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Roofing in Griffith, Indiana

Hail belt

Yes — a permit is required to replace a roof in Griffith, IN, issued by Town of Griffith, Indiana - Building Department. WHERE AND HOW. The Griffith Building Department is at 111 N Broad Street, Griffith, on the lower level, on (219) 922-3091, fax (219) 924-3840, email [email protected]. Department hours are Monday to Friday, 8 am to 12 pm and 1 pm to 4:30 pm, closed for lunch and on all major holidays. The Town describes the department's reach in one sentence: "The Griffith Building Department oversees all work done by contractors and/or home owners within town limits. It is responsible for issuing building permits and performing inspections for construction and remodeling projects." Its listed services are contractor licensing, building permits, occupancy permits, plan review, planning and zoning, and acting as point of contact for the Board of Zoning Appeals and Plan Commission. Permit applications and contractor licences are both available online. THE ORDINANCE PUTS THE POWER IN THE BUILDING COMMISSIONER: § 14-2 creates the building department under the direct supervision of the town council, consisting of the building commissioner, inspectors and staff; § 14-33 authorises and directs the building commissioner "to administer and enforce all of the provisions of this article", while limiting his discretion to "determining whether this code has been complied with" and expressly denying any "power to require conditions not prescribed by ordinances or to enforce this article in an arbitrary or discriminatory manner." § 14-34 sets the reach: the article applies "to the construction, alteration, repair, use, occupancy, and addition to all buildings and structures, other than industrialized building systems or mobile structures certified under IC 22-15-4, in the town." PLANS. § 14-46(d) requires duplicate sets of plans and specifications for an alteration, erection or addition, approved in writing on the back by the building commissioner before the permit issues; one approved set stays with the commissioner as a public record and one "shall be kept on such building or work site at all times during which the work authorized thereby is in progress and shall be open to inspection by public officials", and approved plans "shall not be changed, modified, or altered without authorization from the building commissioner". Ask the department what it wants to see for a like-for-like replacement roof before assembling a full plan set. FEES AND INSPECTIONS, from § 14-106: project fees cover building, plumbing, electrical and HVAC permits together at "one percent valuation of total project cost (materials and labor). Thirty dollar minimum fee. No charge for individual permits. Each permit must still be applied for and approved as a total project." All inspections are $30.00 and all re-inspections are $30.00. A residential certificate of occupancy is $50.00 and a commercial one $75.00, and residential escrow is $250.00, refundable "upon completing all needed inspections and receiving a certificate of occupancy permit when COO is applicable." Valuations for new buildings, structures and additions are taken from the International Code Council's published Building Valuation Data. A CONFLICT-OF-INTEREST RULE THAT PUTS A DUTY ON THE OWNER: § 14-107 provides that "No inspector for the Town of Griffith shall inspect a work site for which the inspector has been previously consulted, or has given an estimate or bid. It shall be the responsibility of the property owner to notify the town in the event that the inspector was previously consulted, or provided an estimate or bid on the project." MATERIAL ON THE STREET IS DECIDED BY THE PERMIT: § 14-50 requires the permit to "particularly specify as to whether or not a part of the street right-of-way may be occupied by the builders with the building material", subject to not obstructing vehicles, persons or water - worth raising when a dumpster or a shingle drop will sit on the right-of-way. REVOCATION AND APPEAL: under § 14-49 the building commissioner reports a violation or a mistaken issue to the clerk-treasurer, who revokes the permit, notifies the applicant in writing and refunds the fee where it was issued in error; that action may be appealed to the zoning appeals board. Griffith, Indiana sits in one of the country's most hail-prone regions. This hub aggregates Griffith's roofing permit and contractor-registration requirements and impact-resistant material options — every fact linked to its sourced directory record.

Roofing permits & building code in Griffith

Roofing permit and contractor-licensing rules in Griffith are set locally by Town of Griffith, Indiana - Building Department. Indiana does not license roofing contractors at the state level — roofing and general contracting are absent from the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency’s list of licensed professions — so any contractor credential is a city or county one, while the Indiana Residential Code applies statewide and limits how far a local ordinance may depart from it — always confirm the current requirements with the authority before starting work.

Roofing permit
Required
Contractor registration
Required
Adopted building code
STATE-SET, AND GRIFFITH'S OWN ORDINANCE FLOATS FORWARD WITH IT. The residential rule is 675 IAC 14-4.4, the 2020 Indiana Residential Code, whose opening section provides that "That certain document being titled the 2018 International Residential Code for One and Two Family Dwellings, first printing August 2017, published by the International Code Council ... is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set out in this rule save and except those revisions made in this rule", and that "This rule shall be known as the 2020 Indiana Residential Code." It was filed November 26, 2019 and readopted on November 18, 2025 by the Readopted Final Rule at Indiana Register 20251210-IR-675240566RFA, effective January 1, 2026; every one of the rule's 245 sections carries that readoption in its own history line. THE TOWN'S ADOPTION. Griffith Town Code § 14-1(a) provides that "Building rules of the state fire prevention and building safety commission, as set out in the following articles of title 675 of the state administrative code are hereby incorporated by reference in this chapter and shall include later amendments to those articles as the amendments are published in the state register or the state administrative code with effective dates as fixed therein", and its second item is "Article 14, one- and two-family dwelling codes". So the Town takes the whole of Article 14 and takes it as amended from time to time. IC 22-13-2-3(b) says the same independently: a reference to the commission's rules by citation to the Indiana Administrative Code "shall be construed to include all amendments as of the date that the reference is written and any later amendments to that provision, unless accompanied by a reference to a specific edition or supplement to the Indiana Administrative Code." Two copies of the adopted rules are on file in the appropriate town office. THE SUB-LABELS UNDER THAT ITEM ARE DECADES OUT OF DATE and would mislead anyone reading the ordinance alone: they still read "Council of American Building Officials One- and Two-Family Dwelling Code", "CABO One- and Two-Family Dwelling Code; Amendments" and "Standard for Permanent Installation of Manufactured Homes", which are the titles of 675 IAC 14-2.1, 14-2 and 14-3, two of them repealed. Because the adoption is of the ARTICLE and takes later amendments, the rule in force - 675 IAC 14-4.4 - governs regardless. The Building Department's own page describes what permits are for in current terms: "Permits enable inspectors to oversee work is done correctly and enforce provisions of the Indiana Building Code and local ordinances." NOR COULD GRIFFITH SET A DIFFERENT CODE: IC 22-13-2-3(c) provides that "A city, town, or county may not adopt an ordinance that conflicts with or includes more stringent or detailed requirements than the commission's rules", and IC 22-13-2-3(a)(2) gives those rules precedence over any local ordinance covering the same subject matter. Griffith's § 14-33 acknowledges the point from the local side: "Any variance from adopted building rules are subject to approval under IC 22-13-2-7(b)." WHAT THE TOWN ADDS RATHER THAN CHANGES. Chapter 14 was read, Article I and the whole of Article II (building code) and Article VIII (contractors). Its local construction requirements are about space, basements, porches, access, fire limits, security gates, excavation, backfill, concrete, masonry, garages and gutters - not roof coverings. ONE LOCAL RULE THAT DOES TOUCH A ROOFING CREW: § 14-91 provides that gutters and downspouts are "Required when roof overhangs are less than 12 inches in width for one story or 24 inches in width for two stories", sets the material specification by gauge for copper, galvanized sheet metal and aluminium "in accordance with the recommendations of the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractor's Association, Inc.", and provides that "In no instance shall the outlets be connected, directly or indirectly, to the sanitary sewer. Splash blocks are required." ONE VOCABULARY WARNING: "Class 2 structure" in Indiana means a one or two dwelling unit building. It is a STRUCTURE class and has nothing to do with a fire class or an impact class of roof covering. Griffith's codification is current through Ordinance No. 2026-3, enacted June 2, 2026.
Registration details
  • state_level: INDIANA LICENSES NO CONTRACTOR TRADE AT STATE LEVEL, so the whole answer is local. The Indiana Professional Licensing Agency's published list of regulated professions covers thirty-nine occupations - accountancy, acupuncture, anesthesiologist assistant, architects and landscape architects, athletic trainers, auctioneers, behavior analyst, behavioral health and human services, chiropractors, controlled substance registrations, cosmetology and barber, dentistry, diabetes educators, dietitians, engineering, funeral and cemetery, genetic counselors, health facility administrators, hearing aid dealers, home inspectors, interior design registry, manufactured home installers, massage therapy, midwifery, nursing, occupational therapy, optometry, pharmacy, physical therapy, physician assistant, physicians, plumbing, podiatric medicine, private investigator and security guard, psychology, real estate, real estate appraisers, respiratory care, speech language pathology and audiology, surveyors and veterinary medicine - and carries no contractor, roofing, building or home improvement credential. Griffith's own ordinance reflects that split: it excludes from its building contractor licence "Plumbers, electricians, and other specialized trades for which other special licenses are required", and runs separate boards for electrical and other trades.
  • city_level: A TOWN LICENCE IS REQUIRED, ROOFING IS A NAMED SPECIALTY, AND - UNUSUALLY FOR INDIANA - THERE IS AN EXAMINATION. The Town states the requirement without qualification on its Building Department page: "Not all work needs a permit, but ALL CONTRACTORS must be licensed with the Town of Griffith Building Department", and repeats it as a footnote to its list of exempt work: "*All contractors must still hold a valid contractor license with the Town of Griffith". The ordinance is § 14-366(a): "No person shall engage in the business or activity of a building contractor in the town without having a license therefor." WHO IS A BUILDING CONTRACTOR. § 14-356 defines one as "any person, firm, corporation, or association who, for a fixed sum, price, fee, percentage, or other compensation shall build, construct, alter, lay, repair, install, add to, or erect any building, structure, transmission line, or other facility, above or below ground within the town or who shall undertake to perform any of the acts", excluding only a person doing the work on his own private residence or on a multifamily building he owns and lives in, and "Plumbers, electricians, and other specialized trades for which other special licenses are required." WHICH CLASS A ROOFER TAKES. § 14-367 splits the licence: a Type A licence "shall permit all classes of building construction except such as is governed by other existing license ordinances", and a Type B licence covers a named building trade specialty. Item (17) on that list is "Roofing and siding. Installation of any and all types of roof covering and siding, waterproofing, and insulation." THE EXAMINATION IS THE PART THAT SURPRISES PEOPLE. § 14-366(b) requires the licence to "designate the name of the individual who has successfully passed the examination required in this division", and provides that the licence "shall be valid and in effect only while the individual is a member, officer, or employee of such person, firm, association, or corporation" - so if the person who passed leaves, the company's licence goes with them. § 14-369(e) requires a $25.00 deposit "with the building department at the time of filing the application for a building contractor's license as a fee for the examination contemplated in this division", disbursed to the board of building contractors examiners. § 14-371 opens "Each successful examinee shall be awarded a certificate therefor by the board which must be presented to the clerk-treasurer for issuance of the license". A refusal may be appealed to the town council, which may "order a new examination" (§ 14-368). BOND AND INSURANCE, from § 14-371. (1) "a recorded indemnifying bond to be approved by the clerk-treasurer, payable to the town and all other parties concerned, in the penal sum of $5,000.00, conditioned upon the licensee's faithful compliance with the terms and conditions of this division, and further conditioned to reimburse any person damaged by the licensee in the improper or neglectful performance of work done", and "The bond shall contain a provision requiring not less than 60 days' notice to the town of intent to cancel by the surety." (2) Public liability insurance "with personal injury liability limits of not less than $100,000.00 for each person and $300,000.00 for each accident, and property damage insurance coverage with liability limits of not less than $100,000.00, along with workmen's compensation insurance coverage on all employees". (3) THE LAPSE RULE IS SEVERE AND WORTH DIARISING: "Lapse of any bond or insurance coverage provided for in this section shall work an immediate automatic suspension of license and license privileges, including suspension of all work in progress, and unless remedied within 15 days, the license shall be revoked." A lapsed certificate stops the crew on the roof, not just the paperwork. THE FEES, from § 14-369: a new Type A contractor licence is $100.00 and a new Type B licence is $50.00 "for each specialty"; renewals are $50.00 for Type A and $25.00 for Type B; and the $25.00 examination fee is separate. THE RENEWAL CALENDAR IS A LADDER OF PENALTIES. Licences "expire on December 31 of each year following the date of issuance"; a renewal after January 31 carries a $10.00 penalty, one after February 15 and on or before March 1 carries $20.00, and "After March 1, a license can only be renewed by payment of the initial license fee" - which for a Type B roofer doubles the cost from $25.00 to $50.00 and, on the face of the section, puts the applicant back through the initial process. Renewals must first be "approved and certified by the building contractors board of examiners" (§ 14-369(c)). Licences are not assignable or transferable (§ 14-370), and the building commissioner may recommend suspension or revocation to the town council "when such building contractor shall have been guilty of fraud, misrepresentation, negligence, or for violations of any of the building or zoning provisions of the town" (§ 14-372). HOMEOWNERS: § 14-366(c) lets an owner do building construction on his own home, assuming all responsibility, obtaining all permits and paying all fees - but it adds a trap for anyone helping out: "Any contractor assisting the homeowner whether paid or acting voluntarily shall meet all of the town requirements for contractors doing work within the town." A favour is still contracting in Griffith. The Town offers contractor licensing online alongside its permit applications.
Permit process
WHERE AND HOW. The Griffith Building Department is at 111 N Broad Street, Griffith, on the lower level, on (219) 922-3091, fax (219) 924-3840, email [email protected]. Department hours are Monday to Friday, 8 am to 12 pm and 1 pm to 4:30 pm, closed for lunch and on all major holidays. The Town describes the department's reach in one sentence: "The Griffith Building Department oversees all work done by contractors and/or home owners within town limits. It is responsible for issuing building permits and performing inspections for construction and remodeling projects." Its listed services are contractor licensing, building permits, occupancy permits, plan review, planning and zoning, and acting as point of contact for the Board of Zoning Appeals and Plan Commission. Permit applications and contractor licences are both available online. THE ORDINANCE PUTS THE POWER IN THE BUILDING COMMISSIONER: § 14-2 creates the building department under the direct supervision of the town council, consisting of the building commissioner, inspectors and staff; § 14-33 authorises and directs the building commissioner "to administer and enforce all of the provisions of this article", while limiting his discretion to "determining whether this code has been complied with" and expressly denying any "power to require conditions not prescribed by ordinances or to enforce this article in an arbitrary or discriminatory manner." § 14-34 sets the reach: the article applies "to the construction, alteration, repair, use, occupancy, and addition to all buildings and structures, other than industrialized building systems or mobile structures certified under IC 22-15-4, in the town." PLANS. § 14-46(d) requires duplicate sets of plans and specifications for an alteration, erection or addition, approved in writing on the back by the building commissioner before the permit issues; one approved set stays with the commissioner as a public record and one "shall be kept on such building or work site at all times during which the work authorized thereby is in progress and shall be open to inspection by public officials", and approved plans "shall not be changed, modified, or altered without authorization from the building commissioner". Ask the department what it wants to see for a like-for-like replacement roof before assembling a full plan set. FEES AND INSPECTIONS, from § 14-106: project fees cover building, plumbing, electrical and HVAC permits together at "one percent valuation of total project cost (materials and labor). Thirty dollar minimum fee. No charge for individual permits. Each permit must still be applied for and approved as a total project." All inspections are $30.00 and all re-inspections are $30.00. A residential certificate of occupancy is $50.00 and a commercial one $75.00, and residential escrow is $250.00, refundable "upon completing all needed inspections and receiving a certificate of occupancy permit when COO is applicable." Valuations for new buildings, structures and additions are taken from the International Code Council's published Building Valuation Data. A CONFLICT-OF-INTEREST RULE THAT PUTS A DUTY ON THE OWNER: § 14-107 provides that "No inspector for the Town of Griffith shall inspect a work site for which the inspector has been previously consulted, or has given an estimate or bid. It shall be the responsibility of the property owner to notify the town in the event that the inspector was previously consulted, or provided an estimate or bid on the project." MATERIAL ON THE STREET IS DECIDED BY THE PERMIT: § 14-50 requires the permit to "particularly specify as to whether or not a part of the street right-of-way may be occupied by the builders with the building material", subject to not obstructing vehicles, persons or water - worth raising when a dumpster or a shingle drop will sit on the right-of-way. REVOCATION AND APPEAL: under § 14-49 the building commissioner reports a violation or a mistaken issue to the clerk-treasurer, who revokes the permit, notifies the applicant in writing and refunds the fee where it was issued in error; that action may be appealed to the zoning appeals board.

View the full Griffith permitting authority record →

Impact-resistant roofing materials for Griffith hail

Griffith, Indiana sits in one of the country's most hail-prone regions. For hail exposure, the highest impact rating a roof covering can earn is UL 2218 Class 4. These cataloged material categories reach Class 4:

Class 4 impact-resistant materials

Class 4 Impact-Resistant Shingle Corrugated Metal Panel Metal Shingle Rubber (Polymer) Shingle Standing-Seam Metal Roof Stone-Coated Steel Synthetic Shake Synthetic Slate Synthetic Tile

Browse every option on the Class 4 impact-resistant materials hub, and read the Class 4 impact-resistant shingles buyer's guide. Many insurers offer premium credits for a documented Class 4 roof — confirm terms with your carrier.

Local permitting authority

Town of Griffith, Indiana - Building Departmentcity

Roofing guides

Class 4 Impact-Resistant ShinglesGuide Asphalt vs. Metal vs. TileGuide Wind & Fire RatingsGuide

Sources