Roof work in a Cincinnati historic district
If the city has designated the property or building as historic, you need a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Urban Conservator (513-352-4848) before work starts, even if no permit is needed. That applies even when the roof work itself would not need a building permit, so check before anyone orders material.
Why it matters for roofs
The City of Cincinnati says re-covering a roof on a detached house generally does not need a building permit if the house has one to three units and no more than two layers of roofing material. Gutters and downspouts, along with the flashing and trim around them, are on the same no-permit list. For a property the city has designated historic, those exemptions do not remove the Certificate of Appropriateness step.
The changes most likely to need a review are the visible ones: swapping slate or tile for asphalt or metal, closing over built-in box gutters and hanging new ones, and changing cornices, dormers or chimneys.
How to find out if your house is covered
- Call the Urban Conservator at 513-352-4848 with your address.
- Ask whether the property is in a local historic district or individually designated.
- If it is, ask what the review needs: photos, a material sample, the roofer's written scope.
Repair first
The National Park Service says a properly installed slate roof lasts 60 to 125 years or longer, depending on the slate, the roof shape and the location, and that some have lasted over 200 years. Before replacing a slate roof, the Park Service says to look for isolated damage and worn flashing first, along with leaky gutters, since those often cause the leak. Repair in kind, slate for slate and copper for copper, is usually the simplest path through a review, and it tends to cost less over the life of the roof.
Questions people around Cincinnati ask
Do I need approval to replace a roof in a Cincinnati historic district?
If the city has designated the property or building as historic, you need a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Urban Conservator (513-352-4848) before work starts, even if no permit is needed.
Can I replace slate with asphalt shingles on a historic house?
Possibly, but it is the kind of visible change a review looks at. Get a slate repair estimate first; slate often has decades left after the flashing and nails fail.