Reroof Permit Basics for LA Homeowners.

This page explains what a reroof permit involves in Los Angeles. It uses the City of Los Angeles as the main example, because its rules are published in detail. Unincorporated county areas and other cities have their own departments and may differ. Part of our roof permits hub.

LA Roof Guide does not do roof work or pull permits. This is general information only.

Step 1: Find out who issues the permit

Your permit comes from the building department that covers your address.

• In the City of Los Angeles, that is the Department of Building and Safety (LADBS). LADBS says a permit "is required for any private property construction, alteration, or repair work on buildings within the City of Los Angeles."
• In unincorporated LA County, it is LA County Public Works, Building and Safety Division. The county takes permit applications through its online system, EPIC-LA. It says inspection requests for projects in unincorporated areas "will be processed online only through EPIC-LA."
• Some smaller cities contract with the county for building services. The county says projects in "one of our Contract Cities" apply through a portal called BSOP.

If you are not sure which office covers your home, LA County Public Works has a Service Locator for that question.

Step 2: Know which type of permit fits

LADBS sorts permits by how much review they need. Its permitting page lists:

• Express permits: "Permits for simple projects, which do not require plan check. Can be done on-line."
• Counter plan check: simple projects that need a plan check, issued over the counter.
• Regular plan check: for "large, complex projects."

A standard reroof usually falls in the first group. LADBS bulletin P/GI 2026-003 lists these reroof jobs as express permits:

• Reroof "with Class A or B roof covering material weighing less than 6 pounds per sq. ft. over existing solid sheathing."
• The same, "over new solid sheathing."
• "Remove existing roof tiles, apply new underlayment and reset roof tiles."
• "Application of an approved coating to an existing roof."

The bulletin says express permits can be obtained online. They are also handled by appointment at LADBS counters in the Metro, Van Nuys, West Los Angeles, San Pedro and South Los Angeles offices.

A job outside these descriptions may need plan check. One example is a heavier roof covering than the 6 pound limit. LADBS is the place to confirm.

Step 3: Check the material rules

Two rules ride along with the LADBS express reroof permit.

Fire rating. "Class A roof covering is required within Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHFHSZ)." Outside that zone, the express listing allows Class A or B. Class A is the highest fire rating used in these codes.

Cool roof. "For residential roof replacement > 50% of the total roof area, apply Cool Roof Product labeled and certified by Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC)." So if more than half of a home's roof is replaced, the new product needs a CRRC label. The tile reset job above is the stated exception: "Cool roof compliance is not required." Our cool roofs page explains what that label means.

Step 4: Know the fire zone extras

If the home is in a mapped Fire Hazard Severity Zone, more rules apply. LA County's 2026 construction notes for these zones are a clear summary. They apply to "additions, alterations or repairs made to existing buildings" in a zone. They require:

• A Class A roof covering, tested under ASTM E108 or UL 790, with a few exceptions.
• Gutters and downspouts "constructed of noncombustible material," with "an approved means to prevent accumulation of leaves and debris."
• Ember-resistant vents.
• Valley flashing of at least 0.019 inch (No. 26 gage) galvanized sheet over a 36 inch wide cap sheet, where valley flashing is used.

The notes also say "paints, coating, stains or other surface treatments are not an approved method of protection." Details are on our Class A roofs and vents page.

Step 5: Inspections and the final certificate

The LADBS homeowner guide shows the general order of a permitted job. Permit issued, then construction and inspection, then final inspection.

For reroofs, LADBS uses a Re-Roofing Certificate of Compliance (Form 12). It certifies that "the work performed and the materials used and installed for re-roofing" comply with "the roofing regulations of the Los Angeles Building Department." Key points on the form:

• It lists the building address and the permit number.
• It "shall be signed by the licensed contractor, or by the owner-builder if work was not performed by a contractor."
• The contractor's license number goes on the form.
• It "shall be returned to the inspector, or mailed to the Department."

Step 6: Keep your copies

LADBS says permits and inspections provide "important documentation in the event you sell or refinance the property." Keep the permit, the inspection sign-off and the certificate together. Later, you or a buyer can also find them through the city's records tools. See how to look up a roof's permit history.

Questions to bring to the building department

• Does my address fall in a Fire Hazard Severity Zone?
• Does my planned roof covering fit the express permit rules, or does it need plan check?
• Does the cool roof rule apply to my job?
• Which inspections will the job need, and how do I schedule them?

Who holds the permit also matters for the contract. Our page on roofing contracts and down payments covers what California requires there.

This page is general information, not legal, engineering or building code advice. Rules differ by city; check with your local building department.