Roofing permit in Laval

Same material or new material

The City's page on exterior residential renovation describes two cases.

• Replacing the roof covering with the same material and adding insulation: no permit, according to the City.
• Replacing the roof covering with a new material: permit required, according to the City.

The City's page does not distinguish a flat roof from a sloped roof. The City does not define what it means by the same material. For a doubtful case, the answer comes from the Service de l'urbanisme (urban planning department).

On a flat roof, section 380 of the Code de l'urbanisme (Laval's urban planning code) requires a green roof, a white roof or a material with a solar reflectance index of at least 78, without addressing the case of an existing roof redone identically. The Code also points out that being exempt from a permit does not exempt anyone from following the regulations.

Fees and timeline

The City lists a fee of $92 for the first $20,000, plus $2.50 per $1,000 or part of $1,000.

The announced timeline is about 30 days, counted from a complete application. The City asks owners to wait until they have received the permit before starting.

Filing the application

The application is made online, in Mon Dossier (the City's online portal). Otherwise, it is filed in person at the Service de l'urbanisme, on the ground floor of 1333 boulevard Chomedey, by appointment. The City can be reached at 311 or, from outside Laval, at 450 978-8000.

The City asks that the permit be posted for the whole duration of the work, so that it is visible from the street.

Before signing, agree with us on who prepares the application and who pays the fees.

Normal maintenance, without a permit

Section 2072 of the Code de l'urbanisme requires neither a permit nor a certificate for the normal maintenance of a construction, as long as the foundations or the load-bearing components of the structure are not modified. Its list names tarring the roof, as well as installing or replacing eavestroughs.

The PIIA exception

Section 2072 reverses the rule when the maintenance is subject to the approval of a PIIA (site planning and architectural integration program). A permit or certificate then becomes mandatory.

In an area of heritage interest, the City may require this approval to change the roofing materials of a main building. The Code exempts three cases: replacement with the same material of a similar colour, replacement with a material that keeps or restores the original or traditional features, and the renovation of a flat roof. The City decides. The Code provides for the same approval for a building of heritage interest, wherever it stands.

According to the City, an address search in its Info-règlements tool displays the notice « Attention! Des dispositions particulières s'appliquent à votre zone. »

Commercial building: a page that does not mention roofing

For a business, the City's page on renovating and fitting out a commercial space does not mention roofing. It requires a construction-improvement permit before altering or fitting out a unit, and lists $172 for the first $5,000 plus $6.10 per $1,000 or part of $1,000, on top of the base rate. Nothing there says these fees apply to a roof. For the roof of a commercial building, the question goes to the Service de l'urbanisme.

Frequently asked questions