Over 50 years
Asphalt shingle or any other roof type	Over 25 years
Mobile homes	Over 25 years

Citizens says “some exceptions apply”: an applicant can submit documentation showing the roof has at least five years of remaining useful life, which underwriters review to decide eligibility. Its inspections page puts it the same way, and adds that if a roof has less than five years of remaining useful life, the owner must provide proof of a full roof replacement before a policy is written.

Condition matters at any age

Age is only half of it. Citizens expects both the predominant and any secondary roof to be in acceptable condition when an application is submitted. A licensed inspector rates each one Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory, considering age, remaining useful life and signs of deterioration; if a roof falls short, Citizens says it will take adverse action under Florida law (Citizens FAQ, updated June 30, 2026). Citizens’ forms also tell agents not to submit applications for roofs that are not in good working order or that have existing hazards or deficiencies.

Remaining useful life is an estimate. Citizens says it relies on the expertise of a trained professional with industry experience to make it (Citizens FAQ). That is why the inspector’s experience and photos matter.

The forms Citizens uses

Form	When it comes up	Roof content	Who may sign
Roof Inspection Form (sample RCF-1 03 25)	Roof age or condition must be documented	Covering, age, remaining useful life, last roofing permit, full or partial replacement, condition, visible damage, visible leaks, photo of each slope	Florida-licensed general, residential, building or roofing contractor; building code inspector; licensed home inspector
4-Point Inspection Form (sample Insp4pt 03 25)	New applications for homes over 20 years old	Same roof section as above (it can replace the roof form if photos of each slope are included), plus electrical, plumbing and HVAC	Verifiable Florida-licensed professional, e.g. general, residential or building contractor, building code inspector, home inspector; trade licensees only for their own section
Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26)	Wind mitigation discounts	Roof covering approval, deck and roof-to-wall attachment, roof shape, secondary water resistance and more	Signers listed in s. 627.711(2), Florida Statutes

Notes on these forms:

• Citizens revised the 4-point and roof forms in March 2025 (bulletin, March 20, 2025). Citizens says the specific sample form is not required, but any other report must include at least the same level of detail and photos.
• A 4-point report must be dated within the 12 months before the new-business application, with shorter windows for lender-placed coverage and prior sinkhole claims (Citizens FAQ). The 4-point requirement does not apply to tenant or condominium risks and is not required at renewal unless Underwriting asks for one (Citizens FAQ).
• The state wind mitigation form changed on April 1, 2026. Citizens still accepts the older Rev. 01/12 form if the structure has not changed and the inspection was done within the five years before April 1, 2026 (bulletin, March 19, 2026).
• Citizens may reject a form if the required professional did not perform the inspection or the inspector’s Florida licence is not active or cannot be verified.

The general differences between these forms, and who else uses them, are in 4-point vs wind mitigation vs roof certification.

Buying a home whose roof doesn’t qualify

Citizens published a specific path for this case (FAQ, updated October 6, 2026). An agent may submit the application unbound when:

• the purchase occurs within 45 calendar days of the requested effective date;
• documentation shows a full roof replacement will be completed within 30 days of the requested effective date; and
• a contract is submitted between the applicant and a licensed general, residential, building or roofing contractor, written by the contractor responsible for completing the work, signed by the applicant, and stating the 30-day completion.

Citizens’ FAQ does not say what happens if the replacement is not finished in time, so ask your agent before you close. A 30-day window also depends on permits and inspections in your jurisdiction, so raise timing with the contractor before you sign.

How this relates to the state’s 15-year rule

Florida’s statute on roof age, s. 627.7011(5), is a separate set of limits on homeowners’ insurers: no refusal for age alone under 15 years, and a right to an inspection with a five-year remaining-life test for older roofs. Citizens’ own thresholds (25 and 50 years) and its five-year exception are underwriting rules published on its site. How the two interact for a particular policy is a question for your agent. The statute itself is explained in the 15-year roof rule.

A practical sequence

1. Ask your agent which form Citizens currently needs for your property and how recent it must be.
2. Find your last roofing permit date; it anchors the roof’s age.
3. Have the roof inspected and any deficiencies repaired before the form is completed. Our roof inspection guide explains what to expect.
4. If replacement is the realistic outcome, get a written contract with a clear completion commitment.

Next step

If Citizens or your agent is asking about your roof, request a free estimate from Art’s Roofing & Construction, a Florida Certified Roofing Contractor (CCC1333598). If the roof needs replacing, see our roof replacement service.