What the City requires
The Development Services Department's Home Remodeling FAQs say: "Anytime you're replacing or installing a roof you need a permit." There is no repair-size threshold on the City's no-permit list; roofing does not appear on it. The Re-Roof Permit Application (rev. 10/26, read 24 October 2026) adds:
| Situation | What the City requires |
|---|---|
| Same pitch, same kind of material | Over-the-counter permit, final building inspection |
| Roof slope changes | Full plan review, plus an engineer's assessment inspection report |
| Changing to tile | An engineer's assessment inspection report |
| Re-cover over an existing roof | Allowed up to "a maximum of 2 layers of roofing materials" per the IRC |
| Vents and pipes extended above the new roofline | Separate mechanical, electrical and plumbing permits and inspections |
| Attic exposed during the job | Existing insulation may need upgrading under the energy code |
Who can pull it
| Applicant | Re-roof permit? |
|---|---|
| Homeowner | Yes, attesting "I own and will own (occupy or rent) this residence for a period of 12 months after the completion of this project" (City Code 10-115(a)(1)) |
| Home improvement contractor (City-registered) | Yes, re-roofs without a pitch change |
| Residential building contractor (City-registered) | Yes, including re-roofs with a pitch change |
The application also states that "the permit belongs to the property owner", even when a contractor pulls it. The City's Residential Permits page says a homeowner applying without a pitch change brings proof of ownership.
What it costs and how to apply
The FY 2027 Development Fee Schedule lists the "Residential Repair Existing Re-Roof Fee" at $28.75, plus the 4% Technological Improvement and 4% Development Services surcharges; a failed inspection that has to be called back is $57.50. Apply through BuildSA or at the One Stop, 1901 S. Alamo St.; the application asks whether the slope changes and whether the material changes to tile. When the roof is done, the City's Inspection Division performs a final building inspection.
What 11,516 San Antonio roofing permits show
| Measure | San Antonio roofing permits |
|---|---|
| Issued October 2024 to September 2026 | 11,516 (9% of all City permits) |
| October 2024 to September 2025 | 6,891 |
| October 2025 to September 2026 | 4,625 (−33%) |
| Busiest / quietest calendar month (index) | May (138) / December (56) |
| ZIPs with the most | 78251 (1,568), 78254 (732), 78245 (673) |
Roofing is the most seasonal work in the City's file: May runs at more than twice December's level. One ZIP, 78251 on the far west side, holds 14% of the two years' roof permits, more than twice the next ZIP. If your roof is not leaking, a winter booking meets the quietest permit counter. Monthly counts are on San Antonio roofing permits, all kinds of work on San Antonio permit statistics, and the rows on browse San Antonio permits.
Before you sign a roofing contract
Ask the roofer for the permit number and look it up in BuildSA (San Antonio building permit search). The application asks for the contractor's City registration number, so ask for it; trade licenses for vent or electrical work are covered in how to check a contractor's license in Texas. Rules elsewhere are in do I need a permit for roof replacement, and filed costs in roof replacement cost.
What this does not tell you
Re-roof permits in the City's file do not say whether the building is a home, so the 11,516 include commercial roofs. The file has no status or final date and names a primary contact rather than the roofer, so we cannot say how many passed or rank roofers.
How we know this
Rules are quoted from the City of San Antonio's Re-Roof Permit Application (rev. 10/26), Home Remodeling FAQs and Residential Permits page; the fee from the FY 2027 Development Fee Schedule (revised October 2026), all read 24 October 2026. Our counts are the City's open data Building Permits files, read 18 October 2026: re-roof permits issued October 2024 to September 2026.
Numbers come from public permit records in 57 cities, data through October 18, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- Do I need a permit to replace my roof in San Antonio?
Yes. The City's Home Remodeling FAQ says: 'Anytime you're replacing or installing a roof you need a permit.' The City issued 11,516 roofing permits from October 2024 to September 2026.
- How much is a roofing permit in San Antonio?
$28.75, the Residential Repair Existing Re-Roof Fee in the City's FY 2027 fee schedule, plus the 4% technology and 4% Development Services surcharges. A pitch change goes to full plan review, which adds review time.
- Can a homeowner get a re-roof permit in San Antonio?
Yes. The re-roof application lets a homeowner apply if they attest they own and will own, occupy or rent the house for 12 months after the project, under City Code 10-115(a)(1). Otherwise a City-registered contractor applies.
- Can I put a new roof over the old one in San Antonio?
Only up to two layers. The City's re-roof application says 'A maximum of 2 layers of roofing materials is allowed per the IRC.' A third layer means a tear-off.
- When do San Antonio roofers pull the most permits?
May, with an index of 138 against an average month of 100; December is the quietest at 56, in roofing permits issued October 2024 to September 2026.
Build your own list
Pick your city and the kind of work. Every firm with a permit on record, sorted by what you value.
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- Residential Permits — City of San Antonio Development Services (2026-10-24)
- Re-Roof Permit Application (PDF, rev. 10/26) — City of San Antonio (2026-10-24)
- Home Remodeling FAQs (PDF) — City of San Antonio Development Services (2026-10-24)
- FY 2027 Development Fee Schedule (PDF) — City of San Antonio (2026-10-24)
- Building Permits — City of San Antonio Open Data (2026-10-18)