Permits & inspections
Closing out a roof permit: the final inspection
Updated 2026-09-16. Facts checked against official sources on that date.
Short answer
A roof permit isn't finished when the crew leaves. The building department inspects the work, and the permit closes once its requirements are met. An open or expired permit can cause trouble later, so confirm yours is closed before you make the final payment.
What a roofing inspection looks at
Under the Florida Building Code, a roofing inspection covers at least four parts of the job: the dry-in, the insulation, the roof covering and the flashing. The local building official decides when each inspection happens and what it covers. So the exact steps vary by city and county.[1]
The permit holder asks for each inspection when the work is ready. That's usually your roofing contractor. The crew can't work past an inspection point, or cover it up, until the inspector approves it.[1]
What “closing” a permit means
Florida law says a permit is closed when its requirements have been met. In practice, that means the required inspections have passed. Each building department shows permit status in its own words.[2]
| Status | What Collier County says |
|---|---|
| COED, Finaled, Abandoned, Denied, Cancelled | Closed, with no further action needed. |
| Any other status | Open, because something still needs to happen. |
Labels differ by county
Other building departments use different status names. Look up your permit on your own city's or county's permit portal, or call the office that issued it.
Why an open permit matters
Collier County's Clerk warns that an open permit can hold up a home sale, and that title insurance may not be available when a title search turns up an open permit.[5]
Florida law does protect buyers. Someone who buys a home at arm's length can't be fined or refused a permit just because a previous owner's permit was never closed. The local government keeps its options against the owner and contractor named on that permit.[2]
A building department may close a permit six years after it was issued, even without a final inspection, but only if it finds no apparent safety hazard. That's allowed, not automatic, so don't count on it.[2]
When a permit expires
The Florida Building Code says a permit becomes invalid if work doesn't start within six months of issue, or stops for six months after it starts. Work counts as in progress while the permit keeps passing an inspection at least every 180 days.[1]
A 2026 state law added a rule for single-family homes: a local building permit expires one year after it's issued, or when the next edition of the Florida Building Code takes effect, whichever is later. The local government can extend it.[2][3]
Ask your building department which deadline applies
We haven't found an official source that reconciles the code's six-month rule with the 2026 one-year rule. Your permit office can tell you the date that applies to your permit.
If a permit expired but the work is substantially complete, Florida law lets it be closed without pulling a new permit, under the code that applied when the permit was applied for.[2]
If your roofer leaves the permit open
You can close a permit even if your name isn't on it. Florida law lets a property owner close it with the original contractor, by hiring a different licensed contractor or by acting as an owner-builder where that's allowed.[2]
A new contractor you hire to close someone else's permit is responsible only for their own work, not for defects left by the first contractor.[2]
Before you make the final payment
- Ask your roofer for the permit number and the result of the final inspection.
- Look the permit up on your building department's portal and check that it shows as closed.
- If it's still open, ask what's missing and when the next inspection is booked.
- Keep a copy of the closed permit record with your roof paperwork. You may need it when you sell or insure the home.
Every roofer in this directory shows its license
Each listing carries the license number, type and status from the state record, with the date we checked.
Find roofers by countyQuestions
How do I know if my roof permit is closed?
Look up the permit number on your city's or county's permit portal, or call the building department that issued it. Status labels vary. In Collier County, COED, Finaled, Abandoned, Denied and Cancelled mean closed.
Who asks for the roof inspections?
The permit holder or their authorized agent, which is usually your roofing contractor. The building official decides when inspections happen and what each one covers (Florida Building Code, Section 110).
Can I close a permit my old roofer left open?
Yes. Florida law lets a property owner close a permit with the original contractor, with a different licensed contractor or as an owner-builder where that's allowed. A new contractor is liable only for their own work (s. 553.79, Florida Statutes).
Does a roof permit expire?
It can. The Florida Building Code has six-month rules for starting and continuing work, and a 2026 law sets a one-year expiration for single-family home permits. Ask your building department which deadline applies to yours.
Sources
- [1] Florida Building Code, Building, 8th Edition (2023), Chapter 1: Sections 105 and 110, checked 2026-09-16
- [2] Florida Statutes s. 553.79: Permits; applications; issuance; inspections, checked 2026-09-16
- [3] Chapter 2026-63, Laws of Florida (HB 803), effective July 1, 2026, checked 2026-09-16
- [4] Collier County: View Permit History & Permit Search, checked 2026-09-16
- [5] Collier County Clerk: The job is not finished until the permit is closed, checked 2026-09-16
General information, not legal advice. Laws and records change; confirm with the agency before you act.