The 25% rule is the most-misquoted item in the Florida Building Code. The shorthand version most homeowners have heard is: if more than 25% of your roof is damaged, the whole roof must be replaced. The actual code is more nuanced — and was meaningfully revised in both 2023 and 2025.
What the rule actually says
The Florida Building Code, Section 706.2 in the 2026 edition, governs when a repair triggers a full roof-covering replacement. The current standard, simplified:
- If the damage is less than 25% of the total roof area: a like-kind repair is permitted, matching the existing material.
- If the damage is between 25% and 50%: the affected slope must be replaced in its entirety, brought to current code. The unaffected slopes may remain.
- If the damage exceeds 50%: the entire roof system must be replaced to current code.
The percentage is measured by area, not by tile count or value of damage.
What changed in 2023
The pre-2023 version of the rule essentially required full re-roof at 25% damage. The 2023 revision split the middle band — 25% to 50% — into a slope-by-slope standard. The intent was to reduce insurance disputes by clarifying when a partial repair was lawful.
What changed in 2025
The 2025 update clarified that "current code" for the affected slope means the underlayment, deck attachment, and secondary water resistance — not just the visible covering. This is the line item that determines whether a partial replacement on an older home triggers full underlayment work on that slope.
What this means for your claim
Most hurricane claims fall in the 25%-to-50% range when measured honestly. The decisive question is how the affected slope's existing underlayment and deck attachment are documented. If the home is older than ten years and the underlayment has never been touched, the slope replacement will require bringing the underlayment to current standard — which is materially more work than the visible damage might suggest.
The honest read
The rule is a homeowner protection, not a contractor opportunity. Done correctly, it prevents the worst of the partial-repair patchwork that used to characterize post-storm work in Florida. Done dishonestly, it becomes leverage for a full re-roof when a clean repair would have served. We have walked both sides of this; the correct answer is almost always what the code actually specifies, which is more conservative than most contractors will quote and more generous than most adjusters will offer.
If you are in a dispute about which side of 25% your damage falls on, request the adjuster's measurement in writing, and request a second estimator's measurement independently. The two reports go to your carrier together.
Filed under