Ohio / Franklin County

Roof Replacement Permit in Franklin County, Ohio

Permit required

Yes, a permit is required

Before replacing roofing, siding, windows or exterior doors on a home in unincorporated Franklin County.

From an official source Verified Franklin County Building Department (Division of Building), Franklin County Economic Development and Planning Department

By Mario Bailey, verified against official sources

Quick answer

Franklin County requires a building permit to replace roofing, and groups it with doors, windows and siding in a single line on its permit list. There is no size, cost or square-count condition attached: the requirement is flat. A Certificate of Zoning Compliance is also required, since roofing, siding and window replacement is one of the listed uses of the Residential Zoning Compliance application. The permit is cheap and skips plan review, at $50.00 plus the state surcharge, and the county explicitly notes that no plan review is required for roof, siding and window replacement.

Who is pulling this permit?

Apply yourself

Apply on the Franklin County permit portal

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 replacing roofing, siding, windows or exterior doors on a home in unincorporated Franklin County.

What a roof replacement permit costs in Franklin County

Line item
roof replacement permitBy formulaFranklin County EDP Fee Schedule, 'Effective Jan. 1, 2014', Building Permit Fees: 'Roof Replacement $50.00', 'Siding Replacement $50.00', 'Window Replacement $50.00'. The schedule's Penalty Fees block carries 'Initial Plan Review $50.00' with the note '*No plan review required for roof, siding and window replacement'. Footnote: '* Does not include 1% State Building Permit Surcharge'. Zoning Fees: 'Certificate of Zoning Compliance, Residential $75.00'.
Fee schedule in forceOfficial scheduleRead . Fees are the jurisdiction’s; we do not mark them up or estimate them.

How Franklin County compares in Ohio

JurisdictionPermit needed?Threshold
CincinnatiIt dependsnumber of roof coverings remaining in place after the work on a one-, two- or three-family dwelling
ClevelandIt dependsshare of the roof whose shingles are replaced, where the replacement is in the same material
ColumbusPermit requiredNot specified
Franklin Countythis pagePermit requiredNot specified

How to apply in Franklin 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. Franklin County Building Department (Division of Building), Franklin County Economic Development and Planning Department sets the exact checklist for Franklin County.

Where to apply in Franklin County:

Franklin County Building Department (Division of Building), Franklin County Economic Development and Planning Department

  • Franklin County Building Department, 142 S. Front St., Columbus, OH 43215 (the Economic Development and Planning Department offices, where zoning applications are filed, are at 150 South Front Street, FSL Suite 10, Columbus, OH 43215-7104)
  • Phone: 614-525-3166
  • Email: building@franklincountyohio.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.

  1. 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).
  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).
  3. 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).
  4. 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).
  5. 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).
  6. 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 Franklin County permit portal or by phone at 614-525-3166.

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.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a roof replacement permit in Franklin County?
Franklin County requires a building permit to replace roofing, and groups it with doors, windows and siding in a single line on its permit list. There is no size, cost or square-count condition attached: the requirement is flat. A Certificate of Zoning Compliance is also required, since roofing, siding and window replacement is one of the listed uses of the Residential Zoning Compliance application. The permit is cheap and skips plan review, at $50.00 plus the state surcharge, and the county explicitly notes that no plan review is required for roof, siding and window replacement. Always confirm with the Franklin County Building Department (Division of Building), Franklin County Economic Development and Planning Department before starting.
How much does a roof replacement permit cost in Franklin County?
Franklin County EDP Fee Schedule, 'Effective Jan. 1, 2014', Building Permit Fees: 'Roof Replacement $50.00', 'Siding Replacement $50.00', 'Window Replacement $50.00'. The schedule's Penalty Fees block carries 'Initial Plan Review $50.00' with the note '*No plan review required for roof, siding and window replacement'. Footnote: '* Does not include 1% State Building Permit Surcharge'. Zoning Fees: 'Certificate of Zoning Compliance, Residential $75.00'. See the official fee schedule for current amounts.
How long does a roof replacement permit take in Franklin County?
Building permits are issued 7 to 10 days after full plan approval for properties with access to public water and sewer. Times can vary by workload and project scope, so confirm with the office.
Where do you apply for a roof replacement permit in Franklin County?
You can apply through the Franklin County permit portal or contact the Franklin County Building Department (Division of Building), Franklin County Economic Development and Planning Department directly. The links are listed on this page.
Can a homeowner pull a roof replacement permit themselves in Franklin County?
Under Ohio law (OAC 4101:8-1-01 Section 105.1; R.C. 3791.04(A)(1)(b); R.C. Chapter 4740): Ohio has no statewide general contractor license, so the Residential Code of Ohio names the property owner directly as an authorized permit applicant: an owner or authorized agent who intends to construct, alter, repair, or change the occupancy of a residential building must first make application to the local certified building department and obtain approval, meaning a homeowner may pull their own permit and act as their own contractor. Certain specialty trades, HVAC, refrigeration, and hydronics contractors, are separately licensed statewide under R.C. Chapter 4740, and no homeowner exemption from that licensing requirement could be found in the chapter's text. In a county, township, or municipality with no residential building department certified by the state Board of Building Standards, R.C. 3791.04(A)(1)(b) and the Residential Code of Ohio's administrative rule both say the owner is not required to submit construction documents, seek approval, request inspections, or obtain a certificate of occupancy at all, which removes the state permitting framework, and with it the owner-builder question, in those jurisdictions. Confirm how Franklin County applies this before you apply.

From the Library

What else needs a permit in Franklin County

Every other permit type we have verified for this jurisdiction, with the rule that applies here.

ProjectPermit needed?ThresholdTypical fee
Deck PermitPermit requiredNot specifiedFranklin County EDP Fee Schedule, 'Effective Jan.
Electrical PermitPermit requiredNot specifiedConfirm the current fee with the City of Columbus before relying on county figures.
Fence PermitPermit requiredNot specifiedFranklin County Economic Development and Planning Department Fee Schedule, 'Effective Jan.
HVAC PermitPermit requiredNot specifiedFranklin County EDP Fee Schedule, 'Effective Jan.
Patio PermitPermit requiredNot specifiedFranklin County EDP Fee Schedule, 'Effective Jan.
Plumbing PermitPermit requiredNot specifiedFranklin County Public Health publishes no figure on its plumbing page beyond 'The costs...
Pool PermitPermit requiredNot specifiedFranklin County EDP Fee Schedule, 'Effective Jan.
Shed PermitPermit requiredNot specifiedFranklin County EDP Fee Schedule, 'Effective Jan.
Solar PermitPermit requiredNot specifiedSummary of PV Systems Form Fees, published by Franklin County EDP: Certificate of Zoning...

Roof Replacement Permit in other Ohio localities

Everything above, sourced

franklincountyohio.gov: Building Permitsread
franklincountyohio.gov: Building FAQsread

Code references

National and state model-code sections the general guidance on this page is drawn from. They are not Franklin County documents; the office above sets the local rules.

Verified by a person against the sources above on , not confirmed with Franklin County Building Department (Division of Building), Franklin County Economic Development and Planning Department. Rules change; confirm before you build. How we verify.

Last checked: Report an error on this page

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