Knowledge Base

Effective May 1, 2025 the City of Rochester will require a building permit and inspections for all residential re-roofing, re-siding and window replacement projects. While these requirements are already in place for commercial and multi-family properties, this update will specifically affect residential properties, including single-family homes, two-family homes and townhouses.

	Re-Roofing Project	Re-Siding Project	Window Replacement
Building permit required
Plan required	Simplified roof	None	Simplified floor
Permit fee	Fixed	Fixed	Valuation based
Inspections required	Roof sheathing,  Underlayment, Final	Wall sheathing, Weather barrier, Final	Framing, Weather barrier, Final
Contractor performing work requires a State license or registration
Homeowner can perform work without a license

Licensing Requirements:

• Homeowners are not required to hold a state license and registration to perform these tasks.
• Roofing contractors must have a state-issued roofing contractor license.
• A state-issued Residential Contractor’s License is required for contractors performing more than one specialized skill. Siding installation and window installation are considered distinct specialized skills in the State of Minnesota. Therefore, a contractor handling both components of the project must hold a Residential Contractor’s License.
• License and registration status will be verified at the time of permit submittal.