Permit
Local ordinance, not the state
The state code does not cover a reroof that changes no structure (34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8)). The township code office can say what Jackson Township requires.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in Jackson Township, Luzerne County, PA
Half of the 993 homes in Jackson Township were built before 1981. Below: what the code asks of a replacement here, the permit, and the town’s own records.
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 Jackson Township
Layers
Two layers means a tear-off
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). 48% of Jackson Township’s homes were built before 1980; many have been reroofed before.
Ice barrier
Set by the local climate table
Whether an eave membrane is a code item depends on the climate table the municipality filled in when it adopted the code (IRC R905.1.2, Table R301.2). Ask the township code office or the contractor what Jackson Township’s says.
Checked against the code text on October 24, 2026. Everything else the state requires: roof replacement in Pennsylvania.
Homes and roofs in Jackson Township
96% of the occupied homes in Jackson Township are lived in by their owners: 922 households, the people this line is for. Counting by decade, 15% before 1940, 24% before 1960, 48% before 1980 of the housing was in place, and 21% dates from 2000 on. (ACS 2020–2024.)
The housing is 96% detached houses.
Of the 63 Luzerne County municipalities on this site, Jackson Township has the 55th largest share of homes built before 1980: 48%, against a county range of 19% to 97%.
ZIP codes: 18708
Jackson Township and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson Township, Luzerne County | 1981 | 48% | 96% | 1% | 9 |
| Larksville | 1961 | 76% | 75% | 9% | 12 |
| Plymouth Borough | 1944 | 89% | 49% | 31% | 9 |
| Lehman Township, Luzerne County | 1978 | 54% | 87% | 5% | 8 |
| Dallas Borough | 1969 | 75% | 76% | 4% | 13 |
| Edwardsville | 1959 | 89% | 46% | 12% | 13 |
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.
Hail and storms near Jackson Township
NOAA’s storm reports show 9 days since 2006 with hail of at least 1 inch inside a 10-mile circle around Jackson Township, topping out at 1.75 in on February 25, 2017. The most recent was April 14, 2019.
Luzerne County has had 4 federal major-disaster declarations for storms since 2006; the latest was DR-4618, Remnants of Hurricane Ida (September 2021). (OpenFEMA.)
Storm reports are what observers logged, not a measure of damage to any 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; 96% 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 | Simple roofs with long, unbroken slopes | A complete standing-seam system may go over the old roof (R908.3.1) |
| Slate | 75 years | Older houses; 15% here predate 1940 | Sound slate can be reused (R908.5); broken slate cannot |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Additions and porch roofs | Coating is not a replacement |
Checking a contractor in Pennsylvania
Before signing for a roof in Jackson Township, get the contractor’s PA registration number: the home improvement law requires registration with the Attorney General above $5,000 a year of such work, and the number on contracts and estimates (HICPA § 3, § 6).
Contracts, deposits and the right to cancel: checking a roofing contractor. What moves the price: new roof cost in Pennsylvania.
Questions about a new roof in Jackson Township
Is a permit required for a new roof in Jackson Township, PA?
Local ordinance, not the state. The state code does not cover a reroof that changes no structure (34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8)). The township code office can say what Jackson Township requires.
Can a new roof go over the old one in Jackson Township?
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). 48% of Jackson Township’s homes were built before 1980; many have been reroofed before.
When were most homes in Jackson Township built?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Jackson Township was built in 1981, 48% of homes were built before 1980, 96% are owner-occupied.
Does Jackson Township get hail that damages roofs?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 9 days within 10 miles of Jackson Township from 2006 through 2025 (NOAA Storm Prediction Center). A report means hail fell nearby, not that a roof was damaged.
What license or registration should a roofer in Jackson Township have?
Before signing for a roof in Jackson Township, get the contractor’s PA registration number: the home improvement law requires registration with the Attorney General above $5,000 a year of such work, and the number on contracts and estimates (HICPA § 3, § 6).
What they will ask on the phone
- Where the house is: the Jackson Township address or ZIP
- The number of stories, and whether the house stands alone
- 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
- That you want a new roof or a full replacement, and when you want the work done
- Whether the house is in a historic district or an HOA
- That you are the owner and the one who decides
The full list: before you call.