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Exterior work in Washington, DC: permits, code & costs
DC is the strictest of the three jurisdictions we work in, and the gap is not close. Work that is permit-exempt a mile away in Arlington needs a filed permit here, and a third of the District sits inside a historic district where the review comes before the permit, not after.
- Permit authority: DC Department of Buildings (DOB)
- We pull the permits where they are required
- Free inspection with photos and a written report
Free estimate in DC
Tell us the address and what is going on. We reply the same business day.
Permits by trade
What needs a permit in DC
This is the question that changes most between jurisdictions, and getting it wrong is expensive in both directions — an unpermitted alteration surfaces at resale, and pulling a permit nobody required wastes weeks.
| Trade | Status | What that means |
|---|---|---|
| Roofing | Permit required | Roof replacement is not on the DOB Instant Permits list, so it goes through the normal Alteration & Repair permit process. Budget calendar time for this — it is the single biggest scheduling difference between a DC job and the same job in Virginia. |
| Siding | Permit required | Siding replacement is also absent from the Instant Permits scopes and is handled as an alteration. In a historic district the design review has to clear first. |
| Windows | Depends | DOB Instant Permits cover "replace in kind of up to 15 windows" — matching the original in appearance, material, design, detail, location, and size. Over 15 windows, any change in appearance or size, or a property in a historic or Commission of Fine Arts jurisdiction, and you are out of the instant path and into full review. |
| Gutters | Depends | Straight like-for-like gutter replacement is generally maintenance, but gutters are not on the Instant Permits list and a visible change on a historic property draws review. We confirm with DOB per address rather than guessing. |
Permit-exempt does not mean code-exempt
Every jurisdiction on this site says some version of the same thing: work that needs no permit still has to meet the building code. Underlayment, ice barrier, fastening, flashing, and ventilation are all required whether or not an inspector ever looks. Where no one inspects, the documentation your contractor produces is the only proof the hidden work was done right.
Code & licensing
The rules behind the answer
Building code in force
The 2017 DC Construction Codes, built on the 2015 International Codes with District-specific amendments. DOB has said it is accelerating adoption of a 2024 cycle on a 2021 base, but that is in development — the 2017 codes still govern permits today.
DC Home Improvement Contractor license — required over $300
DC sets the lowest threshold in the region by a wide margin: any home improvement contract over $300 requires a Home Improvement Contractor license, issued through the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection alongside a Basic Business License with a construction endorsement. DC also bars homeowners from pulling trade permits themselves — the licensed trade professional has to file. If a bidder cannot give you a license number, that is disqualifying here, not a formality.
Inspections
Permitted work in DC is inspected by DOB, scheduled through the Citizens Access Portal. For a roof or siding alteration expect an inspection before concealed work is covered and a final at completion. Do not let a contractor talk you into "we will just do it without the permit" — an unpermitted alteration surfaces at resale, and in DC the buyer is the one who finds it.
Historic & design review
Historic review comes first — and it is not optional
DC has an unusually large amount of protected building stock. If your property is historically designated, minor repairs and replacements need a Historic Property special permit, and for window and door work you must have that approval in hand before you even apply for the building permit. Check your address in the Scout database before you shop for materials — finding out after you have bought slate-look composite that your block requires real slate is an expensive way to learn.
Local knowledge
Important things to know in DC
The $300 licensing threshold is your best screening tool
Almost no exterior job comes in under $300, so in practice every legitimate contractor working on a DC home carries a Home Improvement Contractor license. Ask for the number and verify it. This one question removes most of the storm-chasers who follow hail into the District.
Row houses make your roof your neighbor’s problem
Much of DC is attached housing, where a party wall and a shared or adjoining low-slope roof mean your work and your neighbor’s condition are physically linked. Flashing at the party wall is the most common leak source we find on Capitol Hill and Petworth row houses, and it is frequently misdiagnosed as a roof-covering failure when the covering is fine.
Flat and low-slope roofs behave nothing like shingles
A large share of DC housing has a flat or low-slope roof — TPO, EPDM, or modified bitumen rather than asphalt shingle. These fail differently, are repaired differently, and have a different service life. A contractor whose crews only shingle suburban gables is the wrong crew for a Shaw row house.
Where we work here
Neighborhoods and communities
- Georgetown
- Capitol Hill
- Chevy Chase DC
- Cleveland Park
- Petworth
- Brookland
- Anacostia
- Shaw
Neighborhoods we cover in DC
Georgetown
Georgetown is the most design-constrained place we work. Nearly everything here sits inside a historic district, which means the H…
Local details →Capitol Hill
Capitol Hill is one of the largest historic districts in the country, and the housing is overwhelmingly attached. Both facts chang…
Local details →Cleveland Park
Cleveland Park is one of the few parts of the District with substantial detached housing on real lots — and it is also a historic …
Local details →Services in DC
Roof Replacement & Repair
Architectural shingle, standing-seam metal, and flat/low-slope systems. Leak diagnosis, storm damage documentation, and full tear-off replacement.
Costs & details →Siding Replacement
James Hardie fiber cement, insulated vinyl, and cedar. We correct the wrap and flashing behind the siding, not just the panel you can see.
Costs & details →Window Replacement
Full-frame and insert replacement in vinyl, fiberglass, and clad wood. Correct sizing, correct flashing, no drafts at the sill.
Costs & details →Gutters & Downspouts
Seamless 5" and 6" aluminum, half-round copper, and guard systems — sized and pitched to actually move DMV storm volume away from the foundation.
Costs & details →Sources
- DC DOB — Instant Permits scopes of work
- DC DOB — Alteration & Repair permit
- DC DOB — Homeowner’s Center
- DC DLCP — Home Improvement Contractor licensing
- DC DOB — DC Construction Codes
Permit, code, and licensing details on this page were last verified against these sources on August 29, 2026. Requirements change and every property is different — we confirm your specific address with DC Department of Buildings (DOB) before work starts. This page is general information, not a code determination for your property.
Other jurisdictions
The rules change at the county line
This is not a formality. The same re-roof is permit-exempt in Arlington and a filed permit in DC. If you own in more than one jurisdiction, read both.
Montgomery County, MD
Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services (DPS)
See the rules →Prince George's County, MD
Prince George's County Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement (DPIE)
See the rules →Arlington County, VA
Arlington County Inspection Services Division
See the rules →Get a real number for your DC property
Free inspection, written scope, fixed price — and we handle the permit where one is required.