Roof Replacement Permit in Fresno County, California
Permit required
Yes, a permit is required
Before re-roofing an existing home in unincorporated Fresno County
By Mario Bailey, verified against official sources
Quick answer
A re-roof is a permitted alteration in unincorporated Fresno County and the fee schedule prices it as a flat per-structure Special Services fee that includes the pre-roof inspection. The county requires the F336 Re-Roof Certification form, which records the roof classification, slope and covering materials, together with the CF1R energy compliance form or a Certificate of Compliance, before the permit is issued. Class A roof covering is the minimum in California Department of Forestry State Responsibility Areas under Title 15 Section 15.08.020.M. This applies to unincorporated Fresno County only, not to the City of Fresno, the City of Clovis or the county's other incorporated cities.
Who is pulling this permit?
Apply yourself
Hire it out
Before you sign, ask the contractor:
- Who pulls the permit, you or me, and is the permit fee included in the bid?
- Which inspections will this job need, and who meets the inspector on site?
- Is your contractor license active in this locality, and under which business name?
When a permit is usually needed
Before re-roofing an existing home in unincorporated Fresno County
What a roof replacement permit costs in Fresno County
How Fresno County compares in California
| Jurisdiction | Permit needed? | Threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Alameda County | It depends | Aggregate roof area repaired on a previously permitted roof, at which the building permit exemption stops |
| Contra Costa County | Permit required | Not specified |
| Fresno Countythis page | Permit required | Not specified |
| Los Angeles | Permit required | Not specified |
| Los Angeles County | Permit required | Not specified |
| Orange County | Permit required | Not specified |
| Riverside County | It depends | Roof repairs or replacements covering less than 25 percent of the legally existing roof area are exempt, provided the work does not involve the underlying framing and does not occur more than once in a 12-month period |
How to apply in Fresno County
A residential reroof permit application is lighter than for structural work: you state whether the scope is a full tear-off (roof replacement) or an overlay (roof recover), describe the covering material and its manufacturer instructions, and note the condition of the existing deck, since those facts determine which code path applies.
What most roof replacement permit applications include:
- State on the application whether the job is a roof replacement, which strips all existing layers down to the bare deck, or a roof recover, which leaves the old covering in place under specific conditions, since the two scopes are governed differently (IRC R908.3).
- A recover is only an option where the new covering follows the roof covering manufacturer's approved instructions or is a self-supporting system, such as standing-seam metal, that does not rely on the existing roof for support (IRC R908.3.1).
- Full tear-off must be scoped on the application instead of a recover when the existing roof is water soaked or deteriorated, is slate, clay, cement, or asbestos-cement tile, or already carries two or more layers of roof covering (IRC R908.3.1.1).
- The materials and installation methods described on the application must comply with the reroofing requirements of the roof-assemblies chapter (IRC R908.1).
- If the scope reuses existing slate, clay, or cement tile, damaged or broken pieces cannot be listed for reinstallation, and any rusted or deteriorated flashings, edgings, outlets, or vents uncovered during tear-off must be scoped for replacement (IRC R908.5).
General submittal guidance from IRC Section R908 Reroofing (text as adopted in the 2020 Residential Code of New York State, based on the 2018 IRC). Source. Department of Public Works and Planning, Development Services and Capital Projects Division, Building and Safety sets the exact checklist for Fresno County.
Where to apply in Fresno County:
Department of Public Works and Planning, Development Services and Capital Projects Division, Building and Safety
- 2220 Tulare Street, Suite A, Fresno, CA 93721 (Development Services and Capital Projects Division; the offices are in Annex A and Annex B of the Fresno County Plaza at Tulare and M streets)
- Phone: 559-600-4570 (plan check and permit information); 559-600-4560 (building inspection); 559-600-4131 (24 hour inspection request line)
- Email: PlanCheckBuildingCode2@fresnocountyca.gov
Inspections and closing out your permit
Most residential reroofs get two to three field inspections keyed to the scope of work: a deck or nailing check when sheathing is exposed or replaced, a final on the completed covering and flashings, and in some high-wind regions a dedicated check of mitigation measures added during tear-off.
- Where the covering is fully removed and the sheathing is exposed, replaced, or added, inspectors check the deck and its nailing before any new roofing goes down, since the structural framework must be able to carry the new covering's loads (IRC R908.2).
- An overlay is only approved where it meets one of the code's listed recover conditions, such as installation in accordance with the covering manufacturer's approved instructions (IRC R908.3.1).
- Flashings disturbed or replaced during the job are checked against the approved manufacturer's installation instructions, and metal flashing that will receive bituminous material must be primed before installation (IRC R908.6).
- A final inspection confirms the completed roof covering and its fasteners were installed as required for that material and per manufacturer instructions before the permit is closed (IRC R905).
- In some regions with strengthened wind provisions, reroofing an older single-family home also triggers inspection of supplemental deck-nailing and a secondary water barrier added during tear-off, on top of the base reroofing requirements (Florida Building Code, Residential R908.7 Mitigation).
- Reinstalled existing slate, clay, or cement tile is checked against reuse limits at inspection, and any rusted, damaged, or deteriorated flashings, edgings, outlets, or vents found during tear-off must be replaced rather than reinstalled (IRC R908.5).
Schedule each inspection in advance and pass the final before you use the work or close the permit. Request inspections through the Fresno County permit portal or by phone at 559-600-4570 (plan check and permit information); 559-600-4560 (building inspection); 559-600-4131 (24 hour inspection request line).
Inspection sequence from IRC Section R908 Reroofing and Section R905 Roof Coverings (2021 International Residential Code). Source. An open permit left un-inspected can surface later in a title search or home sale.
Your Roof Replacement Permit checklist for Fresno County
- Confirm the requirement. Yes, a permit is required. Usually needed: Before re-roofing an existing home in unincorporated Fresno County.
- Budget the fee. Special Services Fees item 16, 'Re-roofing of existing buildings including pre-roof inspection', a. Single family residential: $201.47 per structure for FY 2026-27. FY 2026-27 amounts include the 3 percent increase effective 07/01/2026 under Ordinance 24-005. Official fee schedule.
- Apply. A residential reroof permit application is lighter than for structural work: you state whether the scope is a full tear-off (roof replacement) or an overlay (roof recover), describe the covering material and its manufacturer instructions, and note the condition of the existing deck, since those facts determine which code path applies. Start at the Fresno County permit portal.
- Keep the office details handy. Department of Public Works and Planning, Development Services and Capital Projects Division, Building and Safety. Phone: 559-600-4570 (plan check and permit information); 559-600-4560 (building inspection); 559-600-4131 (24 hour inspection request line). Address: 2220 Tulare Street, Suite A, Fresno, CA 93721 (Development Services and Capital Projects Division; the offices are in Annex A and Annex B of the Fresno County Plaza at Tulare and M streets).
- Plan for inspections. Most residential reroofs get two to three field inspections keyed to the scope of work: a deck or nailing check when sheathing is exposed or replaced, a final on the completed covering and flashings, and in some high-wind regions a dedicated check of mitigation measures added during tear-off.
Compiled from the official sources on this page. Last checked .
Frequently asked questions
- Do you need a roof replacement permit in Fresno County?
- A re-roof is a permitted alteration in unincorporated Fresno County and the fee schedule prices it as a flat per-structure Special Services fee that includes the pre-roof inspection. The county requires the F336 Re-Roof Certification form, which records the roof classification, slope and covering materials, together with the CF1R energy compliance form or a Certificate of Compliance, before the permit is issued. Class A roof covering is the minimum in California Department of Forestry State Responsibility Areas under Title 15 Section 15.08.020.M. This applies to unincorporated Fresno County only, not to the City of Fresno, the City of Clovis or the county's other incorporated cities. Always confirm with the Department of Public Works and Planning, Development Services and Capital Projects Division, Building and Safety before starting.
- How much does a roof replacement permit cost in Fresno County?
- Special Services Fees item 16, 'Re-roofing of existing buildings including pre-roof inspection', a. Single family residential: $201.47 per structure for FY 2026-27. FY 2026-27 amounts include the 3 percent increase effective 07/01/2026 under Ordinance 24-005. See the official fee schedule for current amounts.
- Where do you apply for a roof replacement permit in Fresno County?
- You can apply through the Fresno County permit portal or contact the Department of Public Works and Planning, Development Services and Capital Projects Division, Building and Safety directly. The links are listed on this page.
- Can a homeowner pull a roof replacement permit themselves in Fresno County?
- Under California law (Business & Professions Code 7044(a)-(b); Business & Professions Code 7031.5): California exempts an owner-builder from contractor licensing when the owner personally performs the work, or uses only wage employees, on their own property and does not intend the improvements for sale. A homeowner may also directly hire licensed trade contractors for up to four single-family residences a year, or improve their own principal residence without a general contractor's license, as long as they have actually lived there for the 12 months before the work is finished. Selling a self-built structure within one year of completion creates a rebuttable presumption that it was built for sale, which defeats the exemption, and selling five or more structures within a year makes that presumption conclusive. Separately, every city or county that requires a building permit must also require the applicant to file a signed statement giving their contractor license number or the basis of their claimed exemption; a false or missing statement carries a $500 civil penalty. Confirm how Fresno County applies this before you apply.
From the Library
What else needs a permit in Fresno County
Every other permit type we have verified for this jurisdiction, with the rule that applies here.
| Project | Permit needed? | Threshold | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck Permit | Permit required | Not specified | No flat deck permit fee is published. |
| Electrical Permit | Permit required | Not specified | Section 2511 Electrical Code Fees, FY 2026-27: Issuing permits $42.77 each |
| Fence Permit | It depends | Fences not over 7 feet high are on the county's published list of work exempt from a building permit | The Master Schedule of Fees publishes no flat fence permit fee. |
| HVAC Permit | Permit required | Not specified | Section 2510 Mechanical Code Fees, FY 2026-27: Issuing each permit $42.77 |
| Patio Permit | Permit required | Not specified | No flat patio permit fee is published. |
| Plumbing Permit | Permit required | Not specified | Section 2512 Plumbing Code Fees, FY 2026-27: Alteration, repair or addition of a drain... |
| Pool Permit | It depends | Prefabricated pools accessory to a Group R-3 occupancy are exempt from a building permit only when they are less than 24 inches deep, hold not more than 5,000 gallons, and are installed entirely above ground | Special Services Fees item 21, 'Installation of private swimming pool or spa includes... |
| Shed Permit | It depends | One-story detached accessory structures used as tool and storage sheds, playhouses and similar uses are exempt from a building permit when the floor area is not greater than 120 square feet | For a shed between 120 and 240 square feet the county charges for the Item No. |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Not specified | The Master Schedule of Fees has no solar or photovoltaic line item anywhere in Section... |
Roof Replacement Permit in other California localities
Everything above, sourced
Code references
National and state model-code sections the general guidance on this page is drawn from. They are not Fresno County documents; the office above sets the local rules.
Verified by a person against the sources above on , not confirmed with Department of Public Works and Planning, Development Services and Capital Projects Division, Building and Safety. Rules change; confirm before you build. How we verify.
Last checked: Report an error on this page
Compare Roof Replacement Permit requirements across California localities
Permit office
Department of Public Works and Planning, Development Services and Capital Projects Division, Building and Safety
559-600-4570 (plan check and permit information); 559-600-4560 (building inspection); 559-600-4131 (24 hour inspection request line)Permit portal