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Permitting Authorities / Denton County - Development Services

Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Denton County, TX?

Adopted code

Denton County - Development Services

The permitting authority for unincorporated areas of Denton County, Texas. Development Services issues development permits for improvements to property outside city limits (additions, pools, cell towers, floodplain excavation, and similar work) and administers the county's state-authorized notice-and-inspection program for new single-family and duplex residential construction. Commercial buildings, public-access buildings, and multifamily housing of four or more units are reviewed under the county's adopted fire/building code through the Fire Marshal's Office.

Jurisdiction
Denton County, Texas
Jurisdiction type
county
Address
3900 Morse Street, 2nd Floor, Denton, TX 76208
Contact
  • url: https://www.dentoncounty.gov/679/Applying-for-Development-Permits
  • phone: 940-349-2990
  • email: [email protected]
Contractor registration required
Not required
Permit process note
Denton County's Development Services page states: "A development permit is required for any improvement to a property," and that property owners "must obtain a permit for, but not limited to additions to existing houses, swimming pools, and Cell towers," or "any excavation in a flood zone," including bridges, culverts, dams, digging, dredging, filling, creek maintenance, mining, and ponds. Separately, the county runs a "Notice of Residential Construction Inspection Compliance in Unincorporated Area" program (per the county's own notice form) for new single-family and duplex construction, requiring third-party inspection and a compliance notice filed with Development Services rather than a county-issued building permit. Commercial buildings, public-access buildings, and multifamily housing of four units or more require a Construction Permit reviewed by the Fire Marshal's Office under the county's adopted International Fire and Building Code.
Adopted code
International Fire and Building Code, 2021 edition, with amendments per the county's Fire & Life Safety Permit Fee Schedule, for construction of commercial buildings, public-access buildings, and multi-family housing of four units or more in unincorporated Denton County.
Drip edge
Not required — Denton County has adopted no building code that reaches reroofing an existing single-family home. Its Fire Code, the 2021 International Fire and Building Code, carves those homes out of its own scope at Section 101.2, Exception 1, which provides that one- and two-family dwellings and townhomes of not more than two attached units "shall comply with Local Government Code 233 Subchapter F 'Residential Building Code'" instead. Subchapter F in turn reaches only new residential construction, which Texas Local Government Code Section 233.151 defines as a single-family house or duplex built on a vacant lot, or an addition increasing an existing home's square footage or value by more than 50 percent. Ordinary roof repair and replacement is neither. The county imposes no drip edge requirement on that work. Note that under Texas Local Government Code Section 233.153(c) a municipality's own building code controls inside that municipality's extraterritorial jurisdiction, so a home in an ETJ may be governed by a city's code rather than by the county. About drip edge
Ice & water shield
Not required — Denton County has adopted no building code that reaches reroofing an existing single-family home. Its Fire Code, the 2021 International Fire and Building Code, carves those homes out of its own scope at Section 101.2, Exception 1, which provides that one- and two-family dwellings and townhomes of not more than two attached units "shall comply with Local Government Code 233 Subchapter F 'Residential Building Code'" instead. Subchapter F in turn reaches only new residential construction, which Texas Local Government Code Section 233.151 defines as a single-family house or duplex built on a vacant lot, or an addition increasing an existing home's square footage or value by more than 50 percent. Ordinary roof repair and replacement is neither. The county imposes no ice barrier or ice-and-water-shield requirement on that work. Note that under Texas Local Government Code Section 233.153(c) a municipality's own building code controls inside that municipality's extraterritorial jurisdiction, so a home in an ETJ may be governed by a city's code rather than by the county. About ice & water barrier
Mid-roof inspection
Not required — Denton County has adopted no building code that reaches reroofing an existing single-family home. Its Fire Code, the 2021 International Fire and Building Code, carves those homes out of its own scope at Section 101.2, Exception 1, which provides that one- and two-family dwellings and townhomes of not more than two attached units "shall comply with Local Government Code 233 Subchapter F 'Residential Building Code'" instead. Subchapter F in turn reaches only new residential construction, which Texas Local Government Code Section 233.151 defines as a single-family house or duplex built on a vacant lot, or an addition increasing an existing home's square footage or value by more than 50 percent. Ordinary roof repair and replacement is neither. Because no county permit or inspection process attaches to reroofing an existing home, no mid-roof inspection occurs. Note that under Texas Local Government Code Section 233.153(c) a municipality's own building code controls inside that municipality's extraterritorial jurisdiction, so a home in an ETJ may be governed by a city's code rather than by the county.
Impact-resistant roofing
Not required — Denton County's adopted construction code (2021 International Fire and Building Code with local amendments) applies only to commercial buildings, public-access buildings, and multi-family housing of four units or more in unincorporated areas -- it does not reach single- family re-roofing, so no Class 4 impact-resistance requirement attaches to a residential re-roof. The county has adopted no single-family residential code at all.
Wind design criteria
Denton County has adopted no building code that reaches reroofing an existing single-family home. Its Fire Code, the 2021 International Fire and Building Code, carves those homes out of its own scope at Section 101.2, Exception 1, which provides that one- and two-family dwellings and townhomes of not more than two attached units "shall comply with Local Government Code 233 Subchapter F 'Residential Building Code'" instead. Subchapter F in turn reaches only new residential construction, which Texas Local Government Code Section 233.151 defines as a single-family house or duplex built on a vacant lot, or an addition increasing an existing home's square footage or value by more than 50 percent. Ordinary roof repair and replacement is neither. Having adopted no residential code for that work, the county has adopted no design wind speed governing it either. Note that under Texas Local Government Code Section 233.153(c) a municipality's own building code controls inside that municipality's extraterritorial jurisdiction, so a home in an ETJ may be governed by a city's code rather than by the county.
Roof layer limit / recover
Denton County has adopted no building code that reaches reroofing an existing single-family home. Its Fire Code, the 2021 International Fire and Building Code, carves those homes out of its own scope at Section 101.2, Exception 1, which provides that one- and two-family dwellings and townhomes of not more than two attached units "shall comply with Local Government Code 233 Subchapter F 'Residential Building Code'" instead. Subchapter F in turn reaches only new residential construction, which Texas Local Government Code Section 233.151 defines as a single-family house or duplex built on a vacant lot, or an addition increasing an existing home's square footage or value by more than 50 percent. Ordinary roof repair and replacement is neither. No county instrument limits the number of roof covering layers for that work. Note that under Texas Local Government Code Section 233.153(c) a municipality's own building code controls inside that municipality's extraterritorial jurisdiction, so a home in an ETJ may be governed by a city's code rather than by the county.
Deck & sheathing requirements
Denton County has adopted no building code that reaches reroofing an existing single-family home. Its Fire Code, the 2021 International Fire and Building Code, carves those homes out of its own scope at Section 101.2, Exception 1, which provides that one- and two-family dwellings and townhomes of not more than two attached units "shall comply with Local Government Code 233 Subchapter F 'Residential Building Code'" instead. Subchapter F in turn reaches only new residential construction, which Texas Local Government Code Section 233.151 defines as a single-family house or duplex built on a vacant lot, or an addition increasing an existing home's square footage or value by more than 50 percent. Ordinary roof repair and replacement is neither. The county sets no roof deck or sheathing requirement for that work. Note that under Texas Local Government Code Section 233.153(c) a municipality's own building code controls inside that municipality's extraterritorial jurisdiction, so a home in an ETJ may be governed by a city's code rather than by the county.
Sales & use tax
Texas Comptroller's list of the 125 counties that impose a Chapter 323 county sales and use tax does not include Denton County; Denton County levies no general county sales and use tax (comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/sales/county.php). No special-purpose district or emergency services district in Denton County is coextensive with the whole unincorporated county the way a county-wide district would be -- the district-level list shows only isolated municipal-development and crime/fire-control districts tied to specific incorporated cities' boundaries or extraterritorial jurisdictions (comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/sales/spd.php). In unincorporated Denton County outside any such district, the combined rate is therefore 6.25% (state only). Texas collects no construction use tax at building-permit issuance; use tax, when owed, is self-assessed by the purchaser and remitted directly to the Comptroller's office rather than collected by a city or county permit office (Comptroller Use Tax guidance, comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/sales/use-tax.php). Under Comptroller guidance for real property repair and remodeling, "Labor to repair, remodel, or restore residential real property is not taxable"; on the lump-sum contract typical of residential re-roofing, "you pay tax on all your supplies, materials, equipment, and taxable services when you buy them. You don't charge your customer tax" (Comptroller Pub. 94-116, Real Property Repair and Remodeling, comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/publications/94-116.php) -- so the combined rate above is the roofer's own cost basis on materials purchased, not a rate charged to the homeowner.

Related guides

DFW Permits City-by-City Hail-Belt Rules by State Denver-Metro Roofing Permits Filing a Hail Insurance Claim Colorado Hail Season Prep Hiring a Contractor

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Roofing questions — Denton County, TX

Is ice & water shield required in Denton County, TX?

Not required — Denton County has adopted no building code that reaches reroofing an existing single-family home. Its Fire Code, the 2021 International Fire and Building Code, carves those homes out of its own scope at Section 101.2, Exception 1, which provides that one- and two-family dwellings and townhomes of not more than two attached units "shall comply with Local Government Code 233 Subchapter F 'Residential Building Code'" instead. Subchapter F in turn reaches only new residential construction, which Texas Local Government Code Section 233.151 defines as a single-family house or duplex built on a vacant lot, or an addition increasing an existing home's square footage or value by more than 50 percent. Ordinary roof repair and replacement is neither. The county imposes no ice barrier or ice-and-water-shield requirement on that work. Note that under Texas Local Government Code Section 233.153(c) a municipality's own building code controls inside that municipality's extraterritorial jurisdiction, so a home in an ETJ may be governed by a city's code rather than by the county..

Is drip edge required?

Not required — Denton County has adopted no building code that reaches reroofing an existing single-family home. Its Fire Code, the 2021 International Fire and Building Code, carves those homes out of its own scope at Section 101.2, Exception 1, which provides that one- and two-family dwellings and townhomes of not more than two attached units "shall comply with Local Government Code 233 Subchapter F 'Residential Building Code'" instead. Subchapter F in turn reaches only new residential construction, which Texas Local Government Code Section 233.151 defines as a single-family house or duplex built on a vacant lot, or an addition increasing an existing home's square footage or value by more than 50 percent. Ordinary roof repair and replacement is neither. The county imposes no drip edge requirement on that work. Note that under Texas Local Government Code Section 233.153(c) a municipality's own building code controls inside that municipality's extraterritorial jurisdiction, so a home in an ETJ may be governed by a city's code rather than by the county..

Is a mid-roof inspection required?

Not required — Denton County has adopted no building code that reaches reroofing an existing single-family home. Its Fire Code, the 2021 International Fire and Building Code, carves those homes out of its own scope at Section 101.2, Exception 1, which provides that one- and two-family dwellings and townhomes of not more than two attached units "shall comply with Local Government Code 233 Subchapter F 'Residential Building Code'" instead. Subchapter F in turn reaches only new residential construction, which Texas Local Government Code Section 233.151 defines as a single-family house or duplex built on a vacant lot, or an addition increasing an existing home's square footage or value by more than 50 percent. Ordinary roof repair and replacement is neither. Because no county permit or inspection process attaches to reroofing an existing home, no mid-roof inspection occurs. Note that under Texas Local Government Code Section 233.153(c) a municipality's own building code controls inside that municipality's extraterritorial jurisdiction, so a home in an ETJ may be governed by a city's code rather than by the county..

Do roofing contractors need a license or registration in Denton County, TX?

Not required.

What building code does Denton County, TX use?

International Fire and Building Code, 2021 edition, with amendments per the county's Fire & Life Safety Permit Fee Schedule, for construction of commercial buildings, public-access buildings, and multi-family housing of four units or more in unincorporated Denton County.