Converse, TX Roofing Permits and Contractor Requirements
Short answer: yes, replacing a roof in Converse requires a permit. The City of Converse publishes a Re-Roof Permit Application among its residential permit forms, and it also registers contractors before they can pull permits. Both are handled by the Building Department at 406 S. Seguin, Converse, TX 78109, phone 210.658.5356.
That second requirement matters more than most homeowners realise, and it matters especially after the September 11, 2026 hailstorm, because a large hail event brings a wave of out-of-town crews into a market within days.
Here is the fact that makes Converse’s local rule useful: Texas does not license roofing contractors at all. There is no state roofing licence and no state roofing registration. So "licensed roofer in Texas" is not a meaningful credential on its own. A city registration is one of the few verifiable ones you have.
The Re-Roof Permit
Converse lists a Re-Roof Permit Application in the residential section of its permit applications, alongside forms for building, electrical and mechanical, fence, flatwork, gas, irrigation, plumbing and deck or patio cover work. Applications can be downloaded as forms or submitted through the city’s online portal.
| What | Detail |
|---|---|
| Form | Re-Roof Permit Application (residential) |
| Issued by | City of Converse Building Department |
| Address | 406 S. Seguin, Converse, TX 78109 |
| Phone | 210.658.5356 |
| Submission | Downloadable form, or online through the city portal |
| Fee | Not published on the city’s permit applications page. Call to confirm |
We are deliberately not quoting a Converse permit fee. The city does not publish a roofing fee schedule on that page, and inventing a number for a page like this would be exactly the sort of thing that gets repeated as fact. Across Central Texas municipalities residential roofing permits commonly run somewhere between $150 and $500, and we include that band on our Converse roof cost page as a planning allowance rather than a quote. For the real figure, phone the Building Department.
Contractor Registration Is Your Best Verification Tool
Converse does not only permit the work. It registers the people doing it, and publishes three separate forms for that purpose:
- General Contractor Registration Form
- Trade Contractor Registration Form
- Authorized Personnel To Pull Permits Form
That third form is the interesting one. It means the city keeps a record not just of which companies are registered, but of which named individuals are authorised to pull permits on a company’s behalf. A company that is genuinely working this city has been through that process. A crew that arrived after the storm, in most cases, has not.
Registration also has to be current at the time of application. A lapsed registration means a denied permit, and potentially a stop-work order on a job already underway, which is a problem that lands on the homeowner’s roof rather than the contractor’s.
This gives you a verification step that costs one phone call. Ring 210.658.5356 and ask whether the company quoting you is registered with the City of Converse and in good standing. There is no equivalent state-level check, which is what the next section is about.
Texas Does Not License Roofing Contractors
This surprises most homeowners, and a lot of advertising relies on the confusion.
There is no Texas state roofing licence. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation does not license or register roofing contractors. There is no state number to look up, and no state board that can pull a roofer’s ticket. Registration with the Roofing Contractors Association of Texas is voluntary, which makes it a positive signal but not a legal requirement.
So when a company advertises itself as a "licensed Texas roofer," it may mean it holds a city registration, or a plumbing or electrical licence, or an insurance licence, or nothing whatsoever. The word does very little work in this trade in this state.
What can actually be verified:
- City of Converse contractor registration. One call. Binary answer.
- General liability and workers’ compensation insurance, with certificates sent directly by the insurer rather than a PDF forwarded by the contractor.
- Manufacturer certification, such as GAF Master Elite, which is awarded by the manufacturer against real criteria and can be checked on the manufacturer’s own site.
- A real physical local address, not a PO box or a suite number that resolves to a mailbox service.
- The name the company pulls permits under, which should match the name on your contract.
How to Choose a Roofing Contractor in Austin Without Getting Scammed | Austin, TX Expert Advice — how to choose a roofing contractor without getting scammed, which is largely a verification problem rather than a judgement call.
Who Should Pull the Permit
Your contractor should, in its own company name. That is the whole point of the registration system: it ties the work to a business the city can hold accountable.
If a roofing company asks you to pull the permit as the homeowner, treat that as a significant warning sign. It usually means one of three things, and none of them is good:
- The company is not registered with the City of Converse.
- It does not intend to be in this area long enough for accountability to matter.
- It is deliberately shifting liability for code compliance onto you.
A homeowner-pulled permit makes you the responsible party for the work meeting code. If the roof fails inspection, or if a problem emerges when you sell, that is now your problem rather than the contractor’s.
The same logic runs through the other post-storm warning signs, which we set out in storm-chaser roofer red flags and in how to choose a roofing company after a storm.
Roofing Company Near Me? 10 Questions to Ask Before Hiring an Austin Roofer — ten questions worth asking before you hire any roofer, several of which are permit and insurance questions.
Codes, Inspection and Insurance Work
Codes. Converse requires construction within the city limits to comply with the latest adopted editions of the International Codes. The city does not list the specific adopted editions on its permit applications page, so if the code year matters for your project, confirm it with the Building Department rather than assuming. In practice the provisions that most often affect a residential re-roof are underlayment requirements, ice-and-water or valley treatment, drip edge, fastening patterns and the rules on how many layers of roofing may remain.
Inspection. Permitted work is generally subject to inspection. Ask your contractor before work begins who schedules it and at what stage. A company that cannot answer that has probably not been through the process here.
Insurance work is not exempt. An approved hail claim changes who pays for the roof. It does not change the permitting requirement, and no insurer treats an unpermitted roof more favourably. If your roof is being replaced under a claim from the September storm, the permit is still the contractor’s job, and the permit cost is a legitimate line in the scope. How the rest of that process works is covered in does homeowners insurance cover hail damage in Converse.
The Four-Question Call
Before you sign anything, ask the company these four questions. Then, if you want to be certain, ring the city and check the answers.
- "Are you currently registered as a contractor with the City of Converse?"
- "Will you pull the re-roof permit in your company’s name?" The answer should be an immediate yes.
- "Who is your authorised person on file with the city to pull permits?" A registered company knows this name.
- "Will you give me the permit number once it is issued?" There is no good reason to refuse.
Then: City of Converse Building Department, 406 S. Seguin, 210.658.5356. Ask whether the company is registered and in good standing. That call is the highest-value five minutes available to a Converse homeowner hiring a roofer right now, and almost nobody makes it.
Driftwood Builders Roofing has been roofing in Central Texas since 2005 and is a GAF Master Elite contractor. We pull permits in our own name, we carry general liability and workers’ compensation, and we will give you the permit number. If you want a free written estimate in Converse or northeast Bexar County, request one here, or read more on our Converse roofing page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to replace a roof in Converse, TX?
Yes. The City of Converse publishes a Re-Roof Permit Application among its residential permit forms, so a re-roof is permitted work inside the city limits. The permit is obtained through the Building Department at 406 S. Seguin, Converse, TX 78109.
Who pulls the roofing permit, me or my contractor?
Your contractor should. Converse registers contractors and also publishes an "Authorized Personnel To Pull Permits" form, which ties permit-pulling to a registered business and named people. If a roofing company asks you to pull the permit as the homeowner, that shifts responsibility onto you and is a common sign of a company that is not registered locally.
Does Texas license roofing contractors?
No. Texas has no state roofing licence and no state roofing registration, and the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation does not register roofers. Registration with the Roofing Contractors Association of Texas is voluntary. This is exactly why a city-level requirement like Converse’s contractor registration is worth checking.
How do I check whether a roofer is registered in Converse?
Call the Converse Building Department on 210.658.5356 and ask whether the company is currently registered and in good standing. It is a short call, it is free, and it is the single most useful verification step available to a homeowner in this city.
How much does a roofing permit cost in Converse?
The city does not publish a roofing permit fee schedule on its permit applications page, so we will not quote one. Across Central Texas municipalities residential roofing permits commonly fall in the $150 to $500 range. For the actual Converse figure, call the Building Department.
Can I submit a Converse permit application online?
Yes. The city links to an online submission portal (SmartGov) from its permit applications page, alongside the downloadable PDF forms.
What building code does Converse use?
Converse requires construction within the city limits to comply with the latest adopted editions of the International Codes. The city does not list the specific adopted editions on its permit applications page, so confirm the current edition with the Building Department before relying on a particular code year.
Does insurance work still need a permit?
Yes. An insurance claim changes who pays for the roof. It does not change the city’s permitting requirement, and an insurer will not treat an unpermitted roof more favourably.
What happens if my roof is replaced without a permit?
Practically: you can face a stop-work order, fees, and a requirement to expose completed work for inspection. Longer term it surfaces when you sell, because an unpermitted re-roof is the kind of thing a buyer’s inspector and title process can flag, and it can complicate a future claim.
Do I need a permit for a small roof repair?
Requirements differ between a full re-roof and a minor repair, and Converse publishes a specific Re-Roof Permit Application rather than a general roofing one. If your work is a small patch rather than a re-roof, ask the Building Department directly rather than assuming either way.
Is an inspection required after the roof is done?
Permitted work is generally subject to inspection. Ask your contractor, before work starts, who schedules the inspection and when, and make sure the answer is a person rather than a shrug.
What should I ask a roofer before they start in Converse?
Four questions: are you registered with the City of Converse, will you pull the re-roof permit in your own company name, who is your named authorized person on file, and will you give me the permit number once issued. A local, registered company answers all four without hesitation.
Sources
Permit forms, contractor registration forms, department address and phone: City of Converse, Community Development / Building, permit applications page, conversetx.gov. The Re-Roof Permit Application, General Contractor Registration Form, Trade Contractor Registration Form and Authorized Personnel To Pull Permits Form are all listed there. Retrieved September 2026.
Code requirement: City of Converse code of ordinances, building and building regulations, requiring compliance with the latest published editions of the International Codes.
Texas licensing: there is no Texas state roofing contractor licence or registration; the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation does not regulate roofing contractors. Roofing Contractors Association of Texas registration is voluntary.
Permit fees are not published on the city’s permit applications page and are deliberately not quoted here. Confirm current fees, code editions and inspection requirements directly with the Building Department, as these change.
