Roofing in Arlington, VA: Houses, Townhouses, Condos and Flat Roof Sections
Reston Roof works from Reston and takes on roofs across Arlington County. Before we plan a job here, we work out which rules apply, because in Arlington they depend on the building.
What We Take On in Arlington
The bulk of our roofing is residential: replacements and repairs on houses and townhouses, chimney leak repair, emergency storm repair and tarping, and small repairs. We also build roofs for gazebos and other small structures, and we take on some commercial work and the flat or low-slope sections beside pitched roofs.
Tell us the address, what you are seeing and the kind of building, and we will tell you which questions come first. Call (571) 453-6515 or book a phone consultation.
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Phone ConsultationOne Government for the Whole County
Arlington is a single county with no incorporated towns inside it. Arlington County Government issues building permits through Permit Arlington, and its Inspection Services Division and the Department of Environmental Services are among the reviewing groups. The Permit Arlington Center sits in the Ellen M. Bozman Government Center at 2100 Clarendon Blvd., and the county asks applicants to use its online portal. Check hours and location before you go in person.
Neighbors are separate: Alexandria and Falls Church are independent cities, and the Fairfax County side of Columbia Pike begins at Bailey's Crossroads. Our Alexandria, Falls Church and McLean pages cover those places, and the service areas page lists the rest.
The County's Roof Table, Read Slowly
On its residential permit page, the county publishes a short table for replacing a roof covering. Replace the covering and leave the decking alone: no permit. Replace the covering and under 256 square feet of decking: no permit. Replace more than 256 square feet of decking: permit. Lay new plywood over the existing decking: call the county at 703-228-3800. A note below the table adds that where fire-retardant-treated lumber was required when the building was first built, with a townhouse as the county's example, a permit is needed whatever the amount of decking.
Two limits apply. The table does not cover a first-time roof on new construction, and it describes houses: buildings with three or more dwelling units are commercial for permit purposes. A job near 256 square feet of decking sits on the dividing line, since the county table says less than and more than while state code exempts 256 or less in a house, so settle that with Inspection Services before work starts. The county can change its pages, so confirm the current wording. Our roof replacement process guide shows what happens once the paperwork question is settled.
Historic Review: One Neighborhood and a Long Honorific List
The county reviews exterior work in Local Historic Districts through the Historical Affairs and Landmark Review Board. The only residential neighborhood among them is Maywood, designated in 1990, which lies roughly between Lorcom Lane and Langston Boulevard. Colonial Village, Buckingham Villages and Cambridge Courts are garden-apartment complexes with the same status, along with individual houses and sites such as Hume School and the Cherrydale Volunteer Fire House.
Neighborhoods that people assume are historic districts, including Lyon Village, Ashton Heights, Lyon Park, Aurora Highlands, Cherrydale and Westover, are National Register listings that the county calls honorific, with no certificate process. The county's rule exempts routine maintenance, repairs and replacements using the same materials, which points to a like-for-like roof being exempt and a new material needing review. Call Historic Preservation at 703-228-3838 before choosing a different material.
Arlington's Buildings on Paper
The Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 estimates count 121,970 homes in the county. About 24.8 percent are detached houses, 8.9 percent are attached townhouse-type homes and 61.5 percent sit in buildings of five or more units. The median home was built in 1976, and 33.5 percent date from before 1960.
The mix shapes the work. Houses and townhouses are a minority of homes, yet they are the core of the residential work we do. Condominium and apartment roofs run through a board or an owner and the commercial permit track. The flat sections tucked into otherwise pitched roofs, such as back additions and porch tops, are small, but they have their own materials and their own pages.
Storms and Street Trees
On July 29, 2023, Dominion reported 34,068 Arlington customers without power, and trees fell on at least eight houses, including on S. Fillmore Street. On August 10, 2026, the National Weather Service warned of 60 mph gusts, and nearly 2,500 homes and businesses lost power, with a large tree down across Wilson Boulevard near Bluemont Park. The reports we read mention outages and trees, not roof damage. The county's 2023 canopy count was 35.2 percent, against a goal of 40, so limbs over roofs will remain a fact of life. After a storm, we document damage with photos for your claim.
Flat Roofs and Metal, Page by Page
For the low-slope parts of Arlington roofs, and for metal on houses, each material has its own page written for the county.
- TPO roofing in Arlington: welded white sheet for condominium, garden-apartment and townhouse flat roofs.
- EPDM roofing in Arlington: rubber sheet for bungalow additions, dormer tops and garages.
- PVC roofing in Arlington: for kitchen exhaust, crowded rooftops and old flashing compounds.
- Metal roofing in Arlington: standing seam and screw-down panels, from Maywood to Cherrydale.
Getting a Crew and a Truck Around Arlington
Wilson Boulevard is the main east-west corridor, crossing N. Glebe Road at the old crossroads in Ballston, and Clarendon Boulevard is where the county's permit center sits. Langston Boulevard, which used to be called Lee Highway, forms Maywood's southern edge. Glebe Road runs entirely inside the county, from Crystal City to Chain Bridge Road. Columbia Pike runs from Bailey's Crossroads to the Pentagon, where it meets Washington Boulevard. Arlington Boulevard is US Route 50, a major route through the county. Where a truck or dumpster has to occupy a public street, the county's Environmental Services office (703-228-3629) handles right-of-way questions. For regional background on wind, hail and snow, see our weather and roof damage guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is my Arlington address handled by Arlington County or by Fairfax County?
Arlington County handles it. Arlington has no towns or cities inside it, so one county government issues building permits and runs zoning and historic review for every address. Alexandria and Falls Church are separate cities with their own offices. A mailing address can mislead, since some ZIP codes, 22206 for example, are shared with Alexandria, so the parcel's location decides. The parcel's location, not the mailing address, settles which office to call.
Do I need a building permit to replace the roof on my Arlington house?
The county's residential roof table says replacing the covering with no change to the decking needs no permit, nor does replacing less than 256 square feet of decking. More than 256 square feet needs a permit. Where fire-retardant-treated lumber was required at original construction, a townhouse being the county's example, a permit is needed regardless. We confirm your exact scope with Inspection Services before we start.
Does the same permit table apply to my condominium roof?
Not according to the county. Its residential permit page says apartment buildings with three or more dwelling units are treated as commercial and need Commercial Building Permits, so the house table does not describe them. Confirm with the county's Inspection Services Division which commercial requirements apply to a re-roof. Your board or association has its own say on top of that.
Which Arlington neighborhoods need county historic review before roof work?
Only one residential neighborhood is a Local Historic District: Maywood. Colonial Village, Buckingham Villages and Cambridge Courts are garden-apartment complexes with the same status, and so are certain individual buildings. Lyon Village, Ashton Heights, Lyon Park, Cherrydale, Westover and many others are on the National Register, which the county calls honorific, with no review. In a Local Historic District, same-material replacement looks exempt, but ask county staff first.
A tree limb hit my roof in a storm. What should I do first?
Stay off the roof and look from the ground for damage, then check the ceiling below for new stains. Move belongings away from any drip and take photos. Call us at (571) 453-6515 and we can arrange a temporary tarp and plan the permanent repair. We document damage with photos for your claim. If a limb is on a power line, keep clear and call the utility.
Roof Problem in Arlington?
Call (571) 453-6515 or book a phone consultation. Give us the address and the building type, and we will sort out the county questions along with the roof.
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