Do I need a permit to replace my roof in Marin County?

Who issues the permit for my address?

Who issues a Marin reroof permit depends on whether your parcel is inside a city or town or in unincorporated Marin County. The County handles unincorporated areas; each city runs its own building department.

What does the permit cost?

Unincorporated Marin County publishes a $510 base fee for re-roofing only, before other charges. San Rafael and the other Marin cities set their own fees.

Who applies for it, me or the roofer?

Usually the licensed roofer pulls the permit and includes the fee in the bid. Ask for the permit number before work starts, and keep the finaled permit with your house records.

What inspections should I expect?

Most jurisdictions inspect once the old roofing is off or during the work, and again at the end. Ask your roofer which inspections your city requires and make sure the final is signed off.

Do energy and fire rules apply to my reroof?

Possibly both. California's Energy Code has cool-roof requirements for some steep-slope reroofs that replace more than half the roof, depending on climate zone (California Energy Commission, BayREN guide). Cool-roof rules in the Energy Code depend on climate zone and roof slope, not on the county line. Parts of Marin may fall outside the steep-slope requirement, but that is address-specific, so ask your roofer to confirm the zone and the product's rated reflectance. In a very high fire hazard severity zone, state law requires a Class A roof when more than half the roof is replaced; see our Class A guide.

Why does the permit matter later?

A finaled permit is proof of the roof's age and that it passed inspection, which insurers and buyers often ask for. It also helps when you need to show an insurer when the roof was replaced.