Roofers in Philadelphia: old row houses, city permits and free repair help

Updated November 10, 2026 · KeystoneProGuide editorial team

What is different about a roof job in Philadelphia?

Three things: the housing is old and joined together, the city runs its own licensing and permit system on top of the state's, and it offers free roof repairs to some owners. In the Census Bureau's 2020-2024 estimates, about four in ten of the city's 748,270 housing units, 39.9 percent, were first built in 1939 or earlier, against 25.0 percent for Pennsylvania as a whole.

Does a Philadelphia roofer need a city license?

It depends on the buildings it works on. The city requires its Contractor License for businesses doing construction, demolition or repair, but a business that works only on existing one- or two-family homes, and does no work needing a special trade license, does not need it. That business must register with the state Attorney General as a home improvement contractor instead. A roofer that also works on larger buildings needs the city license, which requires general liability insurance of $500,000 per occurrence, a supervisor with OSHA 30 safety training, and renewal every year.

The city's Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I) has an online tool that lists every actively licensed contractor and any licensing violations. For questions, call 311, or (215) 686-8686 from outside the city.

Does a new roof need a permit in Philadelphia?

The city lists roof covering replacement among the projects that can get an EZ permit, a permit issued without plans, as long as the work follows the city's EZ standard; a permit that does not follow it is revoked. On a one- or two-family home, the work may be done by a licensed Philadelphia contractor, an owner who lives in the house, or a state-registered contractor that holds a Philadelphia Commercial Activity License. L&I says some roof covering permits can be issued immediately when a contractor with a current license, insurance and tax account applies, and that most applications without plans are processed within 5 business days. After the work, the inspections listed on the permit must be passed before L&I issues a Certificate of Approval.

Ordinary maintenance repairs often need no permit, the city says, but only where the property is not on the historic register.

What if the house is historic?

Then the Historical Commission has a say. For a property on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places, the city says a review is required for the installation, repair, replacement or covering of roofing and flashing, and it notes that most of the commission's reviews concern facades, roofs and other exterior features. A review is free, and the city suggests contacting the staff at preservation@phila.gov while the project is still being planned.

Why does the house next door matter?

Because row houses share more than a wall. The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia notes that the city once required tall masonry party walls rising above rooflines to stop fires spreading between houses, and that in blocks of row houses the problems of one building could easily spread to its neighbors. The city's building permit page reflects the same reality: the severing of a structural roof covering that spans properties is one of the jobs that needs protection of property documents, including a survey before work starts and an acknowledgment from the adjacent owner. If your roof runs into a neighbor's, ask the roofer how the joint will be handled and whether that paperwork applies.

What about asbestos and lead in older city homes?

Both are live questions on a house of this age. In Philadelphia, encapsulating or removing less than 40 linear or 80 square feet of asbestos requires a notification form at least 24 hours ahead, and larger amounts need a permit that only a licensed asbestos abatement contractor can get. The city's Asbestos Information Line is (215) 685-7576.

Any home first built in 1939 or earlier predates 1978, the lead paint cut-off. The Environmental Protection Agency requires firms paid to disturb paint in pre-1978 homes to be certified in lead-safe work, and the rule applies to rented homes even where the owner does the work. With 48.2 percent of the city's occupied homes rented, the owner's exemption is out of reach for a large share of the city's housing.

Is there help paying for a roof repair?

For some owners, yes. The city's Basic Systems Repair Program provides free repairs to eligible owner-occupied homes, and roofing is one of the systems it covers, along with electrical, plumbing, heating and structural problems. It is for owner-occupants who meet household income guidelines; the page does not give the limits or a cap. Questions go to the Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation on (215) 448-2160.

Does Philadelphia's winter affect roofs?

It can. At the National Weather Service's Philadelphia station the normal low is below freezing in December, January and February, and normal snowfall is 7.1 inches in January and 8.4 inches in February. The University of Minnesota Extension says ice dams need snow on the roof and freezing weather outside, and the building code requires an ice barrier where the local code records a history of it.

Before you sign, what Pennsylvania requires of roofers covers the state contract and deposit rules, and roofers serving the city are on the Philadelphia roofers page.

Sources

1. 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year Narrative Profile: Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, U.S. Census Bureau
2. 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year Narrative Profile: Pennsylvania, U.S. Census Bureau
3. Get a Contractor License, City of Philadelphia
4. Find a licensed contractor and contractor information, City of Philadelphia
5. Get permits without plans (EZ permits), City of Philadelphia
6. Get a Building Permit, City of Philadelphia
7. Get approval for work to a historic property, City of Philadelphia
8. Row Houses, Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia
9. Apply for an asbestos project permit, City of Philadelphia
10. Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Program, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
11. Get emergency home repairs, City of Philadelphia
12. Climate Normals for KPHL, National Weather Service
13. Chapter 9 Roof Assemblies, 2021 International Residential Code, International Code Council
14. Dealing with and preventing ice dams, University of Minnesota Extension