Historic homes in Orlando and Winter Park face one more layer of review than other houses, and the two cities handle roofs very differently. Orlando reviews roof work through its historic preservation staff. Winter Park, since a 2025 code change, sends roof replacements that keep the home's current style straight to building permit review. Both cities still require a building permit and inspections. Here is how each one works, as of 2026.
| Detail | City of Orlando | City of Winter Park |
|---|---|---|
| Applies to | Historic districts and designated landmarks | Designated historic properties and historic districts |
| Approval for a reroof | Certificate of Appropriateness, minor review | Exempt if consistent with the current architectural style |
| Who decides | Historic preservation staff | Building permit review |
| Historic review fee | None for minor review | No certificate of review needed |
| Building permit | Issued only after the certificate | Required |
How do I know if my home is in a historic district?
The City of Orlando says it has six historic districts and almost 50 individually designated landmarks, and its Historic Preservation FAQs link to a GIS map where you can check an address. The City notes that owners of newer homes inside a historic district still need a certificate for exterior changes. In Winter Park, the historic preservation rules in Article VIII of Chapter 58 of the Land Development Code apply to designated properties and properties within designated historic districts. Ask the city's planning staff if you are unsure about your address.
What does Orlando require for a roof?
Orlando's historic preservation rules are in Chapter 62 of its Land Development Code. The City says any property in a historic district or individual landmark must comply with Chapter 62 when making exterior changes, through a Certificate of Appropriateness issued by the Historic Preservation Board or the Historic Preservation Officer.
Roofs fall under minor review. The City's minor review application page lists "Roofs (color where required)" among eligible projects. The process, as the City describes it:
- Apply online. The property owner or an authorized agent completes the application.
- Get a project number. The City contacts you within five days with instructions to upload your plans.
- Staff review. Staff has up to 10 business days to review a minor application. There is no fee.
- Receive the certificate. The City says the certificate must be received before a building permit can be issued.
- Apply for the roof permit. Your roofer files the residential roof permit and schedules inspections.
If staff denies the application or you dispute the decision, the Historic Preservation Board can hear it for a $250 fee. Questions go to historicpreservation@orlando.gov or 407.246.2269.
The certificate is a planning approval, not permission to start work. Your roof permit is still required.
What does Winter Park require for a roof?
Winter Park amended its certificate of review rules in Ordinance 3335-25, adopted May 28, 2025. The ordinance added a provision to Sec. 58-473 that exempts minor exterior alterations consistent with the current architectural style of the structure, naming window and door replacements, facade treatments and roof replacements. Those projects are subject only to building permit review.
The exemption has a limit. A roof that changes the home's style, such as a new pitch or added dormers, may not fit it. For projects that need a certificate of review, the same ordinance requires the application to detail roofing type, material, color, style and pitch, plus features like dormers, skylights and chimneys. The ordinance also lets the city's Code Compliance Board order an unauthorized significant alteration restored to the prior condition and materials, with fines for each day until it is. Check with Winter Park's planning staff before you change anything about the roof's shape. Our Winter Park roofing and Orlando roofing pages go deeper on each city's older neighborhoods and building departments.
Which roofing materials fit a historic home?
Orlando's guidance is to repair an original feature if you can and replace it in kind if you cannot, using substitute materials only when the original material is no longer available. In practice, that means matching what is on the house now is the simplest path in Orlando. Winter Park's exemption also turns on staying consistent with the current architectural style.
Whatever the material, the new roof must still meet the Florida Building Code, including the reroof requirements inspectors check. Read Florida Building Code roof requirements, and compare options in shingle vs metal vs tile roofs in Florida.
Does historic review change my timeline or cost?
In Orlando, add the minor review window before the permit can issue. Matching an original material, such as a specific tile, can cost more than a standard option, so get the material confirmed before you sign. See how long roof replacement takes, the Orlando roof replacement cost guide and roof financing. If your home is also in an HOA, read HOA roof approval in Orlando, because that approval is separate.
To find out what your historic roof needs, book a free roof inspection.
