The Roofing Book

Permitting Authorities / City of Chicago Department of Buildings

Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Chicago, IL?

Adopted code

City of Chicago Department of Buildings

The building-permit authority for the City of Chicago, Illinois. Chicago writes its own construction codes as Titles 14A through 14X of the Municipal Code and has no residential code: houses and small apartment buildings fall under the Chicago Building Code (Title 14B, built on the International Building Code) and, for work on existing buildings, the Chicago Building Rehabilitation Code (Title 14R). Reroofing a pitched roof on a residential building of four stories or fewer needs no permit; a low-slope roof, a larger or non-residential building, a Chicago Landmark, or structural work does, and many reroofs that need one can go through the online Express Permit Program. A recover over two or more existing layers needs an engineer's or architect's report accepted by the City. Illinois licenses roofing contractors statewide, and Chicago separately requires a City-licensed general contractor on permitted work unless an owner-occupant qualifies to act as their own.

Roof code checklist: Chicago, IL

ItemAnswerCode citeSourceVerified
Permit to replace a roofNot published
Repair permit thresholdPublishedcodelibrary.amlegal.com2026-09-23
Layer limit / roof-overPublishedcodelibrary.amlegal.com2026-09-23
Deck & sheathingPublishedcodelibrary.amlegal.com2026-09-23
Drip edgeYescodelibrary.amlegal.com2026-09-23
Ice & water shieldYescodelibrary.amlegal.com2026-09-23
Mid-roof inspectionNot published
Impact-resistant (Class 4) roofingNocodelibrary.amlegal.com2026-09-23
Wind design criteriaNot published
Adopted codePublishedCombined SUBSTITUTE.pdf2026-09-23
Contractor license / registrationYesilga.gov2026-09-23
Sales & use taxPublishedSec. 130.1940(a)tax.illinois.gov2026-09-23

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 Chicago, Illinois
Jurisdiction type
city
Address
121 N. LaSalle St., Room 900, Chicago, IL 60602
Contact
  • url: https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/bldgs.html
  • phone: 312-744-3449
  • permit_portal_url: https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/sites/guide-to-building-permits/home/instructions/EPP/ROOF.html
Contractor registration required
Required
Registration details
  • state_level: ILLINOIS LICENSES ROOFING CONTRACTORS STATEWIDE, WITH NO DOLLAR THRESHOLD. The Illinois Roofing Industry Licensing Act, 225 ILCS 335, Section 9(2) (as amended by P.A. 104-427, effective August 15, 2025), provides: "No work involving the construction, reconstruction, alteration, maintenance, or repair of any kind of roofing or waterproofing may be done except by a roofing contractor or a qualifying party licensed or credentialed under this Act." Under Section 5(a-3) a municipality "may not issue a building permit to a roofing contractor unless that contractor has provided sufficient proof of current licensure as a roofing contractor by the State." A limited licence covers contractors whose business is "limited to roofing residential properties consisting of 8 units or less"; an unlimited licence covers residential, commercial and industrial work. Licensure requires liability and property-damage insurance, workers' compensation, an unemployment-insurance account in good standing, a surety bond and a passed examination. Section 11(3) states that the Act does not require a licence of a person who performs roofing work "to the person's own property, or for no consideration." The Act is scheduled for sunset review on January 1, 2031.
  • city_level: CHICAGO ALSO REQUIRES A CITY-LICENSED GENERAL CONTRACTOR ON PERMITTED WORK, WITH AN OWNER-OCCUPANT EXCEPTION. The Department of Buildings states that "A licensed and insured general contractor is required for most types of building construction, rehabilitation, and demolition work in Chicago," under Municipal Code Chapter 4-36, and its Express Permit instructions for reroofing list, for all applications, "A licensed general contractor (Class A, B, C, D, or E, based on total project cost)," while "The general contractor or subcontractor performing roofing work must have a valid Illinois roofing contractor license." The owner exception, Section 4-36-020(B)(5) as amended by the ordinance passed January 24, 2024 (Coun. J. 1-24-24, p. 8634), lets an individual act as general contractor without a licence for work on an entirely residential property that is the individual's primary residence, with no more than 6 residential units and no building taller than 3 stories, for only one property in a calendar year; the owner files the City's owner-as-contractor form (Form 401) with government identification showing the address. That exception concerns the general contractor role only; the State roofing licence requirement above is separate. Other exceptions cover a single-trade job by a Chicago-licensed trade contractor and work by a government entity's own employees.
Permit process note
MANY PERMITTED REROOFS CAN GO THROUGH THE ONLINE EXPRESS PERMIT PROGRAM. The Department of Buildings' Express Permit Program covers roof repair up to 25 percent of the roof area, a recover over one existing layer, and a replacement with no structural work; structural repairs and a recover over two or more existing layers are also eligible with drawings or structural calculations by an Illinois-licensed architect or structural engineer. Before applying, have the property address and PIN, the owner's contact details, basic facts about the building, the Illinois roofing contractor license number, the general contractor's name or Chicago license number, and at least one photograph of the existing roof. Work by anyone without a valid Illinois roofing contractor license, on a building with an unpermitted rooftop feature, or that does not meet the Chicago Building Code's material rules or the Energy Transformation Code's insulation rules is not eligible. The permit terms require the contractor to confirm before starting that the existing roof structure can carry the new covering and the work loads, bar reinstalling cracked or damaged slate or tile, require new coverings to meet the Building Code's solar-reflectance rules, and require a replacement roof to include insulation under the Energy Transformation Code. When a low-slope roof is replaced, edges next to a shaft or enclosed court and skylights in the roof plane must be brought up to Building Code Sections 1516.2 and 1516.3 (Rehabilitation Code 306.7 and 306.8). Questions go to the Department of Buildings, 121 N. LaSalle St., Room 900, 312-744-3449. A Chicago Landmark property needs a permit for exterior work even where the exemptions would otherwise apply.
Adopted code
THE CHICAGO CONSTRUCTION CODES, WHICH ADOPT THE 2018 INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODE WITH CHICAGO'S OWN CHANGES; CHICAGO HAS NO INTERNATIONAL RESIDENTIAL CODE. The City Council's Phase 2 ordinance (Coun. J. 4-10-19, p. 100029) created Title 14B, the 2019 Chicago Building Code, whose Section 14B-1-001 provides that "The International Building Code, 2018 edition, first printing, and all erratum thereto identified by the publisher (hereinafter referred to as "IBC") is adopted by reference and shall be considered part of the requirements of this title except as modified by the specific provisions of this title." The same ordinance created Title 14R, the Chicago Building Rehabilitation Code, built on the 2018 International Existing Building Code, and Title 14A, the administrative provisions that set which work needs a permit. One- and two-family homes are regulated under these titles; the City has not adopted the International Residential Code. Roofing work on an existing building is sent by Section 14B-15-1511 ("The provisions of Section 1511 of IBC are not adopted") to Section 306 of the Rehabilitation Code, last amended by the ordinance passed October 9, 2024 (Coun. J. 10-9-24, p. 18818), which added low-slope roof-edge and skylight rules for roof replacements from January 1, 2025. Chicago's changes to the IBC roof-covering sections (14B-15-1504, 1505 and 1507) were last amended February 19, 2020 (Coun. J. 2-19-20, p. 14473). The Phase 3 ordinance, SO2026-0024930 (Coun. J. 6-17-26, p. 45214), replaces the City's mechanical, fuel gas and energy codes, mostly from October 1, 2026, and revises the wording of the low-sloped roof edge and skylight section, 14B-15-1516, with effect on passage; it does not amend 14B-15-1507, 14B-15-1511, the reroofing rules at 14R-3-306.1 through 306.6, or the roofing permit exemption at 14A-4-402.2. Its amendment to Section 14A-4-402.1, which touches no roofing item, took effect on passage.
Drip edge
Required — THE 2018 IBC RULE, UNCHANGED BY CHICAGO. Chicago adopts the 2018 International Building Code by reference (Municipal Code 14B-1-001), and its changes to IBC Section 1507 (14B-15-1507) touch the asphalt-shingle flashing provisions only to trim the valley-lining table, Table 1507.2.8.2; they do not modify or delete the IBC's drip-edge provision for shingle roofs, which therefore applies as published. About drip edge
Ice & water shield
Required — REQUIRED AT EAVES CITYWIDE FOR SHINGLE, SLATE AND SHAKE ROOFS. Chicago rewrites the first sentence of IBC Section 1507.1.2 (Municipal Code 14B-15-1507, item 2) to read "At eaves, an ice barrier shall be installed for asphalt shingles, metal roof shingles, mineral-surfaced roll roofing, slate and slate-type shingles, wood shingles and wood shakes." The requirement is stated without any local-climate condition. The materials and how far the barrier runs up the roof are the rest of the 2018 IBC section, which Chicago does not change. A roof replacement may leave an existing ice barrier membrane that is adhered to the deck in place and cover it with a new layer of ice barrier (Rehabilitation Code Section 14R-3-306.3, Exception). About ice & water barrier
Impact-resistant roofing
Not required — NO HAIL-IMPACT RATING IS REQUIRED. Chicago's changes to the IBC roof chapter (Municipal Code 14B-15-1504 through 14B-15-1513, current codified text) contain no UL 2218 or Class 4 impact requirement. The one impact rule, Section 1504.7 as Chicago rewrote it, applies only to "Roof coverings installed on low-sloped roofs" and rates them on ASTM D3746, ASTM D4272 or the FM 4470 foot-traffic test, not on hail. The consolidated Chicago Building Code published by UpCodes, checked as corroboration, likewise carries no UL 2218 or hail provision in Chapter 15. Chicago does set a wind rating for shingles: Section 1504.1.1 requires asphalt shingles tested to ASTM D7158 with "a classification of D, G or H," or, for shingles outside that standard, ASTM D3161 Class A, D or F. That is a wind rating, not an impact rating.
Repair permit threshold
NO PERMIT FOR A PITCHED-ROOF REROOF ON A RESIDENTIAL BUILDING OF FOUR STORIES OR FEWER, OR FOR A REPAIR THAT DOES NOT CUT INTO THE ROOF; A PERMIT FOR EVERYTHING ELSE. Municipal Code Section 14A-4-402.2.2 provides that a permit is not required for listed repairs "to buildings of Group R occupancy with not more than 4 stories above grade plane and accessory structures, such as private garages and carports, located on the same lot as such buildings," including item 3, "Reroofing on other than low-sloped roofs." The Chicago Building Code defines a low-sloped roof as "A roof with a slope of less than two units vertical in 12 units horizontal (17 percent slope)." So a steep-slope reroof on a house, two-flat or apartment building of up to four stories, or on its garage, needs no permit; a low-slope (under 2:12) roof, or a building of another occupancy or over four stories, does. Separately, Section 14A-4-402.2.1 exempts repairs to any structure provided they do not include "The cutting away or removal of any portion of an exterior wall, interior wall, or partition, floor, or roof," or the removal or cutting of any structural beam, column or load-bearing support. Neither exemption applies to "any work that affects the exterior or designated interior elements of a Chicago Landmark." The City's own permit guide describes the any-building exemption as roof repair "limited to 25% of the area of a roof surface," such as patching; the 25 percent figure in the enacted code is in the Rehabilitation Code, Section 14R-3-306.1, which lets "Roof repair not exceeding 25 percent of the surface area of an existing roof" comply with that code's Chapter 4, and the City's Express Permit terms state that past 25 percent of the roof surface, "either roof recover or roof replacement is required." Work done without a permit under these exemptions "must comply with all applicable provisions of the Chicago Construction Codes" (Section 14A-4-402.3).
Roof layer limit / recover
CHICAGO'S OWN REROOFING RULE: NO RECOVER OVER TWO OR MORE EXISTING LAYERS UNLESS THE CITY APPROVES IT ON A CONDITION REPORT. Chicago has no residential code, and Section 14B-15-1511 sends all "Roof repairs and roof replacement" to Section 306 of the Chicago Building Rehabilitation Code. Section 14R-3-306.3 provides that "Roof replacement shall include the removal of all existing layers of roof coverings down to the roof deck," except that an ice barrier membrane adhered to the deck may stay and be covered with a new one. Section 306.3.1 allows a recover in listed cases, but under its Exception "A roof recover shall not be allowed" where the existing roof is water soaked or deteriorated, where it is slate, clay, cement or asbestos-cement tile, or, in item 3, where "The existing roof has two or more applications of any type of roof covering unless approved based on a condition report complying with Section 104 of the Chicago Minimum Requirements for Existing Buildings that establishes the capacity of the roof structure to support additional weight." The October 9, 2024 amendment to Section 306 left this text unchanged. The City's Express Permit terms say the same in their own words: a recover over two or more applications is not allowed "unless the Department of Buildings has received and accepted a structural condition report, prepared by an Illinois-licensed architect or engineer," and the permit instructions call for structural calculations by an Illinois-licensed architect or structural engineer for that work.
Deck & sheathing requirements
THE IBC'S DECK PROVISIONS FOR EACH ROOF COVERING APPLY AS PUBLISHED, PLUS A STRUCTURAL CHECK ON EVERY REROOF. Chicago's modifications to IBC Section 1507 (Municipal Code 14B-15-1507) change underlayment table headings, the ice-barrier trigger, a valley-lining table and provisions for metal, tile, wood, modified-bitumen, single-ply, liquid-applied, vegetative and photovoltaic coverings. Its only deck changes bar photovoltaic shingles and building-integrated photovoltaic roof panels from low-sloped roofs (Sections 1507.17.2 and 1507.18.2); none modifies the deck requirements for asphalt shingles or any other covering, so the 2018 IBC provisions on the deck under each covering apply as published. For work on an existing roof, Rehabilitation Code Section 14R-3-306.2 requires that "Reroofing shall comply with the requirements of Section 706," with an exception for a repair of not more than 25 percent of the roof surface, where "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 system." A roof replacement removes every existing layer down to the roof deck (Section 306.3).
Sales & use tax
ILLINOIS TAXES THE ROOFER'S MATERIALS, NOT THE ROOFING JOB, AND THE RATE IS SET WHERE THE MATERIALS ARE BOUGHT OR THE CONTRACTOR DOES BUSINESS, NOT AT THE JOB ADDRESS. Under 86 Ill. Adm. Code 130.1940(c), a construction contractor "does not incur Retailers' Occupation Tax liability as to receipts from labor furnished and tangible personal property (materials and fixtures) incorporated into a structure," with "roofing materials" named among the examples; instead "The construction contractor incurs Use Tax on the cost price of the tangible personal property that is incorporated into real estate." Repair and replacement are treated alike, because Section 130.1940(a)(3) defines "construct" to include "repair, renovate or remodel." The state rate is 6.25 percent. The Illinois Department of Revenue's published general merchandise rate file lists a combined rate of 10.50 percent for Chicago in Cook County (location code 016-0001-1), effective August 1, 2026, up from 10.25 percent, and 8.50 percent for the part of Chicago in DuPage County (location code 022-0068-6). Those are the rates at a Chicago supplier or place of business; materials bought elsewhere carry that location's rate.

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Related guides

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

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Sources

Roofing questions: Chicago, IL

When does a roof repair need a permit in Chicago, IL?

NO PERMIT FOR A PITCHED-ROOF REROOF ON A RESIDENTIAL BUILDING OF FOUR STORIES OR FEWER, OR FOR A REPAIR THAT DOES NOT CUT INTO THE ROOF; A PERMIT FOR EVERYTHING ELSE. Municipal Code Section 14A-4-402.2.2 provides that a permit is not required for listed repairs "to buildings of Group R occupancy with not more than 4 stories above grade plane and accessory structures, such as private garages and carports, located on the same lot as such buildings," including item 3, "Reroofing on other than low-sloped roofs." The Chicago Building Code defines a low-sloped roof as "A roof with a slope of less than two units vertical in 12 units horizontal (17 percent slope)." So a steep-slope reroof on a house, two-flat or apartment building of up to four stories, or on its garage, needs no permit; a low-slope (under 2:12) roof, or a building of another occupancy or over four stories, does. Separately, Section 14A-4-402.2.1 exempts repairs to any structure provided they do not include "The cutting away or removal of any portion of an exterior wall, interior wall, or partition, floor, or roof," or the removal or cutting of any structural beam, column or load-bearing support. Neither exemption applies to "any work that affects the exterior or designated interior elements of a Chicago Landmark." The City's own permit guide describes the any-building exemption as roof repair "limited to 25% of the area of a roof surface," such as patching; the 25 percent figure in the enacted code is in the Rehabilitation Code, Section 14R-3-306.1, which lets "Roof repair not exceeding 25 percent of the surface area of an existing roof" comply with that code's Chapter 4, and the City's Express Permit terms state that past 25 percent of the roof surface, "either roof recover or roof replacement is required." Work done without a permit under these exemptions "must comply with all applicable provisions of the Chicago Construction Codes" (Section 14A-4-402.3).

Is ice & water shield required in Chicago, IL?

Yes. REQUIRED AT EAVES CITYWIDE FOR SHINGLE, SLATE AND SHAKE ROOFS. Chicago rewrites the first sentence of IBC Section 1507.1.2 (Municipal Code 14B-15-1507, item 2) to read "At eaves, an ice barrier shall be installed for asphalt shingles, metal roof shingles, mineral-surfaced roll roofing, slate and slate-type shingles, wood shingles and wood shakes." The requirement is stated without any local-climate condition. The materials and how far the barrier runs up the roof are the rest of the 2018 IBC section, which Chicago does not change. A roof replacement may leave an existing ice barrier membrane that is adhered to the deck in place and cover it with a new layer of ice barrier (Rehabilitation Code Section 14R-3-306.3, Exception).

Is drip edge required in Chicago, IL?

Yes. THE 2018 IBC RULE, UNCHANGED BY CHICAGO. Chicago adopts the 2018 International Building Code by reference (Municipal Code 14B-1-001), and its changes to IBC Section 1507 (14B-15-1507) touch the asphalt-shingle flashing provisions only to trim the valley-lining table, Table 1507.2.8.2; they do not modify or delete the IBC's drip-edge provision for shingle roofs, which therefore applies as published.

Can you roof over an existing roof in Chicago, IL?

CHICAGO'S OWN REROOFING RULE: NO RECOVER OVER TWO OR MORE EXISTING LAYERS UNLESS THE CITY APPROVES IT ON A CONDITION REPORT. Chicago has no residential code, and Section 14B-15-1511 sends all "Roof repairs and roof replacement" to Section 306 of the Chicago Building Rehabilitation Code. Section 14R-3-306.3 provides that "Roof replacement shall include the removal of all existing layers of roof coverings down to the roof deck," except that an ice barrier membrane adhered to the deck may stay and be covered with a new one. Section 306.3.1 allows a recover in listed cases, but under its Exception "A roof recover shall not be allowed" where the existing roof is water soaked or deteriorated, where it is slate, clay, cement or asbestos-cement tile, or, in item 3, where "The existing roof has two or more applications of any type of roof covering unless approved based on a condition report complying with Section 104 of the Chicago Minimum Requirements for Existing Buildings that establishes the capacity of the roof structure to support additional weight." The October 9, 2024 amendment to Section 306 left this text unchanged. The City's Express Permit terms say the same in their own words: a recover over two or more applications is not allowed "unless the Department of Buildings has received and accepted a structural condition report, prepared by an Illinois-licensed architect or engineer," and the permit instructions call for structural calculations by an Illinois-licensed architect or structural engineer for that work.

Do roofing contractors need a license or registration in Chicago, IL?

Yes.

What building code does Chicago, IL use?

THE CHICAGO CONSTRUCTION CODES, WHICH ADOPT THE 2018 INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODE WITH CHICAGO'S OWN CHANGES; CHICAGO HAS NO INTERNATIONAL RESIDENTIAL CODE. The City Council's Phase 2 ordinance (Coun. J. 4-10-19, p. 100029) created Title 14B, the 2019 Chicago Building Code, whose Section 14B-1-001 provides that "The International Building Code, 2018 edition, first printing, and all erratum thereto identified by the publisher (hereinafter referred to as "IBC") is adopted by reference and shall be considered part of the requirements of this title except as modified by the specific provisions of this title." The same ordinance created Title 14R, the Chicago Building Rehabilitation Code, built on the 2018 International Existing Building Code, and Title 14A, the administrative provisions that set which work needs a permit. One- and two-family homes are regulated under these titles; the City has not adopted the International Residential Code. Roofing work on an existing building is sent by Section 14B-15-1511 ("The provisions of Section 1511 of IBC are not adopted") to Section 306 of the Rehabilitation Code, last amended by the ordinance passed October 9, 2024 (Coun. J. 10-9-24, p. 18818), which added low-slope roof-edge and skylight rules for roof replacements from January 1, 2025. Chicago's changes to the IBC roof-covering sections (14B-15-1504, 1505 and 1507) were last amended February 19, 2020 (Coun. J. 2-19-20, p. 14473). The Phase 3 ordinance, SO2026-0024930 (Coun. J. 6-17-26, p. 45214), replaces the City's mechanical, fuel gas and energy codes, mostly from October 1, 2026, and revises the wording of the low-sloped roof edge and skylight section, 14B-15-1516, with effect on passage; it does not amend 14B-15-1507, 14B-15-1511, the reroofing rules at 14R-3-306.1 through 306.6, or the roofing permit exemption at 14A-4-402.2. Its amendment to Section 14A-4-402.1, which touches no roofing item, took effect on passage.