Roof Replacement Permit and Inspection — What the City Checks in MN
You are comparing roof quotes and one of them does not mention a permit; you want to know whether your city requires one, who is supposed to get it, what the inspector looks at and what it means if it is skipped.
A roof replacement permit and inspection in Minnesota is required by most Twin Cities cities for a full tear-off and reroof, and the contractor pulls it. JMB Builders applies for the city's building permit before the job; the inspector checks the ice and water shield at the eaves, the underlayment, flashing, nailing and ventilation, usually at the finished roof with dry-in photos. We do it on every roof across the metro; the fee is on the scope.
- Most Twin Cities cities require a reroof permit
- The contractor pulls it; fee listed on the scope
- Inspector checks membrane, flashing, nailing, venting
- Send photos, reply within one business day
- Licensed MN contractor BC809005
Send photos and hear back within one business day — or book a free in-home estimate.
Most cities in the Twin Cities metro require a building permit for a full roof replacement, and some require it for a reroof of any size. The permit is how the city knows the work is being done by a licensed contractor to the Minnesota code, and the inspection is how it confirms the parts you will never see again were done: the membrane at the eaves, the underlayment, the flashing, the nails. A roof is one of the few jobs where the inspector's visit is also the homeowner's only independent check on what went under the shingles.
The contractor pulls the permit. That is not a courtesy; a licensed contractor is the one the city issues it to for work they are doing, and a contractor who asks you to pull it as the homeowner is usually unlicensed. We apply before the job, post the card, and schedule the inspection. Some cities inspect at the dry-in stage, with the membrane and underlayment on and before shingles; most inspect the finished roof and ask for photos of the dry-in and the deck, which we take on every job anyway. The inspector typically checks the ice and water shield coverage at the eaves and valleys, the drip edge, the underlayment laps, the step and counter flashing at walls and chimneys, the shingle nailing pattern, the ridge vent and soffit intake, and that the decking was repaired where it needed to be.
A roof done without a permit can come back at resale, when the buyer's inspector or the title company finds no record of the new roof, and it can matter on an insurance claim later. Fees vary by city and are set by the city, not by us; the fee goes on the scope as its own line. On an insurance roof the permit is a line on the claim scope too.
What you supply
- Your address and the parcel so the permit is filed to the right property
- Access to the attic on inspection day if the inspector wants to see the deck from below
- Any paperwork from the last roof, if there was a permit for it, which helps on an older house
- Nothing else; the permit, the posting and the inspection scheduling are ours
What JMB supplies
- The permit application to your city before the job starts, under our Minnesota contractor license BC809005
- The permit card posted on site and the inspection scheduled with the city
- Photos of the bare deck, the ice and water shield, the underlayment and the flashing before shingles, for the inspector and your file
- The roof built to what the inspector checks: eave membrane coverage, drip edge, flashing, nailing, ventilation
- The finished inspection record for your file, useful at resale and on insurance claims
- The permit fee shown as its own line on the scope at the city's rate
How it is priced: per project
Quoted in writing from your photos, with a reply within one business day. What moves the number:
- The city's permit fee, which varies by city and sometimes by roof value, listed as its own line
- Whether the city requires a dry-in inspection, which fixes the schedule around the inspector's visit
- Any code-required items the old roof lacked, such as eave membrane or drip edge, which are part of the roof scope
- The roof itself: squares, pitch, layers, decking, access
Tell us your city and we will tell you whether it requires a dry-in inspection, which changes how the two days are scheduled.
How long it takes
The permit is applied for once you approve the scope; most cities issue it within days. The inspection is scheduled at the city's convenience after the roof is finished, or at dry-in where the city requires it.
How your project works
- 1
Send photos, get a written quote
Send three photos of the space and a sentence about what you want. You get a clear, itemized reply within one business day. Prefer a look in person? A free in-home estimate is always an option.
- 2
Pick materials, or bring your own
We help you choose profiles and materials that fit the house and the budget, or match your existing millwork exactly — or you buy the door or trim yourself and we install it. Everything is confirmed before the crew is scheduled.
- 3
Clean, precise installation
The crew shows up on time, protects floors and furniture, and installs with tight joints and consistent reveals. Photos of the finished work go in your job folder.
- 4
Walkthrough and invoice
We walk the finished work with you. If anything is not right, we fix it before we call the job done. Then one invoice, paid by check or direct deposit — no card fees, no payment links.
Situations and options
Finished-roof inspection with dry-in photos
The common case. The inspector comes after the roof is done and reviews photos of the deck, membrane and underlayment along with the finished flashing, nailing and vents.
Dry-in inspection before shingles
Some cities want to see the membrane and underlayment on the deck before shingles go on. The job is scheduled so the deck is dried in and the inspector comes before the shingles start, usually the next morning.
Insurance claim roof permit
The permit fee is a standard line on a claim scope. If the adjuster's scope left it off, it goes in the supplement. Code-required items the old roof lacked may fall under ordinance or law coverage; ask your agent.
Previous roof had no permit
Common on older houses. It does not prevent permitting the new roof. We note the layers and the deck condition on the application and the inspector sees the new work; the old roof's history does not follow you.
Roof Replacement Permit and Inspection — What the City Checks in MN: questions, answered
Do I need a permit to replace my roof in Minnesota?
In most Twin Cities cities, yes, for a full tear-off and reroof; some require it for any reroof and a few townships do not require one at all. The permit is issued by your city, not the state, so the rule depends on where the house is. We know which cities require what and we pull the permit as part of every roof. If a quote does not mention a permit, ask the contractor whether they intend to pull one.
Who pulls the permit for a roof replacement, the contractor or the homeowner?
The contractor. A licensed contractor pulls the permit for work they perform, under their license, and is the one the inspector holds to the code. A contractor who asks the homeowner to pull the permit is usually not licensed to do the work, and the homeowner then carries the responsibility for it. We apply, post the card and schedule the inspection; you do not need to do anything.
What does the city inspector check on a new roof?
Typically the ice and water shield coverage at the eaves and in the valleys, the drip edge, the underlayment and its laps, the step and counter flashing at walls and chimneys, the pipe boots and vent caps, the shingle nailing pattern and nail count, the ridge vent and soffit intake, and that soft decking was replaced. Most cities inspect the finished roof and review dry-in photos; some come out before shingles to see the membrane on the deck.
What happens if a roof was replaced without a permit?
Nothing immediately, which is why it happens. It shows up later: at resale, when the buyer's inspector or the title search finds no permit for a roof that is clearly newer than the records, and sometimes on an insurance claim when the insurer asks when the roof was installed and by whom. A city can also require a permit after the fact with an inspection of what can still be seen. Getting the permit at the time costs the city's fee and nothing else.
How much is a roofing permit in the Twin Cities?
It depends on the city; some charge a flat fee for a reroof and some base it on the value of the job. We do not put figures on a page because every city is different and they change. The fee is set by the city, passed through at cost, and shown as its own line on your scope so you can see it. On an insurance roof it is a standard line on the claim scope.
Does the inspector need to come inside my house?
Usually not. The inspection is on the roof and from the ground, with the dry-in photos covering what is under the shingles. Occasionally an inspector asks to see the attic to check the deck from below or the ventilation, so it helps if the attic access is clear on inspection day. You do not need to be home unless the attic is the only way they can see what they want to see.
Recent JMB work, from our job log
59 installs recorded across 30 Twin Cities communities since Dec 2025. Window and door installs for homeowners, builders and dealers. Counts come straight from our job log; no customer names.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough: a reply within one business day, or ask for a free in-home estimate. Or text the photos to 763-333-4066.
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Read morePage reviewed October 2, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All roofing pages
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