The Roofing Book

Permitting Authorities / City of Winchester - Building Inspections and Enforcement

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

Adopted code

City of Winchester - Building Inspections and Enforcement

Building Inspections and Enforcement, part of the City of Winchester's Community Development department, is the building department for the independent City of Winchester, Virginia. The City's page says it ensures "all permitted development in Winchester meet Virginia's Uniform Statewide Building Code through permitting and inspections"; City Code Sec. 6-1(b) directs the Building Official to "issue permits". Most building permits are applied for on the City's OpenGov permit portal. Winchester is an independent city, separate from Frederick County.

Roof code checklist: Winchester, VA

ItemAnswerCode citeSourceVerified
Permit to replace a roofNot published
Repair permit thresholdPublished2021-virginia-construction-code.pdf2026-09-26
Layer limit / roof-overNot published
Deck & sheathingPublishedR803law.lis.virginia.gov2026-09-26
Drip edgeNot published
Ice & water shieldNot published
Mid-roof inspectionNot published
Impact-resistant (Class 4) roofingNolaw.lis.virginia.gov2026-09-26
Wind design criteriaNot published
Adopted codePublishedSec. 310.6.1community-development-technical-b...2026-09-26
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 Winchester, Virginia
Jurisdiction type
city
Address
Rouss City Hall, 15 N. Cameron St., Winchester, VA 22601
Contact
  • url: https://www.winchesterva.gov/Government/Departments/Community-Development/Building-Inspections-and-Enforcement
  • phone: 540-667-1815
Permit portal
Permit portal
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". Some older pages give a $10,000 floor for Class C; that figure predates the 2025 amendment.
  • city_level: Winchester adds no contractor licence of its own. The City's online Building Permit application on its OpenGov portal asks for the "VA Contr. Lic #" and says "A Virginia Contractors license is required for application by a contractor. Contractors are also required to obtain City business license"; it adds "No permits will be issued to a contractor until a valid business license is on file" (the business licence comes from the Commissioner of the Revenue, 540-667-1815, option 4) and "No permit shall be released or approved to a permitting agent or RDP until a licensed contractor has been assigned to the project." A business licence is a local tax registration, not a trade credential. An owner applying for a permit in the owner's own name signs "to acknowledge reading and agreeing to Title 54 of the Code of Virginia."
Permit process note
Historic district first: in the Historic Winchester zoning district, City Code Sec. 6-28 requires "A building permit ... for any construction involving the replacement of roofing, siding, or windows", issued only after "all requisite zoning approvals have been issued by the Board of Architectural Review or Zoning Administrator"; the Building Permit application asks "Is your property in the Historic District?" and warns "Special approvals are required in the historic district for exterior changes." Elsewhere the statewide rule applies. 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 Group R-3, R-4 or R-5", 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." 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. Winchester publishes no design wind speed and no statement on residential reroof permits, so this record does not say whether an ordinary reroof outside the historic district needs one; ask Building Inspections first. The City says "It is strongly recommended that applicants consult with staff before formally submitting any application." and "A fee may be charged for starting work without required permit(s)." Where a permit is needed, apply for a Building Permit on the City's OpenGov portal (https://winchesterva.portal.opengov.com/); for help, call 540-667-1815 and ask for Planning, Zoning, and Inspections, or visit Rouss City Hall, 15 N. Cameron St. The application asks for the existing and proposed roofing materials, and warns: "If you are proposing a shingle roof to replace an existing metal roof, additional steps may be required, such as an engineers report detailing that your roof support system is capable of handling the additional loading of shingles." Fees under City Code Sec. 6-27 (rates effective 7-1-2023): "Re-roofing (per job location)" Residential $65.00, Non-residential $130.00; "Inspection of work initiated without/prior to issuance of work permit" Residential $130.00; plus "an additional levy established by 13VAC5-63-70, Section 107, Fees" and "an additional one percent technology fee".
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."). The City's Inspections Department Technical Bulletin 24-1 (July 2024, approved by the Building Official) says: "Administrative provisions of the 2021 USBC will be effective on January 18, 2024. From January 18, 2024 until January 17, 2025, building permit applicants may choose to use the technical provisions of either the 2018 or 2021 USBC. ... Beginning January 18, 2025, all new building permit applications and construction must meet the 2021 USBC requirements." The City's Permits, Licensing & Applications page says "The 2021 Virginia Building Code (VCC) is now in effect." Chapter 6 of the Winchester City Code (Building Regulations), read in full as codified through Ordinance No. O-2025-6 (April 8, 2025), names no code edition and adds no technical roofing provision; it sets the permit fee schedule (Sec. 6-27) and a permit requirement for roofing, siding and window replacement in the Historic Winchester zoning district (Sec. 6-28).
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 Chapter 6 of the Winchester City Code (Building Regulations), which enforces that statewide code and adds no technical roofing provision, requires impact-rated roof coverings; no UL 2218 or Class 4 impact requirement appears in either, and the City's building permit application and technical bulletin state none. A Virginia locality cannot add one, because the statewide code supersedes local building codes (Code of Virginia Section 36-98). Insurer discounts for impact-rated shingles are 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; 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 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." Historic district: Winchester requires the permit there by ordinance. City Code Sec. 6-28 reads "A building permit shall be required for any construction involving the replacement of roofing, siding, or windows for structures located within the Historic Winchester zoning district. Any such permit required shall not be issued by the Building Official until all requisite zoning approvals have been issued by the Board of Architectural Review or Zoning Administrator." Under Zoning Ordinance Sec. 14-5-1.5, "replacement of roof coverings" in that district "must be reviewed by the Board" of Architectural Review. Outside the historic district: whether a full reroof of a house falls inside item 14.5 turns on the nominal design wind speed where the house stands. The City publishes no climatic and geographic design criteria table and no design wind speed on its building pages, and its building department publishes no statement that a residential reroof does or does not need a permit, so this record does not answer that question either way. The City's enacted fee schedule (City Code Sec. 6-27, rates effective 7-1-2023) lists "Re-roofing (per job location)" at $65.00 residential and $130.00 non-residential, and its online Building Permit application asks "Are you replacing a roof?"; neither says which reroofs need a permit. Flood areas: the City's floodplain districts are based on "the FIS and the FIRM for City of Winchester prepared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Federal Insurance Administration, dated January 29, 2021" (Zoning Ordinance Sec. 14.1-3-1), so a house in a mapped special flood hazard area may be asked for a permit under Exception 2. Replacing more than 256 square feet of roof decking falls outside item 14.6 and needs a permit. Before a reroof, ask Building Inspections (540-667-1815, ask for Planning, Zoning, and Inspections) whether the job needs a permit; an owner may ask for a permit for any exempt item under the text quoted above.
Deck & sheathing requirements
Winchester cannot amend the statewide code, and Chapter 6 of its City Code, 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 City's Building Permit application flags one case: "If you are proposing a shingle roof to replace an existing metal roof, additional steps may be required, such as an engineers report detailing that your roof support system is capable of handling the additional loading of shingles." 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 Winchester.
Sales & use tax
5.3% general sales and use tax in the City of Winchester (Virginia Tax, "Sales Tax Rates by Locality" workbook, "Jan 2026 - Present" sheet, headed "January 1, 2026 - Present": Winchester, code 51840, 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 Winchester and Frederick County are separate localities with their own rows; use the Winchester row. The City's referendum page describes a vote at the November 3, 2026 general election on an additional school sales tax of up to 1% under Section 58.1-605.1, and says that if voters approve, City Council "would still need to consider a rate up to 1% and adopt an ordinance," and "The earliest this could take effect is April 1, 2027." Until Virginia Tax lists a new Winchester rate, the rate is 5.3%. 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

Roofing in Winchester, VirginiaCity hub

More roof permit pages in Virginia

Wise County, VARoof permit York County, VARoof permit Accomack County, VARoof permit Alexandria, VARoof permit Amherst County, VARoof permit Roofing in VirginiaState hub

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

Hail reports near Winchester, VA

Reports, last 24 months
1
Largest, last 24 months
1.00 in Jul 5, 2026
Most recent
Jul 5, 2026 1.00 in
Reports, last 5 years
3
3 most recent reports, last 5 years
DateHail sizeDistance
Jul 5, 20261.00 inunder 1 mi
Apr 15, 20241.00 in3 mi NNE
Jul 14, 20231.25 in6 mi NNW

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

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Sources

Roofing questions: Winchester, VA

When does a roof repair need a permit in Winchester, VA?

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; 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 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." Historic district: Winchester requires the permit there by ordinance. City Code Sec. 6-28 reads "A building permit shall be required for any construction involving the replacement of roofing, siding, or windows for structures located within the Historic Winchester zoning district. Any such permit required shall not be issued by the Building Official until all requisite zoning approvals have been issued by the Board of Architectural Review or Zoning Administrator." Under Zoning Ordinance Sec. 14-5-1.5, "replacement of roof coverings" in that district "must be reviewed by the Board" of Architectural Review. Outside the historic district: whether a full reroof of a house falls inside item 14.5 turns on the nominal design wind speed where the house stands. The City publishes no climatic and geographic design criteria table and no design wind speed on its building pages, and its building department publishes no statement that a residential reroof does or does not need a permit, so this record does not answer that question either way. The City's enacted fee schedule (City Code Sec. 6-27, rates effective 7-1-2023) lists "Re-roofing (per job location)" at $65.00 residential and $130.00 non-residential, and its online Building Permit application asks "Are you replacing a roof?"; neither says which reroofs need a permit. Flood areas: the City's floodplain districts are based on "the FIS and the FIRM for City of Winchester prepared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Federal Insurance Administration, dated January 29, 2021" (Zoning Ordinance Sec. 14.1-3-1), so a house in a mapped special flood hazard area may be asked for a permit under Exception 2. Replacing more than 256 square feet of roof decking falls outside item 14.6 and needs a permit. Before a reroof, ask Building Inspections (540-667-1815, ask for Planning, Zoning, and Inspections) whether the job needs a permit; an owner may ask for a permit for any exempt item under the text quoted above.

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

Yes.

What building code does Winchester, 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."). The City's Inspections Department Technical Bulletin 24-1 (July 2024, approved by the Building Official) says: "Administrative provisions of the 2021 USBC will be effective on January 18, 2024. From January 18, 2024 until January 17, 2025, building permit applicants may choose to use the technical provisions of either the 2018 or 2021 USBC. ... Beginning January 18, 2025, all new building permit applications and construction must meet the 2021 USBC requirements." The City's Permits, Licensing & Applications page says "The 2021 Virginia Building Code (VCC) is now in effect." Chapter 6 of the Winchester City Code (Building Regulations), read in full as codified through Ordinance No. O-2025-6 (April 8, 2025), names no code edition and adds no technical roofing provision; it sets the permit fee schedule (Sec. 6-27) and a permit requirement for roofing, siding and window replacement in the Historic Winchester zoning district (Sec. 6-28).