Hurricane Isaias Emergency Order: Florida GCs Can Self-Perform Roof Work Until December 5

Hurricane Isaias left 30 Florida counties under a state of emergency, and the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) has answered with an emergency order that changes who a general contractor has to hire for roof work. Under DBPR Emergency Order 2026-01, as amended by 2026-02, certified and registered general, building and residential contractors working in the covered counties are not required to subcontract roofing work. The order expires December 5, 2026, or sooner if the Governor's emergency ends.

This guide walks through what the order actually says, where it applies, what it leaves untouched, and the contract language Florida law sets for residential roof jobs signed during a declared emergency. For the bigger picture on licensing in the state, start with the Florida contractor license page.

At a glance Orders: DBPR Emergency Order 2026-01 (filed October 10, 2026), amended by DBPR Emergency Order 2026-02 (filed October 11, 2026). Authority: the Governor's Executive Order 26-202, as amended by Executive Orders 26-211 and 26-212. Who it covers: certified or registered general, building and residential contractors. What changes: the roofing subcontract requirement in section 489.113(3), Florida Statutes, is suspended for the repair or installation of any roof type. Where: 30 counties. Ends: December 5, 2026, or earlier if Executive Order 26-202 expires or is rescinded.

What the order changes

On a normal day, section 489.113(3) of the Florida Statutes says a contractor subcontracts roofing work unless that contractor holds a state certificate or registration in roofing. The standing exception for general, building and residential contractors is narrow: installing wood shingles, wood shakes, or asphalt or fiberglass shingles, or a warranty repair of them, on a new building of their own construction.

Paragraph 1 of Emergency Order 2026-01 suspends that requirement "to the extent that a certified or registered general, building, or residential contractor is not required to subcontract roofing work for the repair or installation of any roof type when providing contracting services." In plain terms, inside the covered counties a Florida general, building or residential contractor can run a roof repair or replacement with its own crew instead of bringing in a licensed roofing contractor. The order's words are "any roof type," so the relief is not limited to shingles.

Paragraph 4 of the order matters for scheduling. It says the relief "shall continue to be applicable to all projects for which a building permit has been applied for or obtained during the effective date of this Emergency Order." For a job that will run past the expiration date, DBPR can confirm how that paragraph applies.

The 30 covered counties

As amended by Executive Order 26-211, the Governor's declaration covered 27 counties when DBPR issued Order 2026-01. Executive Order 26-212, issued October 10, 2026, added Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas, and DBPR Emergency Order 2026-02 extended the contractor relief to those three. The full list:

Baker, Bay, Calhoun, Citrus, Columbia, Dixie, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Hillsborough, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Okaloosa, Pasco, Pinellas, Santa Rosa, Suwannee, Taylor, Walton, Wakulla and Washington.

A job outside these counties gets none of the relief. The subcontract requirement applies there as usual.

Registered contractors can cross county lines

Florida runs two tracks. A certified contractor can work anywhere in the state. A registered contractor's state registration rests on local licensing and, under section 489.117(1)(b), allows contracting only in the counties, cities or development districts where it met the local requirements.

Florida law already makes room for emergencies. Section 489.117(5) lets a registered contractor do the work its registration covers inside an area under a declared natural emergency, and that authorization ends 24 months after the emergency expires. Paragraph 2 of the order goes further for the 30 counties. It suspends the geographic limits in section 489.117(1)(b) and (c), and it says a registered contractor working outside its usual area in compliance with the order is not guilty of unlicensed contracting while the order is in effect. That contractor provides three things to the local jurisdiction where the work is: its state registration, proof of workers' compensation compliance under Chapter 440, and the liability and property damage insurance called for by section 489.115(5)(a). Paragraph 3 gives the same geographic relief to registered electrical and alarm system contractors.

What the order does not do

The order is narrow by design. Three limits are worth knowing before anyone climbs a ladder.

• It does not make a general contractor a roofing contractor. The suspension reaches only the subcontracting requirement. The same subsection, at section 489.113(3)(g), separately says a general, building or residential contractor certified after 1973 may not act as, hold out as, or advertise as a roofing contractor without a roofing certification or registration. The order suspends section 489.113(3) only to the extent of the subcontracting requirement and says nothing about that line, so marketing yourself as a roofer is still a risk.
• It does not waive permits or inspections. The order suspends licensing rules in Chapter 489, not local building permit rules, and its permit paragraph assumes a building permit is pulled. Its tarp paragraph makes the same point for tarps: installing non-permanent emergency tarps to relieve Isaias damage falls within the exemptions in section 489.103(6), but that "shall not abrogate any local ordinances regarding permits or inspections that may exist."
• It does nothing for anyone without a Florida license. The relief applies to certified and registered Florida contractors only. Under section 489.127(2)(c), unlicensed contracting during a state of emergency declared by the Governor is a third degree felony, even on a first offense. More on that in our article on unlicensed contracting during a Florida emergency.

The contract rules for residential roof jobs

Taking roof work during a declared emergency brings Florida's roofing contract rules into play. Three notices from section 489.147, Florida Statutes, come with residential roof jobs.

The 10 day cancellation notice

Section 489.147(6) gives a residential property owner the right to cancel a roof repair or replacement contract without penalty within 10 days after signing or by the official start date, whichever comes first. It applies when the contract was entered into within 180 days of the events behind a Governor's emergency declaration and the home sits in the declared area. The official start date is the day work that installs materials for the final roof begins, a permit is issued, or a temporary repair that complies with the Florida Building Code is made.

Under section 489.147(6)(b), a contractor signing a residential roof contract during a declared state of emergency includes this language in the contract or as an attachment, in bold type of not less than 14 points, immediately before the space for the homeowner's signature:

"You, the residential property owner, may cancel this contract without penalty or obligation within 10 days after the execution of the contract or by the official start date, whichever comes first, because this contract was entered into within 180 days of events resulting in the declaration of a state of emergency by the Governor. The official start date is the date on which work that includes the installation of materials that will be included in the final work on the roof commences, a permit has been issued, or a temporary repair to the roof covering or roof system has been made in compliance with the Florida Building Code."

A homeowner who cancels sends the notice by certified mail, return receipt requested, or another mailing method with proof of mailing, to the address in the contract.

The insurance notice, on every residential roof contract

Section 489.147(7) applies to every residential roof repair or replacement contract, emergency or not. The contract carries a notice, in bold type of not less than 14 points on the page reserved for the homeowner's signature, advising the homeowner to contact the insurance company to verify coverage before signing if the work relates to an insurance claim. The exact wording is in the statute.

The inducement notice

Section 489.147(2)(b) bars a contractor from offering a homeowner a rebate, gift, gift card, cash, coupon, waiver of an insurance deductible or anything else of value in exchange for a roof inspection or for making an insurance claim. Section 489.147(5) says a residential roof contract includes a notice that the contractor may not do those things. If the notice is missing, the homeowner may void the contract within 10 days after signing.

Under section 489.147(3), a contractor who violates the section faces discipline under section 489.129 and a fine of up to $10,000 for each violation.

Out of state contractors watching Florida

Major storms draw crews from other states, and this order changes nothing for a company without a Florida license. The relief is written for Florida certified and registered contractors, and section 489.127(2)(c) treats unlicensed contracting during the emergency as a felony.

The path in is a Florida license. Florida licenses a contracting business through a qualifying agent, a licensed individual who qualifies the company and is responsible for supervising its contracting work. A company whose owner does not hold a Florida certification can be qualified by a certified contractor who serves as its qualifying agent. Our Florida qualifying agent guide explains how that works, and contractor qualifier services covers how The Licensing Company helps. Licensing takes time, so this order is not a door for anyone unlicensed today. It is the reason to have the license in place before the next storm.

Frequently asked questions

Can a Florida general contractor do a full reroof under the order? Inside the 30 covered counties, until the order expires December 5, 2026, a certified or registered general, building or residential contractor is not required to subcontract roofing work for the repair or installation of any roof type. Local permits and inspections still apply.

Does the order cover commercial roofs? The roofing paragraph covers "any roof type when providing contracting services" and is not limited to homes, though each contractor still works within the scope of its own license category. The section 489.147 contract notices apply to residential property.

What happens to a job permitted before December 5 that runs past it? Paragraph 4 says the relief shall continue to be applicable to every project with a building permit applied for or obtained while the order is in effect. DBPR can confirm how that applies to a specific job.

Can I advertise roofing services under the order? The order does not suspend section 489.113(3)(g), which bars a general, building or residential contractor certified after 1973 from holding out or advertising as a roofing contractor without a roofing certification or registration. Check with DBPR or your attorney before you advertise.

Where can I read the orders? On DBPR's emergency information page, along with the full county list.

Can an out of state roofing company work these counties? Not without a Florida license. Start with the Florida contractor license page or learn how to hire a qualifying agent.

This article is general education, not legal advice. DBPR or a Florida construction attorney can confirm how the orders apply to a specific job.

Marshall Schofield, one of the nation's leading contractor exam prep instructors, has helped thousands upon thousands of contractors get licensed. Jeremiah Jaskulski is a licensed contractor who has lived the licensing process across multiple states. Together they founded The Licensing Company, and they help contractors sort out Florida licensing every week. Sources: DBPR Emergency Order 2026-01, DBPR Emergency Order 2026-02, and sections 489.113, 489.117, 489.127 and 489.147 of the 2026 Florida Statutes.