The water-resistive barrier and the flashing go on after the old siding comes off and before the new siding covers them. Minnesota requires an inspection at exactly that moment, which is the one chance anybody gets to check them.
Re-siding needs a permit. When the old siding is off, any rotted or damaged sheathing, framing and insulation has to be replaced. A separate inspection is required for the water-resistive barrier and flashing before the new siding covers them. And seam tape is not flashing unless the manufacturer and the building official say it is — a detail that gets skipped constantly.
Yes. The Department of Labor and Industry is unambiguous about it, and the permit is what brings the inspection with it. A re-side done without one has nobody checking the parts that matter.
There may be a second permit as well. Electrical permits are required when meter sockets, air-conditioning disconnects, light fixtures or receptacles are removed and reinstalled during the work — which happens on most re-sides.
MN Dept. of Labor and Industry: “Building permits are required for the re-siding of existing dwellings and structures. […] Electrical permits are required for the replacement or reinstallation of electric meter sockets, air-conditioning disconnects, light fixtures and receptacles removed during the re-siding process.” Source: MN DLI, Re-siding and the 2020 Minnesota Residential Code
It gets replaced. That is not a judgement call or an optional upgrade — the code requires that rotted or damaged sheathing, framing and insulation be replaced once the siding is off, and the state advises contacting the municipality about inspecting those repairs before going further.
This is the one genuinely unpredictable cost on a siding job, and an honest estimate says so. Look for a stated price per sheet rather than silence; silence becomes a change order.
MN Dept. of Labor and Industry: “When the siding has been removed, any rotted or damaged sheathing, framing and insulation must be replaced. Contact the municipality for possible inspection of these repairs before proceeding.” Source: MN DLI, Re-siding and the 2020 Minnesota Residential Code
It is the layer between the sheathing and the siding whose job is to stop water that gets past the cladding from reaching the structure. Siding is not waterproof and is not expected to be; the barrier behind it is what keeps the wall dry.
The code specifies it: one layer of No. 15 asphalt felt or another approved barrier over the sheathing, lapped at least 2 inches horizontally and 6 inches at joints, and overlapping the required flashings by at least 2 inches.
It is inspected on its own because once the siding is on, nobody can see it again. One detail worth knowing: fan-fold foam insulation is not a substitute for the barrier unless the product and the installation method have been approved by the building official.
MN DLI, quoting R703.2: “The water-resistive barrier shall consist of one layer of No. 15 asphalt felt […] applied over sheathing of all exterior walls […] lapped over the lower layer not less than 2 inches. Where joints occur, felt shall be lapped not less than 6-inches.” And: “Fan-fold foam insulation products are not a substitute for the WRB unless the product and installation procedure has been approved by the building official.” Source: MN DLI, Re-siding and the 2020 Minnesota Residential Code
No, and this is the single most useful thing on this page. Tape used on barrier seams does not count as flashing unless it is approved for that use by both the barrier manufacturer and the building official.
It matters because taping a window opening is quick and flashing one properly is not, and the difference is invisible the moment the siding goes on. Flashing has to be corrosion-resistant material applied shingle-fashion so water is shed outward, and self-adhered membranes used as flashing have to comply with AAMA 711.
The code lists where flashing is required — among them window and door heads and sides, wall and roof intersections, above projecting trim, and where the lower edge of a sloped roof stops within the plane of a wall. That last one is the kick-out, and it is the one that leaks.
MN DLI: “Tape products used for WRB product seams are not considered flashing unless approved for that use by the WRB manufacturer and building official.” Source: MN DLI, Re-siding and the 2020 Minnesota Residential Code
Then the kick-out flashing at every roof-to-wall intersection is squarely in scope, and at least one Minnesota city requires it explicitly in that situation. Inver Grove Heights names it: doing both together means kick-outs or diverters where the roof meets a wall.
This is exactly the situation after a hail claim that covers roof and siding together, and it is the detail most likely to be skipped when two crews work past each other. A kick-out is a small piece of bent metal that sends water into the gutter instead of behind the siding. Without it, the wall below a roof edge gets wet every time it rains, and nobody finds out for years.
If roof and siding are being done by different companies, ask each of them in writing who is installing the kick-outs. The answer “the other guy” from both is how this goes wrong.
City of Inver Grove Heights: if you are re-siding and re-roofing at the same time, kick-out flashing or diverters are required at every roof-to-wall intersection. Source: City of Inver Grove Heights, Roofing handout
A final re-siding inspection is required when the work is complete, and a final electrical inspection has to happen before it. Existing mechanical intake and exhaust vents may not be altered or replaced, and any new vents have to comply with code.
One small thing that gets forgotten: the house numbers have to go back up, in compliance with code and local ordinance. It sounds trivial until an ambulance is looking for the address.
MN DLI: “A final re-siding inspection is required when the project is complete. Existing mechanical intake and exhaust vents may not be altered or replaced. […] The final inspection should include the re-installation of house numbers in compliance with the code and local ordinance.” Source: MN DLI, Re-siding and the 2020 Minnesota Residential Code
This page quotes Minnesota statutes and the adopted Minnesota building code and links to the official text of each so you can read it yourself. It is general information from a licensed contractor, not legal advice, and it is not a substitute for reading your own policy. Statutes and codes are amended; the linked sources are authoritative, this page is not. Last reviewed 2026-10-27.
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Read the guide →Costs, materials, timelines, financing, and how we work — across roofing, siding, windows, and gutters.
Read the FAQ →We’ll walk it, photograph it, and give you a written scope that says exactly what is required and why. Retail or insurance.
We’ll walk the roof, photograph what we find, and hand you a written scope that names the code requirement behind every line. Yours to keep, whoever does the work.
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