Roof Replacement Permit in Madison, Wisconsin
Permit required
Yes, a permit is required
Before reroofing a house or a garage. The permit can be applied for online as a repair-or-replace building permit because reroofing does not require plan review.
By Mario Bailey, verified against official sources
Quick answer
Reroofing needs a building permit in Madison. The Development Services Center chart lists "Roofing - Reroof your house or garage" as Yes with Building Inspection at 608-266-4551 ext. 2 as the contact, and the chart's Roofing entry links straight into the Accela repair-or-replace building permit application. Because a reroof involves no change to walls, framing or openings, it falls in the category the city lets both general contractors and owner occupants of one and two family homes apply for online without plan review. Fees are calculated from the cost of construction, excluding plumbing, heating, electrical, cabinetry, paint, countertops, flooring and trim.
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 reroofing a house or a garage. The permit can be applied for online as a repair-or-replace building permit because reroofing does not require plan review.
What a roof replacement permit costs in Madison
How to apply in Madison
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 Madison Building Inspection Division, Department of Planning and Community and Economic Development sets the exact checklist for Madison.
Where to apply in Madison:
City of Madison Building Inspection Division, Department of Planning and Community and Economic Development
- 215 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Suite 017, Madison, WI 53703
- Phone: 608-266-4551
- Email: binspection@cityofmadison.com
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 Madison permit portal or by phone at 608-266-4551.
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 Madison
- Confirm the requirement. Yes, a permit is required. Usually needed: Before reroofing a house or a garage. The permit can be applied for online as a repair-or-replace building permit because reroofing does not require plan review.
- Budget the fee. "Alterations and repairs to existing structures: $11.00 for each $1,000 value or fraction thereof, Minimum Fee $25.00" (MGO 29.09(3)(a), Group IV; amended by ORD-25-00034, 6-13-25). MGO 29.09(2)(c) defines that value as the actual cost of labor and material, less real estate and less electrical, heating and plumbing equipment and services. 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 Madison permit portal.
- Keep the office details handy. City of Madison Building Inspection Division, Department of Planning and Community and Economic Development. Phone: 608-266-4551. Address: 215 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Suite 017, Madison, WI 53703.
- 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 Madison?
- Reroofing needs a building permit in Madison. The Development Services Center chart lists "Roofing - Reroof your house or garage" as Yes with Building Inspection at 608-266-4551 ext. 2 as the contact, and the chart's Roofing entry links straight into the Accela repair-or-replace building permit application. Because a reroof involves no change to walls, framing or openings, it falls in the category the city lets both general contractors and owner occupants of one and two family homes apply for online without plan review. Fees are calculated from the cost of construction, excluding plumbing, heating, electrical, cabinetry, paint, countertops, flooring and trim. Always confirm with the City of Madison Building Inspection Division, Department of Planning and Community and Economic Development before starting.
- How much does a roof replacement permit cost in Madison?
- "Alterations and repairs to existing structures: $11.00 for each $1,000 value or fraction thereof, Minimum Fee $25.00" (MGO 29.09(3)(a), Group IV; amended by ORD-25-00034, 6-13-25). MGO 29.09(2)(c) defines that value as the actual cost of labor and material, less real estate and less electrical, heating and plumbing equipment and services. See the official fee schedule for current amounts.
- Where do you apply for a roof replacement permit in Madison?
- You can apply through the Madison permit portal or contact the City of Madison Building Inspection Division, Department of Planning and Community and Economic Development directly. The links are listed on this page.
- Can a homeowner pull a roof replacement permit themselves in Madison?
- Under Wisconsin law (Wis. Stat. 101.654(1)(a) and (1)(b); Wis. Admin. Code SPS 305.31(1), SPS 320.09(9)(a)2., 3. and 4.; Wis. Stat. 101.65(1m) and (1r); Wis. Stat. 101.862(4)(a); Wis. Stat. 145.06(4)(a)): A Wisconsin homeowner may pull the permit and do the work on their own dwelling. The general rule is that nobody may obtain a building permit for a one- or two-family dwelling without a DSPS dwelling contractor certification plus a dwelling contractor qualifier credential, but the statute exempts an owner of a dwelling who resides or will reside in the dwelling and who applies for a building permit to perform work on that dwelling. Neither the statute nor the implementing rule places any cap on how often that exemption may be used, and Wisconsin has no counterpart to Florida's one-year resale restriction. The trade-off is a disclosure: the permit issuer must have the owner sign a statement warning that if the owner hires a contractor who is not bonded or insured, the owner may be held liable for injury or property damage arising from the work and may be unable to collect damages from that contractor. Trade licensing carries its own homeowner carve-outs, both defeasible by local ordinance: a residential property owner may do electrical wiring on premises the owner owns and occupies as a residence, and a property owner may do plumbing work in a one-family building owned and occupied as the owner's home. Confirm how Madison applies this before you apply.
From the Library
What else needs a permit in Madison
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 | The deck page states: "The permit fee for most decks under 250 square feet is $75." The... |
| Electrical Permit | It depends | Not specified | MGO 19.11, Group IV, Alterations And Special Fees (repealed and recreated by... |
| Fence Permit | No permit needed | Not specified | No fence permit is issued, so there is no permit fee. |
| HVAC Permit | It depends | Not specified | MGO 30.01(5)(a), Group IV, Alterations and Special Fees (amended by ORD-21-00016... |
| Patio Permit | No permit needed | Not specified | No patio permit is issued, so there is no permit fee. |
| Plumbing Permit | It depends | Not specified | MGO 18.09, Group IV, Alterations And Special Fees (repealed and recreated by... |
| Pool Permit | Permit required | Not specified | "Private in-the-ground swimming pools: $25.00 each permit" (MGO 29.09(3)(a), Group IV... |
| Shed Permit | It depends | shed or accessory building floor area; heated sheds and sheds within ten feet of dwelling units on the property need a permit at any size | "Accessory buildings or detached garage serving a single or two family residential... |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Not specified | "Solar panels or collector system: $21.00 each permit" (MGO 29.09(3)(a), Group IV |
Roof Replacement Permit in other Wisconsin localities
Everything above, sourced
Code references
National and state model-code sections the general guidance on this page is drawn from. They are not Madison documents; the office above sets the local rules.
Verified by a person against the sources above on , not confirmed with City of Madison Building Inspection Division, Department of Planning and Community and Economic Development. Rules change; confirm before you build. How we verify.
Last checked: Report an error on this page
Compare Roof Replacement Permit requirements across Wisconsin localities
Permit office
City of Madison Building Inspection Division, Department of Planning and Community and Economic Development
608-266-4551Permit portal