Inside the Town of Herndon
The Town of Herndon is an incorporated town within Fairfax County with its own government. For properties inside town limits, building permits and inspections are handled by the Town's Building Inspections office. The Town's permit page lists Re-Roof as a residential permit type, and its applications page includes a Re-Roof Information Form. The Town also requires contractors working in town to hold a Town business license above a set annual threshold, and requires outstanding property taxes and fees to be paid before a permit is applied for.
Herndon addresses in unincorporated Fairfax County
A Herndon mailing address doesn't mean the house is inside the town. The 20171 ZIP code, for example, covers Oak Hill, Franklin Farm and McNair, which are unincorporated Fairfax County. Those homes follow Fairfax County Land Development Services rules. The County's "Does My Project Require a Permit?" page lists replacement of roof shingles on residential homes among work that doesn't need a building permit, along with replacing less than 256 square feet of roof plywood unless it must be fire rated, as on townhomes. The same page lists roof repairs among miscellaneous residential work that does need a permit. Check the page against your actual scope, and contact the County if you're unsure.
Not sure which side of the line you're on? The Town of Herndon's maps and property zoning information, or a call to the Town, can confirm it, or ask us and we'll help you check before the scope is written.
Herndon's historic district
The Town of Herndon has a Historic District Review Board. According to the Town, most exterior changes to buildings in its heritage districts require a Certificate of Appropriateness from the board before work begins, and roof replacement is listed among the common applications, alongside window and siding replacement. If your home is in the historic district, plan for that review before choosing materials or setting a start date.
HOAs
Many Herndon-area neighborhoods, especially townhouse communities, have HOA or architectural-review rules for exterior changes, including roof color and material. Rules vary by community, so read your own HOA's guidelines or ask the management company before you choose a shingle. Submitting for approval during the selection step avoids reordering materials later.
Who handles what
- Your written scope should say who is responsible for any required permit.
- HOA approval is usually the homeowner's application, though we can provide product and color information for it.
- Historic district review is an application to the Town; start it early.
- We don't publish permit fees or processing times, because they change. Check the official pages above.