Permit
Local ordinance, not the state
Under 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8), alterations to a house that make no structural change are outside the state code. The borough code office can say what Nazareth requires.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in Nazareth, PA
Half of the 3,326 homes in Nazareth were built before 1938. 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.
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 Nazareth
Layers
No third layer
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). 86% of Nazareth’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
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). The contractor or the borough code office in Nazareth will know.
Checked against the code text on October 24, 2026. Code edition, permit and contract rules for the whole state: roof replacement in Pennsylvania.
Homes and roofs in Nazareth
Owners live in 1,252 of Nazareth’s occupied homes, or 42%. Counting by decade, 54% before 1940, 71% before 1960, 86% before 1980 of the housing was in place, and 9% dates from 2000 on. (ACS 2020–2024.)
The housing is 34% detached houses, 16% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 27% buildings of two to four units.
Older houses hide their history: ask the contractor to confirm the deck (board or sheet) and every layer above it before pricing, because slate or two layers mean a full tear-off.
Of the 34 Northampton County municipalities on this site, Nazareth has the 5th largest share of homes built before 1980: 86%, against a county range of 20% to 91%.
Nazareth and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nazareth | 1938 | 86% | 42% | 16% | 17 |
| Upper Nazareth | 1998 | 31% | 82% | 10% | 21 |
| Lower Nazareth | 1984 | 43% | 95% | 11% | 21 |
| Tatamy | 1968 | 58% | 76% | 13% | 14 |
| Palmer | 1979 | 51% | 82% | 15% | 16 |
| Bushkill | 1987 | 42% | 92% | 1% | 10 |
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 Nazareth
Since 2006 the National Weather Service has logged hail of 1 inch or larger on 17 separate days within 10 miles of Nazareth; the largest was 2 in on August 17, 2007. The most recent was July 3, 2025.
That is more hail days than 79% of the places in the state on this site.
At the county level, Nazareth shares Northampton County’s record of 6 storm disaster declarations since 2006, the newest 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
Lifespans come from HUD’s capital-needs table, not from a brochure. 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; 34% 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 | A complete standing-seam system may go over the old roof (R908.3.1) |
| Slate | 75 years | Older houses; 54% here predate 1940 | Sound slate can be reused (R908.5); broken slate cannot |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Low-slope roofs and rear sections (16% of homes here are attached) | Coating is not a replacement |
Checking a contractor in Pennsylvania
Before signing for a roof in Nazareth, 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 Nazareth
Do I need a permit to replace a roof in Nazareth?
Local ordinance, not the state. Under 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8), alterations to a house that make no structural change are outside the state code. The borough code office can say what Nazareth requires.
Can a new roof go over the old one in Nazareth?
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). 86% of Nazareth’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
When were most homes in Nazareth built?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Nazareth was built in 1938, 86% of homes were built before 1980, 42% are owner-occupied.
How often does hail hit Nazareth?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 17 days within 10 miles of Nazareth 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 Nazareth have?
Before signing for a roof in Nazareth, 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 Nazareth address or ZIP
- One story or two (or more), detached or attached
- The roof you have today, shingle, metal, slate, tile or flat, and its rough age
- 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 the house is yours and the decision is yours
The full list: before you call.