Roof permits around Fort Wayne, town by town
In Fort Wayne and the rest of Allen County, roofing is on the county's list of work that needs a permit. Several nearby cities, including Auburn, Warsaw and Kendallville, say in writing that a shingle replacement doesn't need one.
Town by town
Every town below requires a permit for structural roof work, such as new trusses or a change in the roof's pitch. The differences are in plain re-shingling:
| Where | Permit to tear off and re-shingle? | Who to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Wayne, New Haven and the rest of Allen County | Roofing is on the county's permit list | Allen County Building Department, 260-449-7131 |
| Auburn | No. City code exempts replacing shingles and roof decking | Building, Planning & Development, 260-925-6449 |
| Warsaw | No. The city says re-roofing needs no permit | City Building Department, 574-372-9548 |
| Kendallville | No for shingles and sheathing; yes for trusses | Kendallville Building Department |
| Huntington | Not for re-shingling, per the city's permit list | Community Development, 260-356-5146 |
| Bluffton | Re-roofing isn't on the city's permit list; structural roof changes are | Building Department, 260-824-6068 |
| Decatur | Not spelled out; every contractor must register with the city first | Building & Zoning, 260-724-3814 |
| Columbia City | Not spelled out; the county building office covers the city | Whitley County Building Department, 260-248-3112 |
| Van Wert, Ohio | Yes. "Roof" is on the city's permit application | City Engineering Department, 419-238-5775 |
Rules change, and the county or city has the final word, so call before work starts if you're doing it yourself. When we do the roof, we check and pull the permit where one is needed.
Indiana's roof code in plain words
Indiana uses one residential code everywhere in the state, the 2020 Indiana Residential Code, which is based on the 2018 International Residential Code. Its roof rules apply in a town with no building department too.
- Ice barrier is required at the eaves in all eight Indiana counties in our area. It runs from the roof edge to at least 24 inches inside the outside wall, and farther up on very steep roofs.
- Every shingle roof needs drip edge at the eaves and the rakes.
- New shingles can go over one old layer only when the old roof is dry and sound and the maker allows it. Never over two layers, a wet roof, slate or tile.
- Rusted or damaged flashing, vents and edge metal have to be replaced, not reused.
- DeKalb, Kosciusko and Noble counties are designed for a 30-pound ground snow load, against 20 pounds in Allen County. Framing changes there have to meet the higher number.
Historic districts in Fort Wayne and Huntington
In Fort Wayne's local historic districts, roofing you can see from the street needs a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Commission before work starts, and the county won't issue the permit without it. The application is free. Since November 2025, permits for those properties follow a new county process. The commission adopted a metal-roof policy in 2024 and has turned down solar panels covering whole roof faces.
Huntington's Historic Review Board reviews outside changes the public can see for one local district, Drover Town, and 15 single sites inside city limits. Being in a National Register district alone doesn't require approval in either city.
Permit questions
Do I need a permit to repair my roof in Fort Wayne?
Check with the Allen County Building Department before a large repair. Anything structural, such as new rafters or trusses, needs a permit.
Who pulls the permit in Allen County?
The contractor. The county building department works directly with the licensed and registered contractor hired for the job, and it doesn't discuss projects with anyone else.
Have a roof job coming up? Start with roof replacement in Fort Wayne.
Let's take a look at your roof
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