The decision table
| Question | Metal | Shingles |
|---|---|---|
| Ice barrier underlayment | Required in Minnesota's climate table (Minn. R. 1309.0301, Table R301.2(1)) | Same rule |
| Can it go over the old roof? | Complete, separate systems such as standing seam that carry the load to the structure "shall not require the removal of existing roof coverings" (2018 IRC R908.3.1, as quoted by East Point, GA); ask the City whether Minnesota's code edition changes that | Not over two or more existing layers, a water-soaked roof, or slate, clay, cement or asbestos-cement tile (R908.3.1.1, same guide) |
| Permit in Minneapolis | Reroof, filed by a pre-approved licensed contractor through the express tool (City of Minneapolis) | Same |
| License the roofer needs | Residential roofer, building contractor or remodeler license (DLI) | Same |
| What the permit file says about price | Nothing separate | Nothing separate; see the numbers below |
We found no official Minnesota source for the lifespan, snow-shedding or resale value of metal against shingles, so this page gives none.
What Minneapolis roofing permits show
| Measure | Minneapolis | Saint Paul |
|---|---|---|
| Roofing permits | 18,620 | 16,928 |
| Firms | 1,483 | 1,322 |
| Usual filed value | $13,000 | $12,600 |
| Middle half of firms' usual job | $9,660–$16,057 | $9,550–$15,552 |
| Finished (permits a year or more old) | 93.0% | 76.2% |
| Usual days, issue to final | 85 | 128 |
| Busiest month | October | September |
| Firms matching an active DLI license | 75.9% | 70.1% |
| Firms whose matched license is no longer current | 171 | 197 |
Minneapolis covers October 2023 to September 2026; Saint Paul covers 2022-07 to 2025-06.
Three things to take from it. First, the band: a quote far above $16,057 is outside what most Minneapolis roofers usually file, and the material is one likely reason (metal, a full tear-off, new decking), so ask which. That is our inference; the file does not record material. Second, Minneapolis roofing permits close: with 93.0% finished, a roofer whose own share is well below that has open permits to explain. Among the 351 firms with 10 or more permits, 19 finished under 70%. Third, 144 firms with 5 or more roofing permits filed none in the last 12 months; if yours is one, ask what changed.
See every Minneapolis roofer by permit record and license →
Snow, ice dams and the ice-barrier rule
Minnesota adopts the International Residential Code with its own amendments in Minnesota Rules chapter 1309. Its climate table, Table R301.2(1), marks "ice barrier underlayment required" as Yes, and a footnote applies the roof-covering ice-barrier sections "where there has been a history of local damage from the effects of ice damming" (Minn. R. 1309.0301, read 21 October 2026). The rule is about the layer under the roof, not the roof, so it applies whichever you choose. Check that both quotes name the ice barrier and how far up the roof it runs; the text we could read does not state a distance, so ask the City inspector what they look for.
Does a re-roof need a permit in Minneapolis?
Reroofs are listed as exterior work a pre-approved licensed contractor can file through the City's express permit tool, for an existing one- or two-family home (City of Minneapolis, Express Limited Permits). The City's work-exempt page lists gutter systems and "soffits, fascia, trim and other accessories" as exempt, and does not list roofing (City of Minneapolis, Work Exempt from Permit). So the roofer files the permit, not you. To check it was filed, search your address on the City's property information search or open the firm's page here; our permit-check guide has the link.
Check the roofer's license
"Residential contractors who perform roofing work must be licensed" in Minnesota, as a residential roofer, building contractor or remodeler; a roofer who also wants to install gutters, downspouts, soffit or fascia needs a building contractor or remodeler license instead (DLI). Look the number up on DLI's license and registration lookup; our Minnesota license guide walks through it. In Minneapolis, 75.9% of roofing firms on the permit file match an active DLI license and 12.5% match none by name, which is not the same as unlicensed.
What this does not tell you
The permit carries no material, roof size, pitch, number of layers or the price you paid; the filed value is what the contractor wrote on the application. We do not know how many Minneapolis roofs are metal. The national comparison, with 23 cities and the hail and hurricane rules, is in metal roof vs shingles.
How we know this
Roofing permits on homes from the City of Minneapolis CCS permit file, October 2023 to September 2026, and the City of Saint Paul's, July 2022 to June 2025, classified by us from permit type and description. Usual = middle value. "Middle half of firms" is the range of usual job values for the middle half of firms with three or more permits. Finished share is the share of permits a year or more old with a final; days to final count open permits as unfinished. License status is the matched Minnesota DLI record. Code, permit and license rules are quoted from Minnesota Rules chapter 1309, the City of Minneapolis and DLI, read 21 October 2026; the IRC reroof text is the 2018 edition as quoted by the City of East Point.
Numbers come from City of Minneapolis construction permits (CCS); City of Saint Paul approved building permits, data through October 16, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- Is a metal roof cheaper than shingles in Minneapolis?
The permit file cannot say: Minneapolis roofing permits carry no material field. The usual Minneapolis roofing permit was filed at $13,000, and the middle half of firms usually file between $9,660 and $16,057 a job. Ask each roofer for a quote in both materials and compare both with that band.
- Do I need a permit to replace my roof in Minneapolis?
Reroofs on existing one- and two-family homes are among the jobs a pre-approved licensed contractor files through the City's express permit tool. The City's work-exempt list names gutters, soffits, fascia and trim but not roofing. Ask Construction Code Services, 612-673-3000, if a roofer says you need none.
- Does Minnesota require an ice barrier under a new roof?
Minnesota's residential code marks ice barrier underlayment as required in its climate table (Minn. R. 1309.0301, Table R301.2(1)), and applies it where there is a history of local ice-damming damage. It applies to metal and shingles alike, so both quotes should list it.
- Does a metal roofer need a different license?
No separate one. DLI says residential contractors who do roofing must hold a residential roofer, building contractor or remodeler license. Gutters, downspouts, soffit and fascia need a building contractor or remodeler license, not a roofer license.
- When do Minneapolis roofers file the most permits?
October is the busiest month for Minneapolis roofing permits and January the quietest (index 243 against 16, where 100 is an average month).
Build your own list
Every firm with that kind of permit on record. Pick what you value. The list moves.
Related guides
- Roof repair vs replacement: the costs filed in 13 cities, and the rules that decide it
- Metal roof vs shingles: what the roofing permits in 27 cities show
- How to check a contractor's license in Minnesota
- What's a good completion rate for a contractor? The benchmarks from 12 trades and cities
For one city
- Express Limited Permits for Contractors — City of Minneapolis (accessed 2026-10-21)
- Work Exempt from Permit — City of Minneapolis (accessed 2026-10-21)
- Minnesota Rules chapter 1309, Minnesota Residential Code (part 1309.0301, Table R301.2(1)) (accessed 2026-10-21)
- Who needs a roofer license? — Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (accessed 2026-10-21)
- License and registration lookup — Minnesota DLI (accessed 2026-10-20)
- 2018 IRC building guide: residential re-roof (quotes IRC R908.3.1 and R908.3.1.1), City of East Point, GA (2024-03, accessed 2026-10-20)