Roofing Permits in Des Moines: What’s Required and Who Pulls It
Most homeowners find out about roofing permits one of two ways: the roofer's quote has a line for it, or a neighbor's roof got red-tagged halfway through a tear-off. The rules aren't complicated, but they differ across the metro, and the way a roofer handles the permit tells you something about the roofer. Here's what applies in Des Moines and the suburbs, and what to expect.
When a permit is required
In the City of Des Moines, a full roof replacement — tear-off and re-shingle — generally requires a building permit, and structural work on the roof (replacing rafters, adding a dormer, a new skylight opening) does too. Check the current rules with the city before work starts. The city's Permit and Development Center handles them, and the current forms and rules are on the city's website.
In the suburbs, each city has its own building department: West Des Moines, Ankeny, Urbandale, Johnston, Waukee, Clive, Altoona, Grimes, Norwalk and Pleasant Hill all issue their own. Most require a permit for a replacement; some treat a like-for-like re-roof differently from a tear-off with decking work; all require one for structural changes. Ask the building department for your city, or ask the roofer — a roofer who works your suburb every week knows.
Unincorporated Polk County — the acreages out toward Bondurant or south of the city — goes through the county's building division.
Small repairs — a pipe boot, a valley, a few shingles, flashing — generally don't need a permit anywhere in the metro. Emergency tarping never does.
We don't quote permit fees here because they change and they vary by city and job value. It's a line on the quote, and it should be a small one relative to a $15,000 roof.
Who pulls it
The contractor. Every time. Two reasons:
First, the permit ties the work to the person responsible for it. If the inspector finds a problem, the contractor is the one who has to fix it.
Second, some cities require the contractor pulling the permit to be registered with the Iowa Division of Labor and to have insurance on file. A roofer who asks you to pull an "owner-builder" permit is often trying to get around that — because they aren't registered, aren't insured, or have a problem with that building department. Politely decline and find out why.
What the inspector looks at
Roofing inspections in the metro are usually quick, and on a replacement there may be one at the end or a mid-job check before the shingles cover everything. Depending on the city, the inspector wants to see:
- Tear-off to the deck, or that there's only one existing layer if it's a roof-over. Codes generally allow a maximum of two layers; the building department can confirm.
- Ice barrier — ice-and-water membrane from the eave edge to at least 24 inches inside the exterior wall line. This is the requirement most relevant to Des Moines and the one cheap quotes skip.
- Underlayment over the rest of the deck.
- Flashing at walls, chimneys and penetrations, and drip edge at eaves and rakes.
- Decking condition, and that replaced sheets are the right thickness and nailed properly.
- Ventilation, in some cities.
- Fastening — the shingle manufacturer's nailing pattern, which is where six nails per shingle in a high-wind area comes from.
None of that is exotic. It's the list of things a good roof has anyway. The inspection is a free second set of eyes on the parts of the job you'll never see once the shingles are on.
What a permit does for you
- Proof for the next buyer. A permitted re-roof shows up in the city's records. Buyers' agents in West Des Moines and Ankeny check.
- Proof for the insurer. After a hail storm, a permitted 2019 roof with a documented Class 4 shingle is a cleaner claim than an undocumented one.
- Leverage. If the roofer walks off the job or the work fails inspection, the city has a record and a name.
What happens without one
Work done without a required permit can be flagged at sale, and a buyer's inspector or the city can require it to be opened up and inspected after the fact, at your cost. The contractor may be fined or lose the ability to pull permits in that city. Insurers occasionally deny claims on unpermitted structural work. None of that is worth saving a small fee.
Permits and the storm-chaser problem
After every hail storm, crews arrive in Ankeny, Waukee and Grimes that have never dealt with those building departments. Some pull permits; many don't. A crew that isn't registered with the state can't legitimately pull one, which is one reason a contract that's silent about permits is a warning sign. Our guide on how to tell if a roofer is legitimate in Iowa covers the registration check, and questions to ask a Des Moines roofing contractor includes the permit question.
A homeowner's permit checklist
- Ask each contractor whether the permit is included in the price, and get the answer in writing.
- Ask which city's building department the job falls under. Addresses near city lines can surprise you.
- Ask whether your city wants an inspection partway through, and how the contractor schedules it.
- Look for the permit card or number on the job, or ask for a copy.
- Keep the final sign-off with your house papers.
- If you have an HOA, get the shingle color approved separately. HOA approval is not a city permit, and a city permit is not HOA approval.
When the job grows halfway through
A repair can turn into something bigger once the shingles come off: rotted decking across a whole slope, a cracked rafter, or a second layer nobody knew about. If the scope changes from a repair to a replacement or to structural work, ask the contractor whether it now needs a permit, and get the change in writing before work continues.
On the quote
The permit should be a line item on every replacement quote, and the contractor should pull it and schedule the inspection. If your city needs a mid-job inspection before the shingles go on, a good contractor builds that into the day. See the roof replacement page for everything else that's in the job.
Common questions
Do I need a permit to replace a few shingles?
Generally no. Small repairs like a few shingles, a pipe boot or flashing usually don't need one anywhere in the metro. Check with your city's building department if you're unsure.
How long does it take to get one?
It varies by city and season. For an ordinary re-roof it's often quick, but building departments get busy after a big storm. Your contractor should know the current wait in your city.
Can I pull the permit myself?
Some cities let homeowners pull permits for work on their own house. If you hire a contractor, though, the contractor should pull it, for the reasons above.
Does a new skylight need a permit?
Cutting a new opening in the roof is structural work, so expect one. Replacing a skylight in the same opening may be treated differently; ask your building department before the work is scheduled.
What if my current roof was put on without a permit?
It isn't always a problem until you sell. If you're unsure, ask your city's building department whether there is a permit on file for the address. If there isn't, ask them what, if anything, they would want to see, and keep any paperwork you have from the job.
Does the city's inspection replace my own checks?
No. The inspector checks the parts the code covers, often in a short visit. You still want photos of the decking, the membrane and the flashing from the contractor, a walk of the yard at the end, and a look in the attic after the first heavy rain.
Need roof work in Des Moines?
Call for a free estimate. Mon–Sat 7am–7pm.