The 9th Edition of the Florida Building Code took effect on December 31, 2025. Most of the changes are housekeeping — clarifications, updated reference documents, retired test methods. Eight changes are worth knowing if you own or are building a tile roof.
1. Documented secondary water resistance is now required to claim the wind-mitigation discount
Previously, a self-adhered membrane could be claimed on the OIR-B1-1802 form based on the contractor's affidavit. The 9th Edition requires a photograph of the installed membrane before the tile goes on, plus the product approval number. This closes a loophole that generated many adjuster disputes.
2. RAS 127 (foam-set) approval pathway is clarified
The pre-2026 code had ambiguity around how foam-set tile attachment was inspected. The new edition explicitly aligns RAS 127 with the same attachment-documentation requirements as RAS 120, including pull-out testing protocols.
3. Eave attachment patterns are tightened on hip roofs
The first three courses up from the eave on a hip roof now require additional fastening — typically one extra screw per tile or an upgraded clip. This addresses the failure mode observed in recent Florida storms where eave courses lifted and the wind caught the underside of the tile field.
4. Cap-tile attachment is explicitly specified
Ridge and hip caps now have their own attachment requirement — minimum two fasteners per tile, with corrosion-rated screws. Previously this was inferred; now it is explicit.
5. Underlayment temperature rating is referenced
For tile roofs with dark field colors (defined as solar reflectance below a stated threshold), the underlayment must carry a temperature rating that covers the expected surface conditions. This formalizes what was already best practice.
6. Reroof-only deck-attachment pattern is brought to current standard
When the visible field comes off for a reroof, the deck must be brought to current attachment specification on that slope. The 2026 update clarifies the patterns and the documentation required — closing another adjuster-dispute loophole.
7. Wind speed mapping is refreshed
The wind speed isobars in the code reference document have been updated based on more recent meteorological modeling. A handful of coastal census tracts shifted from one wind speed zone to an adjacent one; for most homeowners this does not change anything in practice, but a small minority will see their required attachment pattern adjust.
8. The 25% replacement rule documentation is clarified
The 25%/50% damage-percentage thresholds now require photographic and measured documentation, not just contractor affidavit. This formalizes the practice we have been following voluntarily.
What this means for an existing roof
Nothing automatic. The code change applies to new work, not retroactively. But the wind-mitigation report that supports your insurance premium discount may benefit from re-inspection under the new documentation requirements — particularly if your roof's secondary water resistance was previously documented by affidavit only.
We have been writing our specifications to the 9th Edition standards since they were drafted in mid-2025. The change in our documentation has been minor; the change in inspector behavior has been more meaningful.
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