Roof Inspection Report
A record of a roof's condition: covering type and age, how it was inspected, covering, flashing, penetrations, decking, ventilation and drainage, every problem with how urgent it is and who should fix it, and the inspector's estimate of remaining life when one is given.
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Sample notes, 125 words
Client: Maria Delgado 2215 Palmetto Ave Date: 10/07/2026 9am, sunny, roof dry Inspector: Kevin Brandt License: RC-29117 ...
We sorted 15 items into 7 sections and flagged 2 to fix soon.
- Fix soonFlashing and penetrations
Plumbing vent boot on rear slope cracked
- Fix soonGutters, edges and drainage
Gutters full of leaves at the back, downspout extension missing at the left corner
- Worth watchingRoof covering
Light granule loss, no exposed mat
Still to add
- NeededRoof covering type
Filled in for you
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What goes in it
Every roof inspection report from ReportDraft follows the same professional structure, so clients and reviewers find things where they expect them.
- Roof areasArea or slope, Covering, Pitch, Condition
- Roof coveringMissing, lifted, creased or cracked pieces (wind damage included), Wear for its age: granule loss, curling, cupping or blistering, Hail damage: impacts, bruising and the granule loss they cause, Fasteners, seams and earlier repairs
- Flashing and penetrationsWall, step and counter flashing, Chimney flashing and cricket, Plumbing vents, boots and other penetrations, Skylights, Valleys
- Decking, structure and atticDecking firm underfoot, no soft spots, Ridge and roof lines straight, no sagging, Attic underside: sheathing, stains, daylight, moisture, Attic and roof ventilation
- Gutters, edges and drainageGutters and downspouts attached, sloped and clear, Drip edge, fascia, soffit and rakes, Low-slope drainage: drains, scuppers, no ponding
- Signs of leaks insideCeilings and walls below the roof free of water stains, No active leaks
- Remaining lifeOnly the inspector's own estimate of remaining useful life from the notes and the reasons the notes give for it; leave empty when the notes give no estimate.
How it works
1. Add your notes. Type or paste what you saw. Rate items with one tap if you like.
2. Get a draft. Findings, recommendations and a summary are written for you, in your report's structure.
3. Check, sign, send. A completeness list shows anything missing. Sign to lock the PDF and download Word too.
Why it pays for itself
What United States federal rules require
- Under the FAA's small drone rule, the remote pilot in command of a drone flown to inspect a roof holds a remote pilot certificate with a small UAS rating, and anyone else at the controls is directly supervised by that pilot, who can take over at once; the pilot has passed the knowledge test or completed recurrent training within the previous 24 calendar months and carries the certificate and identification during the flight14 CFR 107.12 · 14 CFR 107.65 · 14 CFR 107.7 (a)
- A small drone eligible for registration is flown only after its owner has registered and marked it (aircraft of 0.55 pounds or less flown only under the recreational flyer exception, and military aircraft, are excepted), and since September 16, 2023 every drone flight meets the remote identification rules unless the FAA authorizes otherwise14 CFR 48.15 · 14 CFR 89.105
- The remote pilot, or a visual observer, keeps the drone in sight with unaided vision (corrective lenses allowed) for the whole flight. The drone stays at or below 400 feet above ground level, or within a 400-foot radius of a structure and no more than 400 feet above its highest point, with at least 3 statute miles of visibility and at least 500 feet below and 2,000 feet horizontally from clouds14 CFR 107.31 · 14 CFR 107.51
- A drone is not flown over a person unless that person is directly taking part in the flight, is under a covered structure or inside a stationary vehicle that gives reasonable protection, or the operation meets one of the rule's operating categories for flights over people. Flights at night need the newer knowledge test or training and anti-collision lighting visible for at least 3 statute miles, and flights in civil twilight need the same lighting14 CFR 107.39 · 14 CFR 107.29
- Within 10 calendar days, the remote pilot in command reports to the FAA any drone flight that causes serious injury or loss of consciousness, or damage to property other than the drone, unless the repair cost (materials and labor) or, for a total loss, the property's fair market value is 500 dollars or less14 CFR 107.9
- OSHA's construction fall protection rules do not apply while employees inspect, investigate or assess workplace conditions before construction work actually starts or after all of it is complete. The general industry rule has the same exception, except where fall protection systems meeting OSHA's criteria are installed and available for those inspections29 CFR 1926.500 (a) (1) · 29 CFR 1910.28 (a) (2) (ii)
- Once roofing work is under way, each employee doing roofing on a low-slope roof with unprotected sides and edges 6 feet or more above a lower level is protected by guardrails, safety nets or personal fall arrest, or by a warning line combined with one of those or with a safety monitor (a safety monitor alone is allowed on roofs 50 feet wide or less); on a steep roof, by guardrails with toeboards, safety nets or personal fall arrest29 CFR 1926.501 (b) (10), (11)
- A portable ladder used to reach a roof or other upper landing extends at least 3 feet above the landing surface; where the ladder is too short for that, it is secured at the top to a rigid support and a grab rail or similar grasping device is provided29 CFR 1926.1053 (b) (1)
- States with OSHA-approved State Plans enforce their own workplace safety standards, which must be at least as effective as the federal standards on the same issues, so a roof inspector's state may set its own fall protection rules29 CFR 1902.1 (b)
Two sets of federal rules reach almost every roof inspection in the United States: the FAA's small drone rule when a drone does the looking, and OSHA's fall protection and ladder rules when people climb up. Here is what each requires, linked to the Code of Federal Regulations. Many states add their own roofing, contract and insurance rules on top, listed below.
Inspecting a roof with a drone
The person in command of the flight holds an FAA remote pilot certificate with a small UAS rating, keeps it current with the knowledge test or recurrent training every 24 calendar months, and carries it with identification. The drone is registered and marked, and the flight meets the FAA's remote identification rules.
During the flight the pilot or an observer keeps the drone in plain sight. Within 400 feet of the building it may fly up to 400 feet above the roof's highest point, but it does not pass over neighbors or bystanders who are not part of the flight unless they are under cover or the flight meets the rule's categories for flying over people. Night and twilight flights need anti-collision lighting, and a serious injury, a loss of consciousness, or damage over 500 dollars to anything other than the drone is reported to the FAA within 10 calendar days.
Ladders, roof edges and fall protection
OSHA's construction fall protection rules exempt inspections made before roofing work starts or after it is finished. The general industry rule exempts them too, unless fall protection is already installed and available for the inspection. Once work is under way, roofers on low-slope and steep roofs with edges 6 feet or more above a lower level need guardrails, nets, personal fall arrest or the combinations the rule allows.
A ladder used to step onto a roof reaches at least 3 feet above the landing at the eave; when it is too short for that, it is secured at the top and a grab rail is provided. States that run their own OSHA-approved plans can set different fall protection rules, so check your state's version.
Common mistakes
- Flying a client's roof without a remote pilot certificate.
- Letting the 24-month recurrent training lapse.
- Flying over neighbors watching from the yard.
- A ladder that stops at the gutter line instead of 3 feet above it.
- Treating the inspection exemption as covering the tear-off crew.
Sources
- 14 CFR 107.12, checked October 17, 2026
- 14 CFR 107.65, checked October 17, 2026
- 14 CFR 107.7 (a), checked October 17, 2026
- 14 CFR 48.15, checked October 17, 2026
- 14 CFR 89.105, checked October 17, 2026
- 14 CFR 107.31, checked October 17, 2026
- 14 CFR 107.51, checked October 17, 2026
- 14 CFR 107.39, checked October 17, 2026
- 14 CFR 107.29, checked October 17, 2026
- 14 CFR 107.9, checked October 17, 2026
- 29 CFR 1926.500 (a) (1), checked October 17, 2026
- 29 CFR 1910.28 (a) (2) (ii), checked October 17, 2026
- 29 CFR 1926.501 (b) (10), (11), checked October 17, 2026
- 29 CFR 1926.1053 (b) (1), checked October 17, 2026
- 29 CFR 1902.1 (b), checked October 17, 2026
Last reviewed October 17, 2026. Next review due January 17, 2027. This page explains published rules to help you write your report. It is not legal advice; the official text linked above governs. State rules can add to these.
Roof inspection report rules by state
The key rule in each state, linked to the official text. Each guide lists every rule with its sources, and each template is set up for that state. Last reviewed October 17, 2026.
| State | Key rule | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| FloridaTemplate | The inspector's estimate of remaining useful life (5 years or more matters to the insurer) | Fla. Stat. 627.7011 (5) (c) (2026) |
| IllinoisTemplate | The owner's express permission before going on the roof | 815 ILCS 513/18 (i) (Home Repair and Remodeling Act) |
| IowaTemplate | The 14-point capitalized notice on estimates under an assignment | Iowa Code 515.137A (6) |
| KentuckyTemplate | No claims specialist wording and no negotiating the owner's claim | KRS 367.628 (1) |
| LouisianaTemplate | The 12-point bold deductible notice on contracts of 1,000 dollars or more | La. R.S. 51:452 |
| MinnesotaTemplate | Written notice of Minn. Stat. 325E.66 sent with the first estimate | Minn. Stat. 325E.66, subd. 1 (b), subd. 2 (2025) |
| MissouriTemplate | The damage described, with no negotiating the owner's insurance claim | RSMo 407.725.6 |
| NebraskaTemplate | The 44-8607 deductible notice (capitals, 14 point) on the estimate, signed by the insured | Neb. Rev. Stat. 44-8607 |
| North DakotaTemplate | The 14-point capitalized deductible warning, signed by the insured | N.D.C.C. 26.1-39.2-06 |
| OklahomaTemplate | Written notice of 59 O.S. 1151.30 sent with the first estimate | 59 O.S. 1151.30 (A) (Laws 2025, c. 367) |
| South DakotaTemplate | The 72-hour cancellation statement and form with every storm contract | SDCL 37-24-51 |
| TexasTemplate | The damage described, with no claim negotiation or coverage opinion | Texas Insurance Code 4102.163 (a) |
| WisconsinTemplate | The signed YES or NO insurance claim statement before the contract | Wis. Stat. 100.65 (3) (a), (4) |
Template preview
Questions
What goes in a roof inspection report?
A record of a roof's condition: covering type and age, how it was inspected, covering, flashing, penetrations, decking, ventilation and drainage, every problem with how urgent it is and who should fix it, and the inspector's estimate of remaining life when one is given. ReportDraft lays it out in 7 sections: roof areas, roof covering, flashing and penetrations, decking, structure and attic, gutters, edges and drainage, signs of leaks inside, remaining life.
Do my state's rules change the report?
Pick your state when you start. Where we have checked a local requirement against official sources, it is added to your completeness list with a link to the source.
Can I edit the draft?
Yes. Every finding, rating and sentence is editable before you sign. Your own entries always win over anything drafted from your notes.
What do I get at the end?
A signed, locked PDF for your client and an editable Word file, both with your company details. Signed reports keep a fingerprint so later changes are visible.
Which plan covers it?
ReportDraft Inspection covers a roof inspection report along with home inspections. Roof Inspections is also sold on its own.
Do I need a license to inspect roofs with a drone?
Under the FAA's small drone rule, the remote pilot in command needs a remote pilot certificate with a small UAS rating, kept current within 24 calendar months, and the drone must be registered.
How high can a drone fly over a roof?
Up to 400 feet above ground level, or higher when it stays within 400 feet of the building and no more than 400 feet above its highest point.
Does OSHA require fall protection for a roof inspection?
Federal OSHA's construction fall protection rules do not apply to inspections made before roofing work starts or after it is finished; once work is under way, roofers 6 feet or more above a lower level need fall protection. State Plan states may differ.
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