Ocala, FL Hurricane Preparedness: Roof Standards (2026)

Sec. 82-32 splits Ocala in two for wind design: east of Interstate 75, new construction and re-roofs must be engineered to a 100 mph basic design wind speed under the Florida Building Code's wind-load provisions, while everything west of I-75 must meet 110 mph. Both figures amend the Florida Building Code as adopted citywide under Sec. 82-31, so a contractor pulling a roofing or re-roofing permit must specify which side of I-75 the property sits on to get the correct wind-load calculation approved. The permit-exemption side of hurricane roof work lives in Sec.

82-40(h)(4): like-for-like minor roofing repairs and patch work, done under Florida Building Code Existing Roofing Subsection 1511.1.1, don't need a permit as long as the repaired area stays under 25 percent of the total roof area or roof section in any rolling 12-month period. Cross the 25 percent line, or the work isn't a true like-for-like patch, and the job becomes a full re-roof requiring a permit, plan review and inspection by the building official, who applies the current 100/110 mph wind design standard rather than whatever standard applied when the original roof went on.

Sec. 82-40(i) also strips the exemption from any single-family property in a mapped flood zone unless the building official and city engineer confirm the work isn't a substantial improvement.