Vail Roofing Codes: Permits, Inspections, and Requirements
Adopted building and energy codes, permit rules, and roofing requirements for Vail, Eagle County. Rows below reflect our reading of the jurisdiction's own published sources, linked at the bottom of the page.
Building department
970-479-2139Inspection line
Scheduled through the town permit portalPermit line
970-479-2139Official department
Live code pageVail roofing code requirements
- What this jurisdiction requires
- 2021 IBC and 2021 IRC
- What this jurisdiction requires
- 2021 IECC
- What this jurisdiction requires
- Yes
- What this jurisdiction requires
- Approval by design review board needed
- What this jurisdiction requires
- Class A required under wildland urban interface amendments
- What this jurisdiction requires
- Class A
- What this jurisdiction requires
- Class A
- What this jurisdiction requires
- 115 MPH exposure B ASCE - 2011
- What this jurisdiction requires
- No
- What this jurisdiction requires
- No
- What this jurisdiction requires
- One layer
- What this jurisdiction requires
- No
- What this jurisdiction requires
- Yes
- What this jurisdiction requires
- 1 x 2
- What this jurisdiction requires
- Yes
- What this jurisdiction requires
- Ice barrier required at eaves per IRC R905.1.2
- What this jurisdiction requires
- 2 layers 15#
- What this jurisdiction requires
- No
- What this jurisdiction requires
- Both
- What this jurisdiction requires
- Either
- What this jurisdiction requires
- Either
- What this jurisdiction requires
- Yes
- What this jurisdiction requires
- Yes
| Requirement | What this jurisdiction requires |
|---|---|
| Current building code | 2021 IBC and 2021 IRC |
| Current energy code | 2021 IECC |
| Building permit required | Yes |
| Other or special permits required | Approval by design review board needed |
| Roof system fire rating (residential) | Class A required under wildland urban interface amendments |
| Roof system fire rating (commercial) | Class A |
| Roof system fire rating (multi-family) | Class A |
| Minimum wind speed rating for asphalt shingles | 115 MPH exposure B ASCE - 2011 |
| Inspectors carry ladders for the final | No |
| Requires midroof (in progress) inspection | No |
| Maximum layers of asphalt shingles permitted | One layer |
| Requires solid sheeting over spaced decking | No |
| Requires drip edge | Yes |
| Minimum drip edge size | 1 x 2 |
| Requires rake / gable metal edging | Yes |
| Self adhering underlayment (ice and water shield) | Ice barrier required at eaves per IRC R905.1.2 |
| Underlayment required 4:12 and above | 2 layers 15# |
| Rolled roofing allowed on low slope over living space | No |
| Type of valleys allowed | Both |
| Valley material required for closed valleys | Either |
| Valley material required for open valleys | Either |
| Kick-out required on step flashing | Yes |
| Requires ventilation to meet code | Yes |
Last checked September 2, 2026. This reflects published sources at that date, not an official ruling. Code adoptions change, so confirm with the Vail building department before you pull a permit.
What Vail requires, in plain language
Vail builds to the 2021 IBC and 2021 IRC. That edition, not the newest code published nationally, is the rulebook an inspector in Eagle County holds your roof to. Energy work on the same permit follows the 2021 IECC.
Layer limit in Vail: One layer. This is the line item that moves a bid the most. If your existing roof is already at the limit, the deck gets stripped before new material goes down, and the labor plus dump fees belong in the written price.
Wind is what Vail tests shingles against. Shingles need a 115 MPH exposure B ASCE - 2011 rating.
Underlayment and edge metal are where roofs fail inspection. Ice and water shield: Ice barrier required at eaves per IRC R905.1.2. On 4:12 and steeper: 2 layers 15#. Drip edge: Yes. Minimum drip edge size 1 x 2.
Vail Town Council approved the 2021 editions of the IBC, IRC, IFC, IECC, IPC and IFGC in May 2022. Wildland urban interface amendments drive the roof covering requirements here.
Installation details above come from our building department field survey for Vail, last updated 1/3/19. Code editions and contacts are refreshed from the department directly. Always confirm the details on your permit before work starts, since departments amend requirements on their own schedule.
Sources
These links go straight to the jurisdiction, so you always have the real-time source. Adoptions and amendments change on their schedule, not ours. Always confirm before permitting.
Last checked September 2, 2026. This is our best read of published sources, not an official ruling. Confirm with the Vail building department before you pull a permit.