Roofing in Merchantville, New Jersey

Not required

Required

The 2024 International Residential Code, New Jersey edition, adopted by the State, with the Rehabilitation Subcode for work on existing buildings. New Jersey has one construction code, the Uniform Construction Code (N.J.A.C. 5:23), which every municipality enforces; municipalities do not adopt building codes of their own (N.J.S.A. 52:27D-123.1 and 52:27D-139). N.J.A.C. 5:23-3.21(a)1 adopts the International Code Council's "2024 International Residential Code known as the IRC/2024 as the one- and two-family dwelling subcode in New Jersey subject to the modifications stated at (c) below," and 3.21(b) applies it to "detached one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses not more than three stories above grade plane in height." The section was rewritten by R.2026 d.086, "effective August 17, 2026," in the Department of Community Affairs' print of the rules "adopted and published through the New Jersey Register, Vol. 58 No. 16," and the Department's Current Construction Codes page lists the "International Residential Code/2024, NJ ed" with an adoption date of Aug 17, 2026. Other buildings fall under the building subcode, the International Building Code/2024, NJ edition (N.J.A.C. 5:23-3.14). Roof work on an existing building is held to the Rehabilitation Subcode: "Existing structures, when repaired, renovated, altered or reconstructed, shall conform to the requirements of N.J.A.C. 5:23-6, Rehabilitation Subcode" (N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.4(a)). A six-month grace period follows the adoption. N.J.A.C. 5:23-1.6(a): "For a period of six months following the operative date of a subcode revision, applicants may submit a complete permit application, including all prior approvals, to be reviewed under the code in force immediately preceding the subcode revision." The rule history gives R.2026 d.086 no date other than its effective date, so on that reading the window runs from August 17, 2026 until about February 17, 2027: a complete application filed inside it may be reviewed under either the prior edition or the 2024 edition, at the applicant's choice, and one filed after it closes is reviewed under the 2024 edition. Everything above is New Jersey state law, the same in every municipality. Locally, the Construction Office page, read on October 3, 2026, names no code edition, and Article II of Chapter 25 of the Borough Code sets fees and adopts no building code.

No permit is needed under state law to reroof a detached one- or two-family house; a townhouse, other attached dwelling or any other building needs one, from the Construction Office, Borough Hall, 1 W. Maple Ave., Merchantville, NJ 08109, phone 856-662-2474 x 304. The office page gives hours of "Monday-Thursday 8:00am - 4:30pm" and "Friday 8:00am-12:00pm," and asks visitors to "Please call before you come in, as inspectors have duties out of the office." Where a roof permit is required, section 25-10 of the Borough Code (amended through Ord. No. 25-08) says "The fee for roofing work on Use Groups R-3 and R-4 structures shall be $75," prices other renovations, alterations and repairs at "$35 per $1,000 up to and including $50,000," and sets a minimum fee for a construction permit of $75. Applications use the State's permit forms, linked from the office page, and inspections are requested through the Borough's SDL Self Service Portal. Projects that use a dumpster also need the Borough's dumpster permit.