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Roof Repair and Reroofing in Malibu Under the City's Re-Roof Policy
Roof repair and roofing in Malibu follow the City of Malibu’s own Residential Re-Roof Policy, which requires a permit for every roofing installation, Class A material on every roof, and cool-rated roofing with no exceptions. The fire rules have a clear basis: CAL FIRE’s March 2025 map places 11,551 acres of Malibu in the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone and none in the High or Moderate categories.
Licensed, bonded and insured, CSLB #1119699
Malibu has been a city since March 28, 1991, and its Building Safety staff at City Hall, 23825 Stuart Ranch Road, take reroof submittals through the Malibu Development Portal. The City’s fire recovery program now covers properties damaged or destroyed in three recent fires: the 2025 Palisades Fire and the 2024 Franklin and Broad fires.
What Malibu's re-roof policy allows, roof type by roof type
The City’s Residential Re-Roof Policy starts with two citywide rules. All roofing material must be rated Class A, because Malibu is in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, and wood shakes and wood shingles are prohibited within city limits.
From there, the requirements depend on the roof:
Asphalt shingles over existing shingles
One overlay at most
Built-up (flat) roofing
Full removal unless the City approves otherwise in advance
Lightweight tile (6 psf or less)
Tear-off to the original sheathing
Metal panels, including standing seam
Tear-off to the original sheathing
New tile over existing tile
Stamped, wet-signed plans and calculations from a California-registered engineer or licensed architect
Normal-weight tile (over 6 psf)
Stamped plans and calculations with the application
Source: City of Malibu Residential Re-Roof Policy. Advance approval to keep built-up roofing requires proof of compliance with the 2026 County building codes.
The 1970s were Malibu’s biggest building decade (26.1% of today’s housing units, with a Census median year built of 1976), so many houses are likely on a second or later roof. If one already carries two layers of shingles, the one-overlay limit makes its next reroof a tear-off. Because Los Angeles County’s reroof rules bar any recover in a Very High zone in the areas it serves, we also confirm Malibu’s current overlay allowance with Building Safety before quoting one.
Two inspections and a cool roof requirement with no exceptions
Every Malibu reroof gets at least two inspections. The first checks water accumulation, drainage, flashing, and the soundness of the substrate, and it must be approved before the new roof covering goes on. A final inspection follows when the work is complete, and the owner has to provide roof access for both. On a tear-off, the schedule pauses after the deck work for that sign-off.
The cool roof rule is where Malibu departs most from the state. The city is in climate zone 6, where the 2025 California Energy Code calls for a rated cool roof only on low-slope residential reroofs. Malibu’s policy requires roofing materials to meet Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC) requirements under the 2026 County of Los Angeles Green Building Standards Code and allows no exceptions. Plan on a CRRC-rated product for a pitched roof as well as a flat one; we confirm the required rating level with Building Safety before ordering.
Repairs after the Woolsey, Franklin, and Palisades fires
CAL FIRE records the Woolsey Fire of November 2018 at 96,949 acres and 1,643 structures destroyed across Los Angeles and Ventura counties, and the City reports that it destroyed nearly 500 homes in Malibu and took three lives. The Franklin Fire started on December 9, 2024, near Malibu Canyon Road and burned 4,086 acres, destroying 20 structures and damaging 28. The Palisades Fire began on January 7, 2025, and two days later the City named Big Rock, Carbon Mesa, and La Costa as its hardest-hit neighborhoods.
Repairing a house that is still standing after a nearby fire is a different job from a rebuild. The roof inspection looks at the roof covering, flashing, vents, gutters, and the underlayment under any cracked tile, and a reroof still follows the Class A, permit, and cool roof rules above.
Full rebuilds run on a separate track. Planning approves zoning first, Building Safety then handles plan check and permits, and no work can start before permits are issued. The City opened the Malibu Rebuild Center on March 10, 2025, for owners on that path.
Roof repair and roofing in Malibu, from 1970s shingles to standing seam
Overhead Roofing is a licensed roofing contractor (CSLB #1119699, C-39 Roofing), bonded and insured, and our team brings 25+ years of roofing experience. On Malibu homes, our work includes:
- Roof repair: leaks at flashing, skylights, chimneys, and roof-to-wall joints; cracked or slipped tile; and shingles lifted by Santa Ana winds.
- Class A reroofs: tear-off to the sheathing, deck repair, and new tile, shingles, or standing seam metal with a CRRC-rated surface.
- Flat and low-slope roofs: removal of old built-up roofing and a new cool-rated low-slope system.
- Post-fire roof inspections: a written report on the covering, flashing, vents, and gutters, with photos for your insurer.
- 24/7 emergency repair: tarping and temporary sealing, with fast response and same-day visits when crews are available.
Estimates are free, and our work carries a workmanship warranty. Call (877) 557-7778 to schedule a roof inspection.
Malibu re-roof policy and fire repair questions
Can new shingles go over my existing roof in Malibu?
Only on asphalt shingles, and only once. Malibu’s re-roof policy allows one overlay of asphalt shingles over an existing asphalt shingle roof, while lightweight tile and metal panels have to come off, and built-up roofing does too unless the City approves otherwise in advance. Because county rules bar recovers in Very High zones, we confirm the current overlay allowance with Building Safety before planning one.
Are wood shake roofs still allowed in Malibu?
They are not. The City’s re-roof policy prohibits wood shakes and wood shingles within city limits and requires every roofing material to be rated Class A, because Malibu is in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone. If your house still has a shake roof, replacing it means choosing a Class A tile, shingle, or metal assembly.
Does a pitched roof in Malibu have to be a cool roof?
Under Malibu’s policy, it does. The state’s 2025 Energy Code would exempt a pitched residential roof in climate zone 6, but the City requires all roofing materials to meet Cool Roof Rating Council requirements, with no exceptions. Choose a CRRC-rated tile, shingle, or metal product before the permit application goes in, and check the color options early.
What does a roofing company in Malibu have to submit for a reroof permit?
The application goes to Malibu Building Safety through the Malibu Development Portal and must include an ICC, UL, ETL, or other approved lab listing for the roofing product. Tile over tile and normal-weight tile over 6 psf also need stamped plans and calculations. The manufacturer’s listing and installation instructions have to stay on site until the final inspection.
My Malibu home was damaged in the Franklin or Palisades Fire. Where does the roof work start?
Start with an inspection of the roof covering, flashing, vents, and gutters. We photograph the damage and write an estimate you can send to your insurer; we do not file, negotiate, or settle claims. The City’s recovery program covers properties damaged or destroyed in the Palisades, Franklin, and Broad fires, and the Building Safety recovery desk is at (310) 456-2489, ext. 390.
Coast and canyon neighbors, Class A roof services, and fire guides
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