Best Roofing Materials for Nashville

Nashville and Davidson County operate as a consolidated Metro government, and reroofing permits are processed through Metro Codes Administration. The applicable code is the 2018 International Residential Code with Metro Nashville amendments. A residential reroof permit fee runs $150 to $325 depending on roof area and total project value.

Two Metro Nashville code items catch out-of-area contractors. First, the city requires drip edge at all eaves and rake edges on shingle and metal roofs, with a specific dimensional requirement on the rake edge metal that varies from neighboring counties. Second, Metro Nashville enforces a Class A fire rating requirement on all reroofs - this is consistent with most Tennessee jurisdictions but the inspectors here check the product packaging during inspection, so the documentation has to be on-site during the dry-in stage.

Tennessee operates a tiered contractor licensing system. For roofing projects between $3,000 and $25,000, contractors need a Tennessee Home Improvement license issued by the Department of Commerce and Insurance. For projects over $25,000, a full Tennessee Contractor license (issued by the Board for Licensing Contractors) is required, with separate classifications for residential building (BC-A) and roofing specifically. Most full reroofs cross the $25,000 threshold once you account for tear-off, deck repair, and modern shingle systems, which means the full contractor license is the standard for residential roofing in Nashville. License verification is through the state's online licensee search.