Roofing Permits in the Central Valley — Jurisdiction by Jurisdiction
Every residential reroof in California requires a permit from the agency with jurisdiction over the address, and the rules are not uniform across the Valley. Whether plans are required, whether an inspector looks at the deck before the new covering goes on, and what the permit costs all depend on which city or county your home sits in.
This page lays out what to expect in the nine jurisdictions we work in most. New View Roofing (CSLB C39 #1049163) pulls the permit and schedules the inspections as part of every replacement — you do not file anything yourself.
| Jurisdiction | Plans required? | Mid-roof / deck inspection? | Permit fee | Where to file |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Fresno | Not for like-for-like | Yes | $200–$500 for a typical residential reroof permit; the permit is valid 180 days and work without one exposes the owner to fines. | fresno.gov — Building & Safety |
| Fresno County (unincorporated) | Depends on scope | Yes | Fresno County sets its own reroof fee schedule; confirm the current amount with Building & Safety. | fresnocountyca.gov — Public Works & Planning |
| City of Clovis | Depends on scope | Yes | Clovis sets its own reroof fee schedule; the Building Division confirms the amount at application. | cityofclovis.com — Building Division |
| City of Sanger | Not for like-for-like | Depends on scope | Sanger sets its own fee schedule — confirm with the Building Department at application. | ci.sanger.ca.us — Building Department |
| City of Selma | Not for like-for-like | Depends on scope | Selma sets its own fee schedule — confirm with the Building Department at application. | cityofselma.com — Building Department |
| City of Madera | Not for like-for-like | Yes | The City of Madera sets its own reroof fee schedule; confirm at application. | madera.gov — Building Division |
| Madera County (unincorporated) | Depends on scope | Yes | Madera County sets its own fee schedule; confirm with Building Services at application. | maderacounty.com — Building Services |
| City of Visalia | Not for like-for-like | Yes | Visalia sets its own reroof fee schedule; confirm with Building Safety at application. | visalia.city — Building Safety |
| City of Hanford | Not for like-for-like | Depends on scope | Hanford sets its own fee schedule — confirm with the Building Division at application. | cityofhanford.gov — Building Division |
Permit requirements and fee schedules are set by each jurisdiction and change without notice. Use the linked department page for the current requirement on your address, or ask us during your free inspection.
City of Fresno
Addresses inside Fresno city limits
- Plans required? Not for like-for-like
- A like-for-like reroof is issued over the counter or online without plans. Plans or engineering are required when the roof covering changes weight class — asphalt shingle to concrete or clay tile is the common trigger — or when structural framing is altered.
- Mid-roof / deck inspection? Yes
- Deck / sheathing and underlayment are inspected before the new covering goes on, then a final inspection after completion.
- Permit fee
- $200–$500 for a typical residential reroof permit; the permit is valid 180 days and work without one exposes the owner to fines.
Fresno County (unincorporated)
Ranchos, Friant, Prather, Auberry, Caruthers, Easton, Biola and other unincorporated addresses
- Plans required? Depends on scope
- No plans for a like-for-like reroof. Plans and a structural review are required for a tile conversion or any framing change. Mountain-area and very-high fire severity parcels also carry a Class A assembly requirement.
- Mid-roof / deck inspection? Yes
- Sheathing / underlayment inspection before cover, plus a final. Rural inspection windows are wider than in the city — we schedule around them.
- Permit fee
- Fresno County sets its own reroof fee schedule; confirm the current amount with Building & Safety.
City of Clovis
Clovis city limits, including Harlan Ranch and Heritage Grove
- Plans required? Depends on scope
- Like-for-like reroofs are permitted without plans. Because so much Clovis tract housing is tile, the questions that trigger plan review here are usually load-related: shingle-to-tile conversions and any re-framing.
- Mid-roof / deck inspection? Yes
- Nail / deck inspection before the covering is installed and a final inspection at completion.
- Permit fee
- Clovis sets its own reroof fee schedule; the Building Division confirms the amount at application.
City of Sanger
Sanger city limits
- Plans required? Not for like-for-like
- Plans are not required for a like-for-like residential reroof. Material or structural changes are reviewed case by case.
- Mid-roof / deck inspection? Depends on scope
- Expect a mid-roof or deck inspection on tear-off work; scope determines whether it is called separately from the final.
- Permit fee
- Sanger sets its own fee schedule — confirm with the Building Department at application.
City of Selma
Selma city limits
- Plans required? Not for like-for-like
- Like-for-like reroofs are issued without plans. Changing covering type or touching framing triggers a review.
- Mid-roof / deck inspection? Depends on scope
- Deck / underlayment inspection is typically called on full tear-offs; a final inspection always closes the permit.
- Permit fee
- Selma sets its own fee schedule — confirm with the Building Department at application.
City of Madera
Madera city limits
- Plans required? Not for like-for-like
- No plans for a like-for-like reroof. Tile conversions and framing changes require structural review before issuance.
- Mid-roof / deck inspection? Yes
- Sheathing / underlayment inspection before cover and a final inspection at completion.
- Permit fee
- The City of Madera sets its own reroof fee schedule; confirm at application.
Madera County (unincorporated)
Madera Ranchos, Bonadelle Ranchos, Coarsegold, Oakhurst, Yosemite Lakes and other unincorporated addresses
- Plans required? Depends on scope
- Like-for-like reroofs need no plans. Foothill and mountain parcels in high or very-high fire severity zones must use a Class A roof assembly, and tile conversions need a structural review.
- Mid-roof / deck inspection? Yes
- Deck / underlayment inspection before cover, plus a final. Foothill scheduling windows are wider.
- Permit fee
- Madera County sets its own fee schedule; confirm with Building Services at application.
City of Visalia
Visalia city limits
- Plans required? Not for like-for-like
- Residential like-for-like reroofs are permitted without plans. Material weight changes and structural work are reviewed.
- Mid-roof / deck inspection? Yes
- A sheathing / nailing inspection is called before the new covering is installed, followed by a final.
- Permit fee
- Visalia sets its own reroof fee schedule; confirm with Building Safety at application.
City of Hanford
Hanford city limits
- Plans required? Not for like-for-like
- No plans for a like-for-like residential reroof; covering or framing changes are reviewed before issuance.
- Mid-roof / deck inspection? Depends on scope
- Deck inspection is generally called on tear-offs; a final inspection closes every permit.
- Permit fee
- Hanford sets its own fee schedule — confirm with the Building Division at application.
What applies everywhere in the Valley
Does a reroof always need a permit?
Yes. Replacing a roof covering is permitted work statewide under the California Residential Code, whether it is a full tear-off or an overlay. A contractor who offers to skip the permit is offering to leave the work unpermitted on your property record, which surfaces during resale and can void insurance coverage on the roof.
Who pulls the permit — me or the roofer?
A licensed contractor pulls it in their own name and their license stands behind the work. If a contractor asks you to pull an owner-builder permit for work they are performing, that shifts liability and code responsibility onto you — treat it as a red flag.
What is the mid-roof inspection for?
It is the only chance the inspector gets to see the deck, the fastening pattern, and the underlayment before the covering hides all three. Most Valley jurisdictions call it. If a crew covers the deck before that inspection, the inspector can require sections to be opened back up.
Does the fire severity zone change what I can install?
In high and very-high fire hazard severity zones — which cover the foothill and mountain parts of Fresno, Madera, and Tulare counties — the assembly must be Class A rated, and vent and edge details are inspected more closely. Asphalt shingle and tile systems both meet Class A when installed as a listed assembly.
How long is a permit good for?
Jurisdictions expire permits after a set window without inspection activity; the City of Fresno's residential permit runs 180 days. A permit left open and unfinaled is the most common reason a roof shows up as unpermitted work at resale.
Does changing to tile change the permit?
Usually yes. Tile weighs substantially more than asphalt shingle, so converting from shingle to concrete or clay tile triggers a structural review of the framing before the permit issues, and sometimes engineered reinforcement. Re-laying tile you already have does not raise that question.
How we handle it
We identify the correct jurisdiction from your address — city limits and unincorporated county lines are not obvious in the Ranchos, around Clovis, or on the Fresno–county fringe — pull the permit under our C39 license, schedule the mid-roof inspection so the crew is not sitting idle, walk the inspector through the work, and finish with a signed-off final. You receive the closed permit with your warranty registration.