How do I find out how old my roof is in Vero Beach?

Look up the roof replacement permit for your address. The City of Vero Beach shares its Building Department with Indian River County, so the county Building Division keeps the records. Search MGO Connect or call 772-226-1260.

Where do I look up building permits in Indian River County?

The county Building Division uses MGO Connect, an online portal where you can search permits. It serves the unincorporated county and the City of Vero Beach. Hours are Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

What is the 15-year roof rule in Florida?

Under section 627.7011, an insurer may not refuse to issue or renew a homeowner's policy solely because the roof is less than 15 years old. For older roofs, the homeowner may get an inspection first, and if it shows 5 or more years of life left, the insurer may not refuse solely because of age.

How is roof age calculated in Florida?

State law measures it from the last date the whole roof was built or replaced under the building code in effect then. For a roof replaced in sections, it runs from the start of the work that together covered the whole roof.

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How old is your roof? How to find out from permit records in Vero Beach and Indian River County

Your roof's age comes up when you buy, sell or renew insurance. In Vero Beach and the unincorporated county, one office keeps the permit records. Here is how to find the date yourself.

October 13, 2026 · 4 min read · Vero Beach, Indian River County

Ask most Vero homeowners how old their roof is and you get a shrug and a guess. "It was new when we bought the house." "Maybe 2010?" That guess can matter more than you think.

Roof age comes up when you sell, when you buy, and when your homeowner's policy renews. The good news is that you do not have to guess. A roof replacement in Florida needs a building permit, and permits leave a paper trail. In Vero Beach and the unincorporated county, that trail lives in one place.

Why your roof's age matters in Florida

Florida law sets some ground rules for how insurers treat older roofs. Under section 627.7011 of the Florida Statutes, an insurer may not refuse to issue or renew a homeowner's policy solely because the roof is less than 15 years old.

Once a roof is at least 15 years old, the insurer must let the homeowner get a roof inspection by an authorized inspector, at the homeowner's expense, before requiring a new roof as a condition of coverage. If that inspection shows the roof has 5 or more years of useful life left, the insurer may not refuse to issue or renew solely because of the roof's age. These rules apply to policies issued or renewed on or after July 1, 2022.

The law also says how roof age is counted. It runs from the last date the whole roof was built or replaced under the building code in effect at the time. If the roof was redone in pieces, it is measured from the start of the work that, added together, covered the whole roof. That is why a permit date is so useful: it is a public record of when the work was done.

Who keeps the permit records

This trips people up. The City of Vero Beach's own website says the city shares its Building Department with Indian River County, and it sends building permit questions to the county. The county's Building Division says it serves the unincorporated county and the City of Vero Beach.

So if your house is inside Vero Beach city limits, or in the unincorporated county, the county Building Division is the office that issues and keeps building permits. Some other towns in the county, like Sebastian, run their own building departments, so if you live in one of them, start with your town hall.

The Building Division is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The county notes that staffing is reduced from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day, so mornings and mid-afternoons are better for a call or a visit.

How to search permits online

The county uses MyGovernmentOnline, called MGO, for permitting. Its customer portal is MGO Connect. When the county switched to it in July 2023, Hometown News reported that homeowners and contractors could use it to check permit status, search for permits and download permit data, along with applying for permits and requesting inspections.

Search by your property address. Look for a permit described as a reroof or roof replacement, and note the date it was issued and the date it passed final inspection. The final inspection date is the best sign the job was finished.

Older permits may be harder to find online, because the portal began in 2023. If you cannot find your roof permit, call the Building Division at 772-226-1260 and ask how to request older permit records for your address. For online permitting help, the county lists 985-851-0760.

What to do this week

Check your closing papers first. The seller's disclosure or the inspection report from your purchase may note the roof's age.
Confirm who issued your permits. Inside Vero Beach city limits or in the unincorporated county, it is the Indian River County Building Division.
Search MGO Connect by your address for a reroof or roof replacement permit. Write down the issue date and the final inspection date.
No luck online? Call the Building Division at 772-226-1260, Monday to Friday, and ask how to get older permit records for your address.
If you need a city record that is not a building permit, the City of Vero Beach has a public records request form on covb.org through the City Clerk.
Keep a copy of the permit and final inspection with your house papers. You will want it the next time you sell, refinance or renew.

A few things to watch for

A permit with no final inspection may mean the job was never closed out. Ask the Building Division what is needed to close it.
A repair permit is not the same as a full replacement. Florida's roof-age rule counts from when the whole roof was replaced.
If someone offers to do roof work, check that they are licensed and that they pull a permit. The permit protects you and creates the record you just went looking for.

Ten minutes with the permit records can turn "maybe 2010?" into a real date. That is one less guess the next time someone asks.

Common questions

How do I find out how old my roof is in Vero Beach?: Look up the roof replacement permit for your address. The City of Vero Beach shares its Building Department with Indian River County, so the county Building Division keeps the records. Search MGO Connect or call 772-226-1260.
Where do I look up building permits in Indian River County?: The county Building Division uses MGO Connect, an online portal where you can search permits. It serves the unincorporated county and the City of Vero Beach. Hours are Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
What is the 15-year roof rule in Florida?: Under section 627.7011, an insurer may not refuse to issue or renew a homeowner's policy solely because the roof is less than 15 years old. For older roofs, the homeowner may get an inspection first, and if it shows 5 or more years of life left, the insurer may not refuse solely because of age.
How is roof age calculated in Florida?: State law measures it from the last date the whole roof was built or replaced under the building code in effect then. For a roof replaced in sections, it runs from the start of the work that together covered the whole roof.