Manny Oyola, Jr., Owner, MOJR Consulting and FRSA Technical Advisory - April 2026
As the industry pushes toward the final adoption of the 2026 Florida Building Code Ninth Edition, effective date December 31, 2026, roofing professionals and others from across the state have spent many long hours reviewing detailed revisions with the collective mission to make the nation’s toughest building code even stronger.
This cycle brings targeted restructuring and new clarifications across key sections, including Chapter 15 of the Florida Building Code – Building; Chapter 9 of the Florida Building Code – Residential and Chapter 7 of the Florida Building Code – Existing Building.
Below, code language appears in blue with new language underlined, some deleted language is shown in red and stricken through and my comments are in black. The code sections shown are for FBC Building. Similar sections exist in other code volumes. The changes discussed here represent only a portion of the new code changes and may be subject to change.
The wind load provisions of the code are in a reference standard titled: Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures ASCE/SEI 7-22 (ASCE 7), which will remain unchanged for this edition of the FBC. As a result, the FRSA-TRI Florida High Wind Concrete and Clay Roof Tile Installation Manual will see no revisions to its tables or other content during this code cycle. For contractors and designers, that continuity provides welcome predictability in a regulatory environment often defined by change.
Meanwhile, staff in Miami-Dade County have been busy making updates to RAS 118, 119, 120, 127 and related TAS protocols that reflect significant changes by removing many of the prescriptive methods and inserting performance-based standards. These changes strengthen and better align the High Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ) requirements for tile with those in the FRSA-TRI manual.
In a state surrounded by saltwater, corrosion should never be an afterthought. Significant corrosion resistance requirements have been added by referencing extensive new language in Section 1711 in the FBC Building.
1506.5 Nails. Nails shall be corrosion-resistant nails conforming to ASTM F1667 or an equal corrosion resistance by coating, electro galvanization, mechanical galvanization, hot dipped galvanization, stainless steel, nonferrous metal and alloys or other suitable corrosion-resistant material, or corrosion resistance shall be demonstrated in accordance with TAS 114, Appendix E. In areas within 3,000 feet (914 m) of a saltwater coastline, nails shall comply with Section 1711.
1506.6 Screws. Wood screws conform to ANSI/ASME B18.6.1. Screws shall be corrosion resistant by coating, galvanization, stainless steel, nonferrous metal or other suitable corrosion-resistant material. The corrosion resistance shall be demonstrated through one of the following methods:
1. Corrosion resistance equivalent to ASTM A641, Class 1;
2. Corrosion resistance in accordance with TAS114, Appendix E; or
3. Corrosion-resistant coating exhibiting not more than 5 percent red rust after 1000 hours exposure in accordance with ASTM B117.
In areas within 300 feet (91.4 m) of a saltwater coastline, screws shall comply with Section 1711.
1517.5.1.1 Fasteners and connectors exposed to saltwater environments. Fasteners and connectors in areas within 3,000 feet (914 m) of a saltwater coastline shall comply with Section 1711.
The message is clear: Florida’s coastal environment demands metal components that remain functional as long as the roof systems that they secure.
For steep-slope roofs (2:12 and above), drip edge installation at eaves and gables is now firmly reinforced in both residential and building code sections for all roof covering types. The tile section changes are limited to those shown below.
1507.3.9 Flashing. At the juncture of the roof Interruptions, terminations and penetrations of the roof system vertical surfaces, flashing and/or counterflashing shall be provided installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s installation instructions or the recommendations of the FRSA/TRI Florida High Wind Concrete and Clay Roof Tile Installation Manual, Seventh Edition where the basic wind speed, Vasd, is determined in accordance with Section 1609.3.1.
1507.3.9.1 Drip edge. Drip edge shall be installed at eaves and gables of steep slope roofs (2:12 and above). Drip edge shall be applied according to the FRSA/TRI Florida High Wind Concrete and Clay Roof Tile Installation Manual, Seventh Edition.
1517.6.2.3 Drip edge. Drip edge shall be installed at eaves and gables of steep slope roofs (2:12 and above). Drip edge shall be installed over the underlayment. Self-adhering underlayment complying with ASTM D1970 is permitted to be installed over a primed drip edge flange.
The changes shown above do not change tile installations but simply refer to the manual. The refinements made in many other steep-slope roof systems eliminate ambiguity and reinforce edge protection, one of the most vulnerable points during high-wind events.
For discontinuous roof tile systems, underlayment installation must strictly follow both Product Approval and manufacturer instructions.
1523.6.5.2.1 Underlayment. All underlayments used in discontinuous roof tile systems shall be tested in compliance with TAS 110 Physical Property Requirements. TAS 103 and TAS 104, unless otherwise specifically listed in the applicable RAS. Uplift resistance of the tile underlayment shall be tested in compliance with FM 4474 or UL 1897. The uplift resistance shall be included in the Product Approval.
This emphasis on testing and documentation underscores a broader industry shift: performance must be measurable, not assumed.
A. Tile Fasteners
2. All roof tile fasteners shall be of sufficient length to penetrate through the roof sheathing or not less than 3/4 in. into the roof sheathing even when battens are used.
3.01 Underlayment Applications All underlayment systems shall be tested and have Product Approval for use as a roof tile underlayment, Product Approval to include uplift resistance values. Installation of underlayment system shall be in accordance with the Product Approval and the underlayment manufacturer’s installation instructions.
The following language and many other sections of these RAS have been deleted:
No roof material shall be fully or partially adhered (not to include mechanically attached) directly to a nailable deck.
The 2026 HVHZ test protocols expand the use of structured tables for determining the required underlayment resistance to uplift.
Procedure for Determining the Moment of Resistance, and the Minimum Characteristic Resistance Load, and the Uplift Resistance of Tile Underlayment to Install a Tile Roof System on A Building of a Specified Roof Slope and Height Using Allowable Stress Design (ASD) in Accordance with ASCE 7
1. Scope. This standard covers the procedure for determining the Moment of Resistance (Mr) and Minimum Characteristic Resistance Load (F’) to install a tile system on buildings of a specified roof slope and height. Compliance with the requirements and procedures herein specified, where the design wind uplift pressures (Pasd) have been determined based on
Tables 1-3 or Tables 4-6, Tables 7-9 or Tables 10-12 of this standard, as applicable, do not require additional signed and sealed engineering design calculation. The roof tile underlayment must meet the applicable design wind uplift pressures. All other calculations must be prepared, signed and sealed by a professional engineer or registered architect.
Tables 1-3 are applicable to a wind speed of 175 mph, risk category II buildings with gable roofs, and Exposure Category C.
Tables 4-6 are applicable to a wind speed of 175 mph, risk category II buildings with gable roofs, and Exposure Category D.
Tables 7-9 are applicable to a wind speed of 175 mph, for Risk Category II buildings with hip roofs, and Exposure Category C.
Tables 10-12 are applicable to a wind speed of 175 mph, for Risk Category II buildings with hip roofs, and Exposure Category D.
However, roof tile underlayment must still meet design uplift pressures as shown in the product approval and any calculations beyond the scope of the standard must be prepared and sealed by a licensed professional engineer or registered architect. This approach balances efficiency with accountability, streamlining compliance without sacrificing structural rigor.
The 2026 Florida Building Code tile roofing updates are not about dramatic reinvention. They are about refinement – aligning standards, strengthening corrosion requirements, clarifying installation practices and reinforcing Florida’s leadership in wind-resistant construction.
For an industry shaped by hurricanes and coastal exposure, that steady commitment to improvement ensures one thing remains constant: Florida continues to set the bar for roofing resilience nationwide.
Manny Oyola, Jr., is Owner of MOJR Consulting, Boca Raton and is working with FRSA as a Technical Advisory. He previously worked for Eagle Roofing Products as Technical Manager Eastern Region and has been a Florida licensed roofing contractor since 1982. Manny is also an instructor, who has worked with FRSA, offering training for many years. He is an FRSA Past President and Honorary Member.