Permitting Authorities / Roanoke County - Office of Building Safety

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

Adopted code

Roanoke County - Office of Building Safety

No, Roanoke County, VA does not require a permit for like-for-like roof replacement (Roanoke County - Office of Building Safety). No permit for an ordinary reroof of a one- or two-family home, roof covering only, on the County's own statement and the statewide rule, with limits a roofer must check first. The County's Office of Building Safety lists "Re-roofing of 1 and 2 family dwellings (roof covering only)" under "When is a permit not required?" The statewide rule behind it, 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." Item 14.6 exempts only "Replacement of 256 square feet (23.78 m 2 ) or less of roof decking" in those groups, and the County requires a permit for repairs to any structural element of the house, rafters included. 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." An owner may always 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." The County's Local Design Criteria sheet prints a residential wind speed of 90 under "Wind Speed MPH V3s" without saying whether that is a nominal or an ultimate figure, so the no-permit answer here rests on the County's own statement rather than on a wind-speed reading. The work must still meet the code with or without a permit. Where a permit is needed, the owner, the owner's agent or a licensed contractor applies on the County's Residential Permit Application (headed "Roanoke County / Town of Vinton - Community Development") by email to the permit office, in person at 5204 Bernard Drive, or through the Cityworks Public Access Portal; questions go to 540-772-2065, option 1. Starting work before a required permit costs twice the normal permit fee (County Code Section 7-18).

Roof code checklist: Roanoke County, VA

Item	Answer	Code cite	Source	Verified
Permit to replace a roof	No		roanokecountyva.gov	2026-09-26
Repair permit threshold	Published		roanokecountyva.gov	2026-09-26
Layer limit / roof-over	Not published
Deck & sheathing	Published	`R803`	law.lis.virginia.gov	2026-09-26
Drip edge	Not published
Ice & water shield	No		roanokecountyva.gov	2026-09-26
Mid-roof inspection	No		roanokecountyva.gov	2026-09-26
Impact-resistant (Class 4) roofing	No		law.lis.virginia.gov	2026-09-26
Wind design criteria	Published		roanokecountyva.gov	2026-09-26
Adopted code	Published	`Sec. 310.6.1`	roanokecountyva.gov	2026-09-26
Contractor license / registration	Yes		law.lis.virginia.gov	2026-09-26
Sales & use tax	Published	`Sec. 58.1-603`	tax.virginia.gov	2026-09-26

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

Roanoke County, Virginia

Jurisdiction type

county

Address

5204 Bernard Drive, Second Floor, Roanoke, VA 24018

Contact

url: https://www.roanokecountyva.gov/301/Building-Safety
phone: 540-772-2065

Permit portal

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 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 prints that list of exemptions on its Contractor Exemption Affidavit, and an owner applying for a permit signs its Owner Affidavit. Some older pages give a $10,000 floor for Class C; that figure predates the 2025 amendment.
county_level: Roanoke County adds no contractor licence of its own. Its Office of Building Safety says "Engineers, architects, contractors or subcontractors must provide evidence that they are licensed to practice in Virginia or are exempt from the requirements," and its Residential Permit Application asks for the "State License #" and a "County License #". The licence the County Code sets for contractors is the annual business licence tax of Section 10-30, figured on gross receipts; a business licence is a local tax registration, not a trade credential. The County's plans checklist asks for "Contractors License, when required" and "County Business License, when required."

Permit process note

No permit for an ordinary reroof of a one- or two-family home, roof covering only, on the County's own statement and the statewide rule, with limits a roofer must check first. The County's Office of Building Safety lists "Re-roofing of 1 and 2 family dwellings (roof covering only)" under "When is a permit not required?" The statewide rule behind it, 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." Item 14.6 exempts only "Replacement of 256 square feet (23.78 m 2 ) or less of roof decking" in those groups, and the County requires a permit for repairs to any structural element of the house, rafters included. 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." An owner may always 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." The County's Local Design Criteria sheet prints a residential wind speed of 90 under "Wind Speed MPH V3s" without saying whether that is a nominal or an ultimate figure, so the no-permit answer here rests on the County's own statement rather than on a wind-speed reading. The work must still meet the code with or without a permit. Where a permit is needed, the owner, the owner's agent or a licensed contractor applies on the County's Residential Permit Application (headed "Roanoke County / Town of Vinton - Community Development") by email to the permit office, in person at 5204 Bernard Drive, or through the Cityworks Public Access Portal; questions go to 540-772-2065, option 1. Starting work before a required permit costs twice the normal permit fee (County Code Section 7-18).

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."). Roanoke County Code Section 7-16 adopts "that certain code known as the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code, as the same may, from time to time, be amended" and makes its provisions "controlling in the construction of all buildings and other structures within the county and within the Town of Vinton." The County's Building Codes page states "The current edition of the USBC is 2021, with an effective date of January 18, 2024," naming the 2021 International Residential Code among the referenced model codes; the County's Local Design Criteria sheet (form revised February 2025) prints "2021 Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code Effective 1/18/25" and lists the 2021 Virginia Residential Code and 2021 Virginia Existing Building Code. Chapter 7 of the County Code (Building Regulations), read in full, adds no technical roofing provision of its own.

Ice & water shield

Not required — The County's Local Design Criteria sheet, which gives the Virginia Residential Code Table R301.2(1) entries for Roanoke City, Salem City, Roanoke County and the Town of Vinton, answers "No" in the "Ice Shield Req?" column on the Roanoke County row (form revised February 2025). No ice barrier is required by the County's table; a manufacturer's installation instructions may still call for one. About ice & water barrier

Mid-roof inspection

Not required — Roanoke County publishes no roofing inspection. Its inspection scheduling brochure, which it says "Includes Complete List of Inspection Codes", lists building inspections from Air Barrier, Footing and Foundation through Framing, Insulation, Wall Covering or Fastening and Building Final and has no roofing, underlayment or sheathing code, and its typical inspections for a new house run from Footing to Final Building with no roof stage. An ordinary one- or two-family reroof, roof covering only, needs no permit and so no inspection; if an owner asks for a permit, the statewide rule says "any related inspections shall be required", and the County sets them on that permit.

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. Roanoke County's Chapter 7 (Building Regulations), read in full, its Local Design Criteria sheet and its Building Safety pages 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." The exemption does not relax the code itself ("this section shall not be construed to exempt such activities from other applicable requirements of this code"). Roanoke County's Office of Building Safety applies it in its own words. Under "When is a permit not required?" it lists "Re-roofing of 1 and 2 family dwellings (roof covering only)", and it opens the same list with "A permit is not required for: Ordinary repairs which do not involve any violations of the building code. These include painting, roofing, most glass, most doors, floor covering and porch flooring". Its general rule, under "When is a permit required?", is that a permit "shall be obtained prior to commencing" any "Construction, reconstruction, alteration, repair, conversion or demolition of a building or structure, including the installation or altering of any equipment regulated by the USBC." The County's residential alterations guide requires a Residential Building Permit for "Repairing, altering, enlarging or modifying any structural element of the house to include load-bearing stud walls, column piers, footings, foundations, floor joists, rafters, beams or girders" and says "If you have a question as to whether you need a permit please call 540-772-2065". Replacing more than 256 square feet of roof decking, or any rafter, is therefore permit work. The County's fee schedule prices permits by project cost and has no roofing fee line; County Code Section 7-71 lists "roofing and siding construction" among the jobs whose permit fee is figured from an estimated cost of construction, which is how a roof that does need a permit (a commercial roof, a house reroof with more than 256 square feet of decking, or one an owner asks to have permitted) is priced. Starting work before a required permit costs double: under County Code Section 7-18, "Any person who commences any work for which such permit is required prior to obtaining the permit shall pay a sum equal to twice the normal permit fee and payment thereof shall not relieve such person from prosecution for violating the building code by commencing work without the permit."

Wind design criteria

Roanoke County's Local Design Criteria sheet ("Local Design Criteria for Roanoke City, Salem City, Roanoke County and Town of Vinton", form revised February 2025) gives these Residential 1 and 2 Family Construction Design Parameters under "VRC Table R301.2(1)" for the Roanoke County row: Ground Snow Load 30 psf; Wind Speed "MPH V3s" 90; Seismic Design Category B; Weathering Severe; Frost Depth 24 inches; Termite "Moderate - Heavy"; Decay "Slight - Moderate"; Winter Design Temp 16 degrees F; Ice Shield Req? No; Flood Hazards see its Note 3 ("Entered NFIP - 1974 Current FIRM adopted - 09/28/2007 Community Number - 510190 (Roanoke County)"). Its additional design information lists "Wind Exposure (IBC Sec. 1609.4) - Category B" and Climate Zone 4A. The sheet labels the 90 mph figure a 3-second gust speed and does not say whether it is a nominal or an ultimate design wind speed, which are different bases, so do not compare it directly with the 100 mph nominal-speed line in the statewide reroof permit exemption. The sheet says the information "is provided for use by builders and designers and is in accordance with the 2021 editions of the Virginia USBC, the Virginia Construction Code(VCC) and the Virginia Residential Code(VRC)."

Deck & sheathing requirements

No county-specific 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 Roanoke County's Chapter 7 (Building Regulations), 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: replacing more than 256 square feet of roof decking on a house needs a permit (Virginia Construction Code 108.2 item 14.6), and the County requires a permit for repairs to rafters and other structural elements of the house.

Sales & use tax

5.3% general sales and use tax in Roanoke County (Virginia Tax, "Sales Tax Rates by Locality" workbook, "January 1, 2026 - Present" sheet: Roanoke County, code 51161, General Sales 0.053). That is the 4.3% state tax (Code of Virginia Section 58.1-603) and the 1% local option tax (Section 58.1-605); Roanoke County is in none of the regional add-on areas, and Virginia Tax's rates page puts it in the 5.3% "Everywhere else" group. The independent City of Roanoke is a separate locality (code 51770) with the same 5.3% general rate. Food and personal hygiene items are taxed at 1% statewide. 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

Roanoke, VARoof permit Rockbridge County, VARoof permit Rockingham County, VARoof permit Russell County, VARoof permit Salem, VARoof permit Roofing in VirginiaState hub

Related guides

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

The Office of Building Safety of Roanoke County, Virginia, part of the County's Development Services, enforces the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code in the county and in the Town of Vinton, with plan review, permit issuance and inspections through its Cityworks online permitting system and its office at 5204 Bernard Drive. The independent City of Roanoke and the City of Salem have their own building departments.

Hail reports near the center of Roanoke County, VA

Reports, last 24 months: 0
Largest, last 24 months: None
Most recent: None in 24 months
Reports, last 5 years: 2

2 most recent reports, last 5 years
Date	Hail size	Distance
May 22, 2024	1.00 in	2 mi NE
May 22, 2024	1.00 in	7 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 Roanoke County, VA. Data through Sep 30, 2026. A report is an observation, not a damage record.

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Sources

roanokecountyva.gov verified 2026-09-26
dhcd.virginia.gov verified 2026-09-26
law.lis.virginia.gov verified 2026-09-26
law.lis.virginia.gov verified 2026-09-26
law.lis.virginia.gov verified 2026-09-26
law.lis.virginia.gov verified 2026-09-26
roanokecountyva.gov verified 2026-09-26
roanokecountyva.gov verified 2026-09-26
library.municode.com verified 2026-09-26
roanokecountyva.gov verified 2026-09-26
roanokecountyva.gov verified 2026-09-26
roanokecountyva.gov verified 2026-09-26
library.municode.com verified 2026-09-26
law.lis.virginia.gov verified 2026-09-26
law.lis.virginia.gov verified 2026-09-26
law.lis.virginia.gov verified 2026-09-26
roanokecountyva.gov verified 2026-09-26
roanokecountyva.gov verified 2026-09-26
law.lis.virginia.gov verified 2026-09-26
roanokecountyva.gov verified 2026-09-26
tax.virginia.gov verified 2026-09-26
tax.virginia.gov verified 2026-09-26
law.lis.virginia.gov verified 2026-09-26

Roofing questions: Roanoke County, VA

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

No, Roanoke County, VA does not require a permit to replace a roof. 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." The exemption does not relax the code itself ("this section shall not be construed to exempt such activities from other applicable requirements of this code"). Roanoke County's Office of Building Safety applies it in its own words. Under "When is a permit not required?" it lists "Re-roofing of 1 and 2 family dwellings (roof covering only)", and it opens the same list with "A permit is not required for: Ordinary repairs which do not involve any violations of the building code. These include painting, roofing, most glass, most doors, floor covering and porch flooring". Its general rule, under "When is a permit required?", is that a permit "shall be obtained prior to commencing" any "Construction, reconstruction, alteration, repair, conversion or demolition of a building or structure, including the installation or altering of any equipment regulated by the USBC." The County's residential alterations guide requires a Residential Building Permit for "Repairing, altering, enlarging or modifying any structural element of the house to include load-bearing stud walls, column piers, footings, foundations, floor joists, rafters, beams or girders" and says "If you have a question as to whether you need a permit please call 540-772-2065". Replacing more than 256 square feet of roof decking, or any rafter, is therefore permit work. The County's fee schedule prices permits by project cost and has no roofing fee line; County Code Section 7-71 lists "roofing and siding construction" among the jobs whose permit fee is figured from an estimated cost of construction, which is how a roof that does need a permit (a commercial roof, a house reroof with more than 256 square feet of decking, or one an owner asks to have permitted) is priced. Starting work before a required permit costs double: under County Code Section 7-18, "Any person who commences any work for which such permit is required prior to obtaining the permit shall pay a sum equal to twice the normal permit fee and payment thereof shall not relieve such person from prosecution for violating the building code by commencing work without the permit."

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

No. The County's Local Design Criteria sheet, which gives the Virginia Residential Code Table R301.2(1) entries for Roanoke City, Salem City, Roanoke County and the Town of Vinton, answers "No" in the "Ice Shield Req?" column on the Roanoke County row (form revised February 2025). No ice barrier is required by the County's table; a manufacturer's installation instructions may still call for one.

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

Yes.

What building code does Roanoke County, VA use?

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

No. Roanoke County publishes no roofing inspection. Its inspection scheduling brochure, which it says "Includes Complete List of Inspection Codes", lists building inspections from Air Barrier, Footing and Foundation through Framing, Insulation, Wall Covering or Fastening and Building Final and has no roofing, underlayment or sheathing code, and its typical inspections for a new house run from Footing to Final Building with no roof stage. An ordinary one- or two-family reroof, roof covering only, needs no permit and so no inspection; if an owner asks for a permit, the statewide rule says "any related inspections shall be required", and the County sets them on that permit.