Does My Roof Need a Building Permit in WA?

Short answer

Often, but not always. In WA, building permits are issued by your local government under the Building Act 2011. Small repairs and some like-for-like re-roofs may not need one, while structural changes, a new roof form or a switch between heavy and light materials often will. Check with your local government's building services before work starts.

The short version

Not every roof job needs a building permit in Western Australia, but plenty do. The rules sit under the Building Act 2011 (WA), and the permit authority for most homes is your local government, whether that is a City, Town or Shire. Each one has building services staff who can tell you whether your particular job needs approval.

The tricky part is that "re-roofing" covers a wide range of work. Swapping a few cracked tiles is very different from tearing off a concrete tile roof, adding new trusses and laying steel at a lower pitch. This guide explains the factors that usually decide the question, so you know what to ask.

Jobs that usually don't need a permit

Maintenance and minor repairs generally fall outside the permit system. Typical examples:

Replacing broken or slipped roof tiles with matching tiles
Re-bedding and re-pointing ridge capping
Fixing leaks around flashings and valley irons
Replacing gutters and downpipes on the same layout
Swapping a few damaged steel sheets for matching sheets
Cleaning, sealing or restoring an existing roof surface

Even here, there are exceptions. Heritage-listed homes and some places with specific planning rules can have extra requirements. Work on an asbestos cement roof has its own safety rules regardless of permits, which we cover below.

Jobs that often need a permit

The more your roof changes, the more likely you will need approval. These are the common triggers.

Structural changes

Replacing or altering rafters, trusses, beams or other parts of the frame is building work. So is raising the roof, adding a storey or cutting new openings for skylights larger than a standard fitting. These generally need a building permit, and your roofer may need input from a structural engineer.

A change in roof weight

Moving from concrete or terracotta tiles to COLORBOND steel is one of the most common Perth re-roofs. It sounds like a simple swap, but the forces on the roof change. Heavy tiles sit on the frame under their own weight, while lightweight steel relies on tie-downs to resist uplift in strong winds, such as the gusty north-westerlies ahead of winter fronts. That often means new battens and extra fixings, and some local governments treat that as work needing a permit.

Going the other way, from steel to tiles, adds weight the frame may not be designed to carry. That nearly always needs engineering checks.

A new roof shape or pitch

Changing a hipped roof to a skillion, altering the pitch, or extending the roofline over a new room or patio changes the building's form. Local governments look at this through both the building and planning lens, so you may need planning approval as well as a building permit.

New patios, verandahs and carports

Roofed outdoor structures attached to the house frequently need approval, even when the main roof is untouched. Rules vary across local governments, so check before anyone starts digging footings.

How to check for your property

The most reliable answer comes from your local government. A useful approach:

Write down what is changing: material, weight, shape, pitch, structure and size.
Ring or email the building services team at your City, Town or Shire with those details.
Ask whether a building permit, a planning approval, or both are needed.
If an answer is "no permit required", ask whether they can confirm it in writing.
Share the answer with your roofer and agree who lodges any application.

Many roofers who work across the Perth metro area deal with permit questions regularly and can tell you what a particular local government usually asks for. Still, the final word belongs to the permit authority.

A few common Perth scenarios

The 1980s brick-and-tile home. The concrete tiles are porous and the ridge capping is cracking, but the frame is sound. Re-pointing and replacing broken tiles is maintenance. Stripping the whole roof and re-laying new tiles of similar weight may or may not need approval, so ask.

Tiles to steel. The owner wants a lighter COLORBOND roof. Expect questions about tie-downs and battens, and ask your local government early.

Storm damage. After a winter front lifts sheets or dislodges tiles, urgent make-safe work comes first. If the permanent repair changes the structure, the usual rules apply. Our storm damage guide covers the first steps.

Registration, contracts and the people doing the work

Permits cover the building. Separate rules cover who does the work and how the contract is set up.

Topic	Who to check with	What to ask
Building permit	Your local government's building services	Does my job need approval?
Builder registration	Building and Energy (WA Government)	Is my contractor registered for this value of work?
Contract rules	Consumer Protection WA	Does the Home Building Contracts Act apply to my job?
Asbestos removal	WorkSafe WA	Does my job need a licensed removalist?

In WA, residential building work valued over $20,000 generally needs to be done by a registered building contractor. Check the current rules with Building and Energy, as a full re-roof often lands above that line.

The Home Building Contracts Act 1991 (WA) covers many residential building contracts. Depending on the job, it can require a written contract, limit the deposit a builder can take, and require home indemnity insurance on larger jobs. Consumer Protection WA explains how it applies to your situation.

We ask the contractors we work with to hold the registrations and insurance the job needs. Ask to see them before work starts. Our guide on how to choose the right roofing contractor in Perth has more questions worth asking.

If your roof contains asbestos

Plenty of Perth homes and sheds built between the 1950s and 1980s have asbestos cement roofing, often corrugated "fibro" sheets. This affects your project whether or not a permit is required.

WorkSafe WA requires a licensed asbestos removalist for removing more than 10 m² of non-friable asbestos, which includes most asbestos cement roofs. The WA Department of Health advises against water-blasting or abrasive cleaning of these roofs. If you are not sure what your roof is made of, have it checked before any work begins. Our asbestos roof replacement page explains how those jobs are arranged.

Bushfire-prone areas

If your home is in an area mapped as bushfire-prone by DFES, which includes much of the Perth Hills, new building work may need to meet a Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) under AS 3959. That can affect the choice of roofing, sarking, ember guards and gap sealing. Your local government can tell you whether a BAL assessment is needed for your job.

Timing and planning ahead

If a permit is needed, factor the approval time into your plans. Many Perth owners try to schedule a full roof replacement for the drier months between October and April, which means starting the paperwork in winter. Our roof replacement process guide shows where permits fit in the overall timeline.

Talk to a local roofer

If you are planning a re-roof or a bigger structural change, a roofer can look at your home, explain what is likely to be needed and quote the work. Request a free on-site quote and we will arrange for a local contractor to visit.

General information for Perth homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Rules and products change; check with your local government or the agency named before acting.

Keep reading

FAQs

Questions people ask before they commit

Do I need a permit to replace broken tiles or re-point ridge capping?

Routine maintenance such as swapping cracked tiles, re-bedding and re-pointing ridge capping, or replacing a length of gutter is generally not treated as work that needs a building permit. If the repair grows into replacing battens across large areas or changing the structure, the answer may change. If in doubt, a quick call to your local government's building services will settle it.

Who applies for the building permit, me or the roofer?

Either can, but in practice your roofer or builder often handles the application because they have the technical details. The permit is tied to your property, and the application names the builder responsible for the work. Ask at quote stage who will apply, how long it is likely to take, and whether the timing affects the start date.

Does replacing tiles with COLORBOND steel need a permit?

It might. Moving from heavy tiles to lightweight steel changes how the roof is held down, so the battens and tie-downs may need upgrading to suit wind loads. Some local governments treat this as building work that needs a permit, especially if the frame is altered. Ask your local government with the details of your job before work starts.

What happens if roof work is done without a needed permit?

Unapproved building work can cause problems later. The local government can require you to fix or certify it, and it may come up when you sell or make an insurance claim. It is much easier to ask before work starts than to sort it out afterwards, so get a clear answer in writing if you can.

Do I need a registered builder to replace my roof in WA?

In WA, residential building work valued over $20,000 generally needs to be carried out by a registered building contractor. Many full re-roofs fall into that range. Check the current rules with Building and Energy, and ask your roofer to confirm their registration status before you sign anything.

Building Permits for Roof Work in Western Australia Explained