The Roofing Book

Permitting Authorities / City of Salem - Community Development, Building Inspections

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

Adopted code

City of Salem - Community Development, Building Inspections

No, Salem, VA does not require a permit for like-for-like roof replacement (City of Salem - Community Development, Building Inspections). No permit for an ordinary reroof of a house, on the City's own statement and the statewide rule, with limits a roofer must check first. Salem's Building Inspections office lists "Residential reroofs" under "What is a permit not required for?" 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 City lists "Roof sheathing replacements over 256 square feet" as permit work. 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." Salem has a Floodplain Overlay District, so check the flood map before starting work near a floodplain. 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." The City's own Climatic Design Criteria sheet prints a wind speed of 115 under "Wind Speed MPH V3s" for Salem, while a newer regional sheet published by Roanoke County prints 90 for Salem; neither says whether its figure is a nominal or an ultimate design wind speed, so the no-permit answer here rests on the City's own statement rather than on a wind-speed reading. The work must still meet the code with or without a permit. When unsure, the City says to call the Office of Community Development at 540-375-3036. Where a permit is needed, all applications, payments and inspection requests go through the City's online permit portal ("Paper and Email applications will no longer be accepted"), permits are issued "only between 8 am and 4 pm, Monday through Friday," and "Contractors must have a valid business license in order to obtain a permit." Homeowners may pull their own permits with the City's Self-Affidavit; "All others must have their licensed contractors obtain the corresponding permits." Starting work before a required permit doubles the fee (City Code Section 18-36(b)).

Roof code checklist: Salem, VA

ItemAnswerCode citeSourceVerified
Permit to replace a roofNosalemva.gov2026-09-26
Repair permit thresholdPublishedsalemva.gov2026-09-26
Layer limit / roof-overNot published
Deck & sheathingPublishedR803law.lis.virginia.gov2026-09-26
Drip edgeNot published
Ice & water shieldNosalemva.gov2026-09-26
Mid-roof inspectionNosalemva.gov2026-09-26
Impact-resistant (Class 4) roofingNolaw.lis.virginia.gov2026-09-26
Wind design criteriaPublishedsalemva.gov2026-09-26
Adopted codePublished§ 36-97salemva.gov2026-09-26
Contractor license / registrationYeslaw.lis.virginia.gov2026-09-26
Sales & use taxPublishedSec. 58.1-603tax.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
City of Salem, Virginia
Jurisdiction type
city
Address
21 South Bruffey Street, Salem, VA 24153
Contact
  • url: https://www.salemva.gov/160/Building-Inspections
  • phone: 540-375-3036
Permit portal
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". Salem prints that list of exemptions on its Self-Affidavit, which a permit applicant who is not a licensed contractor files; it adds "I realize that I am liable to ensure all contractors and/or subcontractors performing more than $1,000.00 work on my project are licensed by the State Board of Contractors in accordance with the Code of Virginia Section 54.1-1115." Some older pages give a $10,000 floor for Class C; that figure predates the 2025 amendment.
  • city_level: Salem adds no contractor trade licence of its own for roofing. Its building FAQ says "Homeowners may obtain their own permits. All others must have their licensed contractors obtain the corresponding permits," and its portal guide says "Contractor License information is reviewed as part of the application process." City Code Section 18-39 requires that "All persons filing for a building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical or sign permit, unless that person is a state class A or B registered contractor, shall, before the permit is granted, file with the building official a continuing bond in the penal sum of not less than $10,000.00 executed by the applicant and a surety company to be approved by the city attorney." That bond attaches to filing for a permit, which an ordinary house reroof does not need. The City also requires a business licence: "Contractors must have a valid business license in order to obtain a permit" (Commissioner of the Revenue, 540-375-3019). Under City Code Section 22-64 that is an annual license tax "based upon the gross receipts from all orders or contracts accepted during the preceding year" at "$0.16 per $100.00 of gross receipts"; contractors based outside the city owe it once they "exceed $25,000.00 in contract amounts in the city in any year." A business licence is a local tax registration, not a trade credential.
Permit process note
No permit for an ordinary reroof of a house, on the City's own statement and the statewide rule, with limits a roofer must check first. Salem's Building Inspections office lists "Residential reroofs" under "What is a permit not required for?" 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 City lists "Roof sheathing replacements over 256 square feet" as permit work. 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." Salem has a Floodplain Overlay District, so check the flood map before starting work near a floodplain. 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." The City's own Climatic Design Criteria sheet prints a wind speed of 115 under "Wind Speed MPH V3s" for Salem, while a newer regional sheet published by Roanoke County prints 90 for Salem; neither says whether its figure is a nominal or an ultimate design wind speed, so the no-permit answer here rests on the City's own statement rather than on a wind-speed reading. The work must still meet the code with or without a permit. When unsure, the City says to call the Office of Community Development at 540-375-3036. Where a permit is needed, all applications, payments and inspection requests go through the City's online permit portal ("Paper and Email applications will no longer be accepted"), permits are issued "only between 8 am and 4 pm, Monday through Friday," and "Contractors must have a valid business license in order to obtain a permit." Homeowners may pull their own permits with the City's Self-Affidavit; "All others must have their licensed contractors obtain the corresponding permits." Starting work before a required permit doubles the fee (City Code Section 18-36(b)).
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 for detached one-family and two-family dwellings and townhouses 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."). Salem City Code Section 18-36 adopts "those certain codes, known as the Uniform Statewide Building Code, as provided in Code of Virginia, § 36-97 et seq." and provides that "the provisions thereof shall control the construction, alteration or addition to any building and other structure within the city." The City's Building Inspections page states "Effective January 18, 2024, an applicant can choose to work in either the 2018 or 2021 building and related codes. On January 18, 2025, only the 2021 codes will be enforced." The City's own Climatic Design Criteria sheet (form revised January 2015) still lists "Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code Effective 7/1/2022" and the 2018 International Residential Code and other 2018 model codes. Chapter 18 of the City Code (Buildings and Building Regulations), read in full, adds no technical roofing provision; its only amendment to the statewide code, Section 18-38, sets a local procedure for unsafe buildings.
Ice & water shield
Not required — The City's Climatic Design Criteria sheet ("Local Design Criteria for Roanoke City, Salem City, Roanoke County and Town of Vinton", form revised January 2015) answers "No" in the "Ice Shield Req?" column of its IRC Table R301.2(1) entries on the Salem row. That sheet lists the 2018 model codes under a statewide code "Effective 7/1/2022", an edition earlier than the 2021 code the City now enforces; the newer regional sheet published by Roanoke County (form revised February 2025, "in accordance with the 2021 editions") also answers "No" for Salem. No ice barrier is required by either table; a manufacturer's installation instructions may still call for one. About ice & water barrier
Mid-roof inspection
Not required — Salem publishes no roofing inspection. Its Inspection Types page lists building inspections from Footing, Foundation and Slab through Framing, Insulation, Air barrier and Building Final, with no roofing, underlayment or sheathing stage, and says "The list of inspections shown is a typical construction order. If there is a question about what inspection should be done at what time, please contact the Office of Community Development." An ordinary house reroof 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 City sets them on that permit.
Impact-resistant roofing
Not required — Virginia's statewide building code (13VAC5-63), which a city 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). Salem's Chapter 18 (Buildings and Building Regulations), read in full, its Climatic Design Criteria sheet and its Building Inspections pages add none; no UL 2218 or Class 4 impact requirement appears in the code the City 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"). Salem's Building Inspections office applies it in its own words. Under "What is a permit not required for?" its Permits page lists "Residential reroofs" and "Residential roof sheathing replacements of 256 square feet or less", and under "What is a permit required for?" it lists "Roof sheathing replacements over 256 square feet, unless decking 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." The same page says "If your project is not listed or you need help determining if a permit is required, please email the Office of Community Development or telephone at 540-375-3036," and "If a permit is not required, setbacks and other zoning requirements may still apply." The City's building FAQ adds that "Cosmetic alterations to a property don't require a permit. However, you must apply for a permit for any structural alterations." Location branches: Salem's zoning ordinance (City Code Section 106-110) establishes a Floodplain Overlay District, so the flood-area exception can reach houses in Salem; it establishes no historic district among its zoning districts, and City Code Section 18-652 says listing on the City's register of historic structures "shall not in and of itself constitute an 'official designation' for the purposes and intent of Code of Virginia § 15.2-2306". The City's permit fee schedule (effective July 1, 2022) prices building permits by valuation and has no roofing fee line; a roof that does need a permit (more than 256 square feet of decking, a commercial roof, or one an owner asks to have permitted) is priced from its cost. Starting work before a required permit costs double: the fee schedule says "IF A PERMIT IS OBTAINED AFTER WORK HAS STARTED, FEES WILL BE DOUBLE THE AMOUNT SHOWN," and City Code Section 18-36(b) says "If any person commences any work on a building or structure before obtaining the necessary permit and paying the applicable fee, the permit fee shall be doubled."
Wind design criteria
Two published tables give different wind speeds for Salem. The City's own Climatic Design Criteria sheet ("Local Design Criteria for Roanoke City, Salem City, Roanoke County and Town of Vinton", form revised January 2015, listing the 2018 model codes under a statewide code "Effective 7/1/2022") gives these Residential 1 and 2 Family Construction Design Parameters under "IRC Table R301.2(1)" for the Salem row: Ground Snow Load 30 psf; Wind Speed "MPH V3s" 115; Seismic Design Category B; Weathering Severe; Frost Depth 24 inches; Termite "Moderate - Heavy"; Decay "Slight - Moderate"; Winter Design Temp 20 degrees F; Ice Shield Req? No; Flood Hazards see its Note 2 ("Entered NFIP - 1974 Current FIRM adopted - 09/28/2007 Community Number - 510141 (Salem City)"); it lists "Wind Exposure (VCC Sec. 1609.4) - Category B" and Climate Zone 4. The newer regional sheet of the same title published by Roanoke County (form revised February 2025, "in accordance with the 2021 editions of the Virginia USBC, the Virginia Construction Code(VCC) and the Virginia Residential Code(VRC)"), which names the City of Salem's Building Official as its Salem contact, gives the Salem row a Wind Speed "MPH V3s" of 90 and a Winter Design Temp of 16 degrees F, with the other residential entries unchanged. Neither sheet says whether its figure is a nominal or an ultimate design wind speed, which are different bases, so do not compare either directly with the 100 mph nominal-speed line in the statewide reroof permit exemption; ask the Building Inspections office (540-375-3036) which figure it applies.
Deck & sheathing requirements
No city-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 Salem's Chapter 18 (Buildings and 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: the City lists "Residential roof sheathing replacements of 256 square feet or less" as needing no permit and "Roof sheathing replacements over 256 square feet" as permit work (Virginia Construction Code 108.2 item 14.6).
Sales & use tax
5.3% general sales and use tax in the City of Salem (Virginia Tax, "Sales Tax Rates by Locality" workbook, "January 1, 2026 - Present" sheet: Salem, code 51775, 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); Salem is in none of the regional add-on areas, and Virginia Tax's rates page puts it in the 5.3% "Everywhere else" group. Roanoke County (code 51161) is a separate locality 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.

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Roofing in Salem, VirginiaCity hub

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The Building Inspections office of the City of Salem's Community Development Department enforces the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code in the independent City of Salem, issuing building and trade permits and scheduling inspections through the City's online permit portal. Roanoke County and the City of Roanoke have their own building departments.

Hail reports near Salem, VA

Reports, last 24 months
0
Largest, last 24 months
None
Most recent
None in 24 months
Reports, last 5 years
6
5 most recent reports, last 5 years
DateHail sizeDistance
May 22, 20241.00 in7 mi NW
May 22, 20241.00 in6 mi N
Sep 7, 20231.00 in6 mi NE
Jul 23, 20230.88 in9 mi E
Jul 14, 20230.88 in5 mi NE

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 Salem, VA (Census point). Data through Sep 30, 2026. A report is an observation, not a damage record.

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Sources

Roofing questions: Salem, VA

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

No, Salem, 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"). Salem's Building Inspections office applies it in its own words. Under "What is a permit not required for?" its Permits page lists "Residential reroofs" and "Residential roof sheathing replacements of 256 square feet or less", and under "What is a permit required for?" it lists "Roof sheathing replacements over 256 square feet, unless decking 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." The same page says "If your project is not listed or you need help determining if a permit is required, please email the Office of Community Development or telephone at 540-375-3036," and "If a permit is not required, setbacks and other zoning requirements may still apply." The City's building FAQ adds that "Cosmetic alterations to a property don't require a permit. However, you must apply for a permit for any structural alterations." Location branches: Salem's zoning ordinance (City Code Section 106-110) establishes a Floodplain Overlay District, so the flood-area exception can reach houses in Salem; it establishes no historic district among its zoning districts, and City Code Section 18-652 says listing on the City's register of historic structures "shall not in and of itself constitute an 'official designation' for the purposes and intent of Code of Virginia § 15.2-2306". The City's permit fee schedule (effective July 1, 2022) prices building permits by valuation and has no roofing fee line; a roof that does need a permit (more than 256 square feet of decking, a commercial roof, or one an owner asks to have permitted) is priced from its cost. Starting work before a required permit costs double: the fee schedule says "IF A PERMIT IS OBTAINED AFTER WORK HAS STARTED, FEES WILL BE DOUBLE THE AMOUNT SHOWN," and City Code Section 18-36(b) says "If any person commences any work on a building or structure before obtaining the necessary permit and paying the applicable fee, the permit fee shall be doubled."

Is ice & water shield required in Salem, VA?

No. The City's Climatic Design Criteria sheet ("Local Design Criteria for Roanoke City, Salem City, Roanoke County and Town of Vinton", form revised January 2015) answers "No" in the "Ice Shield Req?" column of its IRC Table R301.2(1) entries on the Salem row. That sheet lists the 2018 model codes under a statewide code "Effective 7/1/2022", an edition earlier than the 2021 code the City now enforces; the newer regional sheet published by Roanoke County (form revised February 2025, "in accordance with the 2021 editions") also answers "No" for Salem. No ice barrier is required by either table; a manufacturer's installation instructions may still call for one.

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

Yes.

What building code does Salem, 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 for detached one-family and two-family dwellings and townhouses 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."). Salem City Code Section 18-36 adopts "those certain codes, known as the Uniform Statewide Building Code, as provided in Code of Virginia, § 36-97 et seq." and provides that "the provisions thereof shall control the construction, alteration or addition to any building and other structure within the city." The City's Building Inspections page states "Effective January 18, 2024, an applicant can choose to work in either the 2018 or 2021 building and related codes. On January 18, 2025, only the 2021 codes will be enforced." The City's own Climatic Design Criteria sheet (form revised January 2015) still lists "Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code Effective 7/1/2022" and the 2018 International Residential Code and other 2018 model codes. Chapter 18 of the City Code (Buildings and Building Regulations), read in full, adds no technical roofing provision; its only amendment to the statewide code, Section 18-38, sets a local procedure for unsafe buildings.

Is a mid-roof inspection required in Salem, VA?

No. Salem publishes no roofing inspection. Its Inspection Types page lists building inspections from Footing, Foundation and Slab through Framing, Insulation, Air barrier and Building Final, with no roofing, underlayment or sheathing stage, and says "The list of inspections shown is a typical construction order. If there is a question about what inspection should be done at what time, please contact the Office of Community Development." An ordinary house reroof 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 City sets them on that permit.