Whether a new roof needs a permit is decided by the local building department, and the answer differs from city to city. Where one is required, ask whose name goes on the application, because that person can carry responsibility for the work and its inspections. A good bid says who applies, whether the fee is included, and which inspections follow.
Does a new roof need a permit?
It depends on your local building department. Some require a permit to replace a roof and some do not, and the rule can differ between two cities in the same state. Because the rule is local, ask your building office, and ask every contractor to say in writing whether a permit applies to your job.
For example, here is what three cities’ own pages say. Two of them are in Ohio, and they say different things. These are examples only. Rules and pages change, so check the current page from your own building department.
- Kettering, Ohio. The city’s Residential Reroofing Guide lists four kinds of reroofing, from a tear-off with no repairs to a total replacement. For each, it says: “No permit or inspections required. Work must still be installed in accordance with the provisions of the current Residential Code of Ohio (RCO).” The same page also says: “Building approvals may be required based on the final scope of work. The roofing contractor shall contact the department for further guidance before starting any work.” Rules change, so check the city’s current page.
- Parma Heights, Ohio. The city’s Department of Public Service publishes an “Application for Roof Permit” with a property owner section, a contractor section and permit types that include “Residential Tear off” and “Residential Re-roof.” It says fees are not refundable.
- Carmel, Indiana. The city’s Building Safety Office says: “If you are in doubt whether your project will require a permit, we can help you make that determination.” It also says projects must be built to the 2020 Indiana Residential Code, which it describes as the 2018 International Residential Code plus Indiana amendments.
Who pulls the roofing permit?
Where a permit is required, the building department decides who is allowed to apply, and the rule is local. The Parma Heights form, for example, has a property owner section and a contractor section, and the person who signs is the applicant. Ask each bidder whose name will be on the application, and ask your building office who may apply.
The name matters because of what it means. Carmel’s page says the Builder of Record on a permit “assumes responsibility for all aspects of construction performed,” including “the scheduling and completion of all required inspections and payment of all fees.”
If you are asked to sign the application yourself while a contractor does the work, find out from the building department what that signature makes you responsible for before you sign. The Parma Heights form says, “It is the applicant’s responsibility to review and comply with all mandates of the Parma Heights Codified Ordinances relative to this application request.”
Why does it matter who pulls the permit?
Where a permit is required, the inspections run through it. The Parma Heights application says, “All inspections needed will be listed on the permit,” and that a permit number is required to schedule them. Ask whose job it is to schedule the inspections, and what happens if one fails.
Three things follow from the permit, where one applies:
- Inspection. Parma Heights lists the needed inspections on the permit. Carmel’s page ties scheduling and completing the required inspections to the Builder of Record.
- Code compliance. Kettering’s page says that where no permit is required, work must still follow the Residential Code of Ohio.
- Work without a permit. The Parma Heights application says the permit cost “shall be doubled for work begun or completed without obtaining a permit.” Kettering’s page says photographs submitted after the work is done “will not be accepted for inspections without prior application for permit and discussion with building department.”
What should a roofing bid say about the permit?
A bid should say in plain words whether a permit applies, who applies for it, whether the permit fee is in the total, and which inspections the contractor will schedule and attend. If the bid is silent on any of these, ask for the answer in writing before you compare totals.
Use the table to read the permit lines of each bid side by side:
| Permit line | What a clear bid says | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Is a permit required? | States whether the local building department requires one for this job, and how the contractor found out. | Did you check with the building department, and can you put the answer in writing? |
| Who applies | Names the company that applies and signs the application. | Whose name will be on the permit, and does your license number appear on it? |
| The permit fee | Says whether the fee is included in the total, shown separately, or left to the homeowner. | Is the permit fee in the total? If a fee changes, who pays the difference? |
| Inspections | Lists the inspections the contractor will schedule and be present for. | Which inspections apply, who schedules them, and who pays if one has to be repeated? |
| The record | Promises to give you a copy of the permit and the signed-off inspection when the job ends. | Will you give me the permit number and the final inspection record? |
The re-inspection question is worth asking. The Parma Heights application lists a re-inspection fee charged for each additional re-inspection. Ask who pays it.
What are the red flags about permits?
Two stand out: a contractor who says “no permit needed” without saying how they checked, and a contractor who asks you to apply for the permit yourself as the owner. Each is a reason to ask the building department and get the answer into the bid in writing.
- “No permit needed,” with nothing behind it. It may be true. Kettering’s page says no permit is required for the roof work it lists, though it also says approvals may be required. Parma Heights, another Ohio city, has a roof permit application. Ask how the contractor checked, and check yourself.
- A request that you pull an owner permit. Ask what the building department would make you responsible for, then ask the contractor why they want your name on it instead of theirs.
- A bid that never mentions the permit. Silence leaves who applies and who pays to be settled later.
If you cannot get a clear answer, you can say so to the contractor and to the building office. This guide is general information, not legal advice. For questions about your own liability, talk to a licensed attorney.
What should I ask every roofing contractor about the permit?
Send the same questions to every bidder and ask for written answers:
- Does my building department require a permit for this job, and how did you confirm it?
- Who applies for the permit, and whose name and license number are on it?
- Is the permit fee in your total, and is anything else, such as filing the application, extra?
- Which inspections will be scheduled, who schedules them, and who pays if one is repeated?
- Will you give me a copy of the permit and the final inspection record at the end?
Put each answer next to its bid and compare totals only after the lines match. Our guide to reading a roofing contractor estimate and the roof bid comparison worksheet show where the answers go, and how to choose a contractor covers licensing and references. For the other lines of a bid, see what goes into the cost of a roof replacement.
Where Otter Quotes fits
Otter Quotes creates a written scope of work for your project and sends it to multiple contractors. Every bid is on the same scope and the same measurements, so you are comparing the same job, and you can ask each contractor the permit questions above. You compare the bids online, next to reviews and licensing information, without a salesperson visiting your home.
Because contractors know they are competing, they are more likely to include better materials and warranties. Otter Quotes is not a contractor, does not sell upgrades and does not work with your insurance company. Contractors pay Otter Quotes a fee on the accepted bid.
Frequently asked questions
Does a new roof need a permit?
It depends on the building department where the house is. Some require a permit to replace a roof and some do not, and two Ohio cities in this guide say different things. Ask the local building office before work starts, and ask each contractor to write down whether a permit applies.
Who pulls the roofing permit, the homeowner or the contractor?
The rules are local, so ask the building department who may apply. Carmel, Indiana, says the Builder of Record on a permit assumes responsibility for the construction and its inspections. Rules elsewhere may differ, so ask each bidder in writing whose name will be on the application.
Should the permit fee be in the roofing bid?
It can be, but a bid has to say so. A bid can include the permit fee, leave it to you, or say nothing about it. Ask each contractor whether the fee, any re-inspection charge and the work of applying are in the total, so the bids price the same job.
What if a contractor says no permit is needed?
That may be true where you live, since some departments do not require one. Do not take it on trust. Ask the contractor to put it in writing, then confirm with your local building department. Kettering, Ohio, lists roof work that needs no permit but tells the contractor to contact the department before starting, while Parma Heights, Ohio, has a roof permit application.
Is it a red flag if a contractor asks me to pull the permit?
It is a reason to ask questions. Find out from the building department what signing as the owner would make you responsible for, and ask the contractor why they prefer that. A contractor who will not put permit responsibility in the bid, or in the contract, leaves you guessing. This is not legal advice.
Sources
- City of Kettering, Ohio, Residential Reroofing Guide.
- City of Parma Heights, Ohio, Department of Public Service, Application for Roof Permit.
- City of Carmel, Indiana, Building Safety Office, Residential Permits.