Permitting Authorities / City of Norfolk - Department of City Planning, Permits and Inspections
Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Norfolk, VA?
Adopted code
City of Norfolk - Department of City Planning, Permits and Inspections
No, Norfolk, VA does not require a permit for like-for-like roof replacement (City of Norfolk - Department of City Planning, Permits and Inspections). In Norfolk a one- or two-family residential reroof needs no building permit, except where the building official requires one for a house in a local historic district or a special flood hazard area, and a commercial reroof needs a permit. Historic districts and flood areas: the building official may still require a permit there under the two Exceptions quoted above. Norfolk's residential permit packet says: "Check to see if property is in a local Historic District. If in a local Historic District, a Certificate of Appropriateness is needed for exterior modifications before permits can be approved. Contact: [email protected]". The City's Contractor / Owner Roofing Requirements sheet says: "Design Review must approve all exterior coverings in designated zoning districts. Compliance is mandatory." Check both before starting a reroof on a house in a local historic district or a special flood hazard area. Virginia's statewide building code reads: "108.2 Exemptions from application for permit. Notwithstanding the requirements of Section 108.1, application for a permit and any related inspections shall not be required for the following; however, this section shall not be construed to exempt such activities from other applicable requirements of this code. 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. ... 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 m2) or less of roof covering in all groups and all wind zones. 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 of 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 § 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 that are located in a special flood hazard area." (Virginia Construction Code Section 108.2, 13VAC5-63-80.) The City of Norfolk applies that exemption to houses in its own words. Its Permits and Inspections page and its FAQ both state: "Building permits are not required for 1 and 2 family residential re-roofs, replacement windows of the same size, vinyl or shake siding, cabinets, floor coverings, minor repair to decks including but not limited to deck board repair and tread repair, driveways, water tanks supported on grade at 5,000 gallons or less, retaining walls supporting less than 2 feet of unbalanced fill, and above ground swimming pools less than 2 feet deep." The Building Permit Fee Schedule enacted in the City Code (Sec. 11.1-3, Ord. No. 47,229, effective July 1, 2018) lists, under "Re-roof and Siding", the residential entry as "No permit required" and the commercial entry at "$150 (flat fee)"; the same page lists "re-roof" among the commercial projects for which "building permits are required". Structural and deck repairs are separate permit work in Norfolk. The Permits and Inspections page says "A building permit is required for any residential or commercial repair (alteration), addition, or new construction that requires new framing or exposes existing framing." The City's Contractor / Owner Roofing Requirements sheet (undated, still linked from the City's Applications & Forms page) says: "Damaged sheathing must be repaired or replaced. Repairs of structural members, sheathing, studs, rafters, joists, plates or sills will require a SEPARATE REPAIR PERMIT, AND THAT WORK MUST BE INSPECTED AND APPROVED PRIOR TO COVERING." That sheet sets no square-footage floor, while item 14.6 above exempts replacing up to 256 square feet of roof decking; ask the City before replacing sheathing without a permit. Norfolk's codified local criteria (City Code Sec. 11.1-4.1) set the wind load "based on a minimum sustained (1-minute measured wind) wind speed of 100 MPH". The City does not describe that figure as a nominal design wind speed, and this record does not convert it to any other basis; the no-permit answer above rests on the City's own statements, not on that figure. Replacing 100 square feet or less of roof covering is exempt under item 14.5 "in all groups and all wind zones", and an owner or an owner's agent may still ask for a permit for an exempt reroof, in which case "a permit shall be issued and any related inspections shall be required". Where a permit is needed (a commercial reroof, a structural or sheathing repair, or a permit an owner asks for), Building, Fire, Sign, Elevator, Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing and Zoning permits "are applied for and issued online using our E-Permit Portal"; "The online portal accepts only Visa and Mastercard." Questions go to the Department of City Planning at 757-664-6565 or [email protected]. Under the City Code fee schedule (Sec. 11.1-3) each fee is increased by 2 percent for the state Building Code Academy levy and by $15.00 for processing; the residential "Alterations/Repairs" line is "$100 (flat fee)", the minimum permit fee is $50, and the "Administrative Fee for work begun without a permit" is $150. The permit application carries a Property Owner/Contractor Licensure Affidavit, and the FAQ says a property owner who pulls a permit "will also need to submit an affidavit accepting responsibility for all work performed under the permit.".
Roof code checklist: Norfolk, VA
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 Norfolk, Virginia
Address
810 Union Street, Norfolk, VA 23510
Contact
- url: https://www.norfolk.gov/2799/Permits-and-Inspections
- phone: 757-664-6565
- email: [email protected]
Roofing permit required
Not required
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 is licensed under the Board's "Roofing contracting" (ROC) specialty, which "provides for the installation, repair, removal, or improvement of materials common to the industry that form a watertight, weather resistant surface for roofs and decks", or under the Commercial Building, Residential Building and Home Improvement classifications and specialties (18VAC50-22-30). Section 54.1-1111 makes a permit applicant 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 record does not decide whether a given reader is inside that exemption.
- city_level: The City of Norfolk adds no contractor licence of its own: Chapter 11.1 of the City Code, Buildings and Building Regulations (read in full), carries no roofing or home-improvement contractor licence, and its Article III, Bonding of Contractors, holds only a bond for moving buildings. The City's Hiring a Contractor page says "Virginia law requires all contractors to include their license number on all documents to include contracts, proposals, bid forms, and advertising" and points homeowners to the State Board for Contractors (804-367-8511) and the DPOR license lookup. Its FAQ says "Class A, B, or C contractors licensed in the state of Virginia may only obtain permits within their respective trade." The Property Owner/Contractor Licensure Affidavit in the City's residential permit packet still prints the older Class C range ("over $1,000 but less than $10,000"), which predates the 2025 amendment quoted above.
Permit process note
In Norfolk a one- or two-family residential reroof needs no building permit, except where the building official requires one for a house in a local historic district or a special flood hazard area, and a commercial reroof needs a permit. Historic districts and flood areas: the building official may still require a permit there under the two Exceptions quoted above. Norfolk's residential permit packet says: "Check to see if property is in a local Historic District. If in a local Historic District, a Certificate of Appropriateness is needed for exterior modifications before permits can be approved. Contact:
[email protected]". The City's Contractor / Owner Roofing Requirements sheet says: "Design Review must approve all exterior coverings in designated zoning districts. Compliance is mandatory." Check both before starting a reroof on a house in a local historic district or a special flood hazard area. Virginia's statewide building code reads: "108.2 Exemptions from application for permit. Notwithstanding the requirements of Section 108.1, application for a permit and any related inspections shall not be required for the following; however, this section shall not be construed to exempt such activities from other applicable requirements of this code. 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. ... 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 m2) or less of roof covering in all groups and all wind zones. 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 of 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 § 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 that are located in a special flood hazard area." (Virginia Construction Code Section 108.2, 13VAC5-63-80.) The City of Norfolk applies that exemption to houses in its own words. Its Permits and Inspections page and its FAQ both state: "Building permits are not required for 1 and 2 family residential re-roofs, replacement windows of the same size, vinyl or shake siding, cabinets, floor coverings, minor repair to decks including but not limited to deck board repair and tread repair, driveways, water tanks supported on grade at 5,000 gallons or less, retaining walls supporting less than 2 feet of unbalanced fill, and above ground swimming pools less than 2 feet deep." The Building Permit Fee Schedule enacted in the City Code (Sec. 11.1-3, Ord. No. 47,229, effective July 1, 2018) lists, under "Re-roof and Siding", the residential entry as "No permit required" and the commercial entry at "$150 (flat fee)"; the same page lists "re-roof" among the commercial projects for which "building permits are required". Structural and deck repairs are separate permit work in Norfolk. The Permits and Inspections page says "A building permit is required for any residential or commercial repair (alteration), addition, or new construction that requires new framing or exposes existing framing." The City's Contractor / Owner Roofing Requirements sheet (undated, still linked from the City's Applications & Forms page) says: "Damaged sheathing must be repaired or replaced. Repairs of structural members, sheathing, studs, rafters, joists, plates or sills will require a SEPARATE REPAIR PERMIT, AND THAT WORK MUST BE INSPECTED AND APPROVED PRIOR TO COVERING." That sheet sets no square-footage floor, while item 14.6 above exempts replacing up to 256 square feet of roof decking; ask the City before replacing sheathing without a permit. Norfolk's codified local criteria (City Code Sec. 11.1-4.1) set the wind load "based on a minimum sustained (1-minute measured wind) wind speed of 100 MPH". The City does not describe that figure as a nominal design wind speed, and this record does not convert it to any other basis; the no-permit answer above rests on the City's own statements, not on that figure. Replacing 100 square feet or less of roof covering is exempt under item 14.5 "in all groups and all wind zones", and an owner or an owner's agent may still ask for a permit for an exempt reroof, in which case "a permit shall be issued and any related inspections shall be required". Where a permit is needed (a commercial reroof, a structural or sheathing repair, or a permit an owner asks for), Building, Fire, Sign, Elevator, Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing and Zoning permits "are applied for and issued online using our E-Permit Portal"; "The online portal accepts only Visa and Mastercard." Questions go to the Department of City Planning at 757-664-6565 or
[email protected]. Under the City Code fee schedule (Sec. 11.1-3) each fee is increased by 2 percent for the state Building Code Academy levy and by $15.00 for processing; the residential "Alterations/Repairs" line is "$100 (flat fee)", the minimum permit fee is $50, and the "Administrative Fee for work begun without a permit" is $150. The permit application carries a Property Owner/Contractor Licensure Affidavit, and the FAQ says a property owner who pulls a permit "will also need to submit an affidavit accepting responsibility for all work performed under the permit."
Adopted code
The 2021 Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC, 13VAC5-63) applies statewide, effective January 18, 2024. For detached one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses, Virginia Construction Code Section 310.6.1 applies "The provisions of the IRC ... as amended by VCC Section 310.8, also referred to as the Virginia Residential Code (VRC)"; work on an existing house also 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." A city cannot amend it: Code of Virginia Section 36-98 provides that the USBC "shall supersede the building codes and regulations of the counties, municipalities and other political subdivisions and state agencies." Norfolk City Code Sec. 11.1-1 adopts "The Uniform Statewide Building Code, including the property maintenance provisions, as promulgated by the Virginia State Board of Housing and Community Development, as amended", and Sec. 11.1-1.1 applies it "together with the local fee schedule and special climatic and geographic design criteria established by this article." Chapter 11.1 (read in full, codified through Ordinance No. 50,383 of June 9, 2026) adds no technical roofing provision of its own. The City's Permits and Inspections page links the state's USBC page and names no edition.
Impact-resistant roofing
Not required — Neither Virginia's amendments to the residential code (13VAC5-63, Virginia Construction Code Section 310.8) nor Norfolk's Chapter 11.1, Buildings and Building Regulations, with its local climatic and geographic design criteria (Sec. 11.1-4), nor the City's Contractor / Owner Roofing Requirements sheet imposes an impact-rating requirement on roof coverings; no UL 2218 or Class 4 impact requirement appears in the code in force in Norfolk, and under Code of Virginia Section 36-98 the City cannot add one. Insurers may still offer discounts for impact-rated shingles; that is not a code requirement.
Repair permit threshold
Virginia's statewide building code reads: "108.2 Exemptions from application for permit. Notwithstanding the requirements of Section 108.1, application for a permit and any related inspections shall not be required for the following; however, this section shall not be construed to exempt such activities from other applicable requirements of this code. 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. ... 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 m2) or less of roof covering in all groups and all wind zones. 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 of 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 § 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 that are located in a special flood hazard area." (Virginia Construction Code Section 108.2, 13VAC5-63-80.) The City of Norfolk applies that exemption to houses in its own words. Its Permits and Inspections page and its FAQ both state: "Building permits are not required for 1 and 2 family residential re-roofs, replacement windows of the same size, vinyl or shake siding, cabinets, floor coverings, minor repair to decks including but not limited to deck board repair and tread repair, driveways, water tanks supported on grade at 5,000 gallons or less, retaining walls supporting less than 2 feet of unbalanced fill, and above ground swimming pools less than 2 feet deep." The Building Permit Fee Schedule enacted in the City Code (Sec. 11.1-3, Ord. No. 47,229, effective July 1, 2018) lists, under "Re-roof and Siding", the residential entry as "No permit required" and the commercial entry at "$150 (flat fee)"; the same page lists "re-roof" among the commercial projects for which "building permits are required". Structural and deck repairs are separate permit work in Norfolk. The Permits and Inspections page says "A building permit is required for any residential or commercial repair (alteration), addition, or new construction that requires new framing or exposes existing framing." The City's Contractor / Owner Roofing Requirements sheet (undated, still linked from the City's Applications & Forms page) says: "Damaged sheathing must be repaired or replaced. Repairs of structural members, sheathing, studs, rafters, joists, plates or sills will require a SEPARATE REPAIR PERMIT, AND THAT WORK MUST BE INSPECTED AND APPROVED PRIOR TO COVERING." That sheet sets no square-footage floor, while item 14.6 above exempts replacing up to 256 square feet of roof decking; ask the City before replacing sheathing without a permit. Historic districts and flood areas: the building official may still require a permit there under the two Exceptions quoted above. Norfolk's residential permit packet says: "Check to see if property is in a local Historic District. If in a local Historic District, a Certificate of Appropriateness is needed for exterior modifications before permits can be approved. Contact:
[email protected]". The City's Contractor / Owner Roofing Requirements sheet says: "Design Review must approve all exterior coverings in designated zoning districts. Compliance is mandatory." Check both before starting a reroof on a house in a local historic district or a special flood hazard area. Norfolk's codified local criteria (City Code Sec. 11.1-4.1) set the wind load "based on a minimum sustained (1-minute measured wind) wind speed of 100 MPH". The City does not describe that figure as a nominal design wind speed, and this record does not convert it to any other basis; the no-permit answer above rests on the City's own statements, not on that figure. Replacing 100 square feet or less of roof covering is exempt under item 14.5 "in all groups and all wind zones", and an owner or an owner's agent may still ask for a permit for an exempt reroof, in which case "a permit shall be issued and any related inspections shall be required".
Wind design criteria
Norfolk City Code Sec. 11.1-4, Local criteria (Ord. No. 36,932, 1992): "11.1-4.1. Wind load. All exposed structures or parts of structures shall be designed to resist the pressures due to wind in any direction, as set forth in applicable sections of the USBC, based on a minimum sustained (1-minute measured wind) wind speed of 100 MPH." Its Climatic and Geographic Design Criteria table lists: Roof Live Load 20 lb per sq ft; Roof Snow Load 10 lb per sq ft; Wind Velocity (base wind speed) 100 MPH; Seismic Condition by Zone, Zone 1; subject to damage from weathering, frost line depth, termite and decay, each "Yes", with a minimum footing depth of 12 inches below finished grade. The City states its figure as a 1-minute sustained speed and publishes no ultimate or 3-second-gust design wind speed on the pages read; this record does not convert the figure to another basis. The City's Contractor / Owner Roofing Requirements sheet adds: "ALL roof coverings, sheathing, and underlayment must be installed and secured to withstand the manufacturer’s specific wind loads for 100 MPH, be free of defects, deterioration, and abnormalities to be acceptable."
Roof layer limit / recover
The City of Norfolk's Contractor / Owner Roofing Requirements sheet states, under "NAILOVER": "1. Only two layers of shingles can be installed on any roof. 2. Both layers must be removed before installing any new roofing. 3. Ventilation requirements according to the application code must be met." That is the City's own published statement. Norfolk's Chapter 11.1 (read in full) contains no layer rule, and a city cannot amend the statewide code. Which statewide reroofing provision binds a reroof of an existing house (the Virginia Residential Code or Chapter 15 of the Virginia Construction Code, reached through Virginia Existing Building Code Section 602.3.2.1) has not been settled here, so this record states the City's two-layer figure without classifying the statewide rule; confirm with the City before recovering over an existing roof.
Deck & sheathing requirements
No city rule in enacted text. Virginia's amendments to the residential code (Virginia Construction Code Section 310.8, 13VAC5-63-210) touch roofing only at the special-wind-region paragraph added to Section R301.2.1 and the deletion of Section R905.2.8.5, and do not amend roof sheathing (Section R803); Norfolk's Chapter 11.1, Buildings and Building Regulations (read in full), adds no sheathing provision, and under Code of Virginia Section 36-98 the City cannot add one, so the Virginia Residential Code's roof-sheathing provisions apply without state or city change. The City's Contractor / Owner Roofing Requirements sheet states: "All sheathing must be in good condition and secured in accordance with that specific building’s applicable building codes specific loading. Damaged sheathing must be repaired or replaced. Repairs of structural members, sheathing, studs, rafters, joists, plates or sills will require a SEPARATE REPAIR PERMIT, AND THAT WORK MUST BE INSPECTED AND APPROVED PRIOR TO COVERING." For existing buildings the Virginia Existing Building Code 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."
Sales & use tax
6% general sales and use tax in the City of Norfolk: Virginia Tax, "Sales and Use Tax Rates by Locality" workbook, sheet "Jan 2026 - Present" ("From January 1, 2026 to Present"), row Norfolk, code 51710, General Sales 0.06. That is the 4.3% state tax, the 1% local option tax and the additional regional state tax levied in Hampton Roads. Food and personal hygiene items are taxed at 1%. 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.
Local roofing hub
More roof permit pages in Virginia
Related guides
The Department of City Planning of the City of Norfolk, an independent city, issues building, trade and zoning permits and performs building inspections in Norfolk through its Permits and Inspections pages and E-Permit Portal. It administers the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code.
Hail reports near Norfolk, VA
- Reports, last 24 months
- 1
- Largest, last 24 months
- 1.00 in Jul 27, 2025
- Most recent
- Jul 27, 2025 1.00 in
- Reports, last 5 years
- 13
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 Norfolk, VA (Census point). Data through Sep 30, 2026. A report is an observation, not a damage record.
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