A new roof is a building project. In most of Los Angeles County, that means a permit, at least one inspection, and a paper trail that stays with the house. This hub explains how that process works, using the words of the building departments themselves.
LA Roof Guide is an information site. We do not do roof work or pull permits for anyone. Rules differ by city, so always confirm with your own building department.
Who issues your permit
The permit comes from whoever runs building and safety where the house sits. That is not always the city on your mailing address.
- City of Los Angeles. The Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) says "a permit from LADBS is required for any private property construction, alteration, or repair work on buildings within the City of Los Angeles."
- Unincorporated LA County. LA County Public Works, Building and Safety Division, handles permits in unincorporated areas. Its online system is called EPIC-LA. The county also handles permits for its contract cities through a separate portal it calls BSOP.
- Other cities. Many cities, such as Long Beach, Torrance and Burbank, run their own building departments. Our city and area guides cover local details.
LA County Public Works offers a Service Locator to find which office serves a given address. One example of how this can shift: the county says permits for the unincorporated Torrance and Harbor City areas moved to its Lomita District Office as of July 6, 2026.
What the City of Los Angeles asks for on a reroof
LADBS lists reroofing as an "express permit." That means no plan check is needed for the simple version of the job. Its bulletin P/GI 2026-003 lists a reroof with Class A or B roof covering "weighing less than 6 pounds per sq. ft." over solid sheathing as express work. The same line adds two rules:
- "Class A roof covering is required within Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHFHSZ)."
- "For residential roof replacement > 50% of the total roof area, apply Cool Roof Product labeled and certified by Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC)."
The bulletin also lists removing roof tiles, adding new underlayment and resetting the same tiles as express work. For that job it says cool roof compliance is not required.
Our reroof permit basics page walks through these steps in order.
Fire zones change the rules
Large parts of LA County sit in mapped Fire Hazard Severity Zones. In those areas, the roof has to meet wildfire construction rules. LA County's 2026 construction notes say these rules apply to new buildings and to "additions, alterations or repairs made to existing buildings" in a Fire Hazard Severity Zone or Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Area. Among them:
- Roof covering must be "Class A fire classification when tested in accordance with ASTM E108 or UL790," with a short list of exceptions.
- Gutters and downspouts must be noncombustible, with an approved way to keep leaves out.
- Attic and eave vents must resist embers.
See Class A roofs, vents and gutters for the details, and our wildfire roofing hub for how zones are mapped.
The sign-off at the end
LADBS uses a Re-Roofing Certificate of Compliance (Form 12). It states that the work and materials "comply with the roofing regulations of the Los Angeles Building Department." The form says it "shall be signed by the licensed contractor, or by the owner-builder if work was not performed by a contractor." It goes back to the inspector or is mailed to the department.
That signature line is one reason to check a contractor's CSLB license before any work starts.
Why the paper trail matters
LADBS puts it plainly in its homeowner guide. A permit and inspections are "required by law" and provide "important documentation in the event you sell or refinance the property." Permit records in Los Angeles go back a long way. LADBS says its online records include building permits "from 1905 to present."
To see what a house already has on file, read how to look up a roof's permit history.
In this hub
- Reroof permit basics: the steps, the city rules, and what the inspector signs off.
- Look up a roof's permit history: free tools from LADBS and LA County.
This page is general information, not legal, engineering or building code advice.