Roofing component
What is a drip edge?
The strip of bent metal along the edge of the roof that most people never notice, and the code section that requires it on every shingle roof.
Updated September 12, 2026 · Every figure links to its source · Sources
DefinitionComponentAlso called: edge metal, eave flashing
Drip edge — a metal flashing, or other overhanging component, with an outward-projecting lower edge, installed along the roof's edges to control the direction of dripping water and protect the fascia and deck beneath; the NRCA glossary defines it so, and the 2021 IRC, Section R905.2.8.5 requires it at the eaves and rakes of asphalt shingle roofs.
What it is
A drip edge is an L- or T-shaped strip of aluminium, galvanised steel or copper, usually in ten-foot lengths, nailed along the edge of the roof deck before the shingles go on. One leg lies flat on the deck under the underlayment or shingles; the other hangs down over the fascia with a small outward kick at the bottom. Water reaching the edge follows the metal down and drips clear, instead of curling back under the shingle by surface tension and soaking the fascia and the ends of the sheathing.
The code is specific about it. The IRC, Section R905.2.8.5 requires a drip edge at eaves and rakes of shingle roofs, overlapping adjacent pieces by at least two inches, extending at least a quarter inch below the sheathing and at least two inches back up the deck, fastened at no more than twelve inches on centre; the underlayment goes over the drip edge at the eaves and under it at the rakes. The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association covers the same details in its technical bulletins.
Why it matters
Roofs fail from the edges inward. Water that gets behind the fascia rots the fascia, the sub-fascia and the first inches of the roof deck, loosens the gutter and stains the soffit; in cold climates it feeds ice dams. Wind, too, starts at the edge: the IBHS FORTIFIED Roof standard notes that roof damage usually begins where wind gets under the edge, and it therefore requires a wider drip edge with a fully adhered starter strip — the ordinary drip edge, done better.
Older roofs were often built without one, and a re-roof that reuses the old, bent, painted-over metal is a common false economy. The directory's how-to on installing drip edge shows the sequence and the eave-versus-rake lapping that installers get wrong.
What it costs and who does it
Drip edge is one of the cheapest lines on a roofing estimate, priced by the linear foot of eave and rake and installed by the roofing crew as part of a re-roof; it is included in most replacement quotes as a matter of course, and worth confirming in writing if it is not. Retrofitting it to an existing roof means lifting the first course of shingles at the eaves and rakes, which a roofer can do as a small repair; the gutter usually has to come off and go back on at the eaves. The directory's roof repair cost guide explains how such repairs are priced.
Frequently asked questions
Short answers; the sections above carry the detail and the sources.
Is a drip edge required by code?
Does the drip edge go over or under the underlayment?
Can drip edge be added without replacing the roof?
Next step
Find a roofer who does this
Ask whether the quote includes new drip edge at every eave and rake; a roofer who answers precisely is the one to hire. The directory lists roofing contractors by state and city.
Sources
- Roofing glossary — National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA)
- 2021 International Residential Code, Chapter 9: Roof Assemblies — International Code Council (ICC)
- Technical bulletins on asphalt roofing — Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association (ARMA)
- FORTIFIED Roof: requirements and rated roof covers — Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS)