The Roofing Book

Permitting Authorities / City of Chesapeake - Department of Development and Permits

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

Adopted code

City of Chesapeake - Department of Development and Permits

No, Chesapeake, VA does not require a permit for like-for-like roof replacement (City of Chesapeake - Department of Development and Permits). A shingle-for-shingle reroof of a house in Chesapeake ordinarily needs no building permit. The statewide Virginia Construction Code 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)"; Chesapeake's own Table R301.2 gives "91/96 Vasd Mph" (117/123 mph ultimate), and the City's Homeowner's Permit Guide marks "Roof replacement (shingle for shingle / up to 8 sheets of wood)" as permit not required. Replacing decking is the line: item 14.6 exempts only "Replacement of 256 square feet (23.78 m2) or less of roof decking in Group R-3, R-4 or R-5", and the City marks "Roof replacement (replacing more than 8 sheets of wood)" as permit and plans required. The building official may still require a permit for roofing "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" (the Code's two Exceptions); Chesapeake has both a historic overlay district (South Norfolk) and extensive AE flood zones. An owner or the owner's agent may ask for a permit anyway: "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 covers the permit only; the Code says it "shall not be construed to exempt such activities from other applicable requirements of this code." The City's Residential Building and Zoning Application (Rev 04/01/2025) includes a "ROOF REPLACEMENT" work type among its check boxes; the application itself does not say which roof jobs need it. Permits are applied for through the eBUILD online system or at City Hall, 306 Cedar Road, 2nd Floor; permit support 757-382-6018.

Roof code checklist: Chesapeake, VA

ItemAnswerCode citeSourceVerified
Permit to replace a roofNocityofchesapeake.net2026-09-26
Repair permit thresholdPublishedcityofchesapeake.net2026-09-26
Layer limit / roof-overNot published
Deck & sheathingPublishedR803library.municode.com2026-09-26
Drip edgeNot published
Ice & water shieldNocityofchesapeake.net2026-09-26
Mid-roof inspectionNocityofchesapeake.net2026-09-26
Impact-resistant (Class 4) roofingNo2021-virginia-construction-code.pdf2026-09-26
Wind design criteriaPublishedR301.2.1cityofchesapeake.net2026-09-26
Adopted codePublishedSec. 310.6.1cityofchesapeake.net2026-09-26
Contractor license / registrationYeslaw.lis.virginia.gov2026-09-26
Sales & use taxPublishedSec. 58.1-603.1tax.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
City of Chesapeake, Virginia
Jurisdiction type
city
Address
306 Cedar Road, City Hall, 2nd Floor, Chesapeake, VA 23322
Contact
  • url: https://www.cityofchesapeake.net/226/Building-Permits-Plan-Review-Inspections
  • phone: 757-382-6018
  • email: [email protected]
Permit portal
Permit portal
Roofing permit required
Not required
Contractor registration required
Required
Registration details
  • state_level: Virginia licenses contractors through the Board for Contractors. Code of Virginia Section 54.1-1103: "No person shall engage in, or offer to engage in, contracting work in the Commonwealth unless he has been licensed under the provisions of this chapter." The smallest class, 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." Class B covers a single contract of "$30,000 or more, but less than $150,000" and Class A "$150,000 or more". Board regulation 18VAC50-22-30 defines the Roofing contracting (ROC) specialty as "the installation, repair, removal, or improvement of materials common to the industry that form a watertight, weather resistant surface for roofs and decks" and states that "The CBC and RBC classifications and the HIC and CIC specialties also provide for this function." Section 54.1-1101 A 7 states that the chapter does not apply to "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"; this record does not decide whether any reader falls within it. Section 54.1-1111 bars a building official from issuing a permit "unless the applicant has furnished his license or certificate number issued pursuant to this chapter or evidence of being exempt from the provisions of this chapter."
  • city_level: Chesapeake adds no contractor licence of its own. Its fee and permit information booklet states "Contractors are required to be state registered. Contractors are required to have an appropriate business license." and "Homeowners wishing to perform building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical or gas work on the residence in which they reside may obtain such permits." The Residential Addition / Alterations page states that a contractor "must provide proof of a valid Virginia State Contractor's License and a copy of the appropriate business license." The City business license is a general business licence, not a trade credential; the City's residential plan review FAQ states that for a contractor based in Virginia but outside Chesapeake, "if you have a construction value of $25K or more, a City of Chesapeake Business license is required", a figure the FAQ counts cumulatively over the year, and one is also required where the contractor's office is in the City or outside Virginia.
Permit process note
A shingle-for-shingle reroof of a house in Chesapeake ordinarily needs no building permit. The statewide Virginia Construction Code 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)"; Chesapeake's own Table R301.2 gives "91/96 Vasd Mph" (117/123 mph ultimate), and the City's Homeowner's Permit Guide marks "Roof replacement (shingle for shingle / up to 8 sheets of wood)" as permit not required. Replacing decking is the line: item 14.6 exempts only "Replacement of 256 square feet (23.78 m2) or less of roof decking in Group R-3, R-4 or R-5", and the City marks "Roof replacement (replacing more than 8 sheets of wood)" as permit and plans required. The building official may still require a permit for roofing "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" (the Code's two Exceptions); Chesapeake has both a historic overlay district (South Norfolk) and extensive AE flood zones. An owner or the owner's agent may ask for a permit anyway: "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 covers the permit only; the Code says it "shall not be construed to exempt such activities from other applicable requirements of this code." The City's Residential Building and Zoning Application (Rev 04/01/2025) includes a "ROOF REPLACEMENT" work type among its check boxes; the application itself does not say which roof jobs need it. Permits are applied for through the eBUILD online system or at City Hall, 306 Cedar Road, 2nd Floor; permit support 757-382-6018.
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."). Chesapeake City Code Sec. 14-31 adopts it by reference ("There is adopted and incorporated by reference the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code which shall control all matters concerning the construction, alteration, addition, repair, removal, demolition, use, movement, location and occupancy of all buildings") and Sec. 14-32 carries it forward ("All supplements and future amendments to the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code adopted in section 14-31 are adopted by reference as a part of this article."). The City's own 2021 residential information sheet states "Building Code Used: 2021 VRC (Mandatory as of Jan. 18, 2025)". Chapter 14 of the City Code (Buildings and Building Regulations), read in full, adds no technical roofing provision of its own.
Ice & water shield
Not required — Chesapeake's own Table R301.2, Climatic and Geographic Design Criteria, for the 2021 Virginia Residential Code lists "ICE BARRIER UNDERLAYMENT REQUIRED" as "None Required" for the City. About ice & water barrier
Mid-roof inspection
Not required — An ordinary shingle-for-shingle reroof in Chesapeake needs no permit, so no inspection follows unless the owner asks for a permit. The City's inspection list for new building construction (dated March 13, 2023) schedules a sheathing inspection of exterior walls only and states "The sheathing inspection of the gable area or the roof prior to coverage is not required."
Impact-resistant roofing
Not required — Neither the Virginia amendments to the IRC in the 2021 Uniform Statewide Building Code (13VAC5-63, VCC Section 310.8) nor Chapter 14 of the Chesapeake City Code, which adopts that code by reference and adds no technical roofing provision, contains a UL 2218 or Class 4 impact requirement for roof coverings, and the City's own climatic design table and residential information sheet for the 2021 code contain no such requirement; a Virginia locality cannot add one to the statewide code.
Repair permit threshold
Statewide rule, Virginia Construction Code 108.2: "application for a permit and any related inspections shall not be required for the following ... In addition, 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." Item 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 m2) or less of roof covering in all groups and all wind zones." Item 14.6: "Replacement of 256 square feet (23.78 m2) 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." 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." Chesapeake's own climatic table gives a wind design speed of "117/123Vult" and "91/96 Vasd Mph" (123 mph ultimate in the extreme east of the City, 117 mph in the extreme west), so the City's nominal (allowable stress) speed is under 100 mph everywhere in the City. The City's Homeowner's Permit Guide lists "Roof replacement (shingle for shingle / up to 8 sheets of wood)" as permit not required, "Roof replacement (replacing more than 8 sheets of wood)" as permit and plans required, and "Roof patching < 100-sf" as permit not required. The City maintains a Historic Preservation Overlay District (South Norfolk) and special flood hazard (AE) areas; within them the building official may require a permit under the two Exceptions, so a roofer working there should confirm with the Department of Development and Permits (757-382-6018) before starting.
Wind design criteria
Chesapeake's own Table R301.2, Climatic and Geographic Design Criteria, on its residential information sheet for the 2021 Virginia Residential Code: wind design speed "117/123Vult" and "91/96 Vasd Mph"; topographic effects NO; special wind region NO; windborne debris zone NO; seismic design category A; ground snow load 10 PSF. The same sheet explains under R301.2.1 Wind Design Criteria: "The extreme eastern part of the City 123MPH and 117MPH in the extreme western part. The component and cladding loads adjusted for height and exposure Table R301.2 (2)." The City's Residential Plan Requirements handout, which asks plans to list the 2021 Virginia Residential Code, gives a single figure: "Wind Load criteria; 120MPH 3 sec gust", and describes the exposure categories: "Urban areas exposure “B”. Open areas with few obstructions the size of a house within 1500 feet is an exposure “C”."
Deck & sheathing requirements
Chesapeake adds no roof-sheathing rule of its own: Chapter 14 of the City Code (Buildings and Building Regulations), read in full, adopts the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code by reference and contains no provision on roof decking or sheathing, and the statewide Virginia amendments to the IRC (VCC Section 310.8) do not amend the IRC's roof-sheathing section, R803. Replacement decking follows the statewide code's provisions unmodified. How much decking can be replaced without a permit is covered under the permit threshold.
Sales & use tax
6% general sales and use tax in the City of Chesapeake (Virginia Tax, "Sales and Use Tax Rates by Locality" workbook, "January 1, 2026 - Present" block, Chesapeake, locality code 51550, General Sales 0.06). It is the Hampton Roads rate, which Virginia Tax lists for "Chesapeake, Franklin City, Hampton, Isle of Wight, Newport News, Norfolk, Poquoson, Portsmouth, Southampton, Suffolk, and Virginia Beach"; it includes the 0.70 percent regional sales tax added to the state rate under Code of Virginia Section 58.1-603.1. A roofer pays it on materials rather than charging it to the homeowner: under 23VAC10-210-410, "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", and a contractor "does not pass the sales or use tax on to anyone else as a tax." Where a supplier does not collect Virginia tax, "the contractor will be liable for the use tax on the contractor's purchases from the supplier." Repair and replacement work are treated alike.

Local roofing hub

Roofing in Chesapeake, VirginiaCity hub

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

The Department of Development and Permits of the City of Chesapeake, Virginia, an independent city, handles building plan review, building and trade permits and inspections for the City, through its eBUILD online system and its City Hall office.

Hail reports near Chesapeake, VA

Reports, last 24 months
3
Largest, last 24 months
2.00 in May 22, 2025
Most recent
May 22, 2025 2.00 in
Reports, last 5 years
4
4 most recent reports, last 5 years
DateHail sizeDistance
May 22, 20252.00 in2 mi NNW
May 22, 20251.00 in3 mi NNE
May 22, 20251.00 in4 mi NE
Jun 26, 20231.00 in4 mi ENE

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 Chesapeake, VA (Census point). Data through Sep 30, 2026. A report is an observation, not a damage record.

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Sources

Roofing questions: Chesapeake, VA

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

No, Chesapeake, VA does not require a permit to replace a roof. Statewide rule, Virginia Construction Code 108.2: "application for a permit and any related inspections shall not be required for the following ... In addition, 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." Item 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 m2) or less of roof covering in all groups and all wind zones." Item 14.6: "Replacement of 256 square feet (23.78 m2) 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." 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." Chesapeake's own climatic table gives a wind design speed of "117/123Vult" and "91/96 Vasd Mph" (123 mph ultimate in the extreme east of the City, 117 mph in the extreme west), so the City's nominal (allowable stress) speed is under 100 mph everywhere in the City. The City's Homeowner's Permit Guide lists "Roof replacement (shingle for shingle / up to 8 sheets of wood)" as permit not required, "Roof replacement (replacing more than 8 sheets of wood)" as permit and plans required, and "Roof patching < 100-sf" as permit not required. The City maintains a Historic Preservation Overlay District (South Norfolk) and special flood hazard (AE) areas; within them the building official may require a permit under the two Exceptions, so a roofer working there should confirm with the Department of Development and Permits (757-382-6018) before starting.

Is ice & water shield required in Chesapeake, VA?

No. Chesapeake's own Table R301.2, Climatic and Geographic Design Criteria, for the 2021 Virginia Residential Code lists "ICE BARRIER UNDERLAYMENT REQUIRED" as "None Required" for the City.

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

Yes.

What building code does Chesapeake, 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."). Chesapeake City Code Sec. 14-31 adopts it by reference ("There is adopted and incorporated by reference the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code which shall control all matters concerning the construction, alteration, addition, repair, removal, demolition, use, movement, location and occupancy of all buildings") and Sec. 14-32 carries it forward ("All supplements and future amendments to the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code adopted in section 14-31 are adopted by reference as a part of this article."). The City's own 2021 residential information sheet states "Building Code Used: 2021 VRC (Mandatory as of Jan. 18, 2025)". Chapter 14 of the City Code (Buildings and Building Regulations), read in full, adds no technical roofing provision of its own.

Is a mid-roof inspection required in Chesapeake, VA?

No. An ordinary shingle-for-shingle reroof in Chesapeake needs no permit, so no inspection follows unless the owner asks for a permit. The City's inspection list for new building construction (dated March 13, 2023) schedules a sheathing inspection of exterior walls only and states "The sheathing inspection of the gable area or the roof prior to coverage is not required."