Rowhouse flat roofs
The Office of Planning says most rowhouses have flat roofs. Our flat roof page covers seams, drains and flashings, and a separate DC membrane page goes deep on TPO, EPDM and PVC.
Roofers in Washington, DC
The District has one permit government, the Department of Buildings, which replaced the old consumer affairs agency on October 1, 2022. Its code exempts replacing roof covering in kind, but a historic district needs Historic Preservation Office approval first. And 56.9 percent of the city's 361,014 homes sit in buildings of five or more units, so this is a flat roof and rowhouse page, not a shingle page.
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Who decides a DC roof when there is no county and no state building code?
The District has no county layer. On October 1, 2022 two new agencies began service: the Department of Buildings, called DOB, and the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection. Both took over work that belonged to the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, which no longer exists. Roof permits, inspections and code enforcement now run through DOB.
What we do here
Which King's Roofing service fits a rowhouse, a pent roof or a condo building?
Pent roofs and repairs
The small sloped band over a front bay is covered in slate, shingles or tile. See roof repair for leaks that start at a hip, a valley or a flashing.
Whole-roof replacement
Choosing a covering can be a historic-review question. See roof replacement and the materials guide.
Permits
What does the DC building code say about replacing roof covering?
Confirm the details for your address with the office before work is scheduled. Phone numbers come from the offices' own pages.
Section 105.2 of the DC building code, as reproduced on a commercial code site, exempts "roof covering or coping" from a permit when the work is replacement in kind. The code defines that as a feature of like material that replicates the existing one in proportion, appearance, texture, design, detail and dimensions. Slate swapped for asphalt shingles does not fit that wording, and neither does adding structure. DOB's own Get a Permit page lists "Roofing and coping" under replacement in-kind work that needs no building permit unless the property is in a historic district.
The same section carries two exceptions: historic districts and flood hazard areas. In a historic district the exemption turns into a permit application that needs prior review and approval by the Historic Preservation Office. Treat the table below as a map of who to ask, not a ruling.
| What you plan | Who to ask | Contact on the office's page |
|---|---|---|
| Roof repair or replacement with no structural change, one- or two-family home | DOB Homeowner's Center | (202) 671-3500 |
| Roof covering in a historic district, even like for like | Historic Preservation Office, then DOB Historic Property Special Permit | (202) 442-7600 |
| Roof deck, skylight or addition visible from the street | Historic Preservation Office, possibly the Review Board | (202) 442-7600 |
| Georgetown exterior work | Old Georgetown Board staff | (202) 504-2200 |
| Condo or co-op building roof | Your own board or management company | Ask for the roofing rule in writing |
DOB's Homeowner's Center page lists "Roof Repairs/Replacement" with no structural changes among projects it can review, open to any homeowner of a one or two-family home or an agent with written authorization. It says DOB will work with the homeowner and other agencies to issue the permit within five business days, and for properties in a historic district it points to the Historic Property Special Permit.
The same page requires neighbor notification when work involves a party wall, a shared fence or a retaining wall. Rowhouses share walls, so ask the center whether coping, parapet or wall-flashing work counts before you assume it does not.
Historic review
Does a roof job on Capitol Hill or in LeDroit Park go through the Historic Preservation Office first?
If the block is inside a historic district, yes. DOB describes the Historic Property Special Permit as covering scopes that need a permit solely because the property is in a historic district, and its list includes replacement in kind of roofing and coping. Applicants are told to confirm with the Office of Planning before submitting to DOB.
The Office of Planning's expedited list names "Roofing, coping, gutters, and downspouts" under in-kind or compatible work. If the work is compatible with the property's character and consistent with Review Board standards, the Historic Preservation Office can clear the application itself. If not, it goes to the Historic Preservation Review Board.
The Historic Preservation Office is part of the Office of Planning at 899 North Capitol Street NE, Suite 7100, phone (202) 442-7600, open Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 5 pm except District holidays.
The office's roof guideline tells owners to repair in kind first, replace the whole material in kind next, and look at a substitute only when neither is technically or economically feasible.
Georgetown
Why does Georgetown add a federal design review to a District roof?
Under the Old Georgetown Act of 1950, the Commission of Fine Arts, a federal design review agency, advises through its Old Georgetown Board. The Commission's FAQ says review is required as part of the District permit process and that final action by the Commission is needed before a building permit issues.
The board meets monthly, usually on the first Thursday, except in January and August, and submissions to DOB are due three weeks before. The FAQ says rear alterations still need review when they are visible from public space, and that vegetation is not counted when judging visibility.
Its list of projects that do not need review names minor repairs and masonry repointing but does not mention roofs either way. So for a Georgetown roof, call the board's staff at (202) 504-2200 before ordering material.
Housing
How many District homes are rowhouses, houses and apartment buildings?
Census Bureau figures, ACS 2024 5-year estimate for the District, 361,014 homes.
56.9 percent in 5+ unit buildings
205,565 homes, including 124,410 in buildings of 50 or more units. Condo boards and managers weigh in on roofs here.
21.7 percent attached
78,345 single-unit attached homes, mostly rowhouses, with shared walls and parapets.
11.0 percent detached
39,744 houses, the group where a sloped roof is more likely.
The median home was built in 1958, and 31.5 percent date from 1939 or earlier. Renters occupy 58.5 percent of occupied homes. The Census counts homes, not roofs, so these figures do not tell you any roof's shape or age.
The Office of Planning's guideline says most rowhouses, semi-attached homes and commercial buildings have flat roofs, rarely absolutely flat, and usually sloped toward the rear to drain. It adds that a flat roof is typically not visible from the ground, while the cornice, parapet or pent roof at its edge almost always is.
Weather and trees
What did the September 3, 2026 storm do on the 200 block of 8th Street SE?
WJLA reported that winds reached up to 70 mph in the District that night, with a 64 mph gust at Reagan National Airport. A large tree fell onto a rowhouse in the 200 block of 8th Street SE, and the occupants evacuated with no injuries. Another fell at 5th and F Streets NE, and 15,968 Pepco customers had no power as of 4:30 the next morning. The story describes fallen trees and outages, not roof damage.
After a night like that, a pent roof under a limb is worth checking. The Office of Planning's guideline says slate is subject to cracking, usually from hail or falling tree limbs. Look from the ground for a limb resting on a pent roof, and keep photos for the call.
Process
What happens between your first call and a crew date on a DC block?
Name the building
Rowhouse, house, condo or co-op, and whether the block is a historic district.
Phone call
A free 15-minute call about the roof, its edges and where water shows.
Roof visit
Someone checks the parapet, drain, vents and pent roof.
Written scope
Materials, exclusions and which office must see the plan.
Review, then work
Permits and preservation sign-off are confirmed before a crew date is set.
Reviews
Where do District customers read the Google reviews?
5.0 on Google from 60 reviews.
FAQ
Questions about roofing under the Department of Buildings
Is the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs still the DC permit office?
No. It was replaced on October 1, 2022 by the Department of Buildings and the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection. Roof permits now run through the Department of Buildings.
Does Virginia's building code apply to a roof in the District?
No. The District has its own construction codes and one permit government, with no county or state layer. A rule you read for Fairfax or Arlington does not carry over.
Can a homeowner of a rowhouse use the Homeowner's Center for a roof?
The center is open to homeowners of one or two-family homes and their authorized agents, and its page lists roof repair or replacement with no structural change. Call (202) 671-3500 to confirm your scope.
Why would a same-material roof replacement still need a permit application?
If the property is in a historic district, the code asks for a permit application with Historic Preservation Office approval even for work that would otherwise be exempt in kind.
What is the difference between the Historic Preservation Office and the Review Board?
The office is Office of Planning staff that can clear compatible, in-kind work. The Review Board hears work the office cannot clear, and it designates landmarks and districts.
When does the Old Georgetown Board meet?
Usually the first Thursday of each month except January and August, with submissions due to DOB three weeks earlier, according to the Commission of Fine Arts FAQ.
Is every District roof a flat roof?
No. The Office of Planning says most rowhouses have flat roofs, but its guideline calls pent roofs prevalent on rowhouses and says they are commonly covered with slate, asphalt shingles or clay tile. Only 11.0 percent of homes are detached houses.
Who should I call first about a condo building roof?
Your condo board or management company, then the building's permit office questions. Ask for the roofing rule in writing, because the Census counts homes and says nothing about who owns the roof.
Nearby
Which places across the District line do we also cover?
Across the Potomac we work in Arlington and Alexandria, and north of the line in Bethesda and Silver Spring, each under its own permit office. See every place on the service areas page, read about King's Roofing, or for larger buildings read our guide to Flat Roof Repair in Washington DC: Commercial Building Guide.
Official pages used, checked 2026-10-09: DOB Get a Permit, DOB Homeowner's Center, DOB Historic Property Special Permit, Office of Planning work qualifying for HPO review, Historic Preservation Office, Old Georgetown FAQs, DCRA transition page.
Roof material guides for the District: TPO roofs in DC, EPDM roofs in DC, metal roofs in DC, PVC roofs in Washington, DC.
Talk through the next step
Talk through your roof with King's Roofing
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(703) 712-1506
9220 Topaz St, Fairfax, VA 22031
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