Florida's 15-year roof rule: what the law actually says

The “15-year rule” is not a rule that roofs must be replaced at 15. It is a limit on insurers, in s. 627.7011(5), Florida Statutes: an insurer may not refuse to issue or renew a homeowners policy solely because of roof age if the roof is under 15 years old, and for an older roof it must let you prove the roof still has life left before it can require replacement.

What the statute says (as of October 2026)

The text of s. 627.7011(5), as published in the 2026 Florida Statutes, does four things:

1. Roofs under 15 years old. An insurer “may not refuse to issue or refuse to renew a homeowner’s policy insuring a residential structure with a roof that is less than 15 years old solely because of the age of the roof.”
2. Roofs 15 years or older. The insurer must allow the homeowner to have the roof inspected by an authorized inspector, at the homeowner’s expense, before requiring roof replacement as a condition of issuing or renewing the policy. If that inspection shows the roof has five years or more of useful life remaining, the insurer may not refuse to issue or renew solely because of roof age.
3. Who is an authorized inspector. An inspector approved by the insurer who is a licensed home inspector, a certified building code inspector, a licensed general, building, residential or roofing contractor, a licensed professional engineer or architect, or another person the insurer recognizes as qualified.
4. How roof age is counted. From the last date on which 100% of the roof surface was built or replaced under the building code then in effect. If the roof was replaced in parts, age runs from the start date of the partial replacement that eventually brought the replaced area to 100%.

The subsection applies to homeowners’ policies issued or renewed on or after July 1, 2022.

Where it came from

The roof-age language was added by CS/SB 2-D, the property insurance bill of the May 2022 special session (Chapter 2022-268, Laws of Florida, approved May 26, 2022). The same section was amended again later, including by SB 2-A of the December 2022 special session (Chapter 2022-271), whose summary describes changes to flood-insurance disclosure rather than to the roof-age provision; the statute’s history lists amendments through 2024. A 2026 bill that would have extended and reworked the rule, SB 808 (with House companion HB 815), died in committee in March 2026. So the text above is what applies today.

What the rule does not do

• It does not make roof age an automatic denial or replacement trigger. The opposite: it limits refusals based on age alone.
• It does not stop an insurer from acting on condition. The protection is against refusals “solely because” of age. A roof with visible damage, active leaks or under five years of remaining life can still be a reason for an insurer to decline, ask for repairs or require replacement.
• It does not set premiums. An older roof can still cost more to insure, and the roof’s wind-resistant features still affect credits.
• By its own words it covers homeowners’ policies. Whether and how it reaches other policy types is a question for your agent or an attorney, not something to assume.
• It does not choose the inspector for you. The inspector must be one the insurer approves; ask before you book so you don’t pay twice.

The rule vs the inspection forms vs your carrier’s rules

Three different things get blurred together:

	What it is	Who sets it
The statute	A floor: no refusal for age alone under 15 years; an inspection right and the 5-year test at 15+	The Legislature (s. 627.7011(5))
Inspection forms	How the roof’s age, remaining life and condition get documented: roof condition forms and the roof section of a 4-point	Each insurer (Citizens’ samples are widely used)
Underwriting rules	Each insurer’s own age thresholds, documentation demands and eligibility criteria	Each insurer, within the law

For example, Citizens Property Insurance asks for documentation of full roof replacement on personal residential policies when a tile, slate, clay, concrete or metal roof is over 50 years old, or a shingle or other roof is over 25, with exceptions where documentation shows at least five years of remaining useful life (Citizens FAQ, updated March 17, 2026). Private carriers publish less and vary more. The details for Citizens are in Citizens roof requirements, and the forms themselves are compared in 4-point vs wind mitigation vs roof certification.

Two other roof provisions worth knowing

Two other parts of the insurance code let insurers treat roof losses differently:

• A separate roof deductible. Under s. 627.701(10), an insurer may include a roof deductible of up to the lesser of 2% of the Coverage A limit or 50% of the roof replacement cost. It does not apply to a total loss of the home, a hurricane loss, a loss from a falling tree or other hazard that punctures the roof deck, or a loss needing repair of less than 50% of the roof. The insurer must offer it with an opt-out you can sign.
• Roof payment at actual cash value until the roof deductible is paid. If that roof deductible applies, s. 627.7011(3)(a) lets the insurer limit roof payment to actual cash value until you provide reasonable proof that you paid the deductible.

What to do if your insurer raises your roof’s age

1. Get the request in writing: what they want, by when, and which inspectors and forms they accept.
2. Pin down the roof’s age. Find the permit for the last full replacement; the building department for your address keeps the records (see roof permits in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach). The statute counts from 100% replacement, so a past partial repair usually does not reset the clock.
3. Book an inspection with an inspector the insurer accepts, and ask for remaining useful life to be stated, with photos of every slope. Our roof inspection guide explains what a good report includes.
4. Repair what the report flags if repair is reasonable, and document it.
5. If you receive a nonrenewal, Florida generally requires at least 120 days’ written notice with the reason for residential property policies, with some exceptions (s. 627.4133). Use that time to shop coverage and, if needed, plan a replacement rather than rushing one.

Next step

If your carrier is asking about your roof, start with an honest look at its condition. Request a free estimate from Art’s Roofing & Construction, and if replacement turns out to be the right call, see our roof replacement service.

This article explains the statute and published insurer rules as of October 20, 2026. It is not legal or insurance advice; confirm your policy’s terms with your agent.