What's Required in San Jose
- Permit required for replacement, repair or overlay of 25 percent or more of the roof in any 12-month period (SJMC 24.02.120.A.13)
- Re-Roof is an online permit type at SJPermits.org for single-family, duplex, multifamily and commercial properties; no plans required
- Residential reroofing permit $236 for up to two inspections; $157 per half hour for each additional inspection
- Re-roof permit processing line $211 in the FY2026-27 schedule
- Roof covering and underlayment are checked under the 2025 California Residential Code, in effect since January 1, 2026
- Structural replacement of rafters, trusses or sheathing is a separate Roof Structural Replacement scope with plans
- Contractors must hold a state license for jobs of $1,000 or more; owner-builders may pull their own permit
- Permit expires if work does not start within 12 months or stops for 180 days
Do You Need a Permit to Replace a Roof in San Jose?
Yes for a full reroof. San Jose Municipal Code 24.02.120 exempts only the replacement, repair or overlay of less than twenty-five percent of an existing roof within any twelve-month period. Patch a leak, replace a few squares after a storm, or re-flash a chimney and you are inside the exemption; tear off or overlay a quarter or more of the roof and you need a permit. The exemption is measured per twelve months, so doing the roof in slices does not avoid it. Re-Roof is one of the building permits SJPermits.org issues online for single-family, duplex, multifamily and commercial properties, and the online permits do not require plans.
San Jose Roof Rules by Scenario
| What you are doing | City filing | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Repair or overlay under 25 percent of the roof in a 12-month period | No permit | SJMC 24.02.120.A.13 |
| Full tear-off and replacement, same material or different | Online Re-Roof permit | SJPermits available online permits; SJMC 24.02.100 |
| Overlay of 25 percent or more over the existing roof | Online Re-Roof permit | SJMC 24.02.120.A.13 |
| Replacing rafters, trusses or sheathing | Building permit with plan review (Roof Structural Replacement) | Fee schedule processing table; SJMC 24.02.220 |
| Adding or replacing skylights | Building permit (Skylights lines in the processing table) | Fee schedule processing table |
| Rooftop solar added with the new roof | Separate solar permit; the only online permit needing a plan | SJPermits available online permits |
| New attic vents or a bathroom fan through the roof | Mechanical permit for the fan; vents are part of the roof permit | SJMC 24.02.120.B |
How Much Does a Reroof Permit Cost in San Jose?
San Jose has a flat reroof line. The city's schedule sets the Reroofing Permit at $236.00 for residential, covering up to two inspections, plus $157.00 per half hour for each additional inspection; the commercial figure is $393. That line was last restated in the FY2023-24 fee resolution and neither the FY2025-26 nor the FY2026-27 resolution amended it. The FY2026-27 schedule, effective July 1, 2026, also lists Re-roof at 1.0 hour, $211 in the permit processing table, which is the intake-and-coordination charge that sits alongside the permit fee, so a reroof filed at the counter can total about $447. The online permit at SJPermits.org may price the processing component differently; the checkout screen shows the exact amount before you pay. Reroofing without a permit is charged two times the plan review and inspection cost when it is caught.
Which Code Applies and What Is Inspected
San Jose adopted the 2025 California Residential Code and California Building Code with the state amendments, in effect since January 1, 2026, so the roof covering, underlayment and attachment are checked against those editions rather than a local roofing ordinance. Two inspections are built into the fee: typically one with the deck exposed after tear-off and one at completion. If the inspector finds the deck needs sheathing or framing replaced, that becomes a Roof Structural Replacement scope with plans. A reinspection fee can be charged when the work is not ready or corrections were not made, and the permit expires if work has not started within 12 months or stops for 180 days.
Who Pulls the Permit
Either the roofing contractor or you. Any contractor must be licensed by the Contractors State License Board for a job of $1,000 or more, and a homeowner improving a principal residence occupied for 12 months may pull the permit as owner-builder and do the work or hire licensed trades. The online permit is available 24 hours a day; inspections are scheduled on SJPermits.org and must be cancelled or rescheduled by 2 pm two business days ahead to avoid being charged for the slot.
How to Get a Roof Replacement Permit in San Jose
Measure the scope
Under 25 percent of the roof in 12 months is exempt; anything larger files.
Apply online at SJPermits.org
Select the Re-Roof permit for your property type; no plans are needed for the online permit.
Pay the fee
$236 residential reroofing permit for two inspections, plus the $211 processing line where charged; the checkout shows the total.
Call the deck inspection after tear-off
Schedule on SJPermits.org; structural damage found at this stage changes the scope to Roof Structural Replacement with plans.
Final inspection
Cancel or reschedule by 2 pm two business days ahead; extra inspections are $157 per half hour.