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Emergency Board Up in Orlando, FL

We board up broken windows, forced doors and fire- or storm-damaged openings at homes, apartments and businesses in Orlando, in Orange County. After a fire, the Orlando Fire Department tells owners that city code requires the property to be secured, which can mean boarding the doors and windows[1]. About half of Orlando homes are in buildings of five or more units[2], so a landlord or association is often part of the job. Tell us the address and what is open for a free estimate.

Orlando at a glance

After a fire
Property must be secured
OFD says doors and windows may need boarding once the fire department confirms it is safe to enter[1].
City emergency action
City can board, then lien
Sec. 14.21 lets city officials secure a dangerous building first and lien the property for the cost[3].
Code fines
Up to $1,000 a day
That is the Code Enforcement Board's cap for a first violation left past its compliance date[4].
Police report
Online when there's no suspect
Inside city limits, OPD sends a case number and a PDF report your insurer can use[5].
Design wind speed
135 mph for homes
That sits below the 140 mph line for Florida's wind-borne debris region, so storm boarding is your choice[6][7].
Typical cost
$180 to $910
One to a few broken windows or a single door covered with plywood.

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Emergency Board Up in Orlando, FL

By sending this request you agree that Florida Board Up Kings may call, text or email you about it at the number and email you gave. See our Privacy Policy.

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

How Much Does Emergency Board Up Cost in Orlando?

Emergency board up in Orlando typically costs $180 to $910 to cover one to a few broken windows or a door with plywood.

Upper-floor apartment glass takes longer to reach, and Orlando has a lot of it[2]. Storm damage in Orange County runs to roofs, soffits and pool enclosures, with trees falling onto homes[8], and a tree-strike hole is larger than a window.

Our cost page covers the rest.

Does Orlando Make You Board Up a Fire-Damaged or Empty House?

Yes. The Orlando Fire Department's after-fire guide says city code requires the property to be secured, and that doors and windows may need boarding to prevent theft[1].

Orlando's property code calls an unsecured abandoned building an attractive nuisance[3]. Under Sec. 14.16, the code official or the Code Enforcement Board can order the owner to secure it[3]. When the danger is immediate, Sec. 14.21 lets city officials do the securing, notify the owner afterwards and lien the property for the cost, with 30 days to appeal[3]. Under Sec. 14.20, a history of unsecured conditions is one factor the city weighs when it decides a building should be demolished[3].

After a complaint, Code Enforcement inspects within about 48 hours[9]. Fines reach $1,000 a day for a first violation and $5,000 a day for a repeat one, and a recorded fine order becomes a property lien[4].

How Do You Get an Orlando Police Report Before the Window Is Boarded?

Inside city limits, a break-in, theft or vandalism with no known suspect can be reported to the Orlando Police Department online. Once the report is approved, OPD sends a case number and a PDF copy[5]. Officers do not collect fingerprints on those reports[5], so if you want prints taken, call before the glass is cleared.

If you know who did it, OPD asks you to call its non-emergency line at (321) 235-5300 so an officer can take the report[5]. The phone report line, (407) 246-2470, is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.[5]. We photograph each opening before it is covered, for your insurer.

Do Hurricanes Hit Hard Enough Inland at Orlando to Need Boards?

Orlando sets the design wind speed for ordinary homes at 135 mph[6]. Florida's code puts a building in the wind-borne debris region at 140 mph and up, or 130 mph within a mile of the coast[7], so most Orlando houses fall below that line and boarding before a storm is a choice, not a code duty. State storm-panel, insurance and unsafe-structure rules are on our Florida board-up rules page.

Hurricane-force gusts still reach Orlando. In 2004, Charley's center passed near Kissimmee and Orlando, and Orlando International Airport recorded a 91-knot gust, about 105 mph[11].

StormWhenWhat Orange County recorded
IrmaSeptember 2017About $110 million in damage, 79 mph peak gust at the airport[8]
IanSeptember 2022Winds peaking at 60 to 70 mph[8]
NicoleNovember 2022Winds of 55 to 65 mph[8]
MiltonOctober 2024Locally 87 mph, 32 structures with major damage[8]

NOAA logged 65 thunderstorm wind reports and 8 tornadoes in the county from 2016 to 2025[8], so glass breaks here outside hurricane season too. On June 6, 2020, an EF-1 tornado ran from Lake Conway to Thornton Park and damaged 42 homes and businesses[8].

Is Your Orlando Address in the City or Unincorporated Orange County?

Pine Hills, Dr. Phillips and Meadow Woods have Orlando addresses but sit outside city limits. OPD only holds records for incidents inside the City of Orlando, and county incidents go through the Orange County Sheriff's Office[12], whose non-emergency number is (407) 836-4357[13].

The county uses the 2021 property maintenance code[14], not the city's 2018 edition[3]. Its Sec. 9-279 lets the county make emergency repairs or closures on an imminent hazard without notice first, and under Sec. 9-278 an unpaid bill can become a lien 30 days after notice[14]. County fines can reach $1,000 a day[13].

Orlando Neighborhoods and Nearby Towns We Board Up

We work from the Central Business District, Holden/Parramore and Thornton Park out to College Park, Baldwin Park, the Milk District and Conway, south to Lake Nona Central and west to Metro West and Millenia. We also take jobs in Winter Park, Apopka, Ocoee, Pine Hills, Hunter's Creek and Kissimmee.

ZIP codes: 32801, 32803, 32804, 32805, 32806, 32807, 32808, 32811, 32812, 32814, 32819, 32822, 32824, 32827, 32829, 32832, 32835, 32839

Orlando Questions

Does Orlando Have a Plywood Standard for Boarding Up Vacant Buildings?

No. Orlando adopted the 2018 International Property Maintenance Code but deleted its section on closing vacant structures[3], so open buildings are handled through the city's nuisance rules instead.

Do I Need Historic Approval to Board Up a House in Lake Eola Heights?

No. In Orlando's residential historic districts, emergency repair that does not change the exterior design needs no Certificate of Appropriateness[15]. Before replacing the window, call Historic Preservation at (407) 246-2269[16].

Does a Boarded Downtown Orlando Storefront Need Approval Before New Glass Goes In?

Yes, inside the Downtown Historic District. Any exterior change to its roughly 80 older buildings needs a Certificate of Appearance Approval from the Appearance Review Board first[15]. Plan for the boards to stay up during that review.

Do I Need an Orlando Permit to Replace a Window After It Is Boarded?

Yes, in most cases. The city says Florida requires a permit for most projects, even small ones, and work over $2,500 needs a Notice of Commencement filed with the Orange County Comptroller first[17]. Permitting Services answers at (407) 246-2271[17].

Does the 2026 State Permit Exemption Cover Small Repairs in Orlando?

Yes, in some cases. From July 1, 2026, HB803 exempts single-family work under $7,500 that meets the eligibility rules, but Orlando wants an exemption request filed first[18].

Who Can Report an Open Vacant House to Orlando Code Enforcement?

Anyone can, by phone at (407) 246-2686 or online, but Florida Statute 162.21 requires the person reporting to give a name and address[10].

Is Orlando in Florida's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone?

No. That zone covers only Broward and Miami-Dade counties[7], so the stricter rules on our Miami page do not apply here.

Should I Climb Onto My Orlando Roof to Clear Storm Damage Myself?

No. After Milton, a 67-year-old Orange County man died falling off his roof while cleaning up storm debris[8]. Leave roofs and high openings to a crew.

Near Orlando

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

Sources

  1. Orlando Fire Department, After the Fire
  2. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 (5-year)
  3. Orlando City Code, Chapter 14, secs. 14.02, 14.16, 14.20 and 14.21 and Article II definitions
  4. Orlando City Code, Sec. 5.07
  5. Orlando Police Department, Report a Non-Violent Crime
  6. Orlando City Code, Sec. 13.3 (Ultimate Design Wind Speeds)
  7. Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed. (2023), Chapter 2 definitions
  8. NOAA Storm Events Database, 2016-2025
  9. City of Orlando, Citizen's Guide to City of Orlando Codes
  10. City of Orlando, Report a Code Violation
  11. National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report, Hurricane Charley
  12. City of Orlando, Request an Orlando Police Department Record
  13. Orange County Code Compliance and FAQ
  14. Orange County Code, Chapter 9, Article VII, secs. 9-277 to 9-279
  15. City of Orlando, Historic Preservation Districts
  16. City of Orlando, Historic Preservation
  17. City of Orlando, Get a Permit for Hurricane-Related Repairs
  18. City of Orlando, Apply for a Residential Building Permit Exemption

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

Request a free estimate

Emergency Board Up in Orlando, FL

By sending this request you agree that Florida Board Up Kings may call, text or email you about it at the number and email you gave. See our Privacy Policy.

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