Replacing or repairing a roof in unincorporated Pinellas County requires a building permit from Building & Development Review Services (BDRS), applied for online through the Pinellas County Access Portal (Accela). Permits are required for work in excess of $500 or work that requires an inspection. Every re-roof gets a mandatory in-progress inspection, and hurricane-mitigation work (roof deck nailing, secondary water barrier) that gets covered up must be documented with a Re-Roofing Mitigation Affidavit under the Hurricane Mitigation Manual (FS 553.844). BDRS serves unincorporated areas plus Belleair Beach, Belleair Shore, Indian Rocks Beach, Kenneth City, Oldsmar and Safety Harbor; other cities issue their own permits.
Anyone re-roofing, repairing, or replacing a roof on property in unincorporated Pinellas County (or the six partner communities BDRS serves). Normally pulled by a licensed roofing contractor; per the county's Building FAQs, an owner may pull their own permit to build or improve a one- or two-family residence for their own use (Owner/Contractor Affidavit required, with full-time direct onsite supervision, and a presumption of violation if sold within one year). Owner-builders must appear in person for affidavit verification with a valid State-issued ID.
Confirm your property is in BDRS's service area
BDRS permits unincorporated Pinellas County and Belleair Beach, Belleair Shore, Indian Rocks Beach, Kenneth City, Oldsmar and Safety Harbor. Verify jurisdiction with the MyNeighborhood search or the Property Appraiser; inside other cities, the municipality issues its own roofing permits.
pinellas.gov/permitting-guide/Create an account and apply on the Pinellas County Access Portal
All permit applications are submitted online through the Access Portal (Accela): select the matching record type, complete the application, upload documents, and pay fees by credit card. Contractors must have their license associated with their portal account as Account Owner.
aca-prod.accela.com/pinellas/Default.aspxRecord and attach a Notice of Commencement if over the threshold
Per the county's Permitting Guide, Notices of Commencement are required for projects exceeding $5,000 (building trades) or $15,000 (mechanical). Record through the Pinellas County Clerk of Court, attach during portal submission or email to [email protected], and keep the NOC onsite for each inspection.
pinellas.gov/permitting-guide/Schedule the mandatory in-progress inspection
All re-roofing projects must have an in-progress inspection after the dry-in has been applied and the roof loaded. Metal and tile roofs must also pass a dry-in and flashing inspection before work proceeds. Request inspections via the Access Portal or the automated phone line (727) 464-3888.
pinellas.gov/roofing-inspection-policies/Post the Re-Roofing Mitigation Affidavit and pass final inspection
Affidavits are required for any portion of the roof not visible at the in-progress inspection (deck nailing, covered underlayment/flashing) and must be posted at the job site at the time of final inspection. For shingle roofs, a shingle wrapper must be on the job site at final inspection to verify the stagger pattern.
pinellas.gov/roofing-inspection-policies/| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Building permit fee (roofing) | see fee schedule | BDRS fees are published in the FY25 Budget 'User Fees' book (effective Oct 1, 2024); fee changes for inspection and private provider fees take effect July 1, 2026 under HB 803 / FS 553.79. Paid by credit card on the Access Portal; applications applied for in error are non-refundable. |
Fee amounts change, the linked official schedule always controls.
Rules and permitting differ inside cities: each Pinellas municipality (St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Largo, etc.) issues its own permits; BDRS covers only unincorporated areas plus Belleair Beach, Belleair Shore, Indian Rocks Beach, Kenneth City, Oldsmar and Safety Harbor. Gotchas: the mitigation affidavit must be physically posted onsite at final inspection; a shingle wrapper must be onsite at final; roofs with solar panels need both solar and roof permits; roof-to-wall connection retrofit requirements were not found stated on county pages (county forms cover roof deck nailing and secondary water barrier only, per FS 553.844). County pages do not explicitly name Miami-Dade NOAs; product approvals are documented via the Product Approval Schedule (FS 553.842 / FAC 9B-72).