Roofing in New Brunswick, 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, New Brunswick's code adopts "the State Uniform Construction Code" by reference as the City's construction and building code (Section 15.04.010, 2000) and names no edition; the City's Construction and Permits page names none either.

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 City of New Brunswick Construction Department, 25 Kirkpatrick Street, 2nd Floor, 732-745-5075, [email protected]. Where a roof permit is required, New Brunswick's fee ordinance (Section 15.04.120 of the City code) prices it: "The fee for all roofing and siding work on use group R-5 structures shall be a flat fee of one hundred dollars ($100.00). All other use groups shall be charged as an alteration fee." The alteration fee for renovations, alterations and repairs is $40 per $1,000 of estimated cost up to $5,000, $25 per $1,000 from $5,001 to $20,000 and $20 per $1,000 above $20,000, with a $100 minimum. The City asks that construction permit applications be mailed to the Construction Department, on the State's uniform permit application, and says "Four copies are required per permit." Its notice says "As of January 2025, a copy of each contractor's current license must be included with every permit application." "Scheduled inspection times occur between the hours of 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m."