Permit
Ask Nanticoke first
Under 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8), alterations to a house that make no structural change are outside the state code. The city code office can say what Nanticoke requires.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in Nanticoke, PA
Nanticoke has 5,076 homes, and half of them were standing by 1946. 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 Nanticoke
Layers
Two layers means a tear-off
On a roof that already carries two layers, or slate or tile, the code allows no recover: it is a tear-off (IRC R908.3.1.1). 91% of Nanticoke’s homes were built before 1980; many have been reroofed before.
Ice barrier
Nanticoke’s climate table decides
The code requires an ice barrier where the local climate table (Table R301.2) says so, and each Pennsylvania municipality fills that table in. Ask the city code office or the contractor what Nanticoke’s says.
Rules as read on October 24, 2026. Everything else the state requires: roof replacement in Pennsylvania.
Homes and roofs in Nanticoke
Of 4,415 occupied homes in Nanticoke, 2,451 (56%) are owner-occupied. By year built, 43% before 1940, 65% before 1960, 91% before 1980; 3% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 53% detached houses, 19% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 17% 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 63 Luzerne County municipalities on this site, Nanticoke has the 3rd largest share of homes built before 1980: 91%, against a county range of 19% to 97%.
ZIP codes: 18634
Nanticoke and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nanticoke | 1946 | 91% | 56% | 19% | 10 |
| Newport Township | 1938 | 85% | 70% | 22% | 5 |
| Plymouth Township, Luzerne County | 1959 | 78% | 84% | 12% | 10 |
| Hanover Township, Luzerne County | 1963 | 77% | 67% | 12% | 10 |
| Plymouth Borough | 1944 | 89% | 49% | 31% | 9 |
| Slocum | 1976 | 54% | 97% | 3% | 6 |
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 Nanticoke
NOAA’s storm reports show 10 days since 2006 with hail of at least 1 inch inside a 10-mile circle around Nanticoke, topping out at 1.75 in on February 25, 2017. The most recent was June 26, 2024.
Remnants of Hurricane Ida (DR-4618, September 2021) is the latest of 4 federal storm declarations covering Luzerne County since 2006. (OpenFEMA.)
A report says hail fell near Nanticoke, not that it damaged a roof. When wind or hail damage means a new roof.
What goes on the roof next
HUD’s useful-life figures are for planning; a warranty is a separate promise. For Nanticoke’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; 53% 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; 43% 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 (19% of homes here are attached) | Where the roof meets a wall or parapet |
Checking a contractor in Pennsylvania
A contractor who does $5,000 or more of home improvement work a year must be registered with the Pennsylvania Attorney General, and the number has to be on every contract and estimate (HICPA § 3, § 6). Ask for it before anyone starts on a roof in Nanticoke, and search it.
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 Nanticoke
Do I need a permit to replace a roof in Nanticoke?
Ask Nanticoke first. Under 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8), alterations to a house that make no structural change are outside the state code. The city code office can say what Nanticoke requires.
Do the old shingles have to come off in Nanticoke?
On a roof that already carries two layers, or slate or tile, the code allows no recover: it is a tear-off (IRC R908.3.1.1). 91% of Nanticoke’s homes were built before 1980; many have been reroofed before.
How old are the houses in Nanticoke?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Nanticoke was built in 1946, 91% of homes were built before 1980, 56% are owner-occupied.
Does Nanticoke get hail that damages roofs?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 10 days within 10 miles of Nanticoke 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 Nanticoke?
A contractor who does $5,000 or more of home improvement work a year must be registered with the Pennsylvania Attorney General, and the number has to be on every contract and estimate (HICPA § 3, § 6). Ask for it before anyone starts on a roof in Nanticoke, and search it.
What they will ask on the phone
- The street address in Nanticoke, 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 Nanticoke
- That you own the home and decide on the roof
The full list: before you call.