National Roofing Contractors Association
NRCA roofing guidance
NRCA guidance describes roofing assemblies and details: deck preparation, underlayment laps, flashing at every vertical, penetration treatment and edge termination — which is where roofs actually fail.
Adoption varies by jurisdiction — confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction enforces before you run a walk against it.
What it covers
- Deck condition and fastening
- Underlayment lapping and direction
- Base, counter and penetration flashing
- Edge metal and termination detail
What the evidence looks like
- Each flashing photographed while the layer beneath is still visible.
- Penetration boots photographed individually, not as one wide shot.
- Drainage shown after a wet test, standing water or the absence of it.
Checklists that verify work against NRCA roofing guidance
4 free checklists, each with the photo every item needs before it can be submitted.
Roofing Rough-inRoofing rough-in inspection checklistDeck condition, fastening and underlayment verified before the finish layer goes on6 items11 photosRoofing Pre-coverRoofing pre-cover inspection checklistFlashing and underlayment details verified before the finish roofing layer covers them5 items11 photosRoofing FinalRoofing final inspection checklistCompleted roof walked for field workmanship, edge detailing and drainage before turnover5 items10 photosRoofing PMRoofing preventive maintenance checklistRecurring roof walk to catch debris, drainage and membrane problems before they leak5 items8 photos
Common questions
- What is NRCA roofing guidance?
- Roof assemblies — deck preparation, flashing, penetrations and terminations. It is published by the National Roofing Contractors Association. NRCA guidance describes roofing assemblies and details: deck preparation, underlayment laps, flashing at every vertical, penetration treatment and edge termination — which is where roofs actually fail.
- What does NRCA roofing guidance cover?
- Deck condition and fastening; Underlayment lapping and direction; Base, counter and penetration flashing; Edge metal and termination detail.
- What does a field inspection against NRCA roofing guidance look at?
- Each flashing photographed while the layer beneath is still visible. Penetration boots photographed individually, not as one wide shot. Drainage shown after a wet test, standing water or the absence of it.
- Which edition of NRCA roofing guidance applies to my project?
- Adoption varies by jurisdiction — confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction enforces before you run a walk against it.
- Which checklists verify work against NRCA roofing guidance?
- 4 free checklists in the RTI library reference this family — each listed on this page with the photo evidence every item needs before it can be submitted.
A standard is only met if the evidence exists
RTI holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and the photos are attached, then chains the record so it can be proven untouched later.
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