The Roofing Book

Permitting Authorities / Fairfax County - Land Development Services

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

Adopted code

Fairfax County - Land Development Services

Fairfax County Land Development Services (LDS) is the County's building department. It issues building and trade permits, performs building inspections and licenses home improvement contractors under the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code and Chapter 61 of the County Code. Projects in the Towns of Clifton and Vienna are permitted through LDS and also need the town's own approval. The City of Fairfax is a separate, independent city and is not covered by this record.

Roof code checklist: Fairfax County, VA

ItemAnswerCode citeSourceVerified
Permit to replace a roofNot published
Repair permit thresholdPublishedfairfaxcounty.gov2026-09-26
Layer limit / roof-overNot published
Deck & sheathingPublishedR803law.lis.virginia.gov2026-09-26
Drip edgeNot published
Ice & water shieldYesfairfaxcounty.gov2026-09-26
Mid-roof inspectionNot published
Impact-resistant (Class 4) roofingNolaw.lis.virginia.gov2026-09-26
Wind design criteriaPublishedfairfaxcounty.gov2026-09-26
Adopted codePublishedSec. 310.8law.lis.virginia.gov2026-09-26
Contractor license / registrationYeslaw.lis.virginia.gov2026-09-26
Sales & use taxPublishedtax.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
Fairfax County, Virginia
Jurisdiction type
county
Address
12055 Government Center Parkway, Suite 324, Fairfax, VA 22035
Contact
  • url: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/landdevelopment/
  • phone: 703-222-0801
Permit portal
Permit portal
Contractor registration required
Required
Registration details
  • state_level: Virginia licenses contractors through the Board for Contractors (DPOR). Va. Code 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 require a Class B or Class A licence. Roofing is covered by the Board's Roofing Contractor (ROC) specialty or by the Home Improvement, Residential Building or Commercial Building classifications (18VAC50-22-30). Va. Code 54.1-1101 A 7 exempts "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"; the record does not decide whether a given reader is inside that exemption. Pages written before July 2025 may still show the older $10,000 Class C ceiling.
  • county_level: Fairfax County requires its own Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) licence. County Code Section 61-3-9(a): "It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in the business of a home improvement contractor within the county without holding a valid license issued pursuant to this Article." "Home improvement work" is defined in Section 61-1-2 to include "roof repair". Under Section 61-3-7 the licence does not apply "to any person performing home improvement work on a residential property of which he is the owner or to Class A contractors or Class B contractors". Prerequisites (Section 61-3-10) include a valid Class C, home improvement or specialty contractor licence "if entering into contracts valued over $1,000.00", a Fairfax County Business, Professional and Occupational License (BPOL), a bond, the application and licence fees, and the County's financial-responsibility and reliability review. Section 61-3-12 sets the bond at $10,000 for a Class C contractor and $5,000 for other contractors; the LDS page says "Contracts under $1,000 must have $5,000 surety bond" and "Contracts over $1,000 must have a $10,000 surety bond". Fees under the July 1, 2026 schedule: application processing $135.45, licence issuance $84.00, renewal $111.30. Section 61-3-14 issues licences "for one year commencing on the date of issuance"; the LDS page says HIC licences "are valid for one to two years, depending on the length of the bond". Section 61-3-2 requires every home improvement contract to be in writing, and a copy of the contractor's standard contract form is filed with the application. The BPOL itself is a general business licence.
Permit process note
Shingles only: on its "Does My Project Require a Permit?" page, Fairfax County Land Development Services lists "Replacement of roof shingles" under "A permit is NOT required for… Residential Projects", and in the same list "Replacement of less than 256 square feet (9 boards) of roof plywood (unless required to be fire rated, such as townhomes)". The page says it "is not an exhaustive list; it is meant to provide general guidance for homeowners, business owners and others", and names no roof covering other than shingles. The state rule behind it is Virginia Construction Code 108.2: "Notwithstanding the requirements of Section 108.1, 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." "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 County's published design criteria give only an ultimate wind speed (115 mph for Risk Category II and residential), not the nominal speed item 14.5 turns on, and the enacted text names no Fairfax County figure either way; the no-permit line for shingles is the Department's stated practice. Other County pages list roof work as permit work: the same page lists under "A permit IS required for..." "Miscellaneous work (both interior and exterior) Includes areaways, asbestos removal, chimney repairs, foundation repairs, waterproofing, roof repairs, etc.", and the Residential Miscellaneous permit page states "A Residential Miscellaneous permit is required for the following residential projects:" and lists "Re-Roof/Re-Line" and "Roof Repair". This record does not decide how the Department reconciles those pages with its shingle-replacement line. Decking over 256 square feet, a house in a historic district or a special flood hazard area, a non-shingle roof covering, or any structural work: call LDS at 703-222-0801 before tear-off. Where a permit is issued it is a Residential Miscellaneous (MISCR) record applied for online in PLUS; County Code Section 61-1-4(a) requires the applicant to furnish "satisfactory proof that he is duly licensed or certified as a Virginia Class A, B, or C contractor, or evidence that he is not subject to licensure as a contractor", and Section 61-1-4(b) allows storm and other emergency repairs to begin immediately, with "The required permit shall be applied for on the next working day after such work is commenced."
Adopted code
The 2021 Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC, 13VAC5-63) applies statewide, and for detached one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses its residential part is the 2021 Virginia Residential Code (the 2021 International Residential Code as amended by Virginia Construction Code Section 310.8); the 2021 USBC took effect January 18, 2024. Work on an existing house also falls under the 2021 Virginia Existing Building Code (Part II of the USBC). A county cannot amend it: Va. Code 36-98 provides that the USBC "shall supersede the building codes and regulations of the counties, municipalities and other political subdivisions and state agencies." Fairfax County Code Section 61-1-1(a): "There is in effect in Virginia, and, therefore, also in Fairfax County, the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC), as it may be amended from time to time by the Virginia Board of Housing and Community Development (VBHCD)". Chapter 61, Building Provisions, contains no technical roofing provision. The LDS Codes and Standards page states: "Note: Administrative provisions of the 2021 Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC) became effective on Jan. 18, 2024. From Jan. 18, 2024, until Jan. 17, 2025, permit applicants may choose to use the technical provisions of either the 2018 or 2021 USBC. Mixing technical provisions between the two editions of the code is prohibited. Beginning Jan. 18, 2025, all applications and plans must meet the 2021 USBC requirements." That page's introductory sentence still says the codes "reference the 2018 International Codes"; its code list links the 2021 Virginia Residential Code.
Ice & water shield
Required — Fairfax County's Local Design Load Criteria, the County's completion of the climatic and geographic design criteria that the Virginia code leaves to each locality, list "Ice shield underlayment required" as "yes". Virginia makes no amendment to the residential code's ice-barrier provisions. About ice & water barrier
Impact-resistant roofing
Not required — Neither Virginia's amendments to the residential code (13VAC5-63, Virginia Construction Code Section 310.8) nor Fairfax County's Chapter 61, Building Provisions, and its Local Design Load Criteria impose an impact-rating requirement on roof coverings; no UL 2218 or Class 4 impact requirement appears in the code in force in Fairfax County, and under Va. Code 36-98 the County cannot add one.
Repair permit threshold
Fairfax County Land Development Services lists "Replacement of roof shingles" and "Replacement of less than 256 square feet (9 boards) of roof plywood (unless required to be fire rated, such as townhomes)" under "A permit is NOT required for… Residential Projects". The Virginia Construction Code exemption it reflects is 108.2 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." and 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." "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." An owner may still 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." Replacement of more than 256 square feet of roof decking is outside item 14.6. The County's Residential Miscellaneous permit page lists "Re-Roof/Re-Line" and "Roof Repair" among projects for which that permit "is required", and the County fee schedule (Appendix Q, amended by Ordinance 05-26-Q effective July 1, 2026) prices "residential work (R-3, R-4 and R-5 construction) roof repairs, new roof structures, re-siding" at 3.00% of the estimated cost of construction; those pages do not state which roof jobs fall outside the shingle-replacement line.
Wind design criteria
Fairfax County Local Design Load Criteria (LDS Codes and Standards page): Ultimate Wind Speed (Vult): Risk Category I 105 mph (47 m/s); Risk Category II and Residential 115 mph (51 m/s); Risk Category III 120 mph (54 m/s). Ground snow load 25 psf; Frost depth 24 in.; Residential Seismic Design Category A; Weathering probability for concrete severe; Termite infestation probability moderate to heavy; Decay probability slight to moderate; Ice shield underlayment required yes; Flood hazards (date of entry into National Flood Insurance Program) 3/5/1990; Winter Design Temperature 17°F; Air freezing index <=1500°F; Mean annual temperature 50°F. These are ultimate wind speeds; the County does not publish a nominal design wind speed. The page adds that the 25 psf ground snow load "is valid if the design team uses the figures (Figure 1608.2(1) and Figure 1608.2(2)) specified in the 2021 VCC and must comply entirely with ASCE 7-16", pending a state correction.
Deck & sheathing requirements
Virginia's amendments to the residential code (Virginia Construction Code Section 310.8) touch roofing only at the special-wind-region rule in Section R301.2.1 and the deletion of Section R905.2.8.5; none reaches roof sheathing. Fairfax County's Chapter 61, Building Provisions (read in full), contains no sheathing provision, and under Va. Code 36-98 the County cannot add one. The roof-sheathing provisions of the Virginia Residential Code (Section R803) therefore apply without state or county change.
Sales & use tax
6% general sales and use tax in Fairfax County: Virginia Tax, "Sales and Use Tax Rates by Locality" workbook, sheet "Jan 2026 - Present" ("From January 1, 2026 to Present"), row Fairfax County, code 51059, General Sales 0.06. Most localities in the same sheet show 5.3%; Fairfax County's 6% carries the additional regional state tax levied in Northern Virginia. The City of Fairfax is listed separately (code 51600). A roofer pays this tax 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, whether the contractor be a prime contractor or subcontractor, does not pass the sales or use tax on to anyone else as a tax." The regulation draws no distinction between repair and replacement contracts.

More roof permit pages in Virginia

Fairfax, VARoof permit Fluvanna County, VARoof permit Franklin County, VARoof permit Fredericksburg, VARoof permit Gloucester County, VARoof permit Roofing in VirginiaState hub

Related guides

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

Hail reports near the center of Fairfax County, VA

Reports, last 24 months
2
Largest, last 24 months
1.25 in May 16, 2025
Most recent
Apr 1, 2026 1.00 in
Reports, last 5 years
13
5 most recent reports, last 5 years
DateHail sizeDistance
Apr 1, 20261.00 in7 mi WSW
May 16, 20251.25 in8 mi E
Apr 15, 20241.50 in7 mi ENE
Apr 15, 20241.25 in7 mi ENE
Apr 15, 20241.25 in7 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 the center of Fairfax County, VA. Data through Sep 30, 2026. A report is an observation, not a damage record.

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Sources

Roofing questions: Fairfax County, VA

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

Fairfax County Land Development Services lists "Replacement of roof shingles" and "Replacement of less than 256 square feet (9 boards) of roof plywood (unless required to be fire rated, such as townhomes)" under "A permit is NOT required for… Residential Projects". The Virginia Construction Code exemption it reflects is 108.2 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." and 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." "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." An owner may still 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." Replacement of more than 256 square feet of roof decking is outside item 14.6. The County's Residential Miscellaneous permit page lists "Re-Roof/Re-Line" and "Roof Repair" among projects for which that permit "is required", and the County fee schedule (Appendix Q, amended by Ordinance 05-26-Q effective July 1, 2026) prices "residential work (R-3, R-4 and R-5 construction) roof repairs, new roof structures, re-siding" at 3.00% of the estimated cost of construction; those pages do not state which roof jobs fall outside the shingle-replacement line.

Is ice & water shield required in Fairfax County, VA?

Yes. Fairfax County's Local Design Load Criteria, the County's completion of the climatic and geographic design criteria that the Virginia code leaves to each locality, list "Ice shield underlayment required" as "yes". Virginia makes no amendment to the residential code's ice-barrier provisions.

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

Yes.

What building code does Fairfax County, VA use?

The 2021 Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC, 13VAC5-63) applies statewide, and for detached one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses its residential part is the 2021 Virginia Residential Code (the 2021 International Residential Code as amended by Virginia Construction Code Section 310.8); the 2021 USBC took effect January 18, 2024. Work on an existing house also falls under the 2021 Virginia Existing Building Code (Part II of the USBC). A county cannot amend it: Va. Code 36-98 provides that the USBC "shall supersede the building codes and regulations of the counties, municipalities and other political subdivisions and state agencies." Fairfax County Code Section 61-1-1(a): "There is in effect in Virginia, and, therefore, also in Fairfax County, the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC), as it may be amended from time to time by the Virginia Board of Housing and Community Development (VBHCD)". Chapter 61, Building Provisions, contains no technical roofing provision. The LDS Codes and Standards page states: "Note: Administrative provisions of the 2021 Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC) became effective on Jan. 18, 2024. From Jan. 18, 2024, until Jan. 17, 2025, permit applicants may choose to use the technical provisions of either the 2018 or 2021 USBC. Mixing technical provisions between the two editions of the code is prohibited. Beginning Jan. 18, 2025, all applications and plans must meet the 2021 USBC requirements." That page's introductory sentence still says the codes "reference the 2018 International Codes"; its code list links the 2021 Virginia Residential Code.