Data · permits and historic review
What Are the Roof Permit and Historic Rules in Each Municipality?
One table for the five municipalities we serve: who reviews historic roofs, when, what the permit requires, published fees and timelines. Every row links to the rule itself.
- 5 municipalities
- Primary sources only
- CSV download
What permits and approvals does a roof replacement need here?
Every municipality we serve requires a building permit for a roof replacement. Philadelphia, Cheltenham, Lower Merion and Narberth add a historic review for designated houses or district properties, which comes before the permit. Jenkintown's permit pages mention no historic board. The table below lists each body, trigger, fee and timeline.
Roof rules by municipality (checked Oct 29, 2026)
| Municipality | Historic review body | When it applies | Roof permit | Published fee | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia | Philadelphia Historical Commission (staff, Architectural Committee, Commission) | Properties on the Philadelphia Register or in a designated district; reroofing is an alteration | Building permit via eCLIPSE; EZ Re-Roofing standard for qualifying jobs | $69 residential 1-2 family roof covering (replacement only), eff. Oct 1, 2026; historic review free | Staff: 5 working days; Commission: 60 days or defer up to 6 months; appeal within 15 days |
| Cheltenham Township | Board of Historical Architectural Review (BHAR) | La Mott and Wyncote historic districts | Roofing permit required; none for roofing work under 100 sq ft or for gutters; signed contract required; OpenGov | $4.50 state UCC charge per permit; triple fee if work starts before the permit | BHAR meets third Thursday, 6:30 p.m. |
| Jenkintown Borough | None mentioned on the borough's permit pages | Not applicable per borough pages | Permit required before any work; roofing listed on the application | $40 for first $1,000 plus $20 per additional $1,000, plus $4.50 state fee | Residential decision within 15 business days |
| Lower Merion Township (Merion Station) | Board of Historical Architectural Review, Certificate of Appropriateness | Township historic districts (Chapter 88); roof replacement is a listed alteration | No building permit until a Certificate of Appropriateness is issued; signed contract must accompany the permit application | Reroofing permit in a historic district: $100 up to $5,000 of work, $120 up to $10,000, then $120 plus $15 per $1,000 to $50,000 and $5 per $1,000 above; plus $4.50 state fee and $2.50 Traisr fee. $75 certificate application for new construction, additions and facade alterations disturbing more than 25% of the exterior | Board within 30 days; deemed approved after 90 days; certificate lapses in 6 months without a permit |
| Narberth Borough | HARB and Borough Council, Certificate of Appropriateness | Contributing resources visible from a public way; roof shape or slope changes, removing decorative roof or cornice treatments, removing porch roofs | Roofing permit form; in-kind replacement of certain listed features is exempt from the certificate | Not published on the pages checked | HARB 60 days; Council 30-60 days; appeal within 30 days; up to $500/day penalty |
Permit fees are the municipalities' published figures. They are not a quote for roof work; your price comes after a free inspection. Download: roof-rules-by-municipality.csv.
What does Philadelphia's EZ re-roofing permit require?
Philadelphia's EZ Re-Roofing standard covers simple re-roofs and excludes jobs replacing more than 10% of the sheathing or adding more than 5% gravity load. It requires a full tear-off of slate, damaged roofs or two or more coverings, and asphalt shingles only on slopes of 2:12 or steeper.
The standard also sets shingle test ratings, a Class B minimum fire rating, drip edge details and attic insulation to R-49 where insulation is altered; manufacturer instructions go in with the application and a licensed contractor certifies the roof at final inspection. It can't be used on a Historical Commission property without prior approval from the Commission's staff.
How to use this table
Find your municipality, then check whether your address is designated or inside a district; the review column applies only then. Fees change, so confirm them with the office before you budget. Merion Station is in Lower Merion Township, and Penn Valley addresses with a Narberth 19072 mailing address are also Lower Merion, not Narberth Borough.
Scope: Philadelphia, Cheltenham Township, Jenkintown Borough, Lower Merion Township and Narberth Borough. Abington Township and Wyndmoor share some zip codes with our area; their rules are not covered here.
Data questions
Can I reuse this table?
Why is there no Lower Merion fee for houses outside a historic district?
Sources and checked date
- Philadelphia Historical Commission Rules & Regulations (rev. 3-12-2021)
- Philadelphia L&I, EZ Re-Roofing Permit Standard PB_012_F (Rev. 7/26)
- Philadelphia L&I, Summary of construction permit fees (rev. 7/2026, eff. Oct 1, 2026) roof covering fee
- City of Philadelphia, get approval for work to a historic property
- Cheltenham Township, building permits
- Cheltenham Township, BHAR
- Jenkintown Borough, code enforcement
- Lower Merion Township Code, Chapter 88
- Lower Merion Township Code, Chapter A167 Fees
- Narberth Borough, permits
- Narberth Borough Code, Chapter 315
Last checked 2026-10-29.
Rules change. Confirm with the city, township or borough permit office before you rely on any permit or historic-district detail here.
Questions about your permit?
Tell us where the house is, how old the roof is and what it is doing. If you have photos, say so and we will ask for them by email. Outside our core area? Send the form and ask.
We answer form requests Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. There is no phone line, so the whole conversation stays in writing.