In Philadelphia a roof covering replacement needs a permit. It is one of the projects L&I issues as an EZ permit, which means no plans are submitted: the work has to follow the City's written EZ standard for re-roofing instead. "If you get an EZ Permit and don't follow the standard," the City says, "the permit will be revoked."
What it costs
| Item | One- or two-family house | Source |
|---|---|---|
| EZ permit, roof covering (replacement only) | $69 | PG_012_INF, rev. 2.2026 |
| City surcharge | $3 per permit | EZ permits page |
| State surcharge | $4.50 per permit | EZ permits page |
For other buildings the fee is $76 for the first 4,000 square feet plus $3.80 for each additional 100. The permit fee is the City's charge; it is usually listed as a line in the contractor's estimate.
Who may file and do the work
On an existing one- or two-family house, the City's EZ page says the work may be done by a contractor with a Philadelphia contractor license, by "a registered PA Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) who holds a Philadelphia Commercial Activity License," or by "an owner who resides in the building." The contractor must be current on City taxes and have insurance on file with L&I. How to check a contractor: check a contractor.
What the re-roofing standard requires
The standard (rev. 7/26, written to the 2021 IRC and IBC) sets conditions for using the EZ route and rules for the work.
Outside the EZ route:
- a building listed as historic by the Historical Commission, "without prior approval";
- planned replacement of more than 10% of the roof sheathing;
- changes that raise the design gravity load by more than 5%, such as moving rooftop equipment, changing supports under skylights, or a ballasted roof system;
- new penetrations, such as skylight installations.
Rules for the work:
- the manufacturer's complete installation instructions are filed with the application and the roof is installed to them;
- every existing layer comes off first where the roof is water-damaged or deteriorated, is wood shake, slate, clay, cement or asbestos-cement tile, or has two or more coverings;
- asphalt shingles only on slopes of 2 in 12 or steeper, meeting the listed wind classes, with drip edge at eaves and gables;
- built-up roofs only on slopes of 1/4 in 12 or more (coal-tar: 1/8 in 12);
- roof coverings at least Class B for fire, with listed exceptions;
- altered insulation brought to the 2021 energy code, R-49 or more;
- flashing rebuilt to the manufacturer's instructions; rusted or damaged flashing, edgings and drain parts, and old gravel, may not be reinstalled;
- debris disposed of at the end of each working day.
The certificate at the end
When the roof is done, the contractor fills in form TP_019_F, the Roof Replacement Certification, and uploads it to the permit in eCLIPSE. It certifies that the coverings were installed to the manufacturer's instructions, that the job complies with the EZ re-roofing standard and the Philadelphia building code, and whether less than 10% of the sheathing was replaced. The form says the certification "must be presented by the Contractor to the building owner/owner's agent upon completion." Ask for your copy.
How many are issued
The City issued 2,334 EZ roof covering replacement permits in 2025, up from 1,432 in 2021, and 1,324 in 2026 through October 23 (L&I open data, queried October 24, 2026). Each ZIP code page has its own count, and the roof permit lookup finds permits by address.