Architectural shingles in Miami-Dade and Broward: HVHZ rules

Yes, you can put architectural asphalt shingles on a house in Miami-Dade or Broward. Both counties are in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ), so the shingle has to carry a current HVHZ product approval, and the code requires a specific underlayment, fastening and edge detailing. Most of the shingle roof’s wind resistance comes from that installation, not from the brand.

The rules below are from the Florida Building Code, 8th Edition (2023), which is in force until the Ninth (2026) Edition takes effect on December 31, 2026. Miami-Dade states that permit applications submitted on or after that date must comply with the new edition (Miami-Dade notice).

Product approval comes first

In the HVHZ, “all roofing components, roofing systems and roofing assemblies shall have a valid and current product approval” (FBC-Building 2023, §1512.2.1, Chapter 15). For shingles, that is usually a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA) or a Florida Product Approval that covers the HVHZ. Shingles must also be “labeled on the underside with the Florida Building Code, Building insignia, or product approval number” (§1523.5.1).

Three common architectural lines each have a current Miami-Dade NOA, checked on October 20, 2026:

Shingle line	Miami-Dade NOA	Expires
GAF Timberline HDZ (and related Timberline lines)	22-1221.04	02/21/2027
TAMKO Heritage / Proline Titan XT	26-0331.03	12/01/2030
CertainTeed Landmark series	26-0706.02	02/28/2028

All three NOAs share the same core conditions:

• the shingles go on a wood deck
• they “shall not be installed on roof mean heights in excess of 33 ft”
• they must be installed per RAS 115
• nailing must follow the approval’s Detail “B”
• “fire classification is not part of this acceptance”

Approvals expire and get revised. Check the number on your contract against Miami-Dade’s Product Control search before the permit is pulled.

Underlayment: three ways to seal the deck

The underlayment is what keeps water out if shingles are lost. Section 1518.2.1 of the code gives three options for shingle roofs in the HVHZ. Miami-Dade’s own code-change summary labels them like this:

Method	What the code requires (paraphrased from §1518.2.1)
1. Self-adhered direct to deck	The entire deck covered with an approved self-adhering polymer-modified bitumen underlayment (ASTM D1970).
2. Taped or sealed joints	A strip at least 3¾ inches wide of ASTM D1970 membrane or AAMA 711 Level 3 tape over every deck joint, then an approved underlayment over the whole roof. Miami-Dade notes this “requires double-coverage underlayment when slope less than 4:12.”
3. Two layers of nailable underlayment	Two layers of approved felt or synthetic underlayment, cap-nailed in a grid at 12 inches between laps and 6 inches at laps. Metal caps are required where the design wind speed is 170 mph or more.

RAS 115 adds the nail and cap specification for mechanically fastened underlayment. It calls for 12-gauge, 1¼-inch corrosion-resistant ring-shank nails through tin caps at least 1⅝ inches in diameter.

The current wind-mitigation form (OIR-B1-1802, Rev. 04/26) accepts each of these approaches as secondary water resistance: fully adhered ASTM D1970 underlayment, D1970 or AAMA 711 tape at least 3.75 inches wide on the seams, or a double layer of felt or synthetic. It states that “standard underlayment or hot-mopped felts do not qualify” (form).

Fastening: the code sets a floor, the approval sets the pattern

The HVHZ code is explicit:

• Placement. Asphalt shingles’ “layout, alignment and placement of mechanical attachment shall be in compliance with the product approval, and shall be installed in accordance with RAS 115” (§1518.7).
• Nail count. They must be installed per the approval “but in no case with less than six approved roofing nails or approved fastening devices which penetrate through the thickness of sheathing or wood plank a minimum of 1/8 inch” (§1518.7.3.2).
• Nail specification. RAS 115 specifies the nail: “12 ga. by 1 1/4 in. corrosion-resistant annular ring shank roofing nails” (§3.3). It also says to “place the fasteners in strict compliance with shingle manufacturers Product Approval course layout, fastening details” (§7.1).

The approvals then show where those nails go. Each NOA’s Detail “B” drawing shows six nail positions in a defined nailing zone. CertainTeed’s Detail B labels the area “nail between upper & lower nail lines” for slopes from 2:12 to 21:12.

This is one place the HVHZ differs from a manufacturer’s standard instructions. TAMKO’s Heritage instructions (Rev. 07/31/2024) give a standard pattern of “4 fasteners per shingle” and a “high wind” pattern of “6 fasteners per shingle.” They add: “See local building codes for additional nailing requirements.” In Miami-Dade and Broward, six is the code minimum regardless of which pattern a brochure calls standard.

Edges, valleys and starter

The perimeter is where wind gets under a roof, as our hurricane roofing guide explains. The HVHZ code requires:

• “Intersections, eaves, rakes, valleys, gable ends, and the starter course of asphalt shingles shall be set in an 8-inch (203 mm) wide bed of approved cold adhesive or roofing cement” (§1518.7.3.3).
• “All perimeter termination and valleys shall be fabricated from metal” (§1518.7.3.4).

Height and slope limits

• Height. Shingles are limited to a roof mean height of 33 feet “unless otherwise specifically noted in the product approval” (§1518.7.2; RAS 115 §3.1).
• Slope. The minimum is 2:12 for laminated and 3-tab shingles (Table 1515.2).

What the wind ratings on the package mean

Shingle wrappers and brochures often list ASTM D3161 and ASTM D7158 classes. The code accepts testing to ASTM D3161, ASTM D7158 or TAS 107 (§1507.2.7.1), and Table 1507.2.7.1 matches classes to design wind speeds:

Ultimate design wind speed (Vult)	ASTM D7158 class required	ASTM D3161 class required
110–116 mph	D, G or H	D or F
129 mph	G or H	D or F
142–155 mph	G or H	F
168–194 mph	H	F

The two tests measure different things:

• D7158 compares measured uplift resistance with the calculated uplift force for a given wind speed.
• D3161 is a fan test. ASTM notes it “does not measure structural performance, and does not provide a measure of uplift resistance.”

A class on the label tells you the shingle passed a laboratory test. It does not mean your roof is rated for that wind speed. That depends on the approved installation above.

Wind warranties are separate again

Manufacturers’ wind warranties carry their own speeds and conditions. TAMKO’s limited warranty, for example, lists Heritage at 110 mph with standard application and 130 mph with its high-wind application. It states that “if all High Wind Application requirements are not followed, the Standard Application Wind Warranty … applies” (TAMKO warranty). TAMKO’s instructions also state that the high-wind application “is not offered for re-cover applications.”

Ask which application your contract specifies, and ask for the warranty registration.

Can shingles go over an old roof in the HVHZ?

The HVHZ re-roofing section permits “one additional roofing system … over an original roofing assembly, providing the existing roofing assembly complies with the requirements of Section 1521” (§1521.9). It also forbids a new roof over a deck whose sheathing “has not been fastened in compliance with this code” (§1521.5). The underlayment methods above are applied to the deck, and manufacturer high-wind warranties can exclude re-covers.

In practice, the deck usually has to be exposed anyway to verify sheathing attachment and install a compliant underlayment. Your building department and roofer will confirm what is allowed on your house.

How long an architectural shingle roof lasts here

Expect less than the national figures:

• National builder survey. The NAHB/Bank of America study gives asphalt shingles “about 20 years” (2007).
• Florida inspection chart. InterNACHI’s Florida chart gives architectural shingles 15 to 20 years and notes that “hot climates drastically reduce asphalt shingle life” (InterNACHI Florida).

Where a roof lands in that range depends on:

• Sun and heat exposure, including color and attic temperature.
• Attic ventilation. GAF’s shingle warranty, for example, excludes damage from “inadequate ventilation.”
• Installation to the approval, especially sealant strips and edge cement.
• Storm history, since one hurricane can end a roof’s life early.
• Maintenance: debris, gutters, and repairing lifted tabs early.

Our roof lifespan by material article compares shingles with tile, metal and flat systems source by source.

Is shingle the right choice?

Shingles are a legitimate code-compliant choice in the HVHZ, with a shorter expected life here than tile or metal in each lifespan source we compared. The tile vs. metal vs. shingle comparison weighs the trade-offs.

Next step

When you compare shingle bids, ask each contractor for the NOA number, the underlayment method and the fastening pattern in writing. Art’s Roofing & Construction is a TAMKO Pro Certified contractor and CertainTeed ShingleMaster. We install shingle roofs as part of roof replacement in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach. Request a free estimate.