Which county are you in?
Chantilly is a census-designated place in western Fairfax County, in the Sully supervisor district. But the Chantilly mailing address reaches further than the community itself: parts of ZIP code 20152, including the South Riding area, use a Chantilly address while sitting in Loudoun County. Check your real estate tax bill. If it comes from Loudoun, Loudoun County Building and Development's rules apply, not Fairfax's.
What Fairfax County's guidance says
Fairfax County Land Development Services publishes a page titled 'Does My Project Require a Permit?' at fairfaxcounty.gov/landdevelopment/when-permit-required. For residential projects, its list of work that does not need a permit includes:
- Replacement of roof shingles.
- Replacement of less than 256 square feet (9 boards) of roof plywood, unless the roof is required to be fire rated, such as on townhomes.
- Gutters.
- Direct replacement of existing windows and doors.
The same page lists roof repairs among miscellaneous residential work that falls under a permit, and lists solar panels as needing a permit. The county's permit library also notes that homeowners can pull permits in their own name, but strongly recommends that a licensed contractor pull them as the responsible party.
What this means in practice: a straightforward reshingle of a single-family house is generally on the no-permit list, while decking replacement beyond nine boards, townhome roofs with fire-rating requirements, structural changes, and repair work are where a permit question comes up. We don't guess. The written scope says whether a permit applies and who handles it, and Land Development Services can be reached directly at 703-222-0801 if you want to confirm.
Official sources
HOA and architectural review
County permits and HOA approval are separate. A roof that needs no county permit can still need your HOA's sign-off, and many Northern Virginia communities have architectural review rules for exterior changes such as shingle color, product style, gutter guards, skylights and vents. We can't tell you your HOA's rules, and we won't pretend to. What we can do is give you the exact product name, color and spec sheet to submit.
- Find your community's architectural guidelines and the application form, usually through the management company or HOA portal.
- Check whether the guidelines list approved shingle colors or simply require a match to the existing roof.
- Submit with the manufacturer, product line and color name, plus a photo or sample if requested.
- Wait for written approval before materials are ordered.
- If you live in a townhouse, ask whether the HOA coordinates roofing across a building.
Does my Chantilly roof replacement need a permit?▸
Fairfax County's guidance lists replacement of roof shingles on a home as not requiring a permit. Larger decking replacement, fire-rated townhome roofs, repairs and structural changes can be different. The written scope will say whether a permit applies.
My address says Chantilly but my taxes go to Loudoun. Which rules apply?▸
Loudoun County's. Some 20152 Chantilly addresses, including the South Riding area, are in Loudoun County.
Can you tell me what colors my HOA allows?▸
No. Only your HOA can. We'll provide product details for your application.
Who pulls a permit if one is needed?▸
The scope says who. Fairfax County strongly recommends that a licensed contractor pull permits as the responsible party.