1.2 Act 239 (2025) Roof Permits & Inspections, Permit-Related Violations & Louisiana's Construction Code

Why Permits Became a Licensing Issue

For years many Louisiana reroofs were done without a permit, especially after storms. Homeowners often heard that "you don't need a permit for shingles." Two 2025 laws ended that practice.

• Act 239 (House Bill 85) made roof permits and inspections mandatory wherever a parish or municipality issues construction permits.
• Act 422 made permit and inspection failures violations of the contractor licensing law. That puts the LSLBC's disciplinary tools behind local permit rules.

Both took effect August 1, 2025, for projects beginning on or after that date.

What Act 239 Requires

Act 239 enacted R.S. 40:1730.23(K). Effective August 1, 2026, Act 881 of 2026 moved the uniform construction code statutes to R.S. 37:3727–3750, and this provision now appears in R.S. 37:3737. Its substance is the same. Any municipality or parish that issues construction permits must:

1. Permit and inspect all buildings other than one- and two-family dwellings for roof construction and reroofing under International Building Code Chapter 15, as adopted by the state code body.
2. Permit and inspect one- and two-family dwellings for roof construction and reroofing under International Residential Code Chapters 8 and 9, as adopted by the state code body.

The LSLBC explained two points to permit offices in an October 23, 2025 memo:

• The requirement applies to roofing and reroofing.
• It does not require a separate roofing permit for new construction, which is already permitted.

Remote roofing inspections. R.S. 37:3737 (formerly Title 40) generally requires a licensed inspector to be on site. Roofing inspections are an exception: the building official may accept photographs or videos that are location-verified with geotagging for required roofing or reroofing inspections. Ask your permit office which photos it wants and when.

Permit and Inspection Violations Under Act 422

Act 422 added these grounds for discipline to R.S. 37:2158(A):

"Misrepresenting the value" catches a common trick: writing a $14,000 reroof on the permit as $6,500 to stay under the $7,500 licensing trigger. Section 1.3 covers the penalties.

The Permit Office as a Licensing Checkpoint

R.S. 37:2160 ties the local permit desk to state licensing:

• (B) A local building department shall not issue a building permit to anyone without an active license in the appropriate classification for the permitted scope. Work that needs no license can still be permitted.
• (C) A permit applicant claiming a residential exemption, such as a homeowner on their own residence, must sign the board's affidavit before the permit issues.
• (A) Board staff may inspect local permit lists, and parishes and municipalities must give board staff unredacted permit, application, and inspection documents on request.

In practice, pulling a residential reroof permit on a $7,500-plus job now requires the Residential Roofing or Residential Construction classification.

Which Code Applies: Louisiana's Uniform Construction Code

The state uniform construction code applies statewide and is enforced locally. The Louisiana State Uniform Construction Code Council was renamed the Louisiana Uniform Construction Code Commission effective August 1, 2026 (Act 881 of 2026). It adopts the codes, and local building officials enforce them.

Watch for the next edition. On July 7, 2026, the commission approved rule language adopting the 2024 I-codes, with an effective date of January 1, 2027. The PSI exam still names the 2021 IBC. Answer code questions from the 2021 edition unless PSI changes its bulletin.

One amendment roofers must know. Louisiana amended IRC Table R602.3(1) for roof sheathing. The 8d common nail (2-1/2 in. × 0.131 in.) is allowed only where wind design is not required. The RSRS-01 roof sheathing ring-shank nail (2-3/8 in. × 0.113 in.) is allowed everywhere and required where wind design is required. For 3/8-inch to 3/4-inch roof panels, the table lists 6-inch spacing at panel edges and 6-inch spacing at intermediate supports. Chapter 4 covers deck fastening.

What Inspectors Look For

Each jurisdiction sets its own inspection stages, so there is no single statewide checklist. Reroof inspections typically cover:

• The deck after tear-off in jurisdictions that inspect it before dry-in: damaged sheathing replaced, sheathing fastened to the applicable schedule, and gaps in board decks addressed.
• Underlayment and flashing before they are covered, where required: underlayment type and laps, drip edge, valley linings, and sidewall and chimney flashing.
• Final: roof covering fastened to code and the manufacturer's instructions, flashings, ventilation, and debris removed.

Build the inspection hold points into your schedule. If you cover work before a required inspection, the inspector can make you open it up at your expense. It can also be charged as failing to obtain inspections under R.S. 37:2158(A)(19).

Documents to Have Ready for a Roof Permit

Requirements vary by parish, but expect to provide:

• the LSLBC license number and classification, or the exemption affidavit
• the scope and contract value, stated accurately
• product information showing that the shingles, underlayment, and other components meet the code for the site's wind speed, such as an ICC-ES evaluation report or the manufacturer's wind classification
• proof of insurance and local occupational licensing where the jurisdiction requires them

A roof built without a required permit or inspection also exposes the homeowner. Insurers, lenders, and later buyers may ask for permit records, and some insurers require permit documentation before granting wind-mitigation or FORTIFIED discounts.