Five towns, five permit offices, and no two of them handle a new roof or new siding quite the same way. This guide puts what each office says on its own website side by side, with a link to the page it came from. We checked these pages on October 26, 2026. Rules and fees get updated, so the office has the last word. On our jobs, we pull the permit for you and handle that part.
Where an office’s pages don’t say, we don’t guess. We say so and link the office’s page as a reference.
The five towns side by side
| Town | Roofing | Siding | Fee on the office's own page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rockford City Construction & Development Services | Permit required for all roofing work, and contractors must hold an Illinois roofing license. Residential roofs get a final inspection. (building permits page, roofing application) | Has its own siding permit application. (siding application) | 2026 schedule: residential siding is 0.55% of reported value, plus a $50 processing fee and a 10% technology fee. The schedule has no separate reroof line. We handle the permit and its fees. (fee schedule) |
| Belvidere City Building Department | Has a roofing permit guide. The application asks for the roofer’s Illinois license, insurance, roof squares and layers removed. (roofing guide) | Has a siding guide. The application asks for square footage, siding type and project value. (siding guide) | No fee amount on the pages we found. We pull this permit for you. The city’s page has the details if you want them. (building page) |
| Loves Park City Building Department | Permits are needed for work that requires inspections. The fee schedule has a residential reroof line. (permit FAQ) | The fee schedule has a residential siding line. (fee schedule) | Reroof $40 flat and siding $20 flat, plus a $40 processing fee. The city’s schedule is labeled effective 2/15/2018. We pull the permit and handle the fee. |
| Machesney Park Village Building Division | Any roofing or reroofing needs a building permit on file at Village Hall, and a contractor’s license is submitted. (permits page) | Siding and window replacement of the same size is listed as not needing a permit. | Residential reroof $40 plus a $40 processing fee, per Appendix B of the village’s fee schedule, revised 9/6/2023. The Building Clerk sets the final cost after approval. We pull the permit and handle the fee. The village’s permits page has the details if you want them. (permits page, Appendix B fee schedule) |
| Roscoe Village Hall for village permits, Winnebago County Building Division for building permits | The village’s zoning permit fee table lists siding or roofing as needing Winnebago County approval, not village approval. The county’s Building Division serves Roscoe, and its application has a reroof option. (village fee table, county page) | The village’s fee table lists siding as needing Winnebago County approval, not village approval. We pull the county permit. (village fee table, county permits page) | County schedule: residential reroof $40 plus a $40 processing fee. The county says fees can change. We confirm the current amount when we pull the permit. (county fee schedule) |
A permit fee is what the town charges for the paperwork and inspections. It isn’t the price of the job.
Rockford
- Permit: the city says building permits are required for all roofing work and that roofing contractors need an Illinois license. (source)
- Inspection: residential roofing requires a final inspection, per the city’s roofing application. Inspections have to be requested a full business day ahead, and the permit must be posted where it’s visible from the street or at the main entrance before work starts. (roofing application, building permits page)
- Ice barrier: a city memo dated May 1, 2018 says ice barrier is required when there’s evidence of ice damage at the eaves, when ice barrier was found at tear off, or when the shingle maker requires it. It runs from the lowest edge to at least 24 inches inside the exterior wall line. The memo was written under the 2015 code. We check which rules apply to your roof. (memo)
- Layers: the city’s FAQ allows no more than two layers of roofing, and only one for wood shake, slate, clay or cement. (FAQ)
- Special reviews: the city’s roofing instructions say a property can be subject to the Historic Preservation Ordinance or the Flood Hazard Ordinance, and that the permit can’t be approved until the Historic Preservation Commission or the City Engineer signs off. (roofing instructions)
Belvidere
- Permit: the city asks that you call before starting any project to learn whether a permit is required. We make that call for you. Permits are by appointment or by online application, and the page lists roofs and siding among the projects that may need one. (source)
- Roofing paperwork: for a contractor job the city’s guide asks for the roofer’s valid Illinois license, current liability insurance and photo ID of the license holder, plus the roof area in squares and the number of layers being removed. (roofing guide)
- Inspections: two are listed: an ice and water shield inspection once it’s down (not needed for an overlay permit), and a final inspection when the work is done. (roofing guide)
- Underlayment: the guide says ice and water shield is required over any roof above conditioned space, running from the eave edge to at least 24 inches inside the exterior wall line. It also says existing asphalt, wood shake, slate, clay, cement or asbestos cement tile roofing must come off before a reroof. (roofing guide)
- Historic districts: the siding guide says properties in historical, landmark or overlay districts are reviewed before a permit is issued. (siding guide)
- Heads up: both guides still cite the 2015 codes, while the city’s building page says new 2021 codes apply to permit applications after January 1, 2025. We check which version applies to your project. (building page)
Loves Park
- Permit: the city’s FAQ says permits are needed for anything that requires inspections, and that work done without a permit can have its fees doubled. The FAQ doesn’t name roofing, but the fee schedule lists a residential reroof. (FAQ, fee schedule)
- Fees listed: residential reroof, $40 flat. Residential siding, $20 flat. The schedule also lists a $40 permit processing fee for permits applied for in person. The FAQ suggests calling the city for a permit quote. We handle that. (fee schedule)
- Inspections: the schedule says three inspections come with a permit (footing, rough-in and final), and each extra one is $50. The FAQ says most work gets rough-in and final inspections. (fee schedule, FAQ)
- Codes: the city lists the 2021 International code series, effective April 1, 2025. (building page)
- Extra: Loves Park’s inspectors also inspect Machesney Park projects. See the next section. (building page)
Machesney Park
- Permit: the village says any roofing or reroofing project needs a building permit on file at Village Hall, and that a contractor’s license must be submitted if you use one. (source)
- Siding: the village lists siding and window replacements of the same size among the home improvements that don’t need a permit. That’s the biggest difference from Rockford and Loves Park on this list. (source)
- Fee listed: $40 for a residential reroof or tear off, plus a $40 processing fee, in Appendix B of the village fee schedule, revised September 6, 2023. The permits page says the Building Clerk determines the cost once the project has building approval. (permits page, Appendix B fee schedule)
- Inspections: the village issues the permit, but Loves Park’s building department does the inspections under a cooperative agreement. We handle the inspection scheduling. (village building page, Loves Park building page)
Roscoe
- Village side: Roscoe’s permit page covers zoning permits such as pools, decks, garages, sheds and accessory buildings. Its zoning permit fee table lists siding or roofing as needing Winnebago County approval, with no village permit. It allows up to two weeks for permit review in peak construction season. (village page, fee table)
- County side: the Winnebago County Building Division lists the Village of Roscoe among the municipalities it serves. The county’s building permit application has a Reroof option and a spot for the roofing contractor’s license number. (county page, application)
- Which office? The village says to look at your tax bill. If it lists the Village of Roscoe, you’re inside the village. If not, the county’s planning and zoning office covers you. We work out which applies to your address. (village page)
- Fee listed: the county’s schedule shows $40 for a residential reroof or tear off plus a $40 processing fee. The county’s page adds that fees are subject to change by County Board action. (fee schedule, permits page)
Where the towns differ most
- Who issues and who inspects. Rockford, Belvidere and Loves Park each handle their own. Machesney Park issues permits but borrows Loves Park’s inspectors. Roscoe’s building permits run through the county.
- Siding. Rockford and Loves Park have a siding permit. Belvidere has a siding guide with its own application details. Roscoe sends siding to Winnebago County. Machesney Park lists same size siding replacement as not needing a permit.
- How fees are figured. Rockford charges residential siding as a percentage of the reported job value. Loves Park, Machesney Park and the county list flat amounts for a residential reroof.
- Ice and water protection. Rockford’s memo sets conditions for when it’s required. Belvidere’s guide calls for it over any roof above conditioned space.
Where Martin Exteriors fits in
On the roofing and siding jobs we install, Martin Exteriors pulls the permits and sets up the inspections, under Illinois roofing license 104.017824. If you’re not sure which office covers your address, tell us your street and we’ll sort it out at your free inspection.
Questions about permits in these towns
Does a new roof need a permit in all five towns?
Rockford and Machesney Park say so outright on their pages. Belvidere publishes a roofing permit guide, Loves Park lists a reroof permit fee, and Roscoe's building permits go through Winnebago County, whose application includes a reroof option. On our jobs, we find the office that covers your address and pull the permit.
Why do the permit fees look so different from town to town?
Rockford figures its fee as a percentage of the reported value of the work. Loves Park, Machesney Park and the county list flat amounts for a residential reroof. Each also adds its own processing fees.
Who inspects roofs in Machesney Park?
Loves Park's building department does the inspections for Machesney Park under a cooperative agreement. The village issues the permit, and we handle the inspection scheduling.
How do I know if I'm in the Village of Roscoe or in the county?
The Village of Roscoe says to check your tax bill. If it lists the Village of Roscoe, you're inside the village limits. If it doesn't, Winnebago County planning and zoning covers you. We work out which applies to your address.
How current is this comparison?
We read each office's pages on October 26, 2026. Offices update their fees on their own schedules, and we confirm the current amounts when we pull your permit.
Planning a roof or siding job?
Storm damage, an aging roof or siding that’s had it? Schedule a free inspection or call (815) 624-6278. Martin Exteriors has been family owned since 2006.
