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Permitting Authorities / Gloucester County - Building Inspection Department

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

Adopted code

Gloucester County - Building Inspection Department

The Building Inspection Department of Gloucester County, Virginia, administers the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code and the County's building regulations, reviews residential and commercial plans, processes and issues building permits, performs inspections and handles floodplain management from its office at 6489 Main Street, Suite 247, in Gloucester.

Roof code checklist: Gloucester 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 shieldYesBasic_Design_Criteria.pdf2026-09-26
Mid-roof inspectionNoInspections+Procedure.pdf2026-09-26
Impact-resistant (Class 4) roofingNolaw.lis.virginia.gov2026-09-26
Wind design criteriaPublishedR301.2.1Basic_Design_Criteria.pdf2026-09-26
Adopted codePublishedSec. 310.6.1law.lis.virginia.gov2026-09-26
Contractor license / registrationYeslaw.lis.virginia.gov2026-09-26
Sales & use taxPublished§ 58.1-605.1tax.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
Gloucester County, Virginia
Jurisdiction type
county
Address
6489 Main Street, Suite 247, Gloucester, VA 23061
Contact
  • url: https://gloucesterva.gov/building-inspection
  • phone: 804-693-2744
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". The County's permit application asks for the contractor's "State License #" and "Expiration Date"; an owner who lists no contractor signs an affidavit: "I affirm that I am familiar with the prerequisites of Section 54.1-1111 of the Code of Virginia and I am not subject to licensure as a contractor or subcontractor." The Building Inspection FAQ says "For residential work, you do not have to be a licensed contractor to build your own house or work on your project if you are the homeowner/property owner. However, if you hire a contractor, it is your responsibility to ensure they are licensed and the contractor should obtain the permit." Some older pages give a $10,000 floor for Class C; that figure predates the 2025 amendment.
  • county_level: Gloucester County keeps its own contractor registration. County Code Section 5-61: "It shall be the duty of every contractor, builder, or subcontractor who desires to make contracts and who applies for a building permit for the erection, construction, alteration, addition, or repair of buildings, structures, or service equipment located therein on any premises located in the county to maintain a registration with the division of building inspection." The registration form records the contractor's business address, licensing jurisdiction, state registration number, "Type or class of contract services to be performed" and the persons authorized to obtain permits; it costs $5.00 initially and $1.00 for each annual renewal, due each January (Sections 5-63 and 5-64), lapses on December 31 of any year in which the contractor has pulled no County permit, and may be declared invalid if "a contractor has permitted his business license, state registration as a contractor, or public liability insurance to expire or otherwise become invalid" (Section 5-62). Section 5-60 requires anyone applying for a building permit as the owner's agent to register first. The FAQ adds "A local business license is required in addition to a state license."; under County Code Section 10-5(d) no business license is issued to a contractor without "satisfactory proof that he is duly licensed or certified under the terms of Chapter 11 of Title 54.1 of the Code of Virginia" or an affidavit of exemption. A business licence is a local tax registration, not a trade credential.
Permit process note
Check with Building Inspection (804-693-2744) before a reroof: whether an ordinary reroof of a house in Gloucester County needs a permit depends on a wind-speed condition the County has not published in the form the statewide rule uses. The statewide rule, 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 (9.29 m 2 ) or less of roof covering in all groups and all wind zones." The County's Basic Design Criteria sheet lists "Wind Speed – 115 mph." and its FAQ says "Gloucester is located in the 100 miles per hour wind zone"; neither says whether its figure is the nominal speed. Item 14.6 exempts only "Replacement of 256 square feet (23.78 m 2 ) or less of roof decking" in those groups. Two exceptions let the building official 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." Gloucester has both: County-designated historic preservation districts (Zoning Ordinance Article 6) and a floodplain chapter that says "A permit is required for all development ... in the floodplain district" (County Code Section 8.5-51). An owner may always ask for a permit: "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." Even without a permit, the work must meet the code: the exemption "shall not be construed to exempt such activities from other applicable requirements of this code." Where a permit is needed, use the County's Building, Zoning and Demo Permit Application, submitted in office, by mail, or by email to staff where the size of the plans allows; the application names the contractor and "State License #", or an owner who lists no contractor signs the Property Owners' Affidavit. Fees "will be calculated at time of issuance"; repairs are priced by valuation under County Code Section 5-9(i) with a $35 minimum, and the fee is doubled "If applicable permit is obtained after work has started" (Section 5-8). Inspections are requested by permit number on the inspection request line, 804-693-2744. The office is at 6489 Main Street, Suite 247, Gloucester, open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
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 ... 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."). Gloucester County Code Section 5-3 adopts it by reference: "There are hereby adopted by reference in the county the provisions of the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code, which shall take effect on September 1, 1973. All future amendments to such code shall be incorporated herein by reference as soon as they become effective". The Building Inspection Department's FAQ points readers to "the 2021 Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code and the 2021 Virginia Construction Code". Two County documents still name the earlier edition: the 2024 revision of the building permit application asks the applicant to select "2018 USBC" or "2021 USBC", and the County's Basic Design Criteria sheet (revised 3-21-2023) is headed "2018 USBC-VRC". Chapter 5 of the County Code (Buildings, codified through the ordinance of March 3, 2026), read in full, adds no technical roofing provision of its own; it sets permit fees, contractor registration and additional framing-stage inspections.
Ice & water shield
Required — Gloucester County's Basic Design Criteria sheet, the Building Inspection Department's statement of its Table R301.2(1) values, answers "Ice Barrier Underlayment Required" with "Yes". The sheet (revised 3-21-2023) is headed "2018 USBC-VRC"; the County has published no separate table for the 2021 code. Virginia makes no amendment to the residential code's ice-barrier provisions. A reroof that needs no permit still has to meet the code: the statewide permit exemption "shall not be construed to exempt such activities from other applicable requirements of this code". About ice & water barrier
Mid-roof inspection
Not required — Gloucester County names no roofing inspection. The Building Inspection Department's Inspections Procedure (revised 10/3/2025), headed "Minimum Inspections Required (USBC 113.3)", lists footing, projection/foundation, slab, basement/foundation, floor-joist, fireplace, exterior framing ("Windows & doors are flashed"), electrical, plumbing and mechanical rough-ins, interior framing, insulation, electrical meter, the trade finals and "Final Building"; none is a roofing, underlayment or roof sheathing stage. County Code Section 5-130 adds foundation, chimney, exterior framing (after "drying in" but before wrap or siding), interior framing and electrical meter inspections, "Unless waived in writing by the building official". Where a reroof does need a permit, the statewide rule says "any related inspections shall be required".
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. Gloucester County Code Chapter 5 (Buildings), the County's Basic Design Criteria sheet and its Building Inspection permit pages and fee schedule add 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
Statewide permit exemption, Virginia Construction Code Section 108.2 (2021 edition): "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 (9.29 m 2 ) or less of roof covering in all groups and all wind zones. 14.6. Replacement of 256 square feet (23.78 m 2 ) 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." The same section's two 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." The owner keeps the right to a permit: "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." Whether an ordinary reroof of a house in Gloucester County falls inside item 14.5 turns on the nominal design wind speed, and the County publishes two figures, neither labelled nominal: its Basic Design Criteria sheet (revised 3-21-2023, headed "2018 USBC-VRC") lists "Wind Speed – 115 mph." among "The un-adjusted basic design criteria values for Gloucester County", while the Building Inspection FAQ answers "What is the wind load for Gloucester County?" with "Gloucester is located in the 100 miles per hour wind zone." Ask Building Inspection (804-693-2744) before starting whether the job needs a permit. The County's enacted fee schedule has a roofing line only for commercial work: County Code Section 5-9(i) prices "All other structures as defined in the basic building code not included in the above fee schedule (includes commercial exterior siding, commercial reroofing, fire damage, general repairs, swimming pools, communication/cell towers and steeples)" at "Ten dollars ($10.00) per one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) of valuation or fraction thereof", with a $35 minimum permit fee, and Section 5-8 doubles the fee "If applicable permit is obtained after work has started". Location branches in the County's own code: Zoning Ordinance Article 6 lists the County's historic preservation districts (Section 6-1, including the Court House Square Historic District and National Register sites such as Rosewell, Toddsbury and Warner Hall) and requires that "No building or structure, including signs, shall be erected, reconstructed, altered or restored within any historic district unless approved by the historical committee" (Section 6-2); and the floodplain chapter says "A permit is required for all development (including, but not limited to, the subdivision of land, construction of buildings and structures, placement of manufactured homes, fill or any combination of these) in the floodplain district" (Section 8.5-51); for an existing structure that does not conform to that chapter, "The modification, alteration, repair, reconstruction or improvement of any kind to a structure and/or use regardless of its location in a floodplain district to an extent or amount of fifty (50) percent or more of its market value shall be undertaken only in full compliance with the provisions of the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code and this chapter." (Section 8.5-9).
Wind design criteria
Gloucester County's Basic Design Criteria sheet (County of Gloucester Building Inspection Department, "Re: 2018 USBC-VRC Basic Design Criteria USBC R301", issued over the Building Official's name, revised 3-21-2023) gives "The un-adjusted basic design criteria values for Gloucester County" for Table R301.2(1): "Ground Snow Load – 20 psf"; "Wind Speed – 115 mph."; "Weathering – Severe"; "Frost Line Depth – 16 inches"; "Termite – Severe"; "Decay – Slight-Moderate"; "Winter Design Temp. – 17"; "Flood Hazards – Yes"; "Ice Barrier Underlayment Required - Yes". The sheet does not say whether the 115 mph figure is an ultimate or a nominal design wind speed, and it fills in no topographic-effects, special wind region or windborne debris entry. The Building Inspection FAQ gives a different figure: "What is the wind load for Gloucester County? Gloucester is located in the 100 miles per hour wind zone." Virginia's amendment to the residential code's wind section (R301.2.1) adds a rule for special wind regions, mountainous terrain and gorges. Confirm the design wind speed with Building Inspection (804-693-2744) before relying on it for a wind-rated installation.
Deck & sheathing requirements
No county-specific sheathing 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 Gloucester County Code Chapter 5 (Buildings), 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: the statewide rule exempts only replacing 256 square feet or less of roof decking on a house (Virginia Construction Code 108.2 item 14.6), so replacing more decking than that is permit work.
Sales & use tax
6.3% general sales and use tax in Gloucester County (Virginia Tax, "Sales Tax Rates by Locality" workbook, "January 1, 2026 - Present" sheet: Gloucester, code 51073, General Sales 0.063); Virginia Tax's rates page lists Gloucester County in its 6.3% group. That is the 4.3% state tax (Code of Virginia Section 58.1-603), the 1% local option tax (Section 58.1-605) and the County's 1% school construction tax under Section 58.1-605.1. The County Code levies both local taxes (Sec. 16-41): "a local general retail sales tax at the rate of one per cent, to provide revenue for the general fund for the county, is hereby levied" and "Effective July 1, 2021, pursuant to Va. Code § 58.1-605.1, an additional local general retail sales tax at the rate of one per cent, to provide revenue solely for capital projects for the construction or renovation of schools in the County, is hereby levied." The school tax "shall expire on July 31, 2040, unless it sooner expires by operation of law." Food and personal hygiene items are taxed at 1%. 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

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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 Gloucester County, VA

Reports, last 24 months
2
Largest, last 24 months
1.00 in May 22, 2025
Most recent
May 22, 2025 1.00 in
Reports, last 5 years
5
5 most recent reports, last 5 years
DateHail sizeDistance
May 22, 20251.00 in5 mi SW
May 22, 20251.00 in4 mi SSW
May 27, 20241.00 inunder 1 mi
Jun 16, 20231.00 in4 mi NW
Jun 8, 20231.00 in9 mi E

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

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Sources

Roofing questions: Gloucester County, VA

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

Statewide permit exemption, Virginia Construction Code Section 108.2 (2021 edition): "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 (9.29 m 2 ) or less of roof covering in all groups and all wind zones. 14.6. Replacement of 256 square feet (23.78 m 2 ) 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." The same section's two 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." The owner keeps the right to a permit: "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." Whether an ordinary reroof of a house in Gloucester County falls inside item 14.5 turns on the nominal design wind speed, and the County publishes two figures, neither labelled nominal: its Basic Design Criteria sheet (revised 3-21-2023, headed "2018 USBC-VRC") lists "Wind Speed – 115 mph." among "The un-adjusted basic design criteria values for Gloucester County", while the Building Inspection FAQ answers "What is the wind load for Gloucester County?" with "Gloucester is located in the 100 miles per hour wind zone." Ask Building Inspection (804-693-2744) before starting whether the job needs a permit. The County's enacted fee schedule has a roofing line only for commercial work: County Code Section 5-9(i) prices "All other structures as defined in the basic building code not included in the above fee schedule (includes commercial exterior siding, commercial reroofing, fire damage, general repairs, swimming pools, communication/cell towers and steeples)" at "Ten dollars ($10.00) per one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) of valuation or fraction thereof", with a $35 minimum permit fee, and Section 5-8 doubles the fee "If applicable permit is obtained after work has started". Location branches in the County's own code: Zoning Ordinance Article 6 lists the County's historic preservation districts (Section 6-1, including the Court House Square Historic District and National Register sites such as Rosewell, Toddsbury and Warner Hall) and requires that "No building or structure, including signs, shall be erected, reconstructed, altered or restored within any historic district unless approved by the historical committee" (Section 6-2); and the floodplain chapter says "A permit is required for all development (including, but not limited to, the subdivision of land, construction of buildings and structures, placement of manufactured homes, fill or any combination of these) in the floodplain district" (Section 8.5-51); for an existing structure that does not conform to that chapter, "The modification, alteration, repair, reconstruction or improvement of any kind to a structure and/or use regardless of its location in a floodplain district to an extent or amount of fifty (50) percent or more of its market value shall be undertaken only in full compliance with the provisions of the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code and this chapter." (Section 8.5-9).

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

Yes. Gloucester County's Basic Design Criteria sheet, the Building Inspection Department's statement of its Table R301.2(1) values, answers "Ice Barrier Underlayment Required" with "Yes". The sheet (revised 3-21-2023) is headed "2018 USBC-VRC"; the County has published no separate table for the 2021 code. Virginia makes no amendment to the residential code's ice-barrier provisions. A reroof that needs no permit still has to meet the code: the statewide permit exemption "shall not be construed to exempt such activities from other applicable requirements of this code".

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

Yes.

What building code does Gloucester 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 ... 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."). Gloucester County Code Section 5-3 adopts it by reference: "There are hereby adopted by reference in the county the provisions of the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code, which shall take effect on September 1, 1973. All future amendments to such code shall be incorporated herein by reference as soon as they become effective". The Building Inspection Department's FAQ points readers to "the 2021 Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code and the 2021 Virginia Construction Code". Two County documents still name the earlier edition: the 2024 revision of the building permit application asks the applicant to select "2018 USBC" or "2021 USBC", and the County's Basic Design Criteria sheet (revised 3-21-2023) is headed "2018 USBC-VRC". Chapter 5 of the County Code (Buildings, codified through the ordinance of March 3, 2026), read in full, adds no technical roofing provision of its own; it sets permit fees, contractor registration and additional framing-stage inspections.

Is a mid-roof inspection required in Gloucester County, VA?

No. Gloucester County names no roofing inspection. The Building Inspection Department's Inspections Procedure (revised 10/3/2025), headed "Minimum Inspections Required (USBC 113.3)", lists footing, projection/foundation, slab, basement/foundation, floor-joist, fireplace, exterior framing ("Windows & doors are flashed"), electrical, plumbing and mechanical rough-ins, interior framing, insulation, electrical meter, the trade finals and "Final Building"; none is a roofing, underlayment or roof sheathing stage. County Code Section 5-130 adds foundation, chimney, exterior framing (after "drying in" but before wrap or siding), interior framing and electrical meter inspections, "Unless waived in writing by the building official". Where a reroof does need a permit, the statewide rule says "any related inspections shall be required".