The Roofing Book

Permitting Authorities / Carroll County - Office of the Building Official

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

Adopted code

Carroll County - Office of the Building Official

The Office of the Building Official is Carroll County's building department. From the County Governmental Center at 605-1 Pine Street in Hillsville it takes building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical and fuel gas permit applications, carries out inspections, runs the County's erosion and sediment control program, and enforces the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code.

Roof code checklist: Unincorporated Carroll County, VA

ItemAnswerCode citeSourceVerified
Permit to replace a roofNot published
Repair permit thresholdPublished2021-virginia-construction-code.pdf2026-09-26
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
Carroll County, Virginia (unincorporated)
Jurisdiction type
county
Address
605-1 Pine Street, Suite C115, Hillsville, VA 24343
Contact
  • url: https://www.carrollcountyva.gov/government/building_official/index.php
  • phone: 276-730-3016
Permit portal
Permit portal
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 floor for Class C; that figure predates the 2025 amendment.
  • county_level: Carroll County's Building Application (the online Miscellaneous Building Permit Application and the form in the Stick Built Application Packet) asks for each contractor's name, phone, "VA License #" and "Class" under the heading "VA State Licensed Contractor Information", with an owner alternative keyed to Code of Virginia Section 54.1-1101. An owner who does the work checks one of four state exemptions printed on the form, the first being "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," and signs a statement that "I am not subject to licensure as a contractor or subcontractor" and that "If the work is performed by any other person or firm employed by me, that person or firm must comply with state and local contractor licensing laws." The County sets no contractor licence, registration, bond or examination of its own; its form collects the state licence.
Permit process note
Under 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 ... or less of roof covering in all groups and all wind zones," and item 14.6 exempts "Replacement of 256 square feet ... or less of roof decking in Group R-3, R-4 or R-5" unless that decking had to be fire-retardant-treated or fire-protected. The building official may still 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", and "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." Carroll County publishes no design wind speed and the Office of the Building Official publishes no statement on whether a house reroof needs a permit, so confirm with the Office of the Building Official (276-730-3016, 605-1 Pine Street, Hillsville, open 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. weekdays) before starting. The work must meet the code with or without a permit. Where a permit is needed, the County's Miscellaneous Building Permit Application is a fillable online form; the County says its permit applications "are fillable forms that can be emailed into our department along with all required plan documents." The application asks "Are you in a Flood Zone?", and any development in a special flood hazard area also takes the County's Floodplain Development Permit Application ($60 floodplain permit). The application asks for each contractor's Virginia licence number and class, or an owner's signed statement of exemption under Code of Virginia Section 54.1-1101. Under the County's Third-Party Inspection Policy, "Third-party inspectors must be approved by the Building Official before any inspection reports will be accepted."
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 for detached one-family and two-family dwellings and townhouses 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."). Carroll County Code Section 95-1 (adopted October 8, 1981) adopts "by reference in the County of Carroll the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code" and applies it "to existing and proposed buildings or structures in the County of Carroll." The County Building Department's current new-dwelling cover sheet states "The State of Virginia is currently under the 2021 Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Codes these were adopted by State Legislators and made effective on January 18, 2024," and the Building Official's January 21, 2025 countywide code modification (ceiling insulation values only) is written for "all buildings constructed in accordance with the 2021 Virginia Residential Code (VRC)." Chapter 95 of the County Code (Building Construction), read in full, adds no technical roofing provision of its own.
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. Carroll County's Chapter 95 (Building Construction), read in full, adopts that code by reference and adds none, and the Building Official's pages, permit applications, plan checklist and fee schedule carry 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
Virginia's statewide code sets the permit line for re-roofing, and a county cannot change it. Virginia Construction Code Section 108.2 (2021 edition) provides that "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 ... or less of roof covering in all groups and all wind zones. 14.6. Replacement of 256 square feet ... 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." Two exceptions follow: "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 same section provides that "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," and that the exemption does not "exempt such activities from other applicable requirements of this code." Whether a full house reroof in Carroll County falls inside item 14.5 turns on the nominal design wind speed, and the County publishes no design wind speed of any kind: no climatic design criteria table appears on the Building Official's pages, in its permit applications, application packets, plan checklist or fee schedule, or in Chapter 95 of the County Code. The Building Official's pages also publish no statement on whether a house reroof needs a permit. Replacing 100 square feet or less of roof covering is exempt in every wind zone; replacing more than 256 square feet of decking is not within item 14.6. Chapter 95 of the County Code sets no roofing permit line of its own: its fee section (Section 95-2) begins "No permit to begin work for new construction or other building operation shall be issued until the fees prescribed in this section have been paid" and lists no roofing fee; the residential building fee is "$0.20 per square foot area; $60 minimum permit fee," and the Building Department's current fee schedule likewise has no roofing line. Violations of the statewide code are "punishable as provided in § 36-106, Code of Virginia" (County Code Section 95-6), which makes a violation a misdemeanor punishable "by a fine of not more than $2,500."
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 Carroll County's Chapter 95 (Building Construction), 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 Carroll County (Virginia Tax, "Sales Tax Rates by Locality" workbook, "January 1, 2026 - Present" sheet: Carroll, code 51035, 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); Carroll County is in none of the regional add-on areas, and Virginia Tax's rates page puts it in the 5.3% "Everywhere else" group. Food and personal hygiene items are taxed at 1% statewide. The City of Galax is a separate locality with its own row in the workbook. 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.

More roof permit pages in Virginia

Unincorporated Montgomery County, VARoof permit Unincorporated Prince William County, VARoof permit Virginia Beach, VARoof permit Warren County, VARoof permit Washington County, VARoof permit Roofing in VirginiaState hub

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

Hail reports near the center of Carroll County, VA

Reports, last 24 months
0
Largest, last 24 months
None
Most recent
None in 24 months
Reports, last 5 years
5
5 most recent reports, last 5 years
DateHail sizeDistance
Aug 30, 20241.00 in10 mi E
Aug 30, 20240.88 in9 mi WSW
Apr 6, 20231.00 in4 mi S
Apr 6, 20231.00 in6 mi SE
Jun 8, 20221.00 in9 mi WSW

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 Carroll County, VA. Data through Sep 30, 2026. A report is an observation, not a damage record.

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Sources

Roofing questions: Unincorporated Carroll County, VA

When does a roof repair need a permit in Unincorporated Carroll County, VA?

Virginia's statewide code sets the permit line for re-roofing, and a county cannot change it. Virginia Construction Code Section 108.2 (2021 edition) provides that "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 ... or less of roof covering in all groups and all wind zones. 14.6. Replacement of 256 square feet ... 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." Two exceptions follow: "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 same section provides that "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," and that the exemption does not "exempt such activities from other applicable requirements of this code." Whether a full house reroof in Carroll County falls inside item 14.5 turns on the nominal design wind speed, and the County publishes no design wind speed of any kind: no climatic design criteria table appears on the Building Official's pages, in its permit applications, application packets, plan checklist or fee schedule, or in Chapter 95 of the County Code. The Building Official's pages also publish no statement on whether a house reroof needs a permit. Replacing 100 square feet or less of roof covering is exempt in every wind zone; replacing more than 256 square feet of decking is not within item 14.6. Chapter 95 of the County Code sets no roofing permit line of its own: its fee section (Section 95-2) begins "No permit to begin work for new construction or other building operation shall be issued until the fees prescribed in this section have been paid" and lists no roofing fee; the residential building fee is "$0.20 per square foot area; $60 minimum permit fee," and the Building Department's current fee schedule likewise has no roofing line. Violations of the statewide code are "punishable as provided in § 36-106, Code of Virginia" (County Code Section 95-6), which makes a violation a misdemeanor punishable "by a fine of not more than $2,500."

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

Yes.

What building code does Unincorporated Carroll 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 for detached one-family and two-family dwellings and townhouses 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."). Carroll County Code Section 95-1 (adopted October 8, 1981) adopts "by reference in the County of Carroll the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code" and applies it "to existing and proposed buildings or structures in the County of Carroll." The County Building Department's current new-dwelling cover sheet states "The State of Virginia is currently under the 2021 Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Codes these were adopted by State Legislators and made effective on January 18, 2024," and the Building Official's January 21, 2025 countywide code modification (ceiling insulation values only) is written for "all buildings constructed in accordance with the 2021 Virginia Residential Code (VRC)." Chapter 95 of the County Code (Building Construction), read in full, adds no technical roofing provision of its own.