What's Required in Louisville
- In-kind replacement of the roof covering is ordinary repair under KRS 198B.010 and needs no building permit.
- Replacing rafters, trusses or roof sheathing needs a Construction Review building permit.
- Structural roof permits cost $50 plus $2.50 per $1,000 of estimated cost, $75 minimum.
- Shingle roofs need a drip edge at eaves and gables, lapped at least 2 in (KRC R905.2.8.5).
- Roof coverings must be rated for the 115 mph design wind speed that applies statewide.
- Starting permitted work without a permit can draw a penalty equal to the fee.
Do You Need a Permit to Replace a Roof in Louisville?
Usually not, if you are replacing the roof covering in kind. Kentucky's building code statute defines construction as building, reconstruction, substantial alteration or conversion, but not the ordinary repair of a building. It defines ordinary repair as nonstructural renewal for maintenance, and it names replacement of roofing, siding and windows, or any other in-kind replacement that does not alter the structure, as examples. The Kentucky Residential Code repeats the same definition. So a tear-off and re-shingle that keeps the same type of covering and leaves the rafters and sheathing alone is ordinary repair, and Construction Review's fee schedule has no reroof line.
The line moves once the structure is involved. Replacing rafters, trusses or sheathing, adding a dormer or a skylight opening, or changing the roof in a way that is not in kind is an alteration that needs a building permit; the portal's record types include Residential Alteration. The department's own reroofing page could not be retrieved for this article, so if your contractor finds rotten decking mid-job, call (502) 574-3321 before covering it up.
Louisville Roof Permit Rules by Scenario
| What you are doing | City filing | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Tear-off and re-shingle in kind, no structural work | None (ordinary repair) | KRS 198B.010(11) and (21) |
| Patching shingles or flashing | None (ordinary repair) | KRS 198B.010(21) |
| Replacing rafters, trusses or roof sheathing | Building permit, $75 minimum | LMCO 150.096, partial alterations |
| Adding a skylight or dormer | Building permit (alteration) | LMCO 150.096; KRS 198B.010 |
| Switching to a different roof covering | Ask Construction Review | Not in kind under KRS 198B.010(21) |
| Shingle roof edges | Drip edge at eaves and gables | KRC R905.2.8.5 (Kentucky amendment) |
| Starting permitted work without the permit | Penalty equal to the fee | LMCO 150.096, Penalty |
How Much Does a Roof Permit Cost in Louisville?
For an in-kind reroof, nothing. When structural work makes a permit necessary, Metro's fee schedule (LMCO 150.096, revised February 6, 2024) prices partial alterations by estimated cost: $50 plus $2.50 per $1,000, with a $75 minimum. A $10,000 job calculates to $75 exactly; a $20,000 job with new sheathing and rafter repairs is $50 + $50 = $100. If a permit lapses, reactivating it within 180 days costs $35.
What the Kentucky Code Requires on a New Roof
Even without a permit, the work has to meet the code. Kentucky amended Section R905.2.8.5 to require a drip edge at the eaves and gables of shingle roofs, with adjacent pieces lapped at least 2 inches and fastened to the roof deck. The state sets the design wind speed at 115 mph for every Kentucky county, the wind load a new roof has to be built for. Ask your roofer to show the shingle's wind rating and the drip edge detail in the contract.
How to Get a Roof Replacement Permit in Louisville
Define the scope
Decide whether the job is a covering swap only or touches rafters, trusses or sheathing.
Ask about structural work
If any structural member or the deck will be replaced, call Construction Review at (502) 574-3321.
File if needed
Your contractor files a Residential Alteration permit; the fee is $50 plus $2.50 per $1,000, $75 minimum.
Check the details
Confirm the drip edge, underlayment and wind-rated shingles in the contract.
Keep the paperwork
Keep the invoice and shingle specs; buyers and insurers ask for them even when no permit was needed.