The shingles are down to two shades of grey when the neighbour asks about a permit. Pat puts the colour samples aside and reads the scope. Mike wants to know whether this is a covering replacement or whether the proposal also changes the structure. The municipality needs that distinction too.
Straightforward non-structural shingle replacement usually does not need a building permit in Toronto or Oshawa. Describe the actual scope to the relevant municipality, particularly where supporting structure or other approvals are involved.
The shingles can change. Can the structure?
Removing worn shingles and putting new roofing on the existing structure is different from rebuilding that structure. Toronto's permit guidance makes the non-structural condition explicit. Oshawa's guidance makes the same practical distinction between shingle replacement and structural work.
Ask the building department about your exact proposal if it involves:
- Repairing or altering rafters, trusses or other supporting members.
- Raising the roof, changing its shape or adding a dormer.
- Installing a substantially heavier covering or additional rooftop equipment.
- Significant damage beneath the shingles that changes the original scope.
"We're replacing the roof" is too vague for a permit answer. Describe the actual work. Replacing shingles, replacing sections of sheathing and rebuilding damaged rafters are different scopes; ask about yours before the crew starts.
Dave circles "wood repairs as needed." That phrase may be adequate for starting a price conversation, but it does not describe the extent of a structural proposal. Ask what is contemplated and what happens if opening the roof changes the work.
Check the scope
Which approval question are you asking?
Straightforward shingle work, structural changes and heritage alterations need different checks.
A new covering on the existing structure.
Toronto and Oshawa list straightforward non-structural roofing replacement as work that does not require a building permit.
- Describe
- The existing and proposed roofing materials.
- Confirm
- That the work does not include structural alterations.
- Keep
- The municipality's answer with the written roofing scope.
Toronto and Oshawa are examples, not a province-wide exemption. Ask the municipality where the house stands.
Toronto and Oshawa: similar answer, different wording
- Toronto: its exemption describes replacing existing roofing material when no structural work is required. That wording concerns the scope, rather than just the word "shingles."
- Oshawa: its list expressly includes roof-shingle replacement and separately includes non-structural roof repairs. A proposal to alter the supporting structure falls outside that simple description.
Neither list supplies a province-wide permission for every reroof. If a quote includes new skylight openings, a dormer or changing the roof shape, describe those separately. Toronto has a conditional skylight exemption, but it excludes cutting a truss and limits other structural-member removal; do not extend that rule to another municipality or decide to cut framing from a roofing quote.
For damaged sheathing discovered during stripping, ask the building department about the actual extent and proposed repair. Replacing a local panel and rebuilding a deteriorated supporting assembly should not be hidden under the same "wood extra" line.
Heritage homes have another question to settle
Heritage approval is a separate question. For a designated property or a home in a heritage conservation district, check with municipal heritage staff before choosing replacement materials. Toronto's Heritage Permit Guide explains that heritage alterations can need approval even where a building permit is unnecessary.
A routine asphalt replacement and changing a prominent historic slate roof are different proposals. Give staff the address and proposed materials; let them assess the property-specific requirements.
Get the answer while the roof is still closed
Send your municipality a short description: existing covering, proposed covering, any framing or sheathing work, and planned roof openings. Attach the contractor's scope and clear photos if useful. Keep the written response with the contract.
A clear enquiry can read: "At [address], we propose removing asphalt shingles and replacing them with [product]. The roof shape will remain the same. The attached scope includes [describe sheathing, framing or openings]. Is a building permit or another approval required for this work? What should happen if additional structural damage is found?"
Fill in the actual scope; do not state that there is no structural work unless the contractor's proposal supports that. Keep any heritage question in the same enquiry so it is not lost between departments.
We would settle who handles any required application and what happens if tear-off reveals more damage before opening the roof. That conversation is easier with an intact roof overhead.
Keep the municipality's written answer beside the quote. It should describe the same job. Toronto and Oshawa provide useful examples, but your own building department is the place to confirm your scope. Our roofing quote guide helps you spot where the written work leaves room for interpretation.