Do You Need a Permit to Replace Your Roof in BC? Metro Vancouver Rules, City by City
In most Metro Vancouver municipalities a straight like-for-like roof replacement doesn't need a building permit — but the exceptions catch homeowners every year. Here's what Vancouver, Coquitlam, Richmond, Burnaby, Surrey and Port Coquitlam actually say, and the situations where a permit is always required.
It's one of the first questions homeowners ask when the quotes start coming in: do we need to pull a permit for this? The honest answer for Metro Vancouver is: usually not for a straightforward replacement — but the exceptions are exactly where the expensive mistakes happen. Here's the city-by-city picture, straight from the municipalities themselves.
The short answer
If your project is a like-for-like re-roof — stripping the old covering and installing a new one on a sound, unchanged roof structure — most Metro Vancouver municipalities do not require a building permit. The moment the project touches structure (sheathing beyond minor repairs, rafters, trusses), changes the shape of the roof (dormers, skylights, roof decks), or adds equipment (solar panels, rooftop HVAC), a permit conversation is required — everywhere.
And one rule applies in every city, permit or not: the work must still meet the building code — the BC Building Code, or in Vancouver the City's own Building By-law. No permit doesn't mean no rules.
What each city says
City of Vancouver — no permit for re-roofing
Vancouver publishes a list of small projects that don't require a permit, and "installing roofing, gutters, or drain-pipes" is on it. Structural repairs, however, are explicitly on the permit-required list. Worth knowing: Vancouver's penalty for doing permit-required work without one is typically double the original permit fee, plus a stop-work delay — the city says so on the same page.
City of Coquitlam — no permit for re-roofing
Coquitlam's building division states that a permit is not required for the "installation of a new roof on an existing building" — with the explicit caveat that the work still has to comply with city bylaws and the BC Building Code.
City of Richmond — no permit for re-roofing
Richmond's homeowner guide takes the same position for one- and two-family homes: roofing repair or replacement does not require a building permit, but the owner remains responsible for meeting the Building Code and zoning bylaw.
City of Burnaby — ask before you strip
Burnaby's published rule is broader than its neighbours': permits are required for any project involving "excavation, erection, enlargement, alteration, removal, fire repair or demolition", with only minor non-structural exterior repairs clearly exempt. Burnaby doesn't publish an explicit roofing exemption the way Vancouver and Coquitlam do, so we confirm with the Building Department on Burnaby jobs where anything beyond the covering is in scope.
City of Surrey — minor repairs exempt, full replacement unlisted
Surrey exempts "minor repairs to the exterior of your home" from building permits, but its published list doesn't speak to full roof replacement either way, and a residential building permit is "usually required for building or renovating work". Anything structural changes the answer — and when in doubt, one call to the City's Building Information Line (604-591-4366) settles it for your specific scope.
City of Port Coquitlam — no published exemption list
Port Coquitlam's permit pages say a permit is needed to "build, demolish, repair or alter a building or structure" without publishing a roofing-specific exemption, so a roof project should be confirmed with the City's Building Division (604-927-5444) — and as the company headquartered here, we make that call as part of the quote.
Elsewhere in the region, most municipalities publish a similar re-roofing exemption — but not all of them. Maple Ridge publishes none: a building permit is "legally required to build, construct, remodel, repair, demolish, remove or move any building or structure over 100 square feet". The Township of Langley's residential construction guide lists no roofing exemption either and requires a permit to "alter, repair, renovate, relocate, or add to an existing building", while the City of Langley's single-family guide lists re-roofing as work that needs no building permit — so in Langley, your address decides. Structural or shape changes are not exempt, and the building department's answer for your scope is the one that counts. A reputable roofer confirms this before work starts, as part of the quote.
When you ALWAYS need a permit
No matter the municipality, plan on a permit (and often engineered drawings) when the project includes:
- Structural repairs — replacing significant sheathing, or any work on rafters or trusses uncovered during tear-off
- Changing the roof's shape — adding dormers, raising the pitch, cutting in new skylights
- A roof deck — converting any roof area to walkable outdoor space
- Solar panels or other rooftop equipment
- A material change that adds real weight — for example moving from asphalt shingles to concrete tile, which needs a structural check first
Strata townhomes and condos add one more layer: strata council approval is separate from municipal permits, and most strata corporations require both the approval and proof of the contractor's insurance before work starts. Our strata roofing team handles that paperwork.
Why "no permit needed" still doesn't mean "anything goes"
Coquitlam, Richmond and Port Moody say the same thing right after their exemptions: the BC Building Code still applies. That covers underlayment, flashing, ventilation, and fastening — the details that decide whether your roof survives a November atmospheric river. It's also what your insurer expects if there's ever a claim. The permit question is about paperwork; the Code question is about workmanship — and only one of them keeps water out.
Frequently asked questions
Who pulls the permit when one is needed — me or the roofer?
The roofing contractor should handle it as part of the job. At PCC Roofing, permit checks and applications are included in the quote whenever the scope needs one — you shouldn't have to become a permits expert to get a dry house.
What happens if work that needed a permit was done without one?
Consequences range from penalty fees (Vancouver's is typically double the permit fee) to stop-work orders, forced exposure of finished work for inspection, and problems at sale or insurance claim. If you've bought a home with unpermitted roof work, get it assessed — there's usually a path to legalize it.
Does a roof repair need a permit?
Genuine repairs — replacing damaged shingles, fixing flashing, patching after a storm — are exempt in most of the region, but not everywhere: Port Coquitlam, Maple Ridge and the Township of Langley publish no roofing exemption and require a permit to repair a building, and Burnaby requires one for roof repairs after a fire, flood or other disaster. If the "repair" grows into replacing sections of the deck or structure, the permit question comes back. Not sure whether you need a repair or a replacement? Start with an inspection.
Do permits slow the job down?
When one is needed, allow extra lead time before the crew shows up, and ask the municipality what to expect for your scope. Weather also drives the schedule in the Lower Mainland.
Get the permit question answered for free
Every PCC Roofing quote starts with an inspection and includes a straight answer on whether your project needs a permit in your municipality — and if it does, we handle it. Book your free inspection or read our guide to what a roof replacement costs in the Lower Mainland.