Florida rules, explained for Marion County

Florida's Roof Age Law for Marion County Homes

Reviewed by Matt Williams, Licensed Insurance AgentLast reviewed October 15, 2026

Roof age rules in Marion County: if an inspection finds 5 or more years of life left, roof age alone can't be why a company refuses to write or renew.

On InsuranceOcalaFL.com, Matt Williams, a licensed Florida agent, compares 80+ companies for you.

Licensed Florida agent since 2010
205,732 homes in Marion County, July 2025 (Census)
77.5% of Marion County homes are owned, not rented (Census)
You pay for the roof inspection yourself (s. 627.7011)
Roofers, engineers and home inspectors can inspect (s. 627.7011)

Inspection report in hand? Have the Ocala house priced by many companies that read it.

See when your roof crosses the line

Glass-bottom boats at Silver Springs State Park near Ocala, Florida — Glass-bottom boats, Silver Springs State Park

Test a carrier's "no" against the statute before you pay for a new roof. Roof age can affect whether a Florida home policy is issued or renewed, but the law puts limits on refusals over age alone.

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The Statute Splits Roofs at 15 Years

Roofs Younger Than 15

The source is s. 627.7011, Florida Statutes. For a home whose roof is less than 15 years old, the insurer may not refuse to issue the homeowner's policy, or refuse to renew it, solely because of the roof's age.

Roofs at 15 Years and Up

When the roof has reached 15 years or more, the insurer cannot insist on replacement as a requirement for issuing or renewing your policy until it has let you have an authorized inspector check the roof. You pay for that inspection.

Then comes the sentence that matters most. An inspection that puts the roof's remaining useful life at five years or more changes the answer: roof age alone can no longer be the reason the insurer refuses to issue or renew.

Roof Inspectors the Statute Names

Authorized inspectors, as the statute lists them, include roofing contractors; general, building and residential contractors; licensed home inspectors; building code inspectors; engineers; and architects.

Roofer carrying a bundle of shingles across a roof deck during a reroof — Illustrative photo of a reroof in progress. Not a local property. Photo: Zohair Mirza on Unsplash.

Ask Whether It Is Age or Condition

Both provisions hinge on one word: solely. The statute's limits cover refusals based solely on roof age, so where they apply, a carrier cannot cite the roof's age, and nothing more, as its whole answer.

That gives you a better first move than hunting for a new carrier when you hear the roof is too old. Ask a question instead: is the objection the roof's age by itself, or its condition? When the roof is under 15 years and age is the only objection, the statute covers that case directly. On an older roof, the inspection is what settles it. If one company still says no after that, shopping the file across many companies is the next move.

Why the Roof Comes Up at Renewals in Marion County

Per the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, Marion County counted 205,732 housing units as of July 1, 2025, with a median owner-occupied home value of $243,100. Each of those homes sits under a roof of some age, and any renewal gives a carrier the chance to ask about it. The same renewal is a good time to confirm which of the two sinkhole coverages the policy carries and whether the parcel's flood zone calls for flood cover.

Order the Roof Inspection Before You Shop

If your roof is 15 years old or more, no page in your file is worth more than an inspection by an authorized inspector. Get it before you shop, not after a decline. Order matters here: a file that shows up with the inspection already attached starts a different conversation than one that shows up with a question mark.

Wind Mitigation Is a Different Report

Opening protection, roof-to-wall strength and roof covering performance are among the windstorm mitigation features a wind mitigation inspection records. Age plays no part in it. Its job is to put those features on record for the discounts or credits the law requires carriers to file, not to meet a requirement.

People often confuse the two inspections, and the pair is often worth booking together. The 4-point and wind mitigation guide covers both.

Questions About Roof Age and Your Policy

I was declined with a 12-year-old roof. Was that allowed?

Not when roof age by itself was the reason. Ask the carrier to put its basis in writing. If the reason it gives is something other than roof age, the roof age provision does not reach it.

My roof is 18. Must I replace it?

Not automatically. You are entitled to an inspection first. If the report finds five or more years of useful life left, the roof's age by itself cannot be the basis for a refusal.

Who covers the cost of the inspection?

The homeowner pays, as the statute provides. Even so, it is often the most useful step available to you.

Will a new roof bring my premium down?

It can, through the roof's age and through any wind mitigation features the new roof lets you document. Whether the price moves, and by how much, depends on the carrier.

My carrier non-renewed me over the roof. What next?

Your next step depends on the reason the letter states. Read Citizens and non-renewal, or send the letter in to have it read properly.

Not sure yet?

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