Permit
A permit from Dartmouth
Massachusetts exempts sheds, fences and finish work from permits (R105.2), not roofing. The application to Dartmouth’s building department carries the contractor’s HIC number (R105.3).
Roof Replacement in Dartmouth, MA
Half of the 12,944 homes in Dartmouth were built before 1973. What the code requires when that roof is replaced, and who signs off, is below.
New Roofing Costs connects homeowners with independent local roofing contractors. We do not perform roofing work.
Call (833) 781-1806 Replacement and new roofs only · homeowners
This number connects homeowners who are planning a new roof or a full roof replacement with independent local roofing contractors. It is not for leak repairs or patch jobs. The call must come from the homeowner who decides on the roof. Calls may be recorded.
The rules for a reroof in Dartmouth
Layers
One old layer can stay; two cannot
A new roof may go over one existing layer; with two or more, or over slate, clay or cement tile, everything comes off to the deck (IRC R908.3.1.1). With 62% of Dartmouth’s homes were built before 1980, ask what is under the newest layer.
Source: IRC 2021, Chapter 9 (Pennsylvania edition, UpCodes); 780 CMR 51.00, Chapter 9 amendments
Ice barrier
Required in Dartmouth
Massachusetts answers “yes” to the ice barrier for every town. Membrane or doubled underlayment, eave to 24 inches inside the wall line (IRC R905.1.2), is a line on every quote here.
Source: 780 CMR 51.00, Chapter 3 amendments (Tables R301.2(1) and R301.2(2)); IRC 2021, Chapter 9 (Pennsylvania edition, UpCodes)
Wind and snow
129 mph design wind, 30 psf ground snow
Dartmouth’s code design values are a 129 mph ultimate design wind speed and a 30 psf ground snow load (30 psf minimum flat-roof snow load); the town is in the windborne debris region. At that wind speed the code calls for asphalt shingles labeled ASTM D7158 Class G or H (Table R905.2.4.1).
Source: 780 CMR 51.00, Chapter 3 amendments (Tables R301.2(1) and R301.2(2)); IRC 2021, Chapter 9 (Pennsylvania edition, UpCodes) (780 CMR 51.00, Table R301.2(2))
Rules as read on October 24, 2026. Everything else the state requires: roof replacement in Massachusetts.
Homes and roofs in Dartmouth
76% of the occupied homes in Dartmouth are lived in by their owners: 9,267 households, the people this line is for. By year built, 18% before 1940, 34% before 1960, 62% before 1980; 17% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 76% detached houses, 10% buildings of two to four units.
Of the 20 Bristol County municipalities on this site, Dartmouth has the 9th largest share of homes built before 1980: 62%, against a county range of 37% to 84%.
ZIP codes: 02747 · 02748
Dartmouth and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dartmouth | 1973 | 62% | 76% | 2% | 6 |
| Westport | 1972 | 60% | 83% | 2% | 5 |
| Fairhaven | 1952 | 81% | 74% | 2% | 6 |
| New Bedford | 1938 | 84% | 40% | 2% | 6 |
| Mattapoisett | 1971 | 61% | 85% | 4% | 5 |
| Acushnet | 1968 | 70% | 85% | 2% | 5 |
Median built: median year the homes were built. Before 1980: share of homes built then. Owners: share of homes that are owner-occupied. Row, twin: share of homes that are rowhouses, twins or townhouses. Census ACS 2020–2024. Hail days: days with hail of 1 inch or larger within 10 miles, 2006–2025, NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
Storm record around Dartmouth
Within 10 miles of Dartmouth, hail of an inch or more was reported on 6 days between 2006 and 2025, the biggest stones 1.75 in on August 19, 2008. The most recent was August 26, 2024.
That is fewer than most places in the state on this site (median 10 days).
Federal major-disaster declarations for storms in Bristol County since 2006: 7, most recently DR-4651, Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm, declared April 2022. (OpenFEMA.)
A report says hail fell near Dartmouth, not that it damaged a roof. When wind or hail damage means a new roof.
What goes on the roof next
Useful life is HUD’s planning figure, not a warranty. More in the guides to shingles, metal, slate and flat roofs.
| Material | HUD useful life | Fits a house like | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asphalt shingles | 20 years | Most pitched roofs; 76% of homes here are detached | Class G or H at 129 mph design wind (IRC Table R905.2.4.1) |
| Metal (standing seam, panels) | 50 years | Low pitches and long runs | Standing seam that carries its own loads can skip the tear-off (R908.3.1) |
| Slate | 75 years | Older houses; 18% here predate 1940 | Never a base for a new layer (R908.3.1.1); heavy |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Porches, additions, low-slope rears | Seams at walls and drainage |
Checking a contractor in Massachusetts
For an owner-occupied home of one to four units in Dartmouth, the contractor must be registered under the home improvement law (M.G.L. c. 142A), and a construction supervisor licensed (CSL) for roof covering supervises a permitted reroof. Ask for both numbers.
The price side is in what a new roof costs in Massachusetts; the paperwork side in checking a roofing contractor.
Questions about a new roof in Dartmouth
Is a permit required for a new roof in Dartmouth, MA?
A permit from Dartmouth. Massachusetts exempts sheds, fences and finish work from permits (R105.2), not roofing. The application to Dartmouth’s building department carries the contractor’s HIC number (R105.3).
Do the old shingles have to come off in Dartmouth?
A new roof may go over one existing layer; with two or more, or over slate, clay or cement tile, everything comes off to the deck (IRC R908.3.1.1). With 62% of Dartmouth’s homes were built before 1980, ask what is under the newest layer.
How old are the houses in Dartmouth?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Dartmouth was built in 1973, 62% of homes were built before 1980, 76% are owner-occupied.
Does Dartmouth get hail that damages roofs?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 6 days within 10 miles of Dartmouth from 2006 through 2025 (NOAA Storm Prediction Center). A report means hail fell nearby, not that a roof was damaged.
How do I check a roofing contractor in Dartmouth?
For an owner-occupied home of one to four units in Dartmouth, the contractor must be registered under the home improvement law (M.G.L. c. 142A), and a construction supervisor licensed (CSL) for roof covering supervises a permitted reroof. Ask for both numbers.
What they will ask on the phone
- The street address in Dartmouth, or at least the ZIP code
- One story or two (or more), detached or attached
- What is on the roof now (asphalt shingles, metal, slate, tile, or a flat membrane) and roughly how old it is
- The number of layers, if anyone has counted
- Your timing for a complete replacement
- Any historic-district or HOA rules on the house in Dartmouth
- That you are the owner and the one who decides
The full list: before you call.