Do You Need a Permit to Reroof in Minneapolis?
Updated 2026-10 · Minneapolis, MN
Short answer
Yes, in almost every case. The City of Minneapolis handout on roofing for one- and two-family dwellings says a building permit is required for all re-roofing work, except repairs involving less than one bundle of shingles, which it puts at 33 1/3 square feet of roof. A full reroof, a slope replacement or a larger storm repair all need one. Suburbs have their own offices and rules, so this page applies to addresses inside the city.
What the city checks
A final inspection is required when the work is complete. If repairs are needed to rafters or trusses, an additional permit and a framing inspection are required. The city does not require an inspection of the underlayment or ice barrier before the shingles go on, and photos of it are not required, though installers may take them. An extra inspection during re-sheathing can be requested, subject to the inspector's availability.
Ask the company to photograph the ice barrier and decking anyway. It costs them nothing, it is the only record of the part of the roof you will never see again, and it is useful if you sell the house or file a claim later.
The code points the handout calls out
- Ice barrier is required on every house: self-adhering membrane or two layers of felt cemented together, from the eave to at least 24 inches inside the exterior wall line.
- Asphalt shingles need a slope of at least 2 in 12; between 2 and 4 in 12 needs doubled underlayment.
- One new layer may go over one existing layer if the old roof is sound and the shingle maker allows it. Never over wood shakes, slate or tile.
- Rusted or damaged flashing must be replaced, and roofing tar is not a substitute for flashing.
- A chimney wider than 30 inches along the ridge line that does not reach the ridge needs a cricket.
- Adding ventilation is not required on an existing house when re-roofing.
Who pulls it
Normally the licensed roofing company pulls the permit and builds the fee into the price. A company that suggests skipping the permit is suggesting skipping the inspection too. The city's handout is from 2016 and refers to the code edition then in force; Minnesota has adopted newer code since, so check the current requirements with the city's Construction Code Services or through 311 before relying on any single detail here.
Planning a reroof inside the city? Call for a free look, and ask the company to confirm the permit is in the quote.
Where to go next
Common questions
Can I pull the permit myself as the homeowner?
Homeowners doing their own work generally can. If a contractor is doing the work, the contractor should pull it.
Do I need a permit to replace a few shingles?
Not if the repair uses less than one bundle, about 33 square feet. Anything larger needs one in Minneapolis.
What happens if a past reroof had no permit?
It can come up at sale or in a claim. Talk to the city about the options rather than ignoring it.