Permit
Expect a building permit
The residential code’s permit-exempt list (R105.2) has no roofing line. The application to Salem’s building department carries the contractor’s HIC number (R105.3).
Roof Replacement in Salem, MA
The median home in Salem was built in 1938; there are 21,492 of them. 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 Salem
Layers
Two layers means a tear-off
IRC R908.3.1.1 forbids roofing over two existing layers, over slate or tile, or over a water-soaked roof. With 76% of Salem’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 Salem, as in every Massachusetts town
There is no local exception: the state table says “yes.” 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
119 mph design wind, 50 psf ground snow
Salem’s code design values are a 119 mph ultimate design wind speed and a 50 psf ground snow load (30 psf minimum flat-roof snow load). 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 Salem
Owners live in 10,073 of Salem’s occupied homes, or 50%. By year built, 51% before 1940, 61% before 1960, 76% before 1980; 11% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 24% detached houses, 6% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 38% buildings of two to four units.
On a house built before 1940, ask what the deck is (boards or plywood) and whether slate sits under the later layers: slate can’t be roofed over.
Of the 34 Essex County municipalities on this site, Salem has the 7th largest share of homes built before 1980: 76%, against a county range of 41% to 89%.
ZIP codes: 01970
Salem and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salem | 1938 | 76% | 50% | 6% | 8 |
| Swampscott | 1955 | 75% | 76% | 5% | 8 |
| Marblehead | 1944 | 87% | 85% | 4% | 5 |
| Lynn | 1946 | 78% | 48% | 4% | 8 |
| Peabody | 1966 | 64% | 66% | 5% | 8 |
| Beverly | 1956 | 72% | 60% | 4% | 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 Salem
NOAA’s storm reports show 8 days since 2006 with hail of at least 1 inch inside a 10-mile circle around Salem, topping out at 3 in on July 11, 2006. The most recent was August 23, 2020.
That is fewer than most places in the state on this site (median 10 days).
Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm (DR-4379, July 2018) is the latest of 9 federal storm declarations covering Essex County since 2006. (OpenFEMA.)
A report says hail fell near Salem, 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; 24% of homes here are detached | Class G or H at 119 mph design wind (IRC Table R905.2.4.1) |
| Metal (standing seam, panels) | 50 years | Roofs that will carry solar later | Standing seam that carries its own loads can skip the tear-off (R908.3.1) |
| Slate | 75 years | Older houses; 51% 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 | Coating is not a replacement |
Checking a contractor in Massachusetts
For an owner-occupied home of one to four units in Salem, 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 Salem
Is a permit required for a new roof in Salem, MA?
Expect a building permit. The residential code’s permit-exempt list (R105.2) has no roofing line. The application to Salem’s building department carries the contractor’s HIC number (R105.3).
Is a roof-over allowed in Salem, or is it a tear-off?
IRC R908.3.1.1 forbids roofing over two existing layers, over slate or tile, or over a water-soaked roof. With 76% of Salem’s homes were built before 1980, ask what is under the newest layer.
How old are the houses in Salem?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Salem was built in 1938, 76% of homes were built before 1980, 50% are owner-occupied.
How many hail days has Salem had?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 8 days within 10 miles of Salem 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 Salem?
For an owner-occupied home of one to four units in Salem, 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 Salem, or at least the ZIP code
- The number of stories, and whether the house stands alone
- What covers the roof now and about when it went on
- The number of layers, if anyone has counted
- Your timing for a complete replacement
- Any historic-district or HOA rules on the house in Salem
- That you own the home and decide on the roof
The full list: before you call.