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Roofing in Norfolk, Virginia

No, Norfolk, VA does not require a permit for like-for-like roof replacement (City of Norfolk - Department of City Planning, Permits and Inspections). In Norfolk a one- or two-family residential reroof needs no building permit, except where the building official requires one for a house in a local historic district or a special flood hazard area, and a commercial reroof needs a permit. Historic districts and flood areas: the building official may still require a permit there under the two Exceptions quoted above. Norfolk's residential permit packet says: "Check to see if property is in a local Historic District. If in a local Historic District, a Certificate of Appropriateness is needed for exterior modifications before permits can be approved. Contact: [email protected]". The City's Contractor / Owner Roofing Requirements sheet says: "Design Review must approve all exterior coverings in designated zoning districts. Compliance is mandatory." Check both before starting a reroof on a house in a local historic district or a special flood hazard area. Virginia's statewide building code reads: "108.2 Exemptions from application for permit. Notwithstanding the requirements of Section 108.1, 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 m2) or less of roof covering in all groups and all wind zones. 14.6. Replacement of 256 square feet (23.78 m2) 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 of original construction to be fire-retardant-treated or protected in some other way to form a fire-rated wall termination. ... 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 § 15.2-2306 of the Code of Virginia. 2. Application for a permit may be required by the building official for any items exempted in this section that are located in a special flood hazard area." (Virginia Construction Code Section 108.2, 13VAC5-63-80.) The City of Norfolk applies that exemption to houses in its own words. Its Permits and Inspections page and its FAQ both state: "Building permits are not required for 1 and 2 family residential re-roofs, replacement windows of the same size, vinyl or shake siding, cabinets, floor coverings, minor repair to decks including but not limited to deck board repair and tread repair, driveways, water tanks supported on grade at 5,000 gallons or less, retaining walls supporting less than 2 feet of unbalanced fill, and above ground swimming pools less than 2 feet deep." The Building Permit Fee Schedule enacted in the City Code (Sec. 11.1-3, Ord. No. 47,229, effective July 1, 2018) lists, under "Re-roof and Siding", the residential entry as "No permit required" and the commercial entry at "$150 (flat fee)"; the same page lists "re-roof" among the commercial projects for which "building permits are required". Structural and deck repairs are separate permit work in Norfolk. The Permits and Inspections page says "A building permit is required for any residential or commercial repair (alteration), addition, or new construction that requires new framing or exposes existing framing." The City's Contractor / Owner Roofing Requirements sheet (undated, still linked from the City's Applications & Forms page) says: "Damaged sheathing must be repaired or replaced. Repairs of structural members, sheathing, studs, rafters, joists, plates or sills will require a SEPARATE REPAIR PERMIT, AND THAT WORK MUST BE INSPECTED AND APPROVED PRIOR TO COVERING." That sheet sets no square-footage floor, while item 14.6 above exempts replacing up to 256 square feet of roof decking; ask the City before replacing sheathing without a permit. Norfolk's codified local criteria (City Code Sec. 11.1-4.1) set the wind load "based on a minimum sustained (1-minute measured wind) wind speed of 100 MPH". The City does not describe that figure as a nominal design wind speed, and this record does not convert it to any other basis; the no-permit answer above rests on the City's own statements, not on that figure. Replacing 100 square feet or less of roof covering is exempt under item 14.5 "in all groups and all wind zones", and an owner or an owner's agent may still ask for a permit for an exempt reroof, in which case "a permit shall be issued and any related inspections shall be required". Where a permit is needed (a commercial reroof, a structural or sheathing repair, or a permit an owner asks for), Building, Fire, Sign, Elevator, Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing and Zoning permits "are applied for and issued online using our E-Permit Portal"; "The online portal accepts only Visa and Mastercard." Questions go to the Department of City Planning at 757-664-6565 or [email protected]. Under the City Code fee schedule (Sec. 11.1-3) each fee is increased by 2 percent for the state Building Code Academy levy and by $15.00 for processing; the residential "Alterations/Repairs" line is "$100 (flat fee)", the minimum permit fee is $50, and the "Administrative Fee for work begun without a permit" is $150. The permit application carries a Property Owner/Contractor Licensure Affidavit, and the FAQ says a property owner who pulls a permit "will also need to submit an affidavit accepting responsibility for all work performed under the permit.". This hub aggregates roofing permit and contractor-registration requirements for Norfolk, Virginia, along with sourced roofing material references — every fact linked to its directory record.

Roofing permits & building code in Norfolk

Roofing permit and contractor-licensing rules in Norfolk are set locally by City of Norfolk - Department of City Planning, Permits and Inspections. Virginia licenses contractors through the state Board for Contractors — a job over $1,000 needs at least a Class C licence, and roofing is a licensed specialty — and the Uniform Statewide Building Code supersedes local building codes, so a city or county enforces the state code rather than writing its own roofing rules — always confirm the current requirements with the authority before starting work.

Roofing permit
Not required
Contractor registration
Required
Adopted building code
The 2021 Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC, 13VAC5-63) applies statewide, effective January 18, 2024. For detached one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses, Virginia Construction Code Section 310.6.1 applies "The provisions of the IRC ... as amended by VCC Section 310.8, also referred to as the Virginia Residential Code (VRC)"; work on an existing house also 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." A city cannot amend it: Code of Virginia Section 36-98 provides that the USBC "shall supersede the building codes and regulations of the counties, municipalities and other political subdivisions and state agencies." Norfolk City Code Sec. 11.1-1 adopts "The Uniform Statewide Building Code, including the property maintenance provisions, as promulgated by the Virginia State Board of Housing and Community Development, as amended", and Sec. 11.1-1.1 applies it "together with the local fee schedule and special climatic and geographic design criteria established by this article." Chapter 11.1 (read in full, codified through Ordinance No. 50,383 of June 9, 2026) adds no technical roofing provision of its own. The City's Permits and Inspections page links the state's USBC page and names no edition.
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 is licensed under the Board's "Roofing contracting" (ROC) specialty, which "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", or under the Commercial Building, Residential Building and Home Improvement classifications and specialties (18VAC50-22-30). Section 54.1-1111 makes a permit applicant furnish "either (i) satisfactory proof to such official or authority that he is duly licensed or certified under the terms of this chapter to carry out or superintend the same, or (ii) file a written statement that he is not subject to licensure or certification as a contractor or subcontractor pursuant to this chapter." Section 54.1-1101 A says the chapter does not apply to "7. Any person who performs or supervises the construction, removal, repair, or improvement of no more than one primary residence owned by him and for his own use during any 24-month period"; the record does not decide whether a given reader is inside that exemption.
  • city_level: The City of Norfolk adds no contractor licence of its own: Chapter 11.1 of the City Code, Buildings and Building Regulations (read in full), carries no roofing or home-improvement contractor licence, and its Article III, Bonding of Contractors, holds only a bond for moving buildings. The City's Hiring a Contractor page says "Virginia law requires all contractors to include their license number on all documents to include contracts, proposals, bid forms, and advertising" and points homeowners to the State Board for Contractors (804-367-8511) and the DPOR license lookup. Its FAQ says "Class A, B, or C contractors licensed in the state of Virginia may only obtain permits within their respective trade." The Property Owner/Contractor Licensure Affidavit in the City's residential permit packet still prints the older Class C range ("over $1,000 but less than $10,000"), which predates the 2025 amendment quoted above.
Permit process
In Norfolk a one- or two-family residential reroof needs no building permit, except where the building official requires one for a house in a local historic district or a special flood hazard area, and a commercial reroof needs a permit. Historic districts and flood areas: the building official may still require a permit there under the two Exceptions quoted above. Norfolk's residential permit packet says: "Check to see if property is in a local Historic District. If in a local Historic District, a Certificate of Appropriateness is needed for exterior modifications before permits can be approved. Contact: [email protected]". The City's Contractor / Owner Roofing Requirements sheet says: "Design Review must approve all exterior coverings in designated zoning districts. Compliance is mandatory." Check both before starting a reroof on a house in a local historic district or a special flood hazard area. Virginia's statewide building code reads: "108.2 Exemptions from application for permit. Notwithstanding the requirements of Section 108.1, 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 m2) or less of roof covering in all groups and all wind zones. 14.6. Replacement of 256 square feet (23.78 m2) 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 of original construction to be fire-retardant-treated or protected in some other way to form a fire-rated wall termination. ... 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 § 15.2-2306 of the Code of Virginia. 2. Application for a permit may be required by the building official for any items exempted in this section that are located in a special flood hazard area." (Virginia Construction Code Section 108.2, 13VAC5-63-80.) The City of Norfolk applies that exemption to houses in its own words. Its Permits and Inspections page and its FAQ both state: "Building permits are not required for 1 and 2 family residential re-roofs, replacement windows of the same size, vinyl or shake siding, cabinets, floor coverings, minor repair to decks including but not limited to deck board repair and tread repair, driveways, water tanks supported on grade at 5,000 gallons or less, retaining walls supporting less than 2 feet of unbalanced fill, and above ground swimming pools less than 2 feet deep." The Building Permit Fee Schedule enacted in the City Code (Sec. 11.1-3, Ord. No. 47,229, effective July 1, 2018) lists, under "Re-roof and Siding", the residential entry as "No permit required" and the commercial entry at "$150 (flat fee)"; the same page lists "re-roof" among the commercial projects for which "building permits are required". Structural and deck repairs are separate permit work in Norfolk. The Permits and Inspections page says "A building permit is required for any residential or commercial repair (alteration), addition, or new construction that requires new framing or exposes existing framing." The City's Contractor / Owner Roofing Requirements sheet (undated, still linked from the City's Applications & Forms page) says: "Damaged sheathing must be repaired or replaced. Repairs of structural members, sheathing, studs, rafters, joists, plates or sills will require a SEPARATE REPAIR PERMIT, AND THAT WORK MUST BE INSPECTED AND APPROVED PRIOR TO COVERING." That sheet sets no square-footage floor, while item 14.6 above exempts replacing up to 256 square feet of roof decking; ask the City before replacing sheathing without a permit. Norfolk's codified local criteria (City Code Sec. 11.1-4.1) set the wind load "based on a minimum sustained (1-minute measured wind) wind speed of 100 MPH". The City does not describe that figure as a nominal design wind speed, and this record does not convert it to any other basis; the no-permit answer above rests on the City's own statements, not on that figure. Replacing 100 square feet or less of roof covering is exempt under item 14.5 "in all groups and all wind zones", and an owner or an owner's agent may still ask for a permit for an exempt reroof, in which case "a permit shall be issued and any related inspections shall be required". Where a permit is needed (a commercial reroof, a structural or sheathing repair, or a permit an owner asks for), Building, Fire, Sign, Elevator, Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing and Zoning permits "are applied for and issued online using our E-Permit Portal"; "The online portal accepts only Visa and Mastercard." Questions go to the Department of City Planning at 757-664-6565 or [email protected]. Under the City Code fee schedule (Sec. 11.1-3) each fee is increased by 2 percent for the state Building Code Academy levy and by $15.00 for processing; the residential "Alterations/Repairs" line is "$100 (flat fee)", the minimum permit fee is $50, and the "Administrative Fee for work begun without a permit" is $150. The permit application carries a Property Owner/Contractor Licensure Affidavit, and the FAQ says a property owner who pulls a permit "will also need to submit an affidavit accepting responsibility for all work performed under the permit."
Portal
Permit portal

View the full Norfolk permitting authority record →

Roofing suppliers in Norfolk

5 roofing distributor branches serving Norfolk are cataloged in the directory:

Roofing suppliers in Norfolk

ABC Supply Co., Inc.ABC Supply - Norfolk, VA (Progress Rd) ABC Supply Co., Inc.ABC Supply - Norfolk, VA (Village Ave) Mid-Atlantic Roofing SupplyMid-Atlantic Roofing Supply - Norfolk QXOQXO - Norfolk, VA SRS DistributionSRS Building Products - Norfolk, VA

All roofing suppliers in Norfolk →

Roofing materials for Norfolk

Compare roofing material families — service life, weight, cost band, and durability — for a Norfolk reroof. Every material entry in the directory carries a cited, dated source.

Start with all roofing materials or the asphalt vs. metal vs. tile comparison.

Local permitting authority

City of Norfolk - Department of City Planning, Permits and Inspectionscity

Roofing guides

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

Sources