Permitting Authorities / City of Naperville Building Permits (Transportation, Engineering and Development Business Group)
Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Naperville, IL?
Adopted code
City of Naperville Building Permits (Transportation, Engineering and Development Business Group)
No, Naperville, IL does not require a permit for like-for-like roof replacement (City of Naperville Building Permits (Transportation, Engineering and Development Business Group)). Only an asphalt composite shingle roof laid over the existing sheathing on a single-family home is exempt; metal, wood, slate or sealed-membrane roofing, and any sheathing replacement, need a permit. The City's permits page, read live 2026-09-24, says "A permit is not required to install vinyl, aluminum or cement board siding, or an asphalt composite shingle roof as long as the existing roof sheathing remains in place," and that "roofing materials such as metal, wood, slate or sealed membranes will require a permit." The adopted 2024 IRC requires a permit to "construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a building or structure" and provides that "Application or notice to the building official is not required for ordinary repairs to structures"; neither names roof work, the no-permit line is the City's stated practice, and this record does not decide whether it is the City's reading of that ordinary repairs clause. WHERE. Building Permits sits in the Transportation, Engineering and Development (TED) Business Group at 400 South Eagle Street, 630-420-6100, open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Code questions go to option 2 or [email protected]. HOW. Applications, fees and inspection scheduling run through the City's Permitting, Plans and Licensing Portal, and submittals must meet the City's electronic submittal rules. Inspections can also be booked at 630-420-6100, option 1, at least 72 hours ahead. The issued permit must be posted where it is visible from the street. Per the State roofing act, a permit may not be issued to a roofing contractor without proof of a current State roofing license. The roofing statement above was read live 2026-09-24; the office, portal and inspection details come from the City's permits page as archived May 9, 2026.
Roof code checklist: Naperville, IL
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 Naperville, Illinois
Address
400 South Eagle Street, Naperville, IL 60540
Contact
- url: http://web.archive.org/web/20260509175140/https://www.naperville.il.us/businesses/development-resources/building-permits/
- phone: 630-420-6100
- email: [email protected]
Roofing permit required
Not required
Contractor registration required
Required
Registration details
- state_level: A STATEWIDE ROOFING LICENSE WITH NO DOLLAR THRESHOLD. The Illinois Roofing Industry Licensing Act, 225 ILCS 335, Section 9(2), reads: "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." A limited license covers residential properties of 8 units or fewer, backed by a $10,000 bond; an unlimited license needs a $25,000 bond. Section 5(a-3): a municipality that requires a building permit "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." Section 11 carves out work on one's own property, work for no consideration, an employer's own property worked by its employees, sellers who subcontract the work to licensed roofers, greenhouse glazing, and farm buildings. The Act is scheduled for repeal January 1, 2031 under the Regulatory Sunset Act.
- city_level: NO CITY ROOFING-CONTRACTOR CREDENTIAL ESTABLISHED. The City's permits page tells the owner to make sure "any roofer hired to do the work is licensed by the State of Illinois," and its permit guide lists roofing contractors among trades that need a license, meaning the State license. This record did not establish a separate City roofing-contractor registration.
Permit process note
Only an asphalt composite shingle roof laid over the existing sheathing on a single-family home is exempt; metal, wood, slate or sealed-membrane roofing, and any sheathing replacement, need a permit. The City's permits page, read live 2026-09-24, says "A permit is not required to install vinyl, aluminum or cement board siding, or an asphalt composite shingle roof as long as the existing roof sheathing remains in place," and that "roofing materials such as metal, wood, slate or sealed membranes will require a permit." The adopted 2024 IRC requires a permit to "construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a building or structure" and provides that "Application or notice to the building official is not required for ordinary repairs to structures"; neither names roof work, the no-permit line is the City's stated practice, and this record does not decide whether it is the City's reading of that ordinary repairs clause. WHERE. Building Permits sits in the Transportation, Engineering and Development (TED) Business Group at 400 South Eagle Street, 630-420-6100, open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Code questions go to option 2 or
[email protected]. HOW. Applications, fees and inspection scheduling run through the City's Permitting, Plans and Licensing Portal, and submittals must meet the City's electronic submittal rules. Inspections can also be booked at 630-420-6100, option 1, at least 72 hours ahead. The issued permit must be posted where it is visible from the street. Per the State roofing act, a permit may not be issued to a roofing contractor without proof of a current State roofing license. The roofing statement above was read live 2026-09-24; the office, portal and inspection details come from the City's permits page as archived May 9, 2026.
Adopted code
THE 2024 INTERNATIONAL RESIDENTIAL CODE, ADOPTED BY A NAMED, DATED ORDINANCE. Municipal Code Section 5-1B-1 reads: "The 2024 edition of the International Residential Code ... and referenced standards and appendices A, B, C, D, H, M and K ... as amended in this Article, is hereby adopted and incorporated by reference as though fully set forth." The adopting instrument is Ordinance No. 26-010, which the City of Naperville, DuPage and Will Counties, passed February 17, 2026, with the mayor's approval February 18, 2026, and which takes effect upon passage and approval. It replaced the 2018 edition adopted by Ordinance No. 18-141. The City's own permits page (archived May 9, 2026) states: "All new building permits submitted on or after Wednesday, April 1, 2026 will be required to follow the new codes." Section 5-1B-2, read in full, amends Chapter 8 only by adding R802.11.1.3 (roof tie-down) and Chapter 9 only at R903.5 (gutters and downspouts); it does not amend R905 or R908. The State of Illinois has not adopted a building code for repairs to existing single-family residences (Illinois Capital Development Board, Illinois Codes FAQ), so Section 5-1B-1 is the instrument that applies. The City Council's record shows no later ordinance amending Title 5, Chapter 1 through September 18, 2026.
Drip edge
Required — REQUIRED BY THE UNAMENDED BASE CODE. Section 5-1B-2, read in full, amends Chapter 9 of the 2024 IRC only at R903.5 (gutters and downspouts) and does not touch R905.2, Asphalt shingles, so the base code's drip-edge provision for asphalt shingle roofs applies unmodified. The 2024 IRC's Section R905.2.8.5 reads: "A drip edge shall be provided at eaves and rake edges of shingle roofs." It also requires adjacent segments overlapped at least 2 inches and fastening at no more than 12 inches on center.
About drip edgeIce & water shield
Required — REQUIRED BY THE CITY'S OWN CLIMATE TABLE. Naperville's local Table R301.2 in Section 5-1B-2 answers "Yes" under "Ice Barrier Underlayment Required," which switches on the base 2024 IRC's ice barrier provision for asphalt shingles in Section R905 (cited as a pointer only). The amendment states no exception by pitch or by roof type.
About ice & water barrierImpact-resistant roofing
Not required — Neither Ordinance No. 26-010 (adopting the 2024 IRC) nor Section 5-1B-2's local amendments, read in full, amends Chapter 9's impact-rating provisions, and no UL 2218 or Class 4 impact requirement appears in the City's local amendments. The State of Illinois has adopted no building code for repairs to existing single-family residences (Capital Development Board, Illinois Codes FAQ), so no state rating requirement reaches a reroof.
Repair permit threshold
NO PERMIT FOR AN ASPHALT COMPOSITE SHINGLE ROOF ON A SINGLE-FAMILY HOME AS LONG AS THE EXISTING ROOF SHEATHING STAYS IN PLACE, ON THE CITY'S OWN STATED PRACTICE; METAL, WOOD, SLATE OR SEALED-MEMBRANE ROOFING, AND REPLACING SHEATHING, NEED ONE. The City's building permits page, read live 2026-09-24 (it states that the City Council adopted the 2024 codes on February 17, 2026 and that permits submitted on or after April 1, 2026 follow them), reads: "For roofing, siding and storm damage: A building permit is not required to replace the most common damaged or deteriorating roofing and siding materials on single family homes. A permit is not required to install vinyl, aluminum or cement board siding, or an asphalt composite shingle roof as long as the existing roof sheathing remains in place. Installation of any other exterior finish products such as brick, thin-set masonry, stone veneer, or roofing materials such as metal, wood, slate or sealed membranes will require a permit." It adds: "Even if a permit is not required, the property owner is still responsible to ensure that the installation meets the required building codes and that any roofer hired to do the work is licensed by the State of Illinois." The same text appears in the Internet Archive capture of May 9, 2026. The enacted text: Section 5-1B-1 adopts the 2024 IRC, whose Section R105.1 requires anyone who intends to "construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a building or structure" to "first make application to the building official and obtain the required permit," and whose Section R105.2.2 provides that "Application or notice to the building official is not required for ordinary repairs to structures." The base R105.2 exempt list contains no roof item. Section 5-1B-2 amends IRC R105.2 (Work exempt from permit) by deleting items 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7, rewriting item 1 (sheds and playhouses up to 150 square feet), and adding item 11 (rear-yard patios under 500 square feet); those local changes are disclosed here, add no roof item, and leave R105.2.2 as the base code wrote it. The enacted text names no roof work either way: it neither lists a reroof as permit work nor exempts one by name. The no-permit line is the City's stated practice, and this record does not decide whether it is the City's reading of the ordinary repairs clause in R105.2.2. The City's permit application list and its residential building permit fee schedule (effective February 1, 2019) name no roofing permit; the schedule's "Miscellaneous residential permits, not otherwise listed" row is a catch-all for residential work the schedule does not list, not a roofing line. The City also adopts the 2024 International Existing Building Code (Section 5-1K-1); its permit sections were not read for this record. The City's Guide to Building Permits (revised October 31, 2022, before the 2024 adoption; read 2026-09-23 from the Internet Archive capture of December 11, 2023) says the same for single-family homes, directly after the sentence "A homeowner may perform most ordinary repairs and limited types of construction, as specified, on their dwelling unit without a permit," and lists "Replacing roof or wall sheathing" among work that requires a permit. If the deck has to be replaced once the old roof is off, or the new roof is not asphalt shingle, call Building Permits at 630-420-6100, option 2, before going further.
Wind design criteria
115 MPH DESIGN WIND SPEED, FROM THE CITY'S OWN TABLE. Section 5-1B-2 replaces the climatic and geographic design criteria table (Table R301.2) with Naperville's own values: Wind Design Speed "115 mph (nominal design 3-second" (the cell continues past what the codified text export shows, so the rest of its wording is not quoted here); Topographic effects No; Special wind region No; Windborne debris zone No; Ground snow load 30; Seismic Design Category A; Weathering Severe; Frost line depth 42 inches; Ice barrier underlayment required Yes. The same section adds R802.11.1.3, requiring rafter ties on tray and cathedral ceilings unless a design professional submits signed and sealed wind-uplift calculations.
Roof layer limit / recover
TWO LAYERS MAXIMUM, FROM THE UNAMENDED 2024 INTERNATIONAL RESIDENTIAL CODE. Naperville's Section 5-1B-1 adopts the 2024 IRC (Ordinance No. 26-010). Section 5-1B-2, read in full, amends Chapter 9 only at R903.5 (gutters and downspouts) and neither amends, deletes nor excepts R908. The State of Illinois has adopted no code for repairs to existing single-family residences (Capital Development Board, Illinois Codes FAQ), so no state amendment reaches the section. The 2024 IRC's Section R908.4, Roof recover, closes with an Exceptions block stating that "A roof recover shall not be permitted where any of the following conditions occur," the third being: "Where the existing roof has two or more applications of any type of roof covering." One existing layer may be recovered; two existing layers force a tear-off. The City's own permits page states no layer rule.
Deck & sheathing requirements
NO LOCAL SHEATHING RULE; THE BASE 2024 IRC APPLIES, AND THE CITY SAYS REPLACING SHEATHING NEEDS A PERMIT. Section 5-1B-2, read in full, amends Chapter 8 of the 2024 IRC only by adding R802.11.1.3, Roof Tie-Down ("Rafter ties shall be required on tray and cathedral ceilings or calculations must be submitted signed and sealed by the design professional for the wind uplift forces"). It does not amend R803, Roof sheathing, so the base 2024 IRC sheathing provisions apply unmodified. The City's Guide to Building Permits (revised October 2022) lists "Replacing roof or wall sheathing" among work that requires a permit.
Sales & use tax
ILLINOIS TAXES THE ROOFER, NOT THE JOB, AND NAPERVILLE HAS TWO COUNTY PORTIONS. 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," and instead "incurs Use Tax on the cost price of the tangible personal property that is incorporated into real estate"; "roofing materials" are named among the examples. Under 130.1940(a)(3), "construct" includes repair, so a repair and a full replacement are taxed the same way. The local rate that applies follows where the materials are bought or where the contractor does business (86 Ill. Adm. Code 130.2075), not the job address. For reference, the Illinois Department of Revenue's county/municipality rate file lists the Will County portion of Naperville (099-0064-0) at 8.00% general merchandise, effective August 1, 2026 (7.75% from July 1, 2018 to July 31, 2026). For the DuPage County portion (022-0018-1) the same file sets the address-override flag, which the Department's file guide says means "a Business District tax may be present and the Address Rate file needs to be examined," and it zeroes the jurisdiction-wide rate, so this record publishes no single DuPage-portion figure. Municipal Code Section 3-1-11 imposes a home-rule retailers' occupation tax of 0.75%. This record does not break the 8.00% into its parts: the August 1, 2026 rise of a quarter point also appears in the file's food column (1.75% to 2.00%), which that home-rule tax does not reach, and no enacted text read for this record accounts for it.
More roof permit pages in Illinois
Related guides
The building permitting authority for the City of Naperville, Illinois, a home-rule city in DuPage and Will Counties. Municipal Code Section 5-1B-1, as amended by Ordinance No. 26-010 (passed February 17, 2026), adopts the 2024 International Residential Code, and the City applies the 2024 codes to permits submitted on or after April 1, 2026. The local amendments in Section 5-1B-2 set a 115 mph wind design speed and require ice barrier underlayment, add a rafter-tie rule for tray and cathedral ceilings, and require gutters and downspouts, but amend nothing in the reroofing section, so the base code's two-layer limit applies. The City's own permits page says no permit is needed for an asphalt composite shingle roof on a single-family home as long as the existing roof sheathing stays in place, and that metal, wood, slate or sealed-membrane roofing needs one; the adopted code names no roof work either way, and this record reports the City's stated test, which turns on material and sheathing. Illinois licenses roofing contractors statewide.
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Roofing questions: Naperville, IL
Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Naperville, IL?
No, Naperville, IL does not require a permit to replace a roof. NO PERMIT FOR AN ASPHALT COMPOSITE SHINGLE ROOF ON A SINGLE-FAMILY HOME AS LONG AS THE EXISTING ROOF SHEATHING STAYS IN PLACE, ON THE CITY'S OWN STATED PRACTICE; METAL, WOOD, SLATE OR SEALED-MEMBRANE ROOFING, AND REPLACING SHEATHING, NEED ONE. The City's building permits page, read live 2026-09-24 (it states that the City Council adopted the 2024 codes on February 17, 2026 and that permits submitted on or after April 1, 2026 follow them), reads: "For roofing, siding and storm damage: A building permit is not required to replace the most common damaged or deteriorating roofing and siding materials on single family homes. A permit is not required to install vinyl, aluminum or cement board siding, or an asphalt composite shingle roof as long as the existing roof sheathing remains in place. Installation of any other exterior finish products such as brick, thin-set masonry, stone veneer, or roofing materials such as metal, wood, slate or sealed membranes will require a permit." It adds: "Even if a permit is not required, the property owner is still responsible to ensure that the installation meets the required building codes and that any roofer hired to do the work is licensed by the State of Illinois." The same text appears in the Internet Archive capture of May 9, 2026. The enacted text: Section 5-1B-1 adopts the 2024 IRC, whose Section R105.1 requires anyone who intends to "construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a building or structure" to "first make application to the building official and obtain the required permit," and whose Section R105.2.2 provides that "Application or notice to the building official is not required for ordinary repairs to structures." The base R105.2 exempt list contains no roof item. Section 5-1B-2 amends IRC R105.2 (Work exempt from permit) by deleting items 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7, rewriting item 1 (sheds and playhouses up to 150 square feet), and adding item 11 (rear-yard patios under 500 square feet); those local changes are disclosed here, add no roof item, and leave R105.2.2 as the base code wrote it. The enacted text names no roof work either way: it neither lists a reroof as permit work nor exempts one by name. The no-permit line is the City's stated practice, and this record does not decide whether it is the City's reading of the ordinary repairs clause in R105.2.2. The City's permit application list and its residential building permit fee schedule (effective February 1, 2019) name no roofing permit; the schedule's "Miscellaneous residential permits, not otherwise listed" row is a catch-all for residential work the schedule does not list, not a roofing line. The City also adopts the 2024 International Existing Building Code (Section 5-1K-1); its permit sections were not read for this record. The City's Guide to Building Permits (revised October 31, 2022, before the 2024 adoption; read 2026-09-23 from the Internet Archive capture of December 11, 2023) says the same for single-family homes, directly after the sentence "A homeowner may perform most ordinary repairs and limited types of construction, as specified, on their dwelling unit without a permit," and lists "Replacing roof or wall sheathing" among work that requires a permit. If the deck has to be replaced once the old roof is off, or the new roof is not asphalt shingle, call Building Permits at 630-420-6100, option 2, before going further.
Is ice & water shield required in Naperville, IL?
Yes. REQUIRED BY THE CITY'S OWN CLIMATE TABLE. Naperville's local Table R301.2 in Section 5-1B-2 answers "Yes" under "Ice Barrier Underlayment Required," which switches on the base 2024 IRC's ice barrier provision for asphalt shingles in Section R905 (cited as a pointer only). The amendment states no exception by pitch or by roof type.
Is drip edge required in Naperville, IL?
Yes. REQUIRED BY THE UNAMENDED BASE CODE. Section 5-1B-2, read in full, amends Chapter 9 of the 2024 IRC only at R903.5 (gutters and downspouts) and does not touch R905.2, Asphalt shingles, so the base code's drip-edge provision for asphalt shingle roofs applies unmodified. The 2024 IRC's Section R905.2.8.5 reads: "A drip edge shall be provided at eaves and rake edges of shingle roofs." It also requires adjacent segments overlapped at least 2 inches and fastening at no more than 12 inches on center.
Can you roof over an existing roof in Naperville, IL?
TWO LAYERS MAXIMUM, FROM THE UNAMENDED 2024 INTERNATIONAL RESIDENTIAL CODE. Naperville's Section 5-1B-1 adopts the 2024 IRC (Ordinance No. 26-010). Section 5-1B-2, read in full, amends Chapter 9 only at R903.5 (gutters and downspouts) and neither amends, deletes nor excepts R908. The State of Illinois has adopted no code for repairs to existing single-family residences (Capital Development Board, Illinois Codes FAQ), so no state amendment reaches the section. The 2024 IRC's Section R908.4, Roof recover, closes with an Exceptions block stating that "A roof recover shall not be permitted where any of the following conditions occur," the third being: "Where the existing roof has two or more applications of any type of roof covering." One existing layer may be recovered; two existing layers force a tear-off. The City's own permits page states no layer rule.
Do roofing contractors need a license or registration in Naperville, IL?
Yes.
What building code does Naperville, IL use?
THE 2024 INTERNATIONAL RESIDENTIAL CODE, ADOPTED BY A NAMED, DATED ORDINANCE. Municipal Code Section 5-1B-1 reads: "The 2024 edition of the International Residential Code ... and referenced standards and appendices A, B, C, D, H, M and K ... as amended in this Article, is hereby adopted and incorporated by reference as though fully set forth." The adopting instrument is Ordinance No. 26-010, which the City of Naperville, DuPage and Will Counties, passed February 17, 2026, with the mayor's approval February 18, 2026, and which takes effect upon passage and approval. It replaced the 2018 edition adopted by Ordinance No. 18-141. The City's own permits page (archived May 9, 2026) states: "All new building permits submitted on or after Wednesday, April 1, 2026 will be required to follow the new codes." Section 5-1B-2, read in full, amends Chapter 8 only by adding R802.11.1.3 (roof tie-down) and Chapter 9 only at R903.5 (gutters and downspouts); it does not amend R905 or R908. The State of Illinois has not adopted a building code for repairs to existing single-family residences (Illinois Capital Development Board, Illinois Codes FAQ), so Section 5-1B-1 is the instrument that applies. The City Council's record shows no later ordinance amending Title 5, Chapter 1 through September 18, 2026.