Permit
Ask Hanover Borough first
The state code does not cover a reroof that changes no structure (34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8)). So the borough code office in Hanover Borough is the one to ask before work starts.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in Hanover Borough, PA
The median home in Hanover Borough was built in 1956; there are 8,029 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 Hanover Borough
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 77% of Hanover Borough’s homes were built before 1980, ask what is under the newest layer.
Ice barrier
Hanover Borough’s climate table decides
IRC R905.1.2 calls for an ice barrier where Table R301.2 says so; in Pennsylvania the municipality completes that table. Hanover Borough’s answer is with the borough code office.
Rules as read on October 24, 2026. Everything else the state requires: roof replacement in Pennsylvania.
Homes and roofs in Hanover Borough
Owners live in 3,987 of Hanover Borough’s occupied homes, or 53%. By year built, 32% before 1940, 56% before 1960, 77% before 1980; 10% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 46% detached houses, 22% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 19% 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 57 York County municipalities on this site, Hanover Borough has the 9th largest share of homes built before 1980: 77%, against a county range of 25% to 98%.
Hanover Borough and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hanover Borough | 1956 | 77% | 53% | 22% | 18 |
| Penn Township, York County | 1983 | 45% | 84% | 21% | 17 |
| McSherrystown | 1973 | 70% | 48% | 22% | 18 |
| Conewago Township, Adams County | 1989 | 37% | 87% | 21% | 17 |
| Berwick Township | 1990 | 34% | 86% | 5% | 16 |
| Heidelberg Township, York County | 1978 | 55% | 88% | 1% | 17 |
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 Hanover Borough
NOAA’s storm reports show 18 days since 2006 with hail of at least 1 inch inside a 10-mile circle around Hanover Borough, topping out at 1.75 in on September 21, 2024. The most recent was March 16, 2025.
That is more hail days than 85% of the places in the state on this site.
Remnants of Hurricane Ida (DR-4618, September 2021) is the latest of 3 federal storm declarations covering York County since 2006. (OpenFEMA.)
A report says hail fell near Hanover Borough, 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; 46% 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 | 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; 32% here predate 1940 | Can’t be roofed over; check the framing for the weight |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Low-slope roofs and rear sections (22% of homes here are attached) | Seams at walls and drainage |
Checking a contractor in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania’s home improvement law (HICPA § 3, § 6) requires registration with the Attorney General from $5,000 a year of such work and puts the number on every estimate; ask for it in Hanover Borough and look it up.
The price side is in what a new roof costs in Pennsylvania; the paperwork side in checking a roofing contractor.
Questions about a new roof in Hanover Borough
Do I need a permit to replace a roof in Hanover Borough?
Ask Hanover Borough first. The state code does not cover a reroof that changes no structure (34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8)). So the borough code office in Hanover Borough is the one to ask before work starts.
Do the old shingles have to come off in Hanover Borough?
IRC R908.3.1.1 forbids roofing over two existing layers, over slate or tile, or over a water-soaked roof. With 77% of Hanover Borough’s homes were built before 1980, ask what is under the newest layer.
How old are the houses in Hanover Borough?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Hanover Borough was built in 1956, 77% of homes were built before 1980, 53% are owner-occupied.
Does Hanover Borough get hail that damages roofs?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 18 days within 10 miles of Hanover Borough 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 Hanover Borough?
Pennsylvania’s home improvement law (HICPA § 3, § 6) requires registration with the Attorney General from $5,000 a year of such work and puts the number on every estimate; ask for it in Hanover Borough and look it up.
What they will ask on the phone
- The street address in Hanover Borough, 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 Hanover Borough
- That you own the home and decide on the roof
The full list: before you call.