Class A Fire-Rated Roofing and WUI Rules in Washoe County

This guide summarizes official Washoe County wildland-urban interface (WUI) roofing rules for homeowners. Reno Nevada Roofs is a referral service, not a contractor, and this page is not a substitute for the current County guide or the fire district’s advice.

Source: the Washoe WUI Code Guide. Washoe has adopted the 2024 IWUIC. Confirm the current document and your parcel’s ignition-resistant rating on the County EZ Fire-WUI map, and with the fire district (Truckee Meadows FPD or others as applicable).

What the ignition ratings require

IR 1 and IR 2 roofs: Class A, with roof-edge / gap firestopping and 26-gage valley flashing when provided. IR 3: Class B, with the same edge/gap and valley-flashing notes.

Existing roofs and partial reroofs

If the roof is replaced, or if 25 percent or more is replaced in a 12-month period, the covering must meet the new-construction class for that ignition rating (IWUIC 507.1 as summarized in the County guide).

Gutters and vents

The guide calls for noncombustible gutters and downspouts, with a means to keep debris from accumulating, in ignition-resistant construction. Vents have mesh and ember-resistance rules; soffit and eave vents must be approved devices.

Foothill and Tahoe-Nevada communities

These questions come up often in Caughlin Ranch, Somersett, Verdi, Washoe Valley, and Incline Village and Crystal Bay. Douglas County and Tahoe Douglas Fire have their own rules on the south shore — see Zephyr Cove and Stateline and Minden and Gardnerville. This guide does not copy Washoe’s table onto another county’s parcels.

Frequently asked questions

What is a Class A fire-rated roof?

Class A is the highest common fire classification for roof coverings. Whether Washoe County requires it depends on the parcel’s ignition-resistant rating and the scope of the reroof.

Does every Washoe County house need Class A?

No. IR 1 and IR 2 construction require Class A, with additional edge and flashing details in the County WUI Code Guide. IR 3 uses Class B. Check the parcel’s rating and the fire district.

We can refer you to licensed roofers who can bid a code-appropriate assembly. We do not claim every partner is a WUI specialist.

Get matched with licensed local roofers

Get matched with licensed Reno-area roofers. Reno Nevada Roofs is a referral service. We do not inspect, bid, or perform roofing work.

Reno Nevada Roofs is a referral service. We are not a licensed contractor under Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 624 and we do not perform roofing work. We connect homeowners in the Reno–Sparks area with local roofers licensed by the Nevada State Contractors Board. The licensed contractor — not this website — inspects the roof, provides a contract and price, performs the work, and obtains required permits. Verify any contractor’s license at the Nevada State Contractors Board.