The Roofing Book

Permitting Authorities / Caroline County - Building Inspections Office

Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Caroline County, VA?

Adopted code

Caroline County - Building Inspections Office

No, Caroline County, VA does not require a permit for like-for-like roof replacement (Caroline County - Building Inspections Office). Caroline County's own fee schedule marks a residential roof replacement permit "not required but upon request", pricing it at $35.00 when an owner asks for one. The statewide rule it follows, Virginia Construction Code Section 108.2 item 14.5, exempts "Replacement of an unlimited amount of roof covering or siding in Group R-3, R-4 or R-5 provided the building or structure is not in an area where the nominal design wind speed is greater than 100 miles per hour (44.7 meters per second) and replacement of 100 square feet (9.29 m 2 ) or less of roof covering in all groups and all wind zones." Item 14.6 exempts only "Replacement of 256 square feet (23.78 m 2 ) or less of roof decking" in those groups, so a job that replaces more decking than that needs a permit. Two exceptions let the building official require a permit: "for the installation of replacement siding, roofing and windows in buildings within a historic district designated by a locality pursuant to Section 15.2-2306 of the Code of Virginia" and "for any items exempted in this section which are located in a special flood hazard area." An owner may always ask for one: "when an owner or an owner's agent requests that a permit be issued for any of the following, then a permit shall be issued and any related inspections shall be required." Exempt or not, the work must meet the code ("this section shall not be construed to exempt such activities from other applicable requirements of this code"). The fee section as codified in the County Code lists the same $35.00 roof or siding fee without the "not required" wording, and the County's zoning FAQ says all man-made improvements need a building/zoning permit; call the Building Inspection Office at 804-633-4303 if a house may be in a historic district or a flood hazard area, or the job goes beyond the covering. The County's schedule prices a commercial reroof permit at $150.00. Permits are applied for at the Department of Planning and Community Development, 233 West Broaddus Avenue, Bowling Green; inspectors take questions from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The County charges $100.00 for each failed inspection and offers courtesy inspections of work that does not need a permit for a fee.

Roof code checklist: Caroline County, VA

ItemAnswerCode citeSourceVerified
Permit to replace a roofNoco.caroline.va.us2026-09-26
Repair permit thresholdPublishedco.caroline.va.us2026-09-26
Layer limit / roof-overNot published
Deck & sheathingPublishedR803law.lis.virginia.gov2026-09-26
Drip edgeNot published
Ice & water shieldNot published
Mid-roof inspectionNot published
Impact-resistant (Class 4) roofingNolaw.lis.virginia.gov2026-09-26
Wind design criteriaNot published
Adopted codePublishedSec. 310.6.1law.lis.virginia.gov2026-09-26
Contractor license / registrationYeslaw.lis.virginia.gov2026-09-26
Sales & use taxPublishedSec. 58.1-603tax.virginia.gov2026-09-26

Each row comes from the sourced record on this page; full wording is in the table below. "Not published" means no official source for that item was found when the record was last verified.

Jurisdiction
Caroline County, Virginia
Jurisdiction type
county
Address
233 West Broaddus Avenue, Bowling Green, VA 22427
Contact
  • url: https://www.co.caroline.va.us/406/Building-Inspections
  • phone: 804-633-4303
Roofing permit required
Not required
Contractor registration required
Required
Registration details
  • state_level: Virginia licenses contractors through the Board for Contractors (DPOR). Code of Virginia Section 54.1-1100, as amended in 2025: "'Class C contractors' perform or manage construction, removal, repair, or improvements when (i) the total value referred to in a single contract or project is over $1,000 but less than $30,000, or (ii) the total value of all such construction, removal, repair, or improvements undertaken by such person within any 12-month period is less than $250,000." Larger jobs fall in the Class B and Class A tiers. Roofing work is licensed under the Board's classifications and specialties, including the "Roofing contracting" (ROC) specialty of 18VAC50-22-30. Section 54.1-1111 makes anyone applying for a building permit furnish "either (i) satisfactory proof to such official or authority that he is duly licensed or certified under the terms of this chapter to carry out or superintend the same, or (ii) file a written statement that he is not subject to licensure or certification as a contractor or subcontractor pursuant to this chapter." Section 54.1-1101 A says the chapter does not apply to "7. Any person who performs or supervises the construction, removal, repair, or improvement of no more than one primary residence owned by him and for his own use during any 24-month period". Some older pages give a $10,000 ceiling for Class C; that figure predates the 2025 amendment.
  • county_level: Caroline County adds no contractor licence of its own. Its building permit application asks for the "State Contractor's License No.", the "State Tradesman Certification No." and the "Caroline County Business License No.", and says "I certify that all licenses and certifications required by the State of Virginia and the County of Caroline are current at the time of application." The County's Contractor Affidavit, in its permit packets, has the contractor affirm being "duly licensed under the terms of Title 54.1, Chapter 11, Code of Virginia to carry out or superintend this work; OR I am not subject to licensure as a contractor, subcontractor, or owner-developer pursuant to such title"; the class definitions printed on that affidavit still show the pre-2025 dollar tiers (Class C "over $1,000 but less than $10,000"), which the 2025 amendment above replaced. An owner acting as contractor signs the application's Owner's Affidavit. The County's packets say "A CAROLINE COUNTY BUSINESS LICENSE IS REQUIRED BY ALL CONTRACTORS PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 103, ARTICLE 12 OF THE CODE OF CAROLINE COUNTY, VIRGINIA" and tell contractors to call the Commissioner of the Revenue at 804-633-9834 about it; that business licence is a local licence tax, not a trade credential.
Permit process note
Caroline County's own fee schedule marks a residential roof replacement permit "not required but upon request", pricing it at $35.00 when an owner asks for one. The statewide rule it follows, Virginia Construction Code Section 108.2 item 14.5, exempts "Replacement of an unlimited amount of roof covering or siding in Group R-3, R-4 or R-5 provided the building or structure is not in an area where the nominal design wind speed is greater than 100 miles per hour (44.7 meters per second) and replacement of 100 square feet (9.29 m 2 ) or less of roof covering in all groups and all wind zones." Item 14.6 exempts only "Replacement of 256 square feet (23.78 m 2 ) or less of roof decking" in those groups, so a job that replaces more decking than that needs a permit. Two exceptions let the building official require a permit: "for the installation of replacement siding, roofing and windows in buildings within a historic district designated by a locality pursuant to Section 15.2-2306 of the Code of Virginia" and "for any items exempted in this section which are located in a special flood hazard area." An owner may always ask for one: "when an owner or an owner's agent requests that a permit be issued for any of the following, then a permit shall be issued and any related inspections shall be required." Exempt or not, the work must meet the code ("this section shall not be construed to exempt such activities from other applicable requirements of this code"). The fee section as codified in the County Code lists the same $35.00 roof or siding fee without the "not required" wording, and the County's zoning FAQ says all man-made improvements need a building/zoning permit; call the Building Inspection Office at 804-633-4303 if a house may be in a historic district or a flood hazard area, or the job goes beyond the covering. The County's schedule prices a commercial reroof permit at $150.00. Permits are applied for at the Department of Planning and Community Development, 233 West Broaddus Avenue, Bowling Green; inspectors take questions from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The County charges $100.00 for each failed inspection and offers courtesy inspections of work that does not need a permit for a fee.
Adopted code
The 2021 Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (13VAC5-63), effective January 18, 2024. For detached one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses, Section 310.6.1 of the Virginia Construction Code applies "The provisions of the IRC ... as amended by VCC Section 310.8, also referred to as the Virginia Residential Code (VRC)"; work on existing buildings falls under Part II, the Virginia Existing Building Code, whose reroofing section reads "602.3.2.1 Reroofing. Materials and methods of application used for recovering or replacing an existing roof covering shall comply with Chapter 15 of the VCC, except as modified by Section 302.1 and this section." The statewide code supersedes local building codes (Code of Virginia Section 36-98: "Such building code shall supersede the building codes and regulations of the counties, municipalities and other political subdivisions and state agencies."). The County's building FAQ says the Building Official is "responsible for the enforcement of the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (VUSBC) in Caroline County", and the County's Sequence of Inspections for one- and two-family dwellings, dated January 18, 2024, says "Must follow all requirements of the 2021 Virginia Residential Code". Chapter 29 of the County Code (Building Construction, Alteration and Use), read in full, holds only permit, planning and zoning fees and permit administration, and adds no technical roofing provision.
Impact-resistant roofing
Not required — Virginia's statewide building code (13VAC5-63), which a county may not amend, carries no UL 2218 or Class 4 impact requirement for roof coverings in its Virginia amendments to the International Residential Code (Virginia Construction Code Section 310.8) or its existing-building reroofing rules. Caroline County's Chapter 29 (Building Construction, Alteration and Use), its building permit application and permit packets, its inspection sequences and its building fee schedule add none; no UL 2218 or Class 4 impact requirement appears in the code the County enforces. Insurers may still offer discounts for impact-rated shingles; that is not a code requirement.
Repair permit threshold
Caroline County's posted building fee schedule lists, among its residential miscellaneous fees, "Replace roof or siding (not required but upon request) 35.00". That follows the statewide permit exemption, Virginia Construction Code Section 108.2 (2021 edition): "application for a permit and any related inspections shall not be required for the following ... 14. Ordinary repairs that include the following: ... 14.5. Replacement of an unlimited amount of roof covering or siding in Group R-3, R-4 or R-5 provided the building or structure is not in an area where the nominal design wind speed is greater than 100 miles per hour (44.7 meters per second) and replacement of 100 square feet (9.29 m 2 ) or less of roof covering in all groups and all wind zones. 14.6. Replacement of 256 square feet (23.78 m 2 ) or less of roof decking in Group R-3, R-4 or R-5 unless the decking to be replaced was required at the time or original construction to be fire-retardant-treated or protected in some other way to form a fire-rated wall termination." The same section's two Exceptions: "1. Application for a permit may be required by the building official for the installation of replacement siding, roofing and windows in buildings within a historic district designated by a locality pursuant to Section 15.2-2306 of the Code of Virginia." and "2. Application for a permit may be required by the building official for any items exempted in this section which are located in a special flood hazard area." The owner keeps the right to a permit: "when an owner or an owner's agent requests that a permit be issued for any of the following, then a permit shall be issued and any related inspections shall be required." The exemption does not relax the code itself ("this section shall not be construed to exempt such activities from other applicable requirements of this code"). Replacing more than 256 square feet of roof decking on a house is outside item 14.6, and a roof covering job on a building other than a house is exempt only up to 100 square feet; the County's schedule prices a commercial reroof permit at $150.00. None of the County's building pages, permit packets, inspection sequences or fee schedule states a design wind speed. The fee line's "not required but upon request" is the County's stated practice; the fee section as codified in the County Code (Section 29-1, codified through April 12, 2022) lists "Replace roof or siding: $35.00" with no such wording, at older amounts than the posted schedule, which is marked "Adopted June 12, 2012". The County's zoning FAQ says "All man-made improvements to real property require a building/zoning permit", listing new homes, additions, alterations and renovations among others but not roofing, and asks anyone unsure to call 804-633-4303.
Deck & sheathing requirements
No county-specific rule. Virginia's amendments to the International Residential Code (Virginia Construction Code Section 310.8, 13VAC5-63-210) do not amend the roof sheathing section (R803), and Caroline County's Chapter 29 (Building Construction, Alteration and Use), read in full, adds no sheathing or decking provision, so the base 2021 IRC roof-sheathing provisions apply unmodified to work under the Virginia Residential Code. For reroofing an existing house, the Virginia Existing Building Code sends materials and methods to Chapter 15 of the Virginia Construction Code (602.3.2.1) and adds "602.3.2.2 Structural and construction loads. Structural roof components shall be capable of supporting the roof covering system and the material and equipment loads that will be encountered during installation of the systems." Permit line: replacing more than 256 square feet of roof decking on a house is outside the statewide permit exemption (Virginia Construction Code 108.2 item 14.6).
Sales & use tax
5.3% general sales and use tax in Caroline County (Virginia Tax, "Sales Tax Rates by Locality" workbook, "Jan 2026 - Present" sheet, "January 1, 2026 - Present": Caroline, code 51033, General Sales 0.053). That is the 4.3% state tax (Code of Virginia Section 58.1-603) and the 1% local option tax (Section 58.1-605); Caroline is not in any regional-tax group, and Virginia Tax's rates page lists 5.3% for "Everywhere else". Food and personal hygiene items are taxed at 1% statewide. Virginia treats the roofing contractor as the consumer of the materials: "Unless otherwise noted, the law treats every contractor as the user or consumer of all tangible personal property furnished to the contractor or by the contractor in connection with real property construction, reconstruction, installation, repair, and similar contracts" (23VAC10-210-410). So the roofer pays the tax on shingles and other materials when buying them and "does not pass the sales or use tax on to anyone else as a tax"; "If a supplier of a contractor doing work in Virginia does not collect the Virginia tax from the contractor, the contractor will be liable for the use tax on the contractor's purchases from the supplier." Repair and full replacement are treated alike. Local rate changes take effect only on the first day of a calendar quarter (Section 58.1-605).

More roof permit pages in Virginia

Charlottesville, VARoof permit Chesapeake, VARoof permit Chesterfield County, VARoof permit Christiansburg, VARoof permit Danville, VARoof permit Roofing in VirginiaState hub

Related guides

Denver-Metro Roofing Permits Filing a Hail Insurance Claim Colorado Hail Season Prep Hiring a Contractor

The Building Inspection Office of Caroline County, Virginia, part of the County's Department of Planning and Community Development, enforces the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code in Caroline County. It reviews plans, issues building, plumbing, mechanical and similar permits, inspects construction and issues certificates of occupancy from its office at 233 West Broaddus Avenue in Bowling Green.

Hail reports near the center of Caroline County, VA

Reports, last 24 months
3
Largest, last 24 months
1.50 in Jul 21, 2026
Most recent
Jul 26, 2026 1.00 in
Reports, last 5 years
5
5 most recent reports, last 5 years
DateHail sizeDistance
Jul 26, 20261.00 in9 mi WSW
Jul 21, 20261.50 in9 mi SW
Jul 21, 20261.00 in8 mi NE
Aug 7, 20234.75 in7 mi NE
Aug 7, 20231.75 in8 mi NE

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database and daily storm reports (reports since the start of the current year are preliminary), within 10 miles of the center of Caroline County, VA. Data through Sep 30, 2026. A report is an observation, not a damage record.

Working an insurance claim in Caroline County, VA? Everything on this page (drip edge, ice & water shield, inspections, Class 4 rules) formatted as a claim-ready evidence pack: verbatim ordinance quotes, code section cites, verification dates, and official source links, ready to attach to a supplement. See a real sample pack (PDF, 4 pages, free).

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Sources

Roofing questions: Caroline County, VA

Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Caroline County, VA?

No, Caroline County, VA does not require a permit to replace a roof. Caroline County's posted building fee schedule lists, among its residential miscellaneous fees, "Replace roof or siding (not required but upon request) 35.00". That follows the statewide permit exemption, Virginia Construction Code Section 108.2 (2021 edition): "application for a permit and any related inspections shall not be required for the following ... 14. Ordinary repairs that include the following: ... 14.5. Replacement of an unlimited amount of roof covering or siding in Group R-3, R-4 or R-5 provided the building or structure is not in an area where the nominal design wind speed is greater than 100 miles per hour (44.7 meters per second) and replacement of 100 square feet (9.29 m 2 ) or less of roof covering in all groups and all wind zones. 14.6. Replacement of 256 square feet (23.78 m 2 ) or less of roof decking in Group R-3, R-4 or R-5 unless the decking to be replaced was required at the time or original construction to be fire-retardant-treated or protected in some other way to form a fire-rated wall termination." The same section's two Exceptions: "1. Application for a permit may be required by the building official for the installation of replacement siding, roofing and windows in buildings within a historic district designated by a locality pursuant to Section 15.2-2306 of the Code of Virginia." and "2. Application for a permit may be required by the building official for any items exempted in this section which are located in a special flood hazard area." The owner keeps the right to a permit: "when an owner or an owner's agent requests that a permit be issued for any of the following, then a permit shall be issued and any related inspections shall be required." The exemption does not relax the code itself ("this section shall not be construed to exempt such activities from other applicable requirements of this code"). Replacing more than 256 square feet of roof decking on a house is outside item 14.6, and a roof covering job on a building other than a house is exempt only up to 100 square feet; the County's schedule prices a commercial reroof permit at $150.00. None of the County's building pages, permit packets, inspection sequences or fee schedule states a design wind speed. The fee line's "not required but upon request" is the County's stated practice; the fee section as codified in the County Code (Section 29-1, codified through April 12, 2022) lists "Replace roof or siding: $35.00" with no such wording, at older amounts than the posted schedule, which is marked "Adopted June 12, 2012". The County's zoning FAQ says "All man-made improvements to real property require a building/zoning permit", listing new homes, additions, alterations and renovations among others but not roofing, and asks anyone unsure to call 804-633-4303.

Do roofing contractors need a license or registration in Caroline County, VA?

Yes.

What building code does Caroline County, VA use?

The 2021 Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (13VAC5-63), effective January 18, 2024. For detached one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses, Section 310.6.1 of the Virginia Construction Code applies "The provisions of the IRC ... as amended by VCC Section 310.8, also referred to as the Virginia Residential Code (VRC)"; work on existing buildings falls under Part II, the Virginia Existing Building Code, whose reroofing section reads "602.3.2.1 Reroofing. Materials and methods of application used for recovering or replacing an existing roof covering shall comply with Chapter 15 of the VCC, except as modified by Section 302.1 and this section." The statewide code supersedes local building codes (Code of Virginia Section 36-98: "Such building code shall supersede the building codes and regulations of the counties, municipalities and other political subdivisions and state agencies."). The County's building FAQ says the Building Official is "responsible for the enforcement of the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (VUSBC) in Caroline County", and the County's Sequence of Inspections for one- and two-family dwellings, dated January 18, 2024, says "Must follow all requirements of the 2021 Virginia Residential Code". Chapter 29 of the County Code (Building Construction, Alteration and Use), read in full, holds only permit, planning and zoning fees and permit administration, and adds no technical roofing provision.