Roofing Permit & Inspection Requirements

Inspection Scheduling

To schedule an inspection, call 650-991-8061 before 3:30 pm the day before you need the inspection. In special circumstances, due to weather conditions, inspections called in by 10 am may be done the same day.

Access Responsibility

It is the responsibility of the individual obtaining the permit to provide safe access.

Ladders

For safe access, a ladder meeting Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements is required. Ladders must be:

• Safe and substantial
• Installed at a slope of 4 to 1 (4 vertical to 1 horizontal)
• Extended a minimum of three feet above the roof or floor being accessed
• Secured in place at the top
• Rated for 300 pounds

Daly City Fire Resistive Requirements

All roofs shall have a minimum of Class B fire resistive assembly rating. Except some shingle roofs, a minimum of ½ inch decking is required. Existing 3/8 inch decking will require a minimum of 3/8 inch plywood or equivalent overlay.

Sheathing

Sheathing end joints will need to break on rafters and must be staggered on successive rows. Nailing of the overlay requires 6 inch nail spacing on the edges and 12 inches in the field with 10d nails. A sheathing/nailing inspection is required. All plywood edges must be provided with 1/8 inch spacing between the adjoining panels.

Bitumen

To ensure your roof complies with a Fire Classification B or better, review the appropriate ESR report. You can easily find the ESR report through this link. 

Spark Arresters

The City of Daly City Municipal Ordinance 15.08.200 requires that at the time of re-roofing, all existing operational chimneys shall terminate in a substantially constructed spark arrester. The spark arrester must be installed at the start of the project. The Building Inspector will need to see such spark arrester in place at the time of inspection.

Spark arresters must comply with the California Building Code as adopted by the City, specifically section 3102.3.8, the total area of the arrester shall be at least four times the total area of the chimney area. The chart below indicates minimum arrester screen dimensions, which will comply with the code.

The spark arrester shall be tight fitting to the chimney to prevent sparks or embers from reentering the building.

2001 California Building Code - Section 3102.3.8

Where determined necessary by the building official due to local climatic conditions or where sparks escaping from the chimney would create a hazard, chimneys attached to any appliance or fireplace that burns solid fuel shall be equipped with an approved spark arrester as required in the fire code.

The net free area of the spark arrester shall not be less than four times the net free area of the outlet of the chimney. The spark arrester screen shall have heat and corrosion resistance equivalent to 12 gauge wire, 19 gauge galvanized wire or 24 gauge stainless steel wire.

Openings shall not permit passage of spheres having a diameter larger than 1/2 inch and shall not block the passage of spheres having a diameter of less than 3/8 of an inch.

Minimum Spark Arrester Construction

Minimum Spark Arrester Requirements

Circular Chimneys (Measurements in Inches)

Square Chimneys (Measurements in Inches)

For More Information

Please call the Building Division at 650-991-8061 if you need additional information.

Cant Strips

California Building Code Table 15-E requires that suitable cant strips shall be used at all vertical intersections for built-up roofs. This also applies to bitumen roofs.

Shingle Roofs

Daly City is subject to strong wind gusts. For this reason, it is strongly recommended that shingle roofs be installed as required in high-wind areas. Normally, this requires using six nails per shingle or as per the manufacturer's installation instructions.

Generally, shingle roofs may be installed on roofs with slopes between 2 in 12 and 4 in 12 if a low slope procedure is followed. This requires half-lapping of the underlayment, or lapping layers at 19 inches horizontally.

For specific requirements see the Uniform or California Building Code (CBC) Table 15-B and the manufacturer's installation instructions.

Overlays & Ponding

On built-up roofing systems, one overlay will be allowed. However, the contractor must verify adequate slope. To prevent ponding, a minimum of ¼ inch per foot slope is required for all roofs.

Kettle Fees & Safety Requirements

An annual fee of $101 will need to be paid before a roofing permit may be issued. The following items are required and will be checked:

• The heat source for the kettle must not be in operation when the kettle is in transport
• Kettles shall not be used inside or on the roof of a building
• Kettles shall be equipped with a tight-fitting cover
• Kettles shall not be located within 20 feet of any combustible materials, combustible building surface or building opening. Propane tanks shall not protrude into the street
• An attendant shall be within 100 feet of a kettle when the heat source is operating, with no ladder or similar obstacle forming a part of the route between the attendant and the kettle, except when an operating thermostat controls the kettle temperature

Fire Extinguishers

A minimum of a 2-A 10-BC fire extinguisher shall be located within 30 feet of each kettle that is in operation and another fire extinguisher shall be on the roof.

Note

Portable fire extinguishers must be serviced annually. The service tag must be attached and be readable. New fire extinguishers must have their receipt tag attached.

Modified Bitumen Roofs

For modified bitumen roofs, fire extinguishers must be present on a roof when an open flame is in use. The fire extinguisher must be minimum 2-A 10-BC located within 20 feet of the use. Failure to have a properly charged fire extinguisher on the job will result in work stoppage.

Skylight Requirements

Skylights are not allowed within 3 feet of a property line. Lightwells and stairwells may not be covered with corrugated fiberglass or any other material.

Reinspection Fee

Failure to comply with inspection requirements may result in a $150 reinspection fee. Reinspection fees must be paid before a reinspection will be done.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact a Building Inspector at 650-991-8061.