Pennsylvania / Pittsburgh

Roof Replacement Permit in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Permit required

Yes, a permit is required

Before tearing off or re-covering a roof on a single-family or two-family dwelling. File a Building and Development Application in OneStopPGH under the minor alteration work type, roofing work scope.

Confirmed on official page Verified City of Pittsburgh Department of Permits, Licenses and Inspections (PLI)

By Mario Bailey, verified against official sources

Quick answer

Roof replacement is permitted work in Pittsburgh. The city's general rule is that a permit is required to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a building, and roof covering work is not on the Work Not Requiring a Permit list. PLI runs roofing as a minor alteration work scope on a Building and Development Application and inspects it against IRC 908.3 and 908.5, which require replacement down to the roof deck. Residential windows, doors, siding, roofing and masonry work does not need a separate Zoning and Development Review Application unless the property is in a locally designated historic district.

Who is pulling this permit?

Apply yourself

Apply on the Pittsburgh 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 tearing off or re-covering a roof on a single-family or two-family dwelling. File a Building and Development Application in OneStopPGH under the minor alteration work type, roofing work scope.

What a roof replacement permit costs in Pittsburgh

Line item
roof replacement permitBy formula2026 PLI Fee Schedule, effective 1/1/2026: "Base Permit Fee (Residential) $6.00 per $1,000 of Construction Value (Minimum: $130 - Maximum: $8,000)", so a typical re-roof pays the $130.00 minimum, with 40% non-refundable at application and the remainder at issuance. Add a $4.50 State Education and Training Fund fee, a $5.00 Digital Record Retention Fee and a technology fee of $2.00 to $25.00 by base fee range.
Fee schedule in forceOfficial scheduleRead . Fees are the jurisdiction’s; we do not mark them up or estimate them.

How to apply in Pittsburgh

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. City of Pittsburgh Department of Permits, Licenses and Inspections (PLI) sets the exact checklist for Pittsburgh.

Where to apply in Pittsburgh:

City of Pittsburgh Department of Permits, Licenses and Inspections (PLI)

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 Pittsburgh permit portal or by phone at 412-255-2175.

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 Pittsburgh?
Roof replacement is permitted work in Pittsburgh. The city's general rule is that a permit is required to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a building, and roof covering work is not on the Work Not Requiring a Permit list. PLI runs roofing as a minor alteration work scope on a Building and Development Application and inspects it against IRC 908.3 and 908.5, which require replacement down to the roof deck. Residential windows, doors, siding, roofing and masonry work does not need a separate Zoning and Development Review Application unless the property is in a locally designated historic district. Always confirm with the City of Pittsburgh Department of Permits, Licenses and Inspections (PLI) before starting.
How much does a roof replacement permit cost in Pittsburgh?
2026 PLI Fee Schedule, effective 1/1/2026: "Base Permit Fee (Residential) $6.00 per $1,000 of Construction Value (Minimum: $130 - Maximum: $8,000)", so a typical re-roof pays the $130.00 minimum, with 40% non-refundable at application and the remainder at issuance. Add a $4.50 State Education and Training Fund fee, a $5.00 Digital Record Retention Fee and a technology fee of $2.00 to $25.00 by base fee range. See the official fee schedule for current amounts.
How long does a roof replacement permit take in Pittsburgh?
In Pittsburgh, a roof replacement permit typically takes 15 business days for initial review of a residential Building and Development Application, 8 business days for a revision or amendment. PLI notes that the minor alteration work type does not require drawings or PLI plan review, so those applications move to issuance directly.. Times can vary by workload and project scope, so confirm with the office.
Where do you apply for a roof replacement permit in Pittsburgh?
You can apply through the Pittsburgh permit portal or contact the City of Pittsburgh Department of Permits, Licenses and Inspections (PLI) directly. The links are listed on this page.
Can a homeowner pull a roof replacement permit themselves in Pittsburgh?
Under Pennsylvania law (34 Pa. Code 403.62(a); Act 132 of 2008 (HICPA), Section 2 (73 P.S. 517.2)): Yes. 34 Pa. Code 403.62(a) provides that 'An owner or authorized agent who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a residential building or erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace an electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system regulated by the Uniform Construction Code shall first apply to the building code official and obtain the required permit.' The owner is a permitted applicant. The Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act (Act 132 of 2008, 73 P.S. 517.1 et seq.) is a registration and consumer-protection law for contractors: its 'Contractor' definition covers a person 'who owns and operates a home improvement business or who undertakes, offers to undertake or agrees to perform any home improvement,' so it governs people doing home improvements for others, not homeowners doing their own work. Pennsylvania has no statewide trade licensing barring homeowner work; trade licensing, where it exists, is municipal. Confirm how Pittsburgh applies this before you apply.

From the Library

What else needs a permit in Pittsburgh

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

ProjectPermit needed?ThresholdTypical fee
Deck PermitPermit requiredNot specified2026 PLI Fee Schedule, effective 1/1/2026: "Base Permit Fee (Residential) $6.00 per...
Electrical PermitIt dependsNot specified2026 PLI Fee Schedule, effective 1/1/2026: "Base Permit Fee (Residential) $6.00 per...
Fence PermitPermit requiredNot specifiedA fence reviewed by Zoning only pays the Department of City Planning fee, "Residential...
HVAC PermitIt dependsNot specified2026 PLI Fee Schedule, effective 1/1/2026: "Base Permit Fee (Residential) $6.00 per...
Plumbing PermitPermit requiredNot specifiedPlumbing fees are set by Allegheny County, not by the city.
Pool PermitIt dependsprefabricated pools accessory to a single-family or two-family dwelling that also hold no more than 5,000 gallons and are installed entirely above grade2026 PLI Fee Schedule, effective 1/1/2026: "Base Permit Fee (Residential) $6.00 per...
Shed PermitIt dependsfloor area of a one-story detached accessory structure accessory to a single-family or two-family dwelling2026 PLI Fee Schedule, effective 1/1/2026: "Base Permit Fee (Residential) $6.00 per...
Solar PermitPermit requiredNot specified2026 PLI Fee Schedule, effective 1/1/2026: "Base Permit Fee (Residential) $6.00 per...

Roof Replacement Permit in other Pennsylvania localities

Everything above, sourced

pittsburghpa.gov: Residential Permitsread
pittsburghpa.gov: Permitsread

Code references

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

Verified by a person against the sources above on , not confirmed with City of Pittsburgh Department of Permits, Licenses and Inspections (PLI). Rules change; confirm before you build. How we verify.

Last checked: Report an error on this page

Compare Roof Replacement Permit requirements across Pennsylvania localities

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