Permitting Authorities / City of Waynesboro - Building Division
Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Waynesboro, VA?
Adopted code
City of Waynesboro - Building Division
No, Waynesboro, VA does not require a permit for like-for-like roof replacement (City of Waynesboro - Building Division). Residential roof covering only: the City says installing or replacing the roof covering on a house needs no permit. The Building Division's FAQ lists "Installing or replacing residential roof covering" under "Examples of work that would not require a permit", and advises: "If you’re not sure if the work you are intending to do requires a permit, please call the Building and Zoning Department during normal business hours at 540-942-6628." 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, so larger deck replacement is 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." Waynesboro has three historic districts in its Historic Preservation Overlay (Tree Streets, Port Republic Road and Waynesboro Downtown) and a Floodplain Overlay, so check an address in either with the Division before starting. 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 work must meet the code with or without a permit. Where a permit is needed, submit the City's Building Permit Application, fee and any required documents as a package to the Building and Zoning Department, 230 S. Wayne Ave., Waynesboro (540-942-6628, Mon.-Fri. 8am-5pm); the application asks whether the property is in the floodplain and, for a contractor, to "attach a copy of your VA Contractor’s License". The City asks for its Asbestos Certificate of Compliance with a building permit application; that form is "required pursuant to The Code of Virginia (Section 36-99.7) and The Virginia Construction Code, 2021 Edition, Section 110.3, prior to issuance of permits for renovation or demolition of any structure where the initial building permit was issued prior to 1985". The Residential Permit Fee Schedule has no roofing line; alterations to an existing structure are "$00.05/sq. ft." with a "$50.00" minimum, and "any work which requires more than one re-inspection will be charged a $50 re-inspection fee." Schedule inspections by calling 540-942-6628 at least 24 hours ahead.
Roof code checklist: Waynesboro, 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 Waynesboro, Virginia
Address
230 S. Wayne Ave., Waynesboro, VA 22980
Contact
- url: https://www.waynesboro.va.us/132/Building-Division
- phone: 540-942-6628
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 "Roofing contracting" (ROC), defined in 18VAC50-22-30 as "the service that 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." 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".
- city_level: Waynesboro adds no contractor licence of its own. The Building Division's Contractor License Information page says "Contractors doing work over $1,000 in Virginia are required to hold a Virginia State Contractor's License." That page, and the affidavit on the City's Building Permit Application, still print older class limits ($10,000 and $7,500 respectively as the Class C ceiling) that predate the 2025 amendment quoted at the state level; the statute's current figures apply. The Building Permit Application asks a contractor applicant to "attach a copy of your VA Contractor’s License" and to give the licence number, class and expiration date; an applicant who is not a licensed contractor signs the application's statement that "I affirm that I am not subject to the contractor/subcontractor licensing or certification requirements of Chapter 11 of Title 54.1 of the Code of Virginia." The FAQ says only "Property owners and licensed contractors in Virginia can apply for building permits." Separately, the FAQ says "If you are a contractor you will need to have a current business license to do work within the city. You can obtain a business license through the Commissioner of Revenue's Office. Homeowners do not need to have a business license." A business licence is a local tax registration, not a trade credential.
Permit process note
Residential roof covering only: the City says installing or replacing the roof covering on a house needs no permit. The Building Division's FAQ lists "Installing or replacing residential roof covering" under "Examples of work that would not require a permit", and advises: "If you’re not sure if the work you are intending to do requires a permit, please call the Building and Zoning Department during normal business hours at 540-942-6628." 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, so larger deck replacement is 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." Waynesboro has three historic districts in its Historic Preservation Overlay (Tree Streets, Port Republic Road and Waynesboro Downtown) and a Floodplain Overlay, so check an address in either with the Division before starting. 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 work must meet the code with or without a permit. Where a permit is needed, submit the City's Building Permit Application, fee and any required documents as a package to the Building and Zoning Department, 230 S. Wayne Ave., Waynesboro (540-942-6628, Mon.-Fri. 8am-5pm); the application asks whether the property is in the floodplain and, for a contractor, to "attach a copy of your VA Contractor’s License". The City asks for its Asbestos Certificate of Compliance with a building permit application; that form is "required pursuant to The Code of Virginia (Section 36-99.7) and The Virginia Construction Code, 2021 Edition, Section 110.3, prior to issuance of permits for renovation or demolition of any structure where the initial building permit was issued prior to 1985". The Residential Permit Fee Schedule has no roofing line; alterations to an existing structure are "$00.05/sq. ft." with a "$50.00" minimum, and "any work which requires more than one re-inspection will be charged a $50 re-inspection fee." Schedule inspections by calling 540-942-6628 at least 24 hours ahead.
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."). Waynesboro City Code Sec. 18-26 (Ord. No. 2020-49, 8-24-20) reads: "All building, construction, reconstruction, alteration, maintenance, repairs, and all materials and appliances used in connection with building work, must conform to the rules and regulations of the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (the "building code"), as promulgated and updated from time to time by the Virginia Board of Housing and Community Development". The Building Division's FAQ, answering "What are the current building codes in effect?", lists "2021 Virginia Residential Code (VRC)", "2021 Virginia Construction Code (VCC)" and "2021 Virginia Existing Building Code (VEBC)" among others. Chapter 18 of the City Code (Buildings and Building Regulations), read in full as codified through Ordinance No. 2026-13 of June 8, 2026, adds no technical roofing provision of its own.
Mid-roof inspection
Not required — Replacing the roof covering on a house needs no permit in Waynesboro, so no inspection follows unless the owner asks for a permit. Where a permit is issued, the Building Division's list of required inspections (which it says "include but are not limited to the following") names footing, slab, foundation, rough-in, framing, insulation and final inspections, with no separate roofing, deck or underlayment stage.
Impact-resistant roofing
Not required — Neither Virginia's 2021 statewide code as published in 13VAC5-63 (the Virginia Construction Code, the state's amendments to the IRC that make up the Virginia Residential Code, and the Virginia Existing Building Code) nor Waynesboro's City Code Chapter 18, which adopts that statewide code and adds no technical roofing provision, amends the roof-covering provisions to require impact resistance; no UL 2218 or Class 4 impact requirement appears in either, and the Building Division's Design Standards table lists none. A Virginia locality cannot add one, because the statewide code supersedes local building codes (Code of Virginia Section 36-98).
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"). The City of Waynesboro Building Division's FAQ applies it in its own words. Answering "Do I need a building permit?", it says "Any construction, alteration, enlargement, replacement, repair, or maintenance to any structure and equipment therein will require a permit" and then "There are some instances when a permit is not required. Examples of work that would not require a permit would include:", listing "Installing or replacing residential roof covering" (with guttering, vinyl siding and residential windows), and adds: "If you’re not sure if the work you are intending to do requires a permit, please call the Building and Zoning Department during normal business hours at 540-942-6628." So replacing the roof covering on a house needs no permit in Waynesboro; replacing more than 256 square feet of roof decking falls outside item 14.6 and needs a permit, and roofing on commercial and other non-residential buildings is outside the City's statement. Both location exceptions can reach Waynesboro addresses: the City's Historic Preservation Overlay (City Code Sec. 98-3.3.3), "established, in accordance with VA Code Ann. 15.2-2306", covers "The Tree Streets Historic District", "The Port Republic Road Historic District" and "The Waynesboro Downtown Historic District" and four landmarks, and the City Code has a Floodplain Overlay (Sec. 98-3.3.5) for its special flood hazard areas. The City's Design Standards page does not give a single design wind speed ("Varies - Call our office for further information"), so the record rests the answer on the Division's own statement, not on a wind figure. The City's Residential Permit Fee Schedule has no roofing line, and its Building Permit Application has no roofing category. City Code Chapter 18 adds no roofing permit rule of its own.
Deck & sheathing requirements
Waynesboro cannot amend the statewide code, and its City Code Chapter 18, read in full, adds no roof deck or sheathing provision. Virginia's amendments to the IRC that make up the 2021 Virginia Residential Code (13VAC5-63-210) do not amend the roof sheathing section (R803), so the base 2021 IRC roof sheathing provisions apply unmodified to work under that code; the record points to that section and does not restate it. For reroofing an existing house 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." The one Virginia rule written for decking on a reroof is the permit line in Virginia Construction Code Section 108.2 item 14.6: only "Replacement of 256 square feet (23.78 m 2 ) or less of roof decking" in Group R-3, R-4 or R-5 buildings is exempt from a permit, so replacing more decking than that is permit work in Waynesboro.
Sales & use tax
5.3% general sales and use tax in the City of Waynesboro (Virginia Tax, "Sales Tax Rates by Locality" workbook, "Jan 2026 - Present" sheet, "From January 1, 2026 to Present": Waynesboro, code 51820, 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). The City of Waynesboro and Augusta County are separate localities with their own rows; use the Waynesboro row. 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.
Local roofing hub
More roof permit pages in Virginia
Related guides
The Building Division of the City of Waynesboro Building and Zoning Department is the building department for the independent City of Waynesboro, Virginia. It issues building and trade permits, schedules inspections and enforces the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code from its office at 230 S. Wayne Ave. Waynesboro is an independent city, separate from Augusta County.
Hail reports near Waynesboro, VA
- Reports, last 24 months
- 0
- Largest, last 24 months
- None
- Most recent
- None in 24 months
- Reports, last 5 years
- 8
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 Waynesboro, VA (Census point). Data through Sep 30, 2026. A report is an observation, not a damage record.
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