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)). So the city code office in Shamokin is the one to ask before work starts.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in Shamokin, PA
Half of the 4,409 homes in Shamokin 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 Shamokin
Layers
One old layer can stay; two cannot
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). 97% of Shamokin’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
Ice barrier
Shamokin’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 Shamokin’s says.
Rules as read on October 24, 2026. Code edition, permit and contract rules for the whole state: roof replacement in Pennsylvania.
Homes and roofs in Shamokin
Of 3,023 occupied homes in Shamokin, 1,801 (60%) are owner-occupied. By year built, 65% before 1940, 83% before 1960, 97% before 1980; 2% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 25% detached houses, 55% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 7% buildings of two to four units.
With 55% of homes attached, many roofs here meet a neighbor’s roof at a party wall. Say so on the call, and ask the contractor how the new roof will be tied in where it meets the house next door.
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 23 Northumberland County municipalities on this site, Shamokin has the largest share of homes built before 1980: 97%, against a county range of 51% to 97%.
Shamokin and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shamokin | 1938 | 97% | 60% | 55% | 6 |
| Coal | 1938 | 91% | 80% | 26% | 6 |
| Ralpho | 1976 | 60% | 92% | 3% | 7 |
| Kulpmont | 1947 | 88% | 79% | 49% | 6 |
| Zerbe | 1941 | 90% | 82% | 13% | 2 |
| Mount Carmel Township | 1953 | 69% | 88% | 38% | 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 Shamokin
Within 10 miles of Shamokin, hail of an inch or more was reported on 6 days between 2006 and 2025, the biggest stones 2.25 in on May 22, 2014. The most recent was May 28, 2019.
That is fewer than most places in the state on this site (median 12 days).
Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides (DR-1649, June 2006) is the latest of 1 federal storm declaration covering Northumberland County since 2006. (OpenFEMA.)
A report says hail fell near Shamokin, 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; 25% 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; 65% here predate 1940 | Never a base for a new layer (R908.3.1.1); heavy |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Low-slope roofs and rear sections (55% of homes here are attached) | Seams at walls and drainage |
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 Shamokin, 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 Shamokin
Do I need a permit to replace a roof in Shamokin?
Local ordinance, not the state. The state code does not cover a reroof that changes no structure (34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(8)). So the city code office in Shamokin is the one to ask before work starts.
Do the old shingles have to come off in Shamokin?
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). 97% of Shamokin’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
How old are the houses in Shamokin?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Shamokin was built in 1938, 97% of homes were built before 1980, 60% are owner-occupied.
How often does hail hit Shamokin?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 6 days within 10 miles of Shamokin 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 Shamokin?
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 Shamokin, and search it.
What they will ask on the phone
- Your address or ZIP code in Shamokin
- Detached, twin or rowhouse, and the number of stories
- The roof you have today, shingle, metal, slate, tile or flat, and its rough age
- The number of layers, if anyone has counted
- Your timing for a complete replacement
- Any historic-district or HOA rules on the house in Shamokin
- That you own the home and decide on the roof
The full list: before you call.