Do I need a permit for a roof replacement in St. Louis?

Yes, in virtually every jurisdiction in the St. Louis metro. Both City of St. Louis and St. Louis County require permits for roof tear-off and replacement. Individual municipalities within St. Louis County each have their own permit requirements. Illinois jurisdictions (Madison and St. Clair counties, plus municipalities) also require permits. The only common exception is minor repairs — patching a few shingles typically does not require a permit, but a full tear-off always does.

Who pulls the permit — me or my contractor?

Revolve pulls all permits. By convention and code, roofing permits are typically pulled by the licensed contractor, but must be in the property owner's name in most Missouri jurisdictions. We handle the application, pay the fee (which is itemized on your estimate and invoiced to you), and obtain the permit card before work begins.

What happens if my roof is replaced without a permit?

An unpermitted roof replacement creates several problems: the work was not inspected to verify code compliance, it may affect your homeowner's insurance coverage for future claims, it can complicate the home sale process (unpermitted work must be disclosed in Missouri), and in some jurisdictions you may be required to tear off and re-do the work under permit if discovered. Always verify that your contractor pulls permits before signing a contract.

How long does a roofing permit take to get?

Most residential roofing permits in the St. Louis metro are issued within 1–5 business days. Many jurisdictions now offer over-the-counter (same-day) permits for standard residential tear-off and replacement if all documentation is in order. Online portals in Chesterfield, O'Fallon, and some other municipalities can reduce this to same-day or next-day processing.

Roofing Permits in St. Louis — Jurisdiction Guide

St. Louis City · County · St. Charles · Madison & St. Clair Counties IL · Major Municipalities

We Pull Every Permit. You Get Inspected Work.

A roofing permit is not optional — it is how your jurisdiction verifies that work on your largest investment meets building code. In the St. Louis metro, every city, county, and municipality handles permits differently: different fees, different portals, different inspection requirements, and different contractor registration requirements.

Revolve handles all permit applications in every jurisdiction we work in. Permits are pulled before work begins, the permit card is posted at the jobsite, and we coordinate all required inspections. You receive documentation that your project was permitted and inspected as part of your closeout package.

Important:A contractor who tells you permits are “not necessary” or offers to skip them to reduce cost is creating significant risk for you. Unpermitted roofing work can affect your homeowner’s insurance coverage, complicate a home sale, and may require tear-off and re-installation if discovered by the municipality. We do not offer this “option” and would not perform work without a permit where one is required.

Missouri Jurisdictions

Missouri does not license roofing contractors at the state level. Contractor registration and licensing requirements are at the city and county level.

City of St. Louis

Fee Range:[PLACEHOLDER — confirm current fee schedule with City of St. Louis Building Division at stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/building]
Turnaround:1–3 business days; over-the-counter available for standard residential replacements
Who Applies:Licensed contractor, permit issued in property owner's name
Inspections:Final inspection required. Mid-roof inspection (deck inspection before underlayment) recommended and may be required for some project types.
City of St. Louis uses its own building permit portal at stlouis-mo.gov. Contractor must hold current City roofing license.

St. Louis County (unincorporated areas)

Fee Range:[PLACEHOLDER — confirm with St. Louis County Department of Public Works. Fees are typically calculated per square of roofing area]
Turnaround:1–5 business days; some permit types available online
Who Applies:Licensed contractor registered with St. Louis County
Inspections:Final inspection required. Mid-roof deck inspection required before underlayment installation.
St. Louis County uses ePermits portal. Contractor must hold current St. Louis County contractor registration.

Kirkwood

Fee Range:[PLACEHOLDER — confirm with City of Kirkwood Building Department]
Turnaround:1–3 business days
Who Applies:Licensed contractor
Inspections:Final inspection required
Kirkwood is an incorporated municipality within St. Louis County with its own building department.

Webster Groves

Fee Range:[PLACEHOLDER — confirm with Webster Groves Building Department]
Turnaround:1–3 business days
Who Applies:Licensed contractor
Inspections:Final inspection required
Webster Groves has its own permit requirements separate from St. Louis County.

Chesterfield

Fee Range:[PLACEHOLDER — confirm with Chesterfield Development Services Department]
Turnaround:1–3 business days; online portal available
Who Applies:Licensed contractor
Inspections:Final inspection required; mid-roof may be required on new construction or complex re-roofs
Chesterfield operates through an online permit portal. Active online permit processing is available.

Ballwin

Fee Range:[PLACEHOLDER — confirm with Ballwin Building Department]
Turnaround:1–3 business days
Who Applies:Licensed contractor
Inspections:Final inspection required
Ballwin is an incorporated city with its own building permit office.

Clayton

Fee Range:[PLACEHOLDER — confirm with City of Clayton Building and Code Enforcement]
Turnaround:1–3 business days
Who Applies:Licensed contractor
Inspections:Final inspection required; Clayton may require mid-roof inspection
Clayton is the St. Louis County seat and operates its own building department. Older neighborhoods with complex roof types may have additional review.

Ladue

Fee Range:[PLACEHOLDER — confirm with City of Ladue Public Works]
Turnaround:1–3 business days
Who Applies:Licensed contractor
Inspections:Final inspection required
Ladue has high-value residential properties with complex roof types common. Verify project-specific requirements.

O'Fallon, MO

Fee Range:[PLACEHOLDER — confirm with O'Fallon MO Community Development Department]
Turnaround:1–3 business days; online permit available
Who Applies:Licensed contractor
Inspections:Final inspection required
O'Fallon MO (St. Charles County) is one of Missouri's fastest-growing municipalities. Online permit system available.

Florissant

Fee Range:[PLACEHOLDER — confirm with City of Florissant Building Department]
Turnaround:1–3 business days
Who Applies:Licensed contractor
Inspections:Final inspection required
Florissant is a substantial north St. Louis County municipality with its own building permit function.

Wildwood

Fee Range:[PLACEHOLDER — confirm with City of Wildwood Building Division]
Turnaround:1–5 business days
Who Applies:Licensed contractor
Inspections:Final inspection required
Wildwood is a newer incorporation with its own building department. Large lot residential is common.

Creve Coeur

Fee Range:[PLACEHOLDER — confirm with City of Creve Coeur Building Department]
Turnaround:1–3 business days
Who Applies:Licensed contractor
Inspections:Final inspection required
Creve Coeur operates its own permit office separate from St. Louis County.

St. Charles County

Fee Range:[PLACEHOLDER — confirm with St. Charles County Building and Code Enforcement]
Turnaround:1–5 business days
Who Applies:Licensed contractor registered with St. Charles County
Inspections:Final inspection required; mid-roof inspection required before underlayment in most cases
St. Charles County unincorporated areas have separate permit requirements from municipalities like O'Fallon, St. Charles City, and Wentzville.

Illinois Jurisdictions

Illinois licenses roofing contractors at the state level through the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR). A roofing contractor working in Illinois must hold an active IDFPR roofing contractor license in addition to any municipal or county requirements.

Madison County, IL

Fee Range:[PLACEHOLDER — confirm with Madison County Building and Zoning Department]
Turnaround:1–5 business days
Who Applies:Licensed contractor (Illinois IDFPR roofing license required)
Inspections:Final inspection required
Madison County IL covers Edwardsville, Granite City, Alton, and unincorporated areas. Contractor must hold active Illinois roofing contractor license.

St. Clair County, IL

Fee Range:[PLACEHOLDER — confirm with St. Clair County Building and Zoning Department]
Turnaround:1–5 business days
Who Applies:Licensed contractor (Illinois IDFPR roofing license required)
Inspections:Final inspection required
St. Clair County IL covers O'Fallon IL, Belleville, Fairview Heights, and unincorporated areas.

O'Fallon, IL

Fee Range:[PLACEHOLDER — confirm with O'Fallon IL Building and Zoning Department]
Turnaround:1–3 business days
Who Applies:Licensed contractor (IL license required)
Inspections:Final inspection required
O'Fallon IL (St. Clair County) is one of the largest municipalities in Metro East.

Belleville, IL

Fee Range:[PLACEHOLDER — confirm with City of Belleville Building and Safety Division]
Turnaround:1–3 business days
Who Applies:Licensed contractor (IL license required)
Inspections:Final inspection required
Belleville is the St. Clair County seat with its own municipal building department.

Edwardsville, IL

Fee Range:[PLACEHOLDER — confirm with City of Edwardsville Building Department]
Turnaround:1–3 business days
Who Applies:Licensed contractor (IL license required)
Inspections:Final inspection required
Edwardsville is the Madison County seat and a growing community near SIUE.

What a Permitted Roof Replacement Includes

Permit Application

We submit the permit application with your project details, our contractor license, and required documentation before work begins. You will be named as the property owner on the permit — that is standard in Missouri.

Posted Permit Card

The permit card is displayed at your property during construction, as required by code. If an inspector arrives and the permit card is not posted, work must stop. We handle this.

Inspections Scheduled

We contact the jurisdiction's inspection line to schedule required inspections: typically a mid-roof deck inspection (before underlayment) and a final inspection. We are present for inspections when required.

Closeout Documentation

Once the permit is closed and all inspections passed, you receive the permit closeout documentation with your project file. This is important for resale — it documents that the work was permitted and inspected.

Permit FAQs

Do I need a permit for a roof replacement in St. Louis?
Yes, in virtually every jurisdiction in the St. Louis metro. Both City of St. Louis and St. Louis County require permits for roof tear-off and replacement. Individual municipalities within St. Louis County each have their own permit requirements. Illinois jurisdictions (Madison and St. Clair counties, plus municipalities) also require permits. The only common exception is minor repairs — patching a few shingles typically does not require a permit, but a full tear-off always does.
Who pulls the permit — me or my contractor?
Revolve pulls all permits. By convention and code, roofing permits are typically pulled by the licensed contractor, but must be in the property owner's name in most Missouri jurisdictions. We handle the application, pay the fee (which is itemized on your estimate and invoiced to you), and obtain the permit card before work begins.
What happens if my roof is replaced without a permit?
An unpermitted roof replacement creates several problems: the work was not inspected to verify code compliance, it may affect your homeowner's insurance coverage for future claims, it can complicate the home sale process (unpermitted work must be disclosed in Missouri), and in some jurisdictions you may be required to tear off and re-do the work under permit if discovered. Always verify that your contractor pulls permits before signing a contract.
How long does a roofing permit take to get?
Most residential roofing permits in the St. Louis metro are issued within 1–5 business days. Many jurisdictions now offer over-the-counter (same-day) permits for standard residential tear-off and replacement if all documentation is in order. Online portals in Chesterfield, O'Fallon, and some other municipalities can reduce this to same-day or next-day processing.

We handle permits in all 18+ jurisdictions we serve.

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