Lawrence, KS · Douglas County
Roof inspections in Lawrence.
The Census Bureau’s 2020–2024 estimates put the median year built for Lawrence housing at 1988, and nearly one in ten housing units dates to 1939 or earlier.
The short answer
Lawrence doesn’t require a permit to replace a roof covering, but any contractor doing roofing work there must hold a city license.
Since 2016, National Weather Service reports show hail 1 inch or larger within 6 miles of central Lawrence on 7 days and gusts of 58 mph or more on 45 days. The largest hail reported there was 2.5 inches on August 24, 2016.
A free, no-obligation inspection comes from an independent roofing partner that serves Lawrence, and checking storm history doesn’t file an insurance claim.
Lawrence, the Douglas County seat, was founded by the New England Emigrant Aid Society and is home to the University of Kansas, which opened in 1866.
Lawrence has its own Class D license for roofing contractors (details below). Start by checking how many significant storms are on record at or near your address, then decide whether a free inspection from one local roofing partner makes sense. Being near a storm isn’t the same as roof damage.
Storm record for Lawrence since 2016
NOAA/NWS storm reports through November 10, 2026.
These are records for the wider area, not for your address. A storm on record doesn’t mean your roof was damaged, and it doesn’t mean your insurance company will accept that storm or date. That’s why an inspection is worth having: a roofing professional looks at the roof itself.
- Hail-report days
- 7
- 1 in+, since 2016
- Wind-report days
- 45
- 58 mph+, since 2016
- Radar hail days
- 7
- 1 in+, since 2021
Severe-weather days per year
- Days with hail 1 in+
- Days with only wind 58 mph+
* Year to date, through November 10, 2026.
See the numbers by year
| Year | Hail days | Wind days | Radar days |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 | 4 | — |
| 2017 | 0 | 7 | — |
| 2018 | 1 | 4 | — |
| 2019 | 1 | 5 | — |
| 2020 | 0 | 2 | — |
| 2021 | 0 | 6 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| 2023 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| 2024 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2026to Nov 10preliminary | 1 | 5 | 2 |
Hail days: Weather Service reports of 1 inch or larger. Wind days: gusts of 58 mph or more. Radar days: radar estimates of 1 inch or larger, from 2021.
Biggest storm days within 6 miles of central Lawrence
Ranked by the largest hail reported, then the strongest wind.
August 24, 2016
Hail 2.5 in (tennis ball)Wind 81 mph10 severe reports
April 26, 2026(preliminary)
Hail 1.75 in (golf ball)Wind 59 mph3 severe reports
April 19, 2023
Hail 1.25 in (half dollar)3 severe reports
July 14, 2023
Hail 1.0 in (quarter)Wind 77 mph10 severe reports
June 11, 2018
Hail 1.0 in (quarter)Wind 70 mph5 severe reports
How we count. A hail day is a day with at least one National Weather Service hail report of 1 inch or larger within 6 miles of central Lawrence; a wind day has a measured or estimated gust of 58 mph or more. Data through November 10, 2026.
The full method and source
Several reports on the same day count once.
Our storm records come from NOAA radar estimates and National Weather Service reports. Radar can miss or misjudge hail, and a report marks a single spot, so records can be incomplete. Treat them as a starting point, not a verdict about your roof.
Radar hail days use NOAA’s radar estimates (MRMS) of 1 inch or larger over the same area, counted only when the Weather Service also logged hail within 15 miles that day. 2026 numbers come from preliminary reports and can change.
Source: NOAA / National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center storm reports and NOAA MRMS radar hail estimates, retrieved November 11, 2026. Data through November 10, 2026; 2026 reports are preliminary and can still change. Compiled by Roof Inspectors from public-domain NOAA data. How storm data works.
On our hail-by-place comparison (5-mile circles, 2016–2025), Lawrence is in the middle band. This record uses 6 miles, so its counts differ.
Your own street can differ. Check the storm history for your address or see Kansas City hail history by year.
Was hail recorded near your street?
Hail falls in narrow swaths — see what the records show at or near your address.
- Doesn’t file an insurance claim
- One local partner, never a pile-on
Storms in and around Lawrence
- SPC storm reports for April 26–27, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Hail 1.75 inches in diameter was reported in Lawrence early on April 27, 2026, along with a half-dollar-size (1.25-inch) report about 3 miles west-southwest of town, according to Storm Prediction Center reports.
Hail falls in narrow swaths, so one report doesn’t mean every Lawrence neighborhood saw stones that size. Check your own address.
- Lawrence Times on the July 31, 2024 storm (opens in a new tab)
Lawrence saw wind gusts of more than 70 mph on the night of July 31, 2024, according to the National Weather Service in Topeka.
Trees fell and power lines came down across town, and the Lawrence Times reported that more than 16,000 people in Lawrence lost electricity.
- NWS summary of the May 28, 2019 tornadoes (opens in a new tab)
A tornado formed south of Clinton Lake and continued through southeastern Lawrence before crossing into Leavenworth County and moving through Linwood, according to the National Weather Service.
The NWS rated it EF-4, with estimated peak winds of 170 mph along a 31.82-mile path. Its damage was rated EF-3 in northeastern Douglas County, then EF-4 in southern Leavenworth County as the storm strengthened.
Before you hire a roofer in Lawrence
- The City of Lawrence’s roof permit guidelines (July 2023) say any contractor doing roofing work must be licensed by the city, and that re-roofing, recovering or replacing an existing roof covering doesn’t need a permit. The contractor must follow current codes and the manufacturer’s installation specifications. KS
- The city’s permit-exempt list (City Code Sec. 5-142, revised September 2026) exempts replacement roof coverings but doesn’t mention decking, and its homeowner FAQ exempts shingle replacement only when no decking is replaced. The 2023 guidelines exempt re-decking, so confirm with Planning & Development Services before any decking is replaced. KS
- Lawrence does require a permit for roof framing and repair, for new materials that will change the loads on the roof, or when one is requested for insurance purposes. Under the city’s code amendments, ice barrier underlayment isn’t required. KS
- Lawrence’s Class D roofing contractor license, effective July 1, 2019, requires at least two years of roofing experience, a current State of Kansas roofing contractor registration certificate, and commercial general liability insurance, plus a qualifying exam, degree, or reciprocal license. KS
- Under the city’s contractor licensing code (Sec. 5-1524), a homeowner who lives in a detached house is exempt from contractor licensing for work on that house. KS
- Kansas requires roofing contractors to register with the Kansas Attorney General before doing residential or commercial roofing work for pay. Ask any roofer for their registration number — and look it up. KS
- City of Lawrence — Roof permit guidelines (opens in a new tab)KS
- City of Lawrence — Work exempt from permit (opens in a new tab)KS
- City of Lawrence — Contractor licensing (opens in a new tab)KS
- City of Lawrence — Contractor licensing code (Article 15) (opens in a new tab)KS
- Kansas Attorney General — Roofing Registration (opens in a new tab)KS
Rules change; confirm current requirements with the city before work begins. This isn’t legal advice.
ZIP codes we serve in Lawrence
- 66044
- 66046
- 66047
- 66049
Not listed? Enter your address — we confirm service for your exact location.
Lawrence roof inspection questions
Does a roof replacement in Lawrence need a city permit?
What license should a Lawrence roofer have?
What does a Lawrence roof inspection cost?
If you file a claim, even after an inspection, your insurance company decides what’s covered and what it pays. Roof Inspectors and our roofing partners can’t make that decision or promise an outcome.
Nearby communities
Lawrence is in our service area, which covers homes within about 60 miles of Overland Park, Kansas. For every community we serve in Kansas and Missouri, see roof inspection in the Kansas City area.
See the storms on record near your Lawrence home.
Start with a free storm count for your address. It takes about 30 seconds.
Checking storm history doesn’t file an insurance claim, and no roofer gets your details unless you book an inspection.