Know What Your Florida Roof Product Approval Number Means

What is a Florida roof product approval number?

A Florida roof product approval number is a state identifier. It shows that a roofing product was reviewed against Florida building requirements. A product used in a South Florida re-roof should carry a current number that matches the material on the roof.

State law requires statewide approval for several product types, including roofing and windows. Fla. Stat. § 553.842 lists those categories.

Any person who advertises, sells, offers, provides, distributes, or markets a product as hurricane, windstorm, or impact protection from wind-borne debris without the approval required under § 553.842 or § 553.8425 is subject to the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (part II of chapter 501), brought by the enforcing authority as defined in s. 501.203.

The number belongs to one specific product. A shingle, tile, or panel that looks similar is not automatically covered. Fla. Admin. Code R. 61G20-3.007 sets out the steps for state approval of a product or system of construction.

Where the approval number appears on roofing products

The number usually appears on product labels, bundle tags, and the manufacturer’s documents. Start with the packaging. Then check the technical data sheet and installation instructions for the same product line.

For tile, the approval listing sets the rules. A Miami-Dade notice of acceptance for Crown Building Products Windsor concrete roof tiles lists approved profiles, dimensions, installation methods, and the permanent labeling the product must carry.

For listed products, documentation must include the manufacturer’s product model number or identifier and a product description. Fla. Admin. Code R. 61G20-3.005 sets out those requirements. Ask for documents that name the exact product, not only marketing material.

How to read the number on a submittal sheet

Start with the product match. The name, profile or series, color, and thickness on the submittal must match each line in the estimate. A different tile profile, a substituted shingle line, or a thinner metal panel is a mismatch, even under the same brand name.

Next, check the revision. An approved revision keeps the same Florida Product Approval number and adds a code such as R1 or R2. Fla. Admin. Code R. 61G20-3.012 describes this. Once a revision is approved, it supersedes the original. An older sheet may show a version that has been replaced.

Then check the parts around the roof. Underlayment, fasteners, and flashing can each carry their own approval requirements. The City of Lady Lake roofing permit page notes that permit submissions can include product-approval information for roofing materials and underlayment.

How approval numbers connect to county permits

Repair and replacement work needs a permit first. Under Fla. Stat. § 553.79, unless otherwise provided by law, a permit from the appropriate enforcing agency is required before a building is repaired in Florida.

Statewide approval is one path. Local product approval is another. Under Fla. Stat. § 553.8425, a local building official deems a product approved once compliance is found, according to its approval and limitation of use.

South Florida adds a second system. Miami-Dade County’s product approval notices describe local procedures for roofing systems, including non-structural metal roofing. Those approvals use Notice of Acceptance (NOA) numbers. A Miami or Kendall project may need an NOA, a state number, or both. The Palm Beach County product approval page explains that metal roofing falls under Florida’s statewide product-approval system.

What to request with your estimate

Ask for the approval sheet for every roofing material in the estimate before you sign. That includes underlayment and accessories, not only the shingles, tile, or panels. Confirm the numbers match the products to be installed and are current for your county.

Tile and metal have their own installation rules. The Tile Roofing Industry Alliance installation guides cover tile-roof installation practices and code requirements for high-wind areas in Florida.

Quick answers

The approval should match the product you install.

If your South Florida estimate includes roofing materials you can’t yet match to an approval number, reach out through our contact page. Our free first consultation is confidential and without obligation, and we’ll help you review the approval sheets for your roof.