Richmond permits
Re-roofing in Richmond: what the City of Richmond requires
The City of Richmond's Building Approvals Department issues building permits, and its homeowner guide lists "Roofing repair or replacement" among minor work for which permits are not required. The same guide says homeowners must still meet the BC Building Code and the Zoning Bylaw, and Steveston Village, tree and title rules can add approvals. We confirm per address.
Reviewed by Scott Plumptree, Director of Marketing, The Interlock Group · Updated October 24, 2026
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Permits issued by
City of Richmond, Building Approvals Department (building@richmond.ca)
richmond.ca
Roofing in the homeowner guide
"Roofing repair or replacement" listed as not requiring permits
A Guide for the Homeowner/Builder, rev. March 14, 2023
Heritage area
Steveston Village Heritage Conservation Area, designated by Council in 2009
City of Richmond Steveston Village guide
Protected trees
Over 20 cm diameter at 1.4 m; topping prohibited
Tree Protection Bylaw No. 8057
Construction hours
Mon–Fri 7:00am–8:00pm; Sat 10:00am–8:00pm; no crews Sundays or holidays
Noise Regulation Bylaw No. 8856
Who issues permits in Richmond
Building permits in Richmond come from the City of Richmond's Building Approvals Department. The City's FAQ page says to email building@richmond.ca or visit the Permits Counter at City Hall with permit questions.
The City's printed guide, "A Guide for the Homeowner/Builder" (PC-32, revised March 14, 2023), lists minor modifications that don't need permits. "Roofing repair or replacement" is on that list, next to exterior finish work such as siding or stucco. The guide then adds that homeowners "are responsible to ensure that the work conforms" to the BC Building Code and the Zoning Bylaw, so the work still has to be done properly even without a permit.
When a Richmond roof job needs a building permit
The same guide says a permit is needed to "Add to an existing building" or to "Alter, renovate or repair existing buildings or structures." Replacing roofing is exempt; changing the structure underneath it is not the same thing.
A new dormer adds to the building. A new skylight means cutting rafters. Reframing a roof to change its pitch or shape alters the structure. If your plans include any of these, we raise it at the estimate and the permit question goes to the City before the job is booked.
Steveston Village Heritage Conservation Area
Council designated the Steveston Village Heritage Conservation Area in 2009 to give "long-term protection to the heritage character of the area in its entirety." The City's guide to development there, dated November 14, 2025, says that for protected heritage properties "an HAP is required for exterior alterations and/or new construction", while other properties in the area generally need a development permit.
On roofs, the guide's design terms ask for "Low glare roof materials" and for proposals to "Respond to rooflines, existing ridge and parapet lines." It refers exemptions to the City's Bulletin PLANNING-10 and says minor projects are delegated to staff. If your house is in Steveston Village, we check with the City's Policy Planning Department (604-276-4207) before choosing a profile or finish.
Title restrictions and strata roofs in Richmond
Richmond sits on low, diked islands, and the City's homeowner guide lists a "Minimum flood plain Building Elevation Restriction (B.E.R.)" among registered restrictions to check on title. That matters most for additions and rebuilds, but a title search is a quick way to see everything registered against a property.
Richmond had 15,945 row houses in the 2021 census, alongside 24,435 single-detached houses. Where a townhouse complex is a strata, the strata corporation, not the individual owner, decides on roof work. Bring your strata council in early.
Richmond's tree bylaw and work hours
Richmond's Tree Protection Bylaw No. 8057 generally prohibits cutting or removing a tree larger than 20 cm in diameter at breast height, measured at 1.4 m, without a permit. It also prohibits topping trees on private and City property, with fines of up to $50,000 per tree, so cutting the top out of a tree to keep needles off a new roof is not an option.
Under Noise Regulation Bylaw No. 8856, construction is allowed from 7:00am to 8:00pm on weekdays and 10:00am to 8:00pm on Saturdays. On Sundays and holidays only an owner or occupier doing the work personally may build, from 10:00am to 6:00pm; construction crews may not.
How we handle permits on Richmond roofs
We confirm per address at the estimate: whether the house is in Steveston Village or listed as protected heritage property, whether a strata approves the roof, what is registered on title, and whether any structural change is planned. If a permit is needed, we pull it.
Our crews work within the City's weekday and Saturday hours. City bylaws change, so treat this page as current to the date shown and check the City's own pages for anything that matters to your plans.
Richmond questions, answered
My house is in Steveston but isn't a heritage building. Do I still need City approval for a new roof?
Possibly. The City's Steveston Village guide says properties in the conservation area that aren't protected heritage property generally need a development permit for exterior changes, and minor projects are handled by staff. Whether a re-roof counts depends on the exemptions in the City's Bulletin PLANNING-10, so we confirm with the City for your address.
Can a crew re-roof my Richmond house on a Sunday?
No. Richmond's Noise Regulation Bylaw No. 8856 allows Sunday and holiday construction only when the owner or occupier does the work personally on a residential building, and only from 10:00am to 6:00pm. Construction crews may not work those days. Our Richmond jobs run Monday to Saturday within the bylaw's hours.
Can I top the tree beside my house so it stops dropping on the roof?
Not in Richmond. Tree Protection Bylaw No. 8057 prohibits topping trees on private and City property, with fines of up to $50,000 per tree, and removing a tree over 20 cm in diameter needs a permit. Ask the City's tree protection staff or an arborist about proper pruning instead.
Sources for this Richmond guide
- City of Richmond — A Guide for the Homeowner/Builder (rev. March 14, 2023)
- City of Richmond — Building Approvals: Frequently Asked Questions
- City of Richmond — A Guide to Development in the Steveston Village Heritage Conservation Area (Nov 14, 2025)
- City of Richmond — Tree Protection Bylaw No. 8057
- City of Richmond — Noise Regulations (Bylaw No. 8856)
- Wikipedia — Richmond, British Columbia (Richmond Nature Park climate normals 1981–2010; geography; housing)
Product specifications are the manufacturer's (Interlock Roofing). Install counts are from our own job book. Reviewed by Scott Plumptree, October 24, 2026.
More Richmond roofing pages
Planning a new roof in Richmond?
A fixed price in writing after one visit, on Zoom or at your home. Most BC homeowners choose Zoom. Interlock Metal Roofing (BC) Ltd. · 9969 River Way, Delta, BC V4G 1M8
