Roof permit rules in Richmond, VA

Short answer: It depends on the job in Richmond, VA. Zoning Administration says most zoning reviews are completed within ten working days of submittal.

7 rules in all. For Richmond, the wording below is quoted from City of Richmond Planning and Development Review, Permits and Inspections; nothing is paraphrased without its source line. Richmond publishes no roofing fee formula we could confirm, so there is no fee calculator.

Checked October 9, 2026. Information, not legal advice: confirm with the building department before you start.

Where Richmond is

Richmond roof permit rules at a glance

Each row is one confirmed statement from an official page; a row says “Not confirmed” when we found none.
Permit for a roof replacement	DependsReplacing any amount of roof covering on a house (Group R-3/R-4/R-5) is exempt from a building permit if the design wind speed is not above 100 mph; replacing 100 sq ft or less of roof covering is exempt everywhere. rva.gov
Permit for a repair	DependsReplacing 256 sq ft or less of roof decking on a house is exempt from a permit unless fire-retardant-treated or fire-rated decking was required originally. rva.gov
Who files	Owner or contractorA permit application may be made by the owner or lessee of the property or by their agent, or by the contractor associated with the work. law.lis.virginia.gov
Fee	Not confirmedNo quotable line on fee exists on the pages we opened; the row stays blank.
Inspections	Not confirmedNo quotable line on inspections exists on the pages we opened; the row stays blank.
Review time	StatedZoning Administration says most zoning reviews are completed within ten working days of submittal. rva.gov

Richmond: permit for a roof replacement

Replacing any amount of roof covering on a house (Group R-3/R-4/R-5) is exempt from a building permit if the design wind speed is not above 100 mph; replacing 100 sq ft or less of roof covering is exempt everywhere.

“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.”

rva.gov. Read on October 9, 2026.

Richmond: permit for a repair

Replacing 256 sq ft or less of roof decking on a house is exempt from a permit unless fire-retardant-treated or fire-rated decking was required originally.

“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.”

rva.gov. Read on October 9, 2026.

Richmond: who files

A permit application may be made by the owner or lessee of the property or by their agent, or by the contractor associated with the work.

“Application for a permit shall be made by the owner or lessee of the relevant property or the agent of either or by the RDP, contractor, or subcontractor associated with the work or any of their agents.”

law.lis.virginia.gov. Read on October 9, 2026.

Richmond: review time

Zoning Administration says most zoning reviews are completed within ten working days of submittal.

“most reviews are completed within ten (10) working days of the submittal.”

rva.gov. Read on October 9, 2026.

Richmond: exceptions and extra rules

In a City Old & Historic District replacement roofing is not exempt and a building permit is required.

“NOTE: Installation of replacement siding, roofing and windows in buildings within a City Old & Historic District are NOT exempted and require a building permit be obtained.”

rva.gov. Read on October 9, 2026.

The building official may also require a permit for otherwise-exempt items located in a special flood hazard area.

“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.”

law.lis.virginia.gov. Read on October 9, 2026.

Properties in the City Old & Historic District need CAR approval, depending on the scope of work, for exterior changes visible from a public street or alley; regulated changes might include roof materials.

“Properties in the City Old & Historic District require, depending on the scope of the work, CAR approval for any exterior change to the building or property that is visible from a public street or alley. Regulated changes might include additions, the replacement of windows or doors, siding, roof materials, fences or walls and paint color.”

rva.gov. Read on October 9, 2026.

Richmond: where to apply

We skip the portal link for Richmond: its pages did not name an online system for roof permits. The Richmond department’s own pages are a place to start: www.rva.gov/sites/default/files/2025-02/Building%20Plan%20Requirements%20Residential%202021%20VRC%20_Updated.pdf.

Richmond: what we could not confirm

Fee. We did not find this stated on the Richmond pages we checked on October 9, 2026. Ask the Richmond permit office before you rely on it.
Where to apply. We did not find this stated on the Richmond pages we checked on October 9, 2026. Ask the Richmond permit office before you rely on it.

The housing behind Richmond’s rules

The median home here was built in 1959. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (Richmond city), ACS 2019–2023 5-year.
71.5 percent of the housing units were built before 1980. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (Richmond city), ACS 2019–2023 5-year.
43.5 percent of occupied homes are lived in by their owner, the group that may file its own permit where the city allows it. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (Richmond city), ACS 2019–2023 5-year.
The Census County Business Patterns file counts 14 roofing contractor establishments in the area. U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, CBP 2023.
NOAA storm reports show 2 days with hail of 1 inch or more in the reporting period. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 2014–June 2026.

Questions

Do I need a permit to replace a roof in Richmond?

Do I need a permit to repair a roof in Richmond?

Replacing 256 sq ft or less of roof decking on a house is exempt from a permit unless fire-retardant-treated or fire-rated decking was required originally.

Who applies for the roofing permit in Richmond, the owner or the roofer?

A permit application may be made by the owner or lessee of the property or by their agent, or by the contractor associated with the work.

How long does the Richmond permit take?

Zoning Administration says most zoning reviews are completed within ten working days of submittal.

Planning a re-roof in Richmond? Describe the job once and we send it to one local roofer, not five.

Start an inspection request

Other cities

Information, not legal advice. Rules change; every statement above carries the page it was read from and the date we read it. The city’s own text governs.