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Utah Switches to a New Wildfire Building Code on Jan. 1. Does It Change What Roof You Can Put on Your House?

October 23, 2026

On January 1, 2027, Utah changes the wildfire part of its state construction code. If your home sits in a mapped wildland-urban interface (WUI) area that your city or county has mapped, the change can affect what goes on your roof the next time it’s replaced. Below is what the law actually says, who it covers, and what it does and doesn’t mean for an existing roof. We cover the roofing side and leave the politics out.

What changed: Utah moves to the 2024 International Wildland-Urban Interface Code

Verified fact. The version of Utah Code 15A-2-103 that takes effect January 1, 2027 says: “the Legislature adopts the 2024 edition of the International Wildland-Urban Interface Code, issued by the International Code Council.” (Utah Code 15A-2-103, effective 1/1/2027). Until then, the law points to the 2006 Utah Wildland Urban Interface Code.

The change comes from H.B. 41, “Construction and Fire Codes Amendments” (2026 General Session) (enrolled bill). The bill also:

• Adds a Utah sentence to the code’s WUI-area section (IWUIC Section 302.1): “Unless approved by the Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands no designated wildland-urban interface areas shall be below the risk category 5 threshold of the Smoothed Structure Exposure Score map found on the Utah Wildfire Risk Explorer Website.”
• Deletes IWUIC Section 602 (Automatic Sprinkler Systems) for Utah.
• Gives a county or city two years from the date the state adopts a different WUI building standard to adopt it locally.
• Moves the start of the annual county fee on “high risk wildland urban interface property” from January 1, 2026 to January 1, 2027 (Utah Code 17E-7-401 as amended).

What did not change: Utah’s home building code stays on the 2021 International Residential Code in the same statute. The WUI code applies on top of it, only inside designated WUI areas.

Who it applies to in Davis and Weber County

The code applies only to properties inside a WUI area that your city or county designates. It doesn’t cover every house in a county.

Verified fact, Davis County example. Centerville passed Ordinance 2026-09 adopting “the International Wildland-Urban Interface Code, 2024 Edition… as adopted and amended by the State of Utah.” It says the code “shall apply to all building and construction on properties located within the Centerville Wildland Urban Interface Map,” with the updated version “effective on January 1, 2027.” (Centerville Ord. 2026-09)

Interpretation. Other Davis and Weber cities may adopt on their own schedules within the two-year window. The only way to know whether your home is covered is to ask your city or county building department whether your address is inside its WUI map. We don’t have a list of every city’s status, and we won’t guess at one.

What the 2024 IWUIC says about roofs

Under the code, a home’s “ignition-resistant construction” class depends on the area’s fire hazard severity, its water supply, and its defensible space (IWUIC Section 503.1 and Table 503.1). Each class has its own roof rule. In the code’s own wording (IWUIC 2024, Chapter 5, Utah edition on UpCodes):

• Class 1 (Section 504.2): “Roofs shall have a roof assembly that complies with a Class A rating when tested in accordance with ASTM E108 or UL 790.”
• Class 2 (Section 505.2): a roof assembly that “complies with not less than a Class A rating when tested in accordance with ASTM E108 or UL 790, or an approved noncombustible roof covering.”
• Class 3 (Section 506.2): a roof assembly that “complies with not less than a Class B rating when tested in accordance with ASTM E108 or UL 790 or an approved noncombustible roof covering.”

The code also covers details a homeowner might not expect. Where valley flashing is used, it must be corrosion-resistant metal of at least 0.019 inch “(No. 26 galvanized sheet gage)” over a 36-inch-wide cap-sheet underlayment “running the full length of the valley” (Sections 504.2.1, 505.2.1, 506.2.1). For roof profiles that leave a gap between the covering and the deck, the gap at the eave ends must be “firestopped to preclude entry of flames or embers,” or the deck must have a cap sheet.

Interpretation. The code words these as ratings for the roof assembly when tested to ASTM E108 or UL 790, not for a shingle alone. Before a replacement, ask for the tested rating of the exact product and assembly being proposed, in the manufacturer’s documentation or listing. Don’t assume a rating.

Does this force you to replace your roof?

No. Nothing in the text we reviewed requires an existing, sound roof to be torn off on January 1.

The trigger is a re-roof. IWUIC Section 507.1 says: “The roof covering on buildings or structures in existence prior to the adoption of this code that are replaced or have 25 percent or more replaced in a 12-month period shall be replaced with a roof covering required for new construction based on the type of ignition-resistant construction specified in accordance with Section 503.”

Interpretation, in plain terms:

• Repairs that stay under that 25%-in-12-months line are not a full replacement under Section 507.1. Your building department makes the final call on any permit.
• A full replacement, or replacing 25% or more within 12 months, on a home inside an adopted WUI area means the new roof covering must meet the class the code assigns to that property.
• Restoration or maintenance that doesn’t replace the roof covering isn’t a replacement under that section. It also doesn’t change your roof’s fire rating, and we don’t claim it does.

What about homeowners insurance?

Insurers set their own underwriting rules, and nothing in H.B. 41 tells an insurer how to price or renew a policy. We can’t promise that any roof type will lower a premium or keep a policy in force. If wildfire exposure is part of your renewal conversation, ask your agent directly what roof information they want, and keep your roof records (installation date, product, and inspection notes) in one place. Our Utah homeowners insurance roof checklist covers what to gather.

A homeowner checklist before 2027 (no ladder required)

1. Ask your city or county whether your address is inside its WUI map and when it will adopt the 2024 IWUIC.
2. Find your roof’s paperwork: install year, shingle brand and product line, and any fire-rating information.
3. Look from the ground: do debris piles in valleys and gutters, or tree limbs over the roof? On a two-story home or any steep roof, hire that cleanup out. Don’t climb up.
4. If a replacement is coming in the next few years, ask any contractor how the roof assembly they propose is rated (Class A or B) and how they’ll handle the valley flashing and eave details the code describes.
5. Plan around the 25% line. If a roof needs a series of large repairs, ask whether it will cross the replacement trigger within 12 months.

Our guide on how to choose asphalt shingles in Utah covers the other product factors.

Verified fact vs. interpretation

• Verified: the Jan. 1, 2027 effective date; the 2024 IWUIC adoption; the 2021 IRC staying in place; H.B. 41’s risk-category-5 sentence, its deletion of Section 602, the two-year local window, and the fee start date; Centerville’s ordinance; and the Section 504.2/505.2/506.2/507.1 wording quoted above.
• Interpretation: that the change matters mostly at re-roof time, that city adoption timing will vary, and that homeowners should verify assembly ratings for each product.
• Not known yet: each Davis and Weber city’s WUI map and adoption date beyond Centerville.

Where The NuRoof Guys fit: repair, restore, or replace

The NuRoof Guys inspect asphalt shingle roofs across Davis and Weber County. With the new code coming, we start where every roof decision starts, with an honest look at what you have.

• Repair: fix the specific problem, like a lifted flashing, a cracked pipe boot, or a few damaged shingles, when the roof is otherwise sound.
• Restore: roof restoration (rejuvenation) is for sound asphalt roofs with no functional damage. It’s not right for every roof, it’s one step in a maintenance plan, and it doesn’t change a roof’s fire rating or make an old roof new. The NuRoof Guys are an authorized GoNano installer in Utah.
• Replace: when the roof is at the end of its life, The NuRoof Guys can talk through roof assemblies that fit the rules your property is under. If your home is in a WUI area, that includes the rating the code requires.

Not sure which one fits? Book a free roof inspection with The NuRoof Guys. Email [email protected] or request an appointment online.

Sources: Utah Code 15A-2-103 (effective 1/1/2027); H.B. 41 (2026) enrolled; International Wildland-Urban Interface Code 2024, Chapter 5 (Utah edition via UpCodes; ICC); Centerville City Ordinance 2026-09. Retrieved October 23, 2026. This article is general information, not legal or insurance advice. Confirm code requirements with your local building department.

Frequently asked questions

Does Utah’s new wildfire code start January 1, 2027?

Yes. The version of Utah Code 15A-2-103 effective January 1, 2027 adopts the 2024 International Wildland-Urban Interface Code, replacing the 2006 Utah Wildland Urban Interface Code reference.

Will I have to replace my roof because of the new WUI code?

Not on that date. Under IWUIC Section 507.1, the roof rule applies when an existing roof covering is replaced, or when 25 percent or more is replaced within a 12-month period, on a property inside an adopted WUI area.

What roof rating does the 2024 IWUIC require?

It depends on the ignition-resistant construction class assigned to the property. Class 1 requires a Class A roof assembly; Class 2 requires not less than Class A or an approved noncombustible covering; Class 3 requires not less than Class B or an approved noncombustible covering, tested to ASTM E108 or UL 790.

How do I know if my Davis or Weber County home is in a WUI area?

Ask your city or county building department whether your address is inside its WUI map. Cities adopt on their own schedules; Centerville’s Ordinance 2026-09 applies to properties inside the Centerville WUI Map starting January 1, 2027.

Does roof restoration change my roof’s fire rating?

No. Restoration is maintenance for sound asphalt roofs, and The NuRoof Guys don’t claim it changes a roof’s fire classification.