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Emergency Board Up in Lakeland, FL

We board up broken windows, forced doors and storm-damaged openings at homes and businesses in Lakeland, in Polk County^[1]. Inside city limits, Ordinance 3371 makes it unlawful to leave a building open to the weather^[2], and recent orders have fined owners $150 a day until it is secured^[3]. Lakeland sits well inland, but hurricanes and their tornadoes still break windows here^[4]. Tell us the address and what is open for a free estimate.

Lakeland at a glance

Open building rule: Ord. 3371, Sec. 9.02; This is the citation on a Lakeland notice for a building left open to the elements^[3].
Fine if ignored: $150 per day; One unsecured Lakeland building ran up $28,350 over 189 days before it was secured^[5].
City or county: Check your city limits; A Lakeland mailing address outside city limits falls under Polk County code enforcement, not the city^[6].
Claim assignment: Barred on 2023+ policies; On Florida policies issued on or after January 1, 2023, you cannot sign your claim over to a contractor^[7].
Rainy months: About 34 in., June to September; That is most of the 56.82-inch year, so an opening left uncovered in summer will take heavy rain^[8].
Typical cost: $180 to $910; Covers boarding one to a few broken windows or a door with plywood at a Lakeland home or shop.

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We read what broke and where.
We call you to confirm the details and the price, before any boards go up.
A technician from our own crew secures the openings and photographs each one.

How Much Does Emergency Board Up Cost in Lakeland?

An emergency board up in Lakeland typically costs $180 to $910 to cover one to a few broken windows or a door with plywood, including clearing loose glass.

In Lakeland the price moves with the building and the storm. Older windows and historic trim take custom cuts, and after a big storm every opening on a house can need covering at once. After a declared emergency, Florida bars unconscionable prices on services and on lumber, judged against the prior 30 days^[9]. More on what changes the price is on our cost page.

What Happens if You Leave a Building Open in Lakeland?

Inside city limits it becomes a code case. Ordinance 3371 makes it unlawful for an owner to let a building stay open to the elements through missing or broken windows, doors or walls^[2]. Cases are cited under Section 9.02, Regulations for Open, Unsecured and Unoccupied Buildings^[3].

Owners get a reasonable time to fix it, then a Hearing Officer or the Code Enforcement Board can impose fines^[10]. Recent unsecured-building orders set $150 a day, and one total reached $228,750 for 1,525 days^[3]. Recorded fines become a lien on all of the owner's real and personal property, not just the open building^[11]. Florida law also lets the city make the repairs itself and bill the owner on top of the fine^[12].

Is My Lakeland Address in the City or in Polk County?

It decides whose rules apply. Homes with a Lakeland mailing address sit outside city limits in unincorporated Polk County, where the county enforces its own codes^[6]. Permits follow the same line. Inside city limits the City of Lakeland issues them, outside it is the Polk County Building Department^[13].

When Polk County secures an open structure after an enforcement order, its contractors use pressure-treated plywood in half-inch 4 by 8 sheets with weather-resistant screws every 12 inches, finished within 14 days of notice^[14].

Inside the city, repairing or replacing windows, doors or impact-resistant coverings needs a building permit under the Florida Building Code 8th Edition (2023)^[13]. See our Florida board-up rules for the statewide side.

Do Hurricanes Really Break Windows This Far Inland in Lakeland?

Yes. Wind gusts, tornadoes in the outer bands and falling trees do the damage here. NOAA logged 16 tropical events for Polk County in 10 years, so one reaches Lakeland most years^[4].

Storm	What it did in Polk County
Irma, 2017	96 homes or businesses destroyed, 1,604 with major damage, and an EF2 tornado of about 115 mph near Old Polk City Road^[4]
Nestor tornado, 2019	EF2 from near Lakeland Linder Airport across west Polk, one home destroyed, $10 million in damage^[4]
EF1 tornado, December 2020	One North Lakeland home badly damaged, nine more hit^[4]
Ian, 2022	192 structures with major damage, top gust of 78 mph in Bartow^[4]
Milton, 2024	Gusts of 80 to 90 mph and a record 8.93 inches of rain in one day at Lakeland Linder^[4]

Milton left about 85,000 Lakeland Electric customers without power, with the west side hit hardest^[15]. Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30^[16], which is also when most of the year's rain falls^[8].

Boarding Up Older, Historic and Mobile Homes in Lakeland

Lakeland's housing changes how a board up is done. About 45 percent of homes were built before 1980, and the median year built is 1983^[1], so many have older windows in odd sizes that take custom cuts. About 15 percent of homes are mobile homes^[1], which need different fastening than block houses.

The city has seven historic districts with more than 1,600 historic buildings^[17]. Its own guidelines tell owners to use solid removable coverings over windows and doors that keep out wind, rain and debris^[18]. A fitted plywood panel does that and comes off later without harming the old wood trim. Permanent changes are different. Exterior work started without a Certificate of Review carries a $350 penalty fee^[19].

Lakeland Neighborhoods and Nearby Towns We Cover

We work across Lakeland, from the historic districts of Dixieland, Munn Park, Beacon Hill, Biltmore-Cumberland, East Lake Morton, South Lake Morton and Lake Hunter Terrace^[19] to neighborhoods such as Camphor Heights, Orangewood, Paul A. Diggs, Webster Park South, Lakeshore and Lime Street^[20]. We also take jobs in nearby Polk County towns including Winter Haven, Bartow, Auburndale, Mulberry, Polk City, Lake Alfred and Eagle Lake^[21], and in unincorporated areas such as Combee Settlement and Highland City^[15]. Closer to the Gulf, see our Tampa page.

ZIP codes: 33801, 33803, 33805, 33809, 33810, 33811, 33813, 33815, 33868

Lakeland Questions

Can I Sign My Insurance Claim Over to a Board-Up Company in Florida?

No, not on a residential or commercial policy issued on or after January 1, 2023. Florida law makes that assignment void^[7]. On older policies an emergency assignment is capped at the greater of $3,000 or 1 percent of Coverage A^[7]. Your insurer decides what it pays.

What Does Florida's Claims Notice Tell Me to Do After Storm Damage?

It advises you to make and document emergency repairs needed to prevent further damage, keep receipts, and photograph the damage before and after^[22]. Whether the board up is paid is your insurer's decision under your policy.

How Long Do I Have to Report Storm Damage to My Insurer in Florida?

One year from the date of loss, or 18 months for a supplemental claim^[23]. The insurer must acknowledge the claim within 7 days and pay or deny within 60 days^[22], so boards may stay up for weeks.

Who Do I Call to Report a Break-In in Lakeland Before Boarding Up?

If the break-in is over, the Lakeland Police non-emergency line is (863) 834-6900^[24]. Get a report number, since your insurer will ask for it.

Should I Call Lakeland Electric if a Storm Damaged the Wiring Near a Window?

Yes, report downed or damaged service lines on the outage and emergency line, (863) 834-4248^[24], before anyone boards near the meter or service drop.

Why Won't Lakeland Electric Turn My Power Back On After a Storm?

After Milton, homes with damaged electrical equipment could not be reconnected until a qualified electrician repaired it^[25]. Once repairs were done, owners called (863) 834-9535 to get power back^[25].

How Do I Check if a Lakeland Fire Scene Has Been Released?

Call the fire department's non-emergency line at (863) 834-8200 or the Fire Marshal's office at (863) 834-8201^[24]. We start once fire officials have released the property.

Does Lakeland Get Window-Breaking Storms Outside Hurricane Season?

Yes, the EF1 tornado that hit North Lakeland near Lake Gibson came in December 2020, after the season ended^[4].

Near Lakeland

We also cover Orlando, Kissimmee, Ocala in the Central Florida area. See all areas, the price table and Florida rules.

Sources

Checked November 2026. Rules change: confirm with the office named before you rely on one.

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Emergency Board Up in Lakeland, FL

We read what broke and where.
We call you to confirm the details and the price, before any boards go up.
A technician from our own crew secures the openings and photographs each one.