Do I need a permit for roof replacement or repair in Unincorporated Lee County?
Yes. In Florida, roof replacement or repair generally requires a permit, and Unincorporated Lee County is no exception.
Florida requires a permit to replace or recover a roof, and most repairs above a small area also need one. Under the Florida 25 percent rule, if 25 percent or more of a roof section is repaired or replaced within 12 months, that section must be brought up to the current Florida Building Code. The roofing system usually needs Florida Product Approval.
Local detail for Unincorporated Lee County: Serves all unincorporated areas of Lee County. Permits submitted online via Accela Citizen Access.
Florida and local notes for Unincorporated Lee County
Lee County's own permitting office is the Lee County Community Development Department - Building & Permitting Services, reachable on (239) 533-8329 at https://www.leegov.com/dcd. Its online permit portal is https://aca-prod.accela.com/LEECO/Cap/CapHome.aspx?module=Permitting. It issues permits for the unincorporated county. If your city does not run its own building department, and many smaller Florida municipalities do not, this is the office that will handle the job. Roofing permits and the dry-in inspection are handled by whichever office serves your address, and Florida requires product approval documentation for roof coverings. Lee County's Roof guide states that a Roof permit is required to replace, repair, or re-cover a roof. Sec. 6-117 exempts only a roof repair under 25 percent of the roof area in 12 months, with all exempt items together under $500. Houses built before 1995 with a current value of $300,000 or more may have additional requirements, and tile on a roof that did not have tile before needs engineering approval. For a shingle or tile tear-off, the Roof Final is scheduled only after Solid Waste approval under Lee County Ordinance No. 07-25 (Solid Waste 239-533-8000). The recorded Notice of Commencement must be on site before the first inspection.
Documents you may need
- Permit applicationLikely required
- Licensed roofing contractor informationLikely required
- Product approval (FL number or NOA) for the roofing systemLikely required
- Notice of commencement (for work over the statutory value)Sometimes required
- Permit application (if above the local repair threshold)Sometimes required
- Roof permit application in eConnectLikely required
- FL Product Approval Form for Lee County with product approval numbersLikely required
- Roof Inspection Affidavit before the final, on all 1 and 2 family re-roofsLikely required
- Existing Roof Retrofit Affidavit, for residential retrofitsSometimes required
- Engineer's letter confirming the trusses can carry tile, when changing to tileSometimes required
- Recorded Notice of Commencement for projects over $5,000Sometimes required
- Owner-Builder Disclosure Statement, if the owner is acting as the contractorSometimes required
Possible inspections
- Sheathing and nailing inspection
- Dry-in (underlayment) inspection
- Final inspection
- 501 Roof Dry In
- 502 Roof In Process (tile)
- 503 Roof Final, after the Inspection Affidavit and, for tear-offs, Solid Waste approval
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need a permit for roof replacement or repair in Unincorporated Lee County?
- Yes. In Florida, roof replacement or repair generally requires a permit, and Unincorporated Lee County is no exception. The documents and inspections sections on this page list what the building department typically asks for.
- Who issues the permit in Unincorporated Lee County?
- The local building department for Unincorporated Lee County handles permitting. This page lists its contact details and online portal. Your mailing city is not always the permitting authority, so confirm the jurisdiction before you apply.
- How do I find out the exact requirements for my project?
- Run the free PermitRoadmap check for your specific project and answers. It returns the likely permits, documents, inspections, and next steps, each linked to its official source.
PermitRoadmap is an independent informational service and is not affiliated with any city, county, state agency, or permitting authority. Results are informational and do not replace confirming requirements with the local permitting authority.