Usually not. The City of Regina lists re-roofing as work that does not need a building permit when the new roof is a similar type, poses no health or safety risk and involves no structural changes. Change what the roof is made of, repair structure, or own a designated heritage home, and the answer can change.
We are W Contracting Roofing, a Saskatoon roofing company, and Regina is inside the area we cover. This guide is about the paperwork only. What we do on a Regina roof is on our roofing in Regina, SK page.
What does the City of Regina say about re-roofing permits?
The City of Regina's building and demolition permits page splits work into two lists. One covers what needs a building permit: demolition, repair, alteration or addition to an existing building or structure. The other covers what does not, and re-roofing or re-finishing the exterior of a building is on it, with three conditions.
- The new roof is a similar type to the old one.
- It poses no health or safety risk.
- There are no structural changes.
Lined up against what the City has published, common Regina jobs look like this.
| Your Regina roof job | What the City pages say |
|---|---|
| Re-roofing with a similar type of roofing, no structural change, no health or safety risk | Building permit not required |
| Repair or alteration of the existing building, including structural work | Building permit required |
| A roof that changes type, such as a different material | The page does not define a similar type, so ask the City first |
| Designated heritage home, re-roofing with the same material and specifications | Heritage alteration permit not needed |
| Designated heritage home, replacing original fascia, soffits or trim | Heritage alteration permit needed |
What counts as a similar type of roof in Regina?
The page does not say. There is no list of materials and no example, so what counts as similar is the City's call.
Saskatoon words it tighter. Its building permits page exempts replacing or repairing roofing with exactly the same roofing material above the decking. Regina's page says a similar type and stops, so a move from asphalt shingles to metal is left open.
If your plan changes the roofing material, ask the City before you sign a contract, and keep the reply in writing. A job that was fine on the quote can stall if the permit question comes up after the crew is booked.
Does a heritage home in Regina need a different permit?
Possibly, if the house is designated. The City's heritage properties page counted 104 municipally designated properties as of March 2022 and sends owners to a Heritage Properties Map to check an address. A property that is only on the heritage inventory, and not designated, does not need a heritage alteration permit.
On a designated home, re-roofing with the same material and specifications needs no heritage permit, and neither does repairing or replacing eavestroughs and downspouts, unless the designation bylaw names them as character-defining. Fascia, soffits, trim and other original details are different. Replacing those does need one, which means a roof job that reaches the roof edge can still trigger it.
Regina also has one heritage conservation district, Victoria Park, where anything built before 1965 counts as municipal heritage property. Only the City's map can tell you about a specific address. Heritage questions go to heritage@regina.ca, and the City lists 306-777-7000 for heritage alteration questions.
How do you apply if the job does need a permit in Regina?
Applications go through the City's eBuild portal or in person at City Hall. The home alterations page says the legal owner has to sign as well as the applicant, nothing can start until the permit is issued, and work that starts early gets a surcharge.
That page is written for things like moving walls and structural changes, so read it as the general process, not a roofing checklist. Current permit processing times are linked from it, worth a look before you pick a start date.
Who is responsible for the permit, you or your roofer?
The City is plain about this on its alterations page: provincial legislation and City bylaws put the responsibility for meeting building codes on the property owner. So whoever you hire, settle in writing who checks whether the job needs a permit.
- Who confirms with the City whether a permit is needed.
- Who applies, if one is needed, and who signs as owner.
- Whether the permit cost is inside the price or on top of it.
- What happens to the start date if approval takes longer than expected.
Our Regina quotes come after a free, no-obligation inspection and spell out the scope, so that is where these four lines belong. The roof work itself is described under roof replacement in Regina.
What about roof repair and storm damage in Regina?
The re-roofing exemption holds only when there are no structural changes, so structural work is outside it. Rotten decking and small-area repairs are not addressed, so if your repair goes past swapping like for like, ask.
A storm claim is a separate track. Your insurer decides what the policy pays for, the City decides what needs a permit, and both can apply to the same roof. If hail or wind is why the roof is coming off, our storm damage roof repair in Regina page covers how we document the damage for an adjuster.
Questions Regina homeowners ask about roof permits
Do I need a permit to replace shingles in Regina?
Do I need a permit to put a metal roof on my Regina house?
Does a heritage home in Regina need a heritage alteration permit to re-roof?
Who applies for a permit in Regina, the owner or the roofer?
Do you work in Regina?
Sources. City of Regina, Building & Demolition Permits; Renovation or Alteration; Heritage Properties & Conservation. City of Saskatoon, Building Permits, for the comparison. All read in October 2026. Rules change, so confirm with the City before you start.