Do You Need a Permit for a Siding Replacement? What to Know Before Refacing Your Home

Nothing puts a damper on refreshing your home’s exterior like red tape from your building department, so if you’re wondering if you need a permit for siding replacement, it’s a good idea to confirm before you start the work. In most cases, you will need a permit if you’re replacing your siding, but there are some scenarios where you won’t need one.

Do You Need a Permit for Siding Replacement?

For complete siding replacement, which involves removing your old siding and installing new siding, you’ll almost always need a permit. Permits help your building department keep track of home improvement projects and confirm that you or your contractor are doing work that’s up to code. 

While filing for a permit might seem like unnecessary red tape once your siding reaches the end of its life, the process will really just help ensure your siding goes up safely and can adequately protect your home from the elements.

When You Need One

Below are some scenarios where you’ll need a permit for siding work.

• You’re removing your old siding and replacing it entirely.

• You’re doing a partial siding replacement, and the area you’re re-siding is more than 10 square feet (actual square footage depends on your local building department).

• You’re installing a heavier siding material, like stucco, and you need to make structural changes to your home to support the added weight.

One additional consideration to make is whether or not you’re in an HOA or incorporated village. Even if permits are mandated for your project, you may be subject to approval by these governing bodies.

When You Don’t Need One

On the other hand, you may not need permits for the following siding projects.

• You’re installing new cladding or siding directly over your existing siding.

• You’re just replacing small sections of your siding (under 10 square feet is the common cutoff for not needing permits).

• You’re making cosmetic changes to your existing siding, like painting or putting a skim coat over stucco.

What Happens If You Fail to Get the Necessary Siding Permit?

It’s never a good idea to skip the permitting process and just move forward with replacing your siding. If your building department finds out, you’ll almost certainly face violations that come with fines. In the worst-case scenario, your building department may require you to remove the siding and start the process over with the proper permits.

How to Find Out If You Need A Permit to Replace Siding

You can confirm whether or not you need a permit by calling your local building department to ask. Describe the project in as much detail as possible to get an accurate answer. On the other hand, a siding installer or a siding repair pro near you will be familiar with local laws, and they’ll be able to confirm if you need a permit. A reputable professional will also pull the permit for you and schedule any necessary final inspections to close out the permit after the work is done.