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 Wilkes-Barre is the one to ask before work starts.
Source: 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)
Roof Replacement in Wilkes-Barre, PA
Half of the 19,781 homes in Wilkes-Barre were built before 1943. 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 Wilkes-Barre
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). 86% of Wilkes-Barre’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
Ice barrier
Wilkes-Barre’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 Wilkes-Barre’s says.
Rules as read on October 24, 2026. Everything else the state requires: roof replacement in Pennsylvania.
Homes and roofs in Wilkes-Barre
Of 16,644 occupied homes in Wilkes-Barre, 8,515 (51%) are owner-occupied. By year built, 47% before 1940, 66% before 1960, 86% before 1980; 5% went up in 2000 or later. (ACS 2020–2024.)
By building type: 51% detached houses, 13% attached single-family houses (rowhouses, twins and townhouses), 18% 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, Wilkes-Barre has the 13th largest share of homes built before 1980: 86%, against a county range of 19% to 97%.
ZIP codes: 18701 · 18705
Wilkes-Barre and the towns around it
| Place | Median built | Before 1980 | Owners | Row, twin | Hail days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilkes-Barre | 1943 | 86% | 51% | 13% | 15 |
| Wilkes-Barre Township | 1957 | 80% | 46% | 17% | 15 |
| Kingston Borough | 1952 | 91% | 53% | 15% | 16 |
| Edwardsville | 1959 | 89% | 46% | 12% | 13 |
| Forty Fort | 1942 | 95% | 57% | 8% | 16 |
| Ashley | 1945 | 84% | 68% | 19% | 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.
Storm record around Wilkes-Barre
Within 10 miles of Wilkes-Barre, hail of an inch or more was reported on 15 days between 2006 and 2025, the biggest stones 1.75 in on February 25, 2017. The most recent was July 1, 2022.
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 Wilkes-Barre, not that it damaged a 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; 51% 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 | Standing seam that carries its own loads can skip the tear-off (R908.3.1) |
| Slate | 75 years | Older houses; 47% here predate 1940 | Never a base for a new layer (R908.3.1.1); heavy |
| Flat roof: EPDM or TPO | 15 years | Porches, additions, low-slope rears | 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 Wilkes-Barre, 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 Wilkes-Barre
Is a permit required for a new roof in Wilkes-Barre, 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)). So the city code office in Wilkes-Barre is the one to ask before work starts.
Is a roof-over allowed in Wilkes-Barre, or is it 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). 86% of Wilkes-Barre’s homes were built before 1980, so count the layers before comparing quotes.
How old are the houses in Wilkes-Barre?
By the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020–2024), the median home in Wilkes-Barre was built in 1943, 86% of homes were built before 1980, 51% are owner-occupied.
Does Wilkes-Barre get hail that damages roofs?
Hail of 1 inch or larger was reported on 15 days within 10 miles of Wilkes-Barre 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 Wilkes-Barre?
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 Wilkes-Barre, and search it.
What they will ask on the phone
- Your address or ZIP code in Wilkes-Barre
- How many stories the house has, and whether it is 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
- Your timing for a complete replacement
- Any historic-district or HOA rules on the house in Wilkes-Barre
- That you own the home and decide on the roof
The full list: before you call.