Paulsboro has 2,763 homes, and half of them were standing by 1955. The rules below decide how much of the old roof has to come off and what goes under the new one.
New Roofing Costs connects homeowners with independent local roofing contractors. We do not perform roofing work.
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 Paulsboro
Permit
None for a detached one- or two-family house
New Jersey treats a new covering on a detached one- or two-family house as ordinary maintenance: no permit, no notice (N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.7). That covers the 67% of Paulsboro’s homes that are detached; twins, rowhouses, townhouses and structural work are outside it.
The state strikes the IRC reroof definitions from its code (N.J.A.C. 5:23-3.21) and leaves existing houses to the Rehabilitation Subcode, not yet checked here. 88% of Paulsboro’s homes were built before 1980: ask how many layers yours has and whether the price is for a tear-off to the deck.
Only Sussex County meets New Jersey’s 25 °F January test for a required ice barrier (N.J.A.C. 5:23-3.21; DCA Bulletin 07-3). In Paulsboro it is the installer’s and the manufacturer’s call; ask whether the quote includes it.
Rules as read on October 24, 2026. Code edition, permit and contract rules for the whole state: roof replacement in New Jersey.
Homes and roofs in Paulsboro
Owners live in 1,492 of Paulsboro’s occupied homes, or 62%. By year built, 27% before 1940, 66% before 1960, 88% before 1980; 6% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 67% detached houses, 6% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 21% buildings of two to four units.
Of the 24 Gloucester County municipalities on this site, Paulsboro has the 3rd largest share of homes built before 1980: 88%, against a county range of 7% to 89%.
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 Paulsboro
NOAA’s storm reports show 16 days since 2006 with hail of at least 1 inch inside a 10-mile circle around Paulsboro, topping out at 1.75 in on May 22, 2014. The most recent was April 4, 2025.
That is more hail days than 80% of the places in the state on this site.
Federal major-disaster declarations for storms in Gloucester County since 2006: 10, most recently DR-4614, Remnants of Hurricane Ida, declared September 2021. (OpenFEMA.)
HUD’s useful-life figures are for planning; a warranty is a separate promise. For Paulsboro’s houses: 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; 67% of homes here are detached
Wind class set by the design wind speed (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; 27% here predate 1940
Sound slate can be reused (R908.5); broken slate cannot
Flat roof: EPDM or TPO
15 years
Porches, additions, low-slope rears
Seams at walls and drainage
Checking a contractor in New Jersey
Ask a roofer working in Paulsboro for the New Jersey home improvement registration number, which the law requires on contracts and advertising (N.J.S.A. 56:8-138, 56:8-144), and look it up with the Division of Consumer Affairs.
Do I need a permit to replace a roof in Paulsboro?
None for a detached one- or two-family house. New Jersey treats a new covering on a detached one- or two-family house as ordinary maintenance: no permit, no notice (N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.7). That covers the 67% of Paulsboro’s homes that are detached; twins, rowhouses, townhouses and structural work are outside it.
How old are the houses in Paulsboro?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Paulsboro was built in 1955, 88% of homes were built before 1980, 62% are owner-occupied.
Does Paulsboro get hail that damages roofs?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 16 days within 10 miles of Paulsboro 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 Paulsboro?
Ask a roofer working in Paulsboro for the New Jersey home improvement registration number, which the law requires on contracts and advertising (N.J.S.A. 56:8-138, 56:8-144), and look it up with the Division of Consumer Affairs.
What they will ask on the phone
The street address in Paulsboro, 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
Whether there is one layer or more, if you know
That you want a new roof or a full replacement, and when you want the work done
Any historic-district or HOA rules on the house in Paulsboro