Permitting Authorities / Athens Borough - Zoning and Code Enforcement Office
Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Borough of Athens, PA?
Adopted code
Athens Borough - Zoning and Code Enforcement Office
Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Borough of Athens, PA, issued by Athens Borough - Zoning and Code Enforcement Office. The permit a reroof needs here is Athens Borough's building permit under Article IV of Chapter 178, Building Permits, a local permit, not a Uniform Construction Code building permit: Section 178-25 of the Borough Code says "Building permits shall be required for construction and follow the Project Permit Fee Schedule established by resolution by the Borough Council for any of the following activities," and lists "Remodeling and repairs to existing residential building," item (5) of which reads "Including but not limited to the replacement of a roof and the required construction for said replacement." Item (1) of the same list reads "Only if enlarge, move, demolish, or change the use of the occupancy," and this record does not construe how item (1) relates to item (5) (read Oct 10, 2026). For the Uniform Construction Code building permit, Section 178-14 says "The intent of this article is to inform the Borough property owners on construction of structures that do not require permits under the Pennsylvania UCC for construction purposes. Furthermore, the Borough requires a building permit for the construction activities set forth in this article to insure compliance with the zoning requirements for lot coverage and setbacks as well as the safety of the structure being constructed." Athens Borough's code names the replacement of a roof among the residential repairs that need a Borough building permit. Article IV of Chapter 178 (Ord. No. 610, adopted Nov. 19, 2007) has a Section 178-15, headed Applicability, that makes it unlawful "to undertake, or cause to be undertaken the construction, renovation or repair of any agricultural building, manufactured housing, recreational cabin, accessory or miscellaneous-use structure less than 1,000 square feet which is nonhabitable anywhere within the Borough unless an approved building permit has been obtained from the Borough," and Section 178-25 lists the activities that need the permit, including the residential repairs quoted above; this record does not decide how the two sections fit together. Under state law, Act 45 says the Act "shall not apply to" "Alterations to residential buildings which do not make structural changes or changes to means of egress, except as might be required by ordinances in effect pursuant to section 303(b)(1) or adopted pursuant to section 503" or to "Repairs to residential buildings, except as might be required by ordinances in effect pursuant to section 303(b)(1) or adopted pursuant to section 503" (section 104(b)(5) and (6)), and of a municipal ordinance that adds to the code, section 503(c) says "An ordinance under this subsection shall not be effective nor enforceable unless subsections (d), (e), (f), (g), (h) and (i) have been satisfied." This record does not decide whether the Borough building permit requirement is one adopted under section 503, kept in effect by section 303(b)(1), or made under the municipality's other powers. Expect the Borough to ask for its building permit for a reroof. Section 178-22 says a person who fails to comply with that article "shall pay a fine to the Borough of not less than $25 nor more than $600, plus court costs and reasonable attorneys' fees incurred by the Borough in the enforcement proceedings." Section 178-21 says "A Project Permit Fee Schedule has been established by resolution by the Borough Council," and the Borough's Permits & Applications page lists no such schedule. The Borough's Contractors Document Verification page says "ANNUAL CONTRACTOR FEES shall be set by Athens Borough Resolution number 2017-4 at $100.00" and "Companies engaged in ROOFING as a part or all of their business must state and list specifically on the certificate section 'Description of Operations' that they are covered for roofing." The Borough office is at 570-888-2319. Read for this record: Chapter 178 of the Borough Code (Articles I to IV, Sections 178-1 to 178-25) in full; every page of a search of the whole Borough Code for "roof" (22 results, of which Section 178-25 and a Chapter 194 insurance requirement for roofing contractors are the only ones that bear on a reroof) and for "reroofing" (no results); the Borough's Home, Government, Contact and Permits & Applications pages; its contractors document verification page and zoning application; and the third-party agency's home, FAQ and permit pages.
Roof code checklist: Borough of Athens, PA
Each row comes from the sourced record on this page; full wording is in the table below. "Not published" means no official source for that item was found when the record was last verified.
Jurisdiction
Borough of Athens, Pennsylvania
Address
2 South River St., Athens, PA 18810
Contact
- url: https://athensboroughpa.org/contact-us/
- phone: 570-888-2319
Roofing permit required
Required
Contractor registration required
Required
Permit process note
The permit a reroof needs here is Athens Borough's building permit under Article IV of Chapter 178, Building Permits, a local permit, not a Uniform Construction Code building permit: Section 178-25 of the Borough Code says "Building permits shall be required for construction and follow the Project Permit Fee Schedule established by resolution by the Borough Council for any of the following activities," and lists "Remodeling and repairs to existing residential building," item (5) of which reads "Including but not limited to the replacement of a roof and the required construction for said replacement." Item (1) of the same list reads "Only if enlarge, move, demolish, or change the use of the occupancy," and this record does not construe how item (1) relates to item (5) (read Oct 10, 2026). For the Uniform Construction Code building permit, Section 178-14 says "The intent of this article is to inform the Borough property owners on construction of structures that do not require permits under the Pennsylvania UCC for construction purposes. Furthermore, the Borough requires a building permit for the construction activities set forth in this article to insure compliance with the zoning requirements for lot coverage and setbacks as well as the safety of the structure being constructed." Athens Borough's code names the replacement of a roof among the residential repairs that need a Borough building permit. Article IV of Chapter 178 (Ord. No. 610, adopted Nov. 19, 2007) has a Section 178-15, headed Applicability, that makes it unlawful "to undertake, or cause to be undertaken the construction, renovation or repair of any agricultural building, manufactured housing, recreational cabin, accessory or miscellaneous-use structure less than 1,000 square feet which is nonhabitable anywhere within the Borough unless an approved building permit has been obtained from the Borough," and Section 178-25 lists the activities that need the permit, including the residential repairs quoted above; this record does not decide how the two sections fit together. Under state law, Act 45 says the Act "shall not apply to" "Alterations to residential buildings which do not make structural changes or changes to means of egress, except as might be required by ordinances in effect pursuant to section 303(b)(1) or adopted pursuant to section 503" or to "Repairs to residential buildings, except as might be required by ordinances in effect pursuant to section 303(b)(1) or adopted pursuant to section 503" (section 104(b)(5) and (6)), and of a municipal ordinance that adds to the code, section 503(c) says "An ordinance under this subsection shall not be effective nor enforceable unless subsections (d), (e), (f), (g), (h) and (i) have been satisfied." This record does not decide whether the Borough building permit requirement is one adopted under section 503, kept in effect by section 303(b)(1), or made under the municipality's other powers. Expect the Borough to ask for its building permit for a reroof. Section 178-22 says a person who fails to comply with that article "shall pay a fine to the Borough of not less than $25 nor more than $600, plus court costs and reasonable attorneys' fees incurred by the Borough in the enforcement proceedings." Section 178-21 says "A Project Permit Fee Schedule has been established by resolution by the Borough Council," and the Borough's Permits & Applications page lists no such schedule. The Borough's Contractors Document Verification page says "ANNUAL CONTRACTOR FEES shall be set by Athens Borough Resolution number 2017-4 at $100.00" and "Companies engaged in ROOFING as a part or all of their business must state and list specifically on the certificate section 'Description of Operations' that they are covered for roofing." The Borough office is at 570-888-2319. Read for this record: Chapter 178 of the Borough Code (Articles I to IV, Sections 178-1 to 178-25) in full; every page of a search of the whole Borough Code for "roof" (22 results, of which Section 178-25 and a Chapter 194 insurance requirement for roofing contractors are the only ones that bear on a reroof) and for "reroofing" (no results); the Borough's Home, Government, Contact and Permits & Applications pages; its contractors document verification page and zoning application; and the third-party agency's home, FAQ and permit pages.
Adopted code
The 2021 International Residential Code, as adopted by the State in the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code (UCC). 34 Pa. Code 403.21(a)(7) adopts "The 'International Residential Code of 2021,' except that:" followed by the State's list of exclusions and modifications, effective January 1, 2026 (55 Pa.B. 7701). None of the State's changes touches Chapter 9, Roof Assemblies, or Section R803, Roof Sheathing, so those apply as the International Code Council publishes them. Work on existing buildings is also pointed to the State's existing-building code: "The repair, alteration, change of occupancy, addition and relocation of existing buildings must comply with Chapter 34 of the 'International Building Code of 2021' or with the 'International Existing Building Code of 2021'" (34 Pa. Code 403.21(f)). The UCC is the minimum everywhere in the state: "no municipality may propose or enact any ordinance which is less than the minimum requirement of the Uniform Construction Code" (Pennsylvania Construction Code Act, Act 45 of 1999, section 503(b)). The Act also lists work it "shall not apply to", including "Alterations to residential buildings which do not make structural changes or changes to means of egress" or to "Repairs to residential buildings," in each case "except as might be required by ordinances" kept in force under section 303(b)(1) or adopted under section 503 (Act 45 section 104(b)(5) and (6); 34 Pa. Code 403.1(b)(8) and (9)). The Act defines a repair as "The reconstruction or renewal of any part of an existing building for the purpose of its maintenance." So whether the code's roofing rules reach a given house reroof depends on the municipality's own ordinances. Everything above is Pennsylvania state law, the same in every municipality. Locally, Athens Borough's office at 2 South River St., Athens (570-888-2319, Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm) lists a Zoning / Code Enforcement Officer on its Government page. Section 178-9 of the Borough Code says "This municipality hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act, Act 45 of 1999, as amended from time to time," and Section 178-18 sends building permit applications to "Athens Borough or their designated Building Official." The Borough's home page links to "Code Inspections INC," which calls itself "a licensed and authorized third party inspection and plan review agency," but no Borough page read for this record says which office issues the Uniform Construction Code building permit for a house. Article III of Chapter 178 (Ord. No. 591, 2004) adopts "The Uniform Construction Code, contained in 34 Pa. Code, Chapters 401 through 405, as amended from time to time," as the municipal building code and names no roof work. Article I of Chapter 178 of the Borough Code adopts the "2015 International Building Code" and Article II (Ord. No. 540, 2000, as codified) adopts the "2015 International Residential Code" as the code of the Borough for one- and two-family dwellings, with changes to Section R101.1, Table R301.2(1) and a new Section R113.5 that name no roofing provision, and the Borough's pages name no later edition; this record has not read the 2015 edition's text and does not decide which edition the Borough applies.
Repair permit threshold
The permit a reroof needs here is Athens Borough's building permit under Article IV of Chapter 178, Building Permits, a local permit, not a Uniform Construction Code building permit: Section 178-25 of the Borough Code says "Building permits shall be required for construction and follow the Project Permit Fee Schedule established by resolution by the Borough Council for any of the following activities," and lists "Remodeling and repairs to existing residential building," item (5) of which reads "Including but not limited to the replacement of a roof and the required construction for said replacement." Item (1) of the same list reads "Only if enlarge, move, demolish, or change the use of the occupancy," and this record does not construe how item (1) relates to item (5) (read Oct 10, 2026). For the Uniform Construction Code building permit, Section 178-14 says "The intent of this article is to inform the Borough property owners on construction of structures that do not require permits under the Pennsylvania UCC for construction purposes. Furthermore, the Borough requires a building permit for the construction activities set forth in this article to insure compliance with the zoning requirements for lot coverage and setbacks as well as the safety of the structure being constructed." Athens Borough's code names the replacement of a roof among the residential repairs that need a Borough building permit, in an article that describes itself as covering work that does not need a permit under the Pennsylvania UCC. Article III of Chapter 178 (Ord. No. 591, 2004) adopts "The Uniform Construction Code, contained in 34 Pa. Code, Chapters 401 through 405, as amended from time to time," as the municipal building code and names no roof work. Under state law, Act 45 says the Act "shall not apply to" "Alterations to residential buildings which do not make structural changes or changes to means of egress, except as might be required by ordinances in effect pursuant to section 303(b)(1) or adopted pursuant to section 503" or to "Repairs to residential buildings, except as might be required by ordinances in effect pursuant to section 303(b)(1) or adopted pursuant to section 503" (section 104(b)(5) and (6)), and of a municipal ordinance that adds to the code, section 503(c) says "An ordinance under this subsection shall not be effective nor enforceable unless subsections (d), (e), (f), (g), (h) and (i) have been satisfied." This record does not decide whether the Borough building permit requirement is one adopted under section 503, kept in effect by section 303(b)(1), or made under the municipality's other powers. Expect the Borough to ask for its building permit for a reroof. Section 178-22 says a person who fails to comply with that article "shall pay a fine to the Borough of not less than $25 nor more than $600, plus court costs and reasonable attorneys' fees incurred by the Borough in the enforcement proceedings." Section 178-21 says "A Project Permit Fee Schedule has been established by resolution by the Borough Council," and the Borough's Permits & Applications page lists no such schedule. State law sets no square-footage or percentage threshold for roof work; any threshold is set locally. The Uniform Construction Code "does not apply to" "Alterations to residential buildings which do not make structural changes or changes to means of egress, except as required by ordinances in effect under sections 303(b)(1) or 503 of the act" or to "Repairs to residential buildings, except as required by ordinances in effect under sections 303(b)(1) and 503 of the act" (34 Pa. Code 403.1(b)(8) and (9)), and "A permit is not required for the exceptions listed in § 403.1(b) (relating to scope) and the following, if the work does not violate a law or ordinance" (34 Pa. Code 403.62(c)). For houses the regulation adds: "An ordinary repair does not require a permit." Its list of work that is not an ordinary repair names cutting away a load-bearing wall, "The removal or cutting of any structural beam or load-bearing support," changes to a required means of egress, and new or relocated piping, wiring or mechanical work (34 Pa. Code 403.62(d)); roofing is not named. A municipality may require more: under Act 45 section 503(c) it "may enact ordinances pursuant to this section which adopt additional code requirements for alterations or repairs to residential buildings," after a public hearing and after filing the proposed ordinance with the Department of Labor and Industry. These rules concern a "Residential building," which the regulation defines as "Detached one-family and two-family dwellings and townhouses which are not more than three stories above grade plane in height with a separate means of egress and their accessory structures" (34 Pa. Code 401.1). Everything above is Pennsylvania state law, the same in every municipality. Locally, Athens Borough's office at 2 South River St., Athens (570-888-2319, Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm) lists a Zoning / Code Enforcement Officer on its Government page. Section 178-9 of the Borough Code says "This municipality hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act, Act 45 of 1999, as amended from time to time," and Section 178-18 sends building permit applications to "Athens Borough or their designated Building Official." The Borough's home page links to "Code Inspections INC," which calls itself "a licensed and authorized third party inspection and plan review agency," but no Borough page read for this record says which office issues the Uniform Construction Code building permit for a house. Section 178-25 sets no roof area or cost threshold for the replacement of a roof, and no Borough text read for this record sets one.
Roof layer limit / recover
Two layers at most where the state code reaches the job. Pennsylvania adopts the 2021 International Residential Code without changing its reroofing section, R908 (34 Pa. Code 403.21(a)(7); the State's list of changes names no Chapter 9 section). Section R908.3.1.1 says "A roof recover shall not be permitted where any of the following conditions occur," and the third condition is "Where the existing roof has two or more applications of any type of roof covering." So one existing layer may be covered once, and a roof that already has two layers is torn off to the deck. The same section also bars a recover "Where the existing roof or roof covering is water soaked or has deteriorated to the point that the existing roof or roof covering is not adequate as a base for additional roofing" and "Where the existing roof covering is slate, clay, cement or asbestos-cement tile." The existing-building code the State also adopts, the 2021 International Existing Building Code (34 Pa. Code 403.21(f)), carries the same three conditions in Section 705.2.1.1. These rules bind work the Uniform Construction Code reaches. The Act does not apply to "Repairs to residential buildings" or to alterations that make no structural change, "except as might be required by ordinances" (Act 45 section 104(b)(5) and (6)), so whether R908 binds a particular house reroof turns on that exclusion and on the municipality's own ordinances. Everything above is Pennsylvania state law, the same in every municipality. Locally, Athens Borough's office at 2 South River St., Athens (570-888-2319, Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm) lists a Zoning / Code Enforcement Officer on its Government page. Section 178-9 of the Borough Code says "This municipality hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act, Act 45 of 1999, as amended from time to time," and Section 178-18 sends building permit applications to "Athens Borough or their designated Building Official." The Borough's home page links to "Code Inspections INC," which calls itself "a licensed and authorized third party inspection and plan review agency," but no Borough page read for this record says which office issues the Uniform Construction Code building permit for a house. Chapter 178 of the Borough Code changes nothing in the code's reroofing provisions, and the Borough's pages say nothing on roof layers. Article I of Chapter 178 of the Borough Code adopts the "2015 International Building Code" and Article II (Ord. No. 540, 2000, as codified) adopts the "2015 International Residential Code" as the code of the Borough for one- and two-family dwellings, with changes to Section R101.1, Table R301.2(1) and a new Section R113.5 that name no roofing provision, and the Borough's pages name no later edition; the text above is the 2021 edition's, the 2015 edition's reroofing text was not read for this record, and this record does not decide which edition the Borough applies.
Deck & sheathing requirements
State rules from the base code, where the state code reaches the job. Pennsylvania adopts the 2021 International Residential Code without changing Section R803, Roof Sheathing (34 Pa. Code 403.21(a)(7); the State's changes to Chapter 8 are to ridge framing and attic ventilation). Lumber roof sheathing follows Table R803.1: over rafters or beams 24 inches apart it must be at least 5/8 inch net thick. Wood structural panels "shall be identified for grade, bond classification and performance category by a grade mark or certificate of inspection issued by an approved agency," and their spans "shall not exceed the values set forth in Table R503.2.1.1(1) or APA E30." For shingles, "Asphalt shingles shall be fastened to solidly sheathed decks" (R905.2.1), and on any reroof "The structural roof components shall be capable of supporting the roof covering system and the material and equipment loads that will be encountered during installation of the roof covering system" (R908.2). These rules bind work the Uniform Construction Code reaches; the Act does not apply to "Repairs to residential buildings" or to alterations that make no structural change, "except as might be required by ordinances" (Act 45 section 104(b)(5) and (6)). Act 45 section 104(b)(5) excludes alterations "which do not make structural changes or changes to means of egress" and says only that "a structural change does not include a minor framing change needed to replace existing windows or doors"; 34 Pa. Code 403.62(d)(2) lists "The removal or cutting of any structural beam or load-bearing support" as not an ordinary repair. Neither names roof sheathing; this record does not decide whether replacing it is either. Everything above is Pennsylvania state law, the same in every municipality. Locally, Athens Borough's office at 2 South River St., Athens (570-888-2319, Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm) lists a Zoning / Code Enforcement Officer on its Government page. Section 178-9 of the Borough Code says "This municipality hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act, Act 45 of 1999, as amended from time to time," and Section 178-18 sends building permit applications to "Athens Borough or their designated Building Official." The Borough's home page links to "Code Inspections INC," which calls itself "a licensed and authorized third party inspection and plan review agency," but no Borough page read for this record says which office issues the Uniform Construction Code building permit for a house. Section 178-25 of the Borough Code lists "the replacement of a roof and the required construction for said replacement" and draws no separate line for roof sheathing. Article I of Chapter 178 of the Borough Code adopts the "2015 International Building Code" and Article II (Ord. No. 540, 2000, as codified) adopts the "2015 International Residential Code" as the code of the Borough for one- and two-family dwellings, with changes to Section R101.1, Table R301.2(1) and a new Section R113.5 that name no roofing provision, and the Borough's pages name no later edition; the text above is the 2021 edition's, the 2015 edition's sheathing text was not read for this record, and this record does not decide which edition the Borough applies.
Sales & use tax
6% Pennsylvania sales and use tax, with a local tax added on purchases made in Allegheny County (1%) and Philadelphia (2%). On a reroof the roofer pays the tax on the materials and does not add it to the homeowner's bill. The Department of Revenue says: "The Pennsylvania sales tax rate is 6 percent. By law, a 1 percent local tax is added to purchases made in Allegheny County, and 2 percent local tax is added to purchases made in Philadelphia." Roof work is a construction activity: the rule's list of items "presumed to become a permanent part of real estate" includes "Roofing (repairs)" (61 Pa. Code 31.11). For construction activities, "A contractor shall pay tax upon the purchase price ... of all property, including materials, equipment, components and supplies, which he furnishes and installs" (61 Pa. Code 31.12(a)(1)), and the rule's example says the contractor "does not charge sales tax on this transaction to his customer. The contractor may include the tax he must pay in his bid proposal but not as a separately stated item." Apart from limited exceptions set out in the rule, the same holds on jobs for tax-exempt owners: "a contractor erecting a building, repairing a roof, replacing a door for a governmental agency, ... school district, charitable or religious organization, and the like, shall pay tax upon the property which he consumes" (61 Pa. Code 31.13(a)). Everything above is Pennsylvania state law, the same in every municipality. Athens Borough is in Bradford County. The Borough's permit pages say nothing on sales tax.
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Athens Borough in Bradford County takes permit applications at its Borough office, 2 South River St., Athens, and its Borough Code lists the replacement of a roof among the residential repairs that need a Borough building permit. The Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code applies statewide, but Act 45 section 104(b) lists "Repairs to residential buildings" and alterations that make no structural or egress change among work it does not apply to, "except as might be required by ordinances in effect pursuant to section 303(b)(1) or adopted pursuant to section 503."
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Roofing questions: Borough of Athens, PA
Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Borough of Athens, PA?
Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Borough of Athens, PA. The permit a reroof needs here is Athens Borough's building permit under Article IV of Chapter 178, Building Permits, a local permit, not a Uniform Construction Code building permit: Section 178-25 of the Borough Code says "Building permits shall be required for construction and follow the Project Permit Fee Schedule established by resolution by the Borough Council for any of the following activities," and lists "Remodeling and repairs to existing residential building," item (5) of which reads "Including but not limited to the replacement of a roof and the required construction for said replacement." Item (1) of the same list reads "Only if enlarge, move, demolish, or change the use of the occupancy," and this record does not construe how item (1) relates to item (5) (read Oct 10, 2026). For the Uniform Construction Code building permit, Section 178-14 says "The intent of this article is to inform the Borough property owners on construction of structures that do not require permits under the Pennsylvania UCC for construction purposes. Furthermore, the Borough requires a building permit for the construction activities set forth in this article to insure compliance with the zoning requirements for lot coverage and setbacks as well as the safety of the structure being constructed." Athens Borough's code names the replacement of a roof among the residential repairs that need a Borough building permit, in an article that describes itself as covering work that does not need a permit under the Pennsylvania UCC. Article III of Chapter 178 (Ord. No. 591, 2004) adopts "The Uniform Construction Code, contained in 34 Pa. Code, Chapters 401 through 405, as amended from time to time," as the municipal building code and names no roof work. Under state law, Act 45 says the Act "shall not apply to" "Alterations to residential buildings which do not make structural changes or changes to means of egress, except as might be required by ordinances in effect pursuant to section 303(b)(1) or adopted pursuant to section 503" or to "Repairs to residential buildings, except as might be required by ordinances in effect pursuant to section 303(b)(1) or adopted pursuant to section 503" (section 104(b)(5) and (6)), and of a municipal ordinance that adds to the code, section 503(c) says "An ordinance under this subsection shall not be effective nor enforceable unless subsections (d), (e), (f), (g), (h) and (i) have been satisfied." This record does not decide whether the Borough building permit requirement is one adopted under section 503, kept in effect by section 303(b)(1), or made under the municipality's other powers. Expect the Borough to ask for its building permit for a reroof. Section 178-22 says a person who fails to comply with that article "shall pay a fine to the Borough of not less than $25 nor more than $600, plus court costs and reasonable attorneys' fees incurred by the Borough in the enforcement proceedings." Section 178-21 says "A Project Permit Fee Schedule has been established by resolution by the Borough Council," and the Borough's Permits & Applications page lists no such schedule. State law sets no square-footage or percentage threshold for roof work; any threshold is set locally. The Uniform Construction Code "does not apply to" "Alterations to residential buildings which do not make structural changes or changes to means of egress, except as required by ordinances in effect under sections 303(b)(1) or 503 of the act" or to "Repairs to residential buildings, except as required by ordinances in effect under sections 303(b)(1) and 503 of the act" (34 Pa. Code 403.1(b)(8) and (9)), and "A permit is not required for the exceptions listed in § 403.1(b) (relating to scope) and the following, if the work does not violate a law or ordinance" (34 Pa. Code 403.62(c)). For houses the regulation adds: "An ordinary repair does not require a permit." Its list of work that is not an ordinary repair names cutting away a load-bearing wall, "The removal or cutting of any structural beam or load-bearing support," changes to a required means of egress, and new or relocated piping, wiring or mechanical work (34 Pa. Code 403.62(d)); roofing is not named. A municipality may require more: under Act 45 section 503(c) it "may enact ordinances pursuant to this section which adopt additional code requirements for alterations or repairs to residential buildings," after a public hearing and after filing the proposed ordinance with the Department of Labor and Industry. These rules concern a "Residential building," which the regulation defines as "Detached one-family and two-family dwellings and townhouses which are not more than three stories above grade plane in height with a separate means of egress and their accessory structures" (34 Pa. Code 401.1). Everything above is Pennsylvania state law, the same in every municipality. Locally, Athens Borough's office at 2 South River St., Athens (570-888-2319, Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm) lists a Zoning / Code Enforcement Officer on its Government page. Section 178-9 of the Borough Code says "This municipality hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act, Act 45 of 1999, as amended from time to time," and Section 178-18 sends building permit applications to "Athens Borough or their designated Building Official." The Borough's home page links to "Code Inspections INC," which calls itself "a licensed and authorized third party inspection and plan review agency," but no Borough page read for this record says which office issues the Uniform Construction Code building permit for a house. Section 178-25 sets no roof area or cost threshold for the replacement of a roof, and no Borough text read for this record sets one.
Can you roof over an existing roof in Borough of Athens, PA?
Two layers at most where the state code reaches the job. Pennsylvania adopts the 2021 International Residential Code without changing its reroofing section, R908 (34 Pa. Code 403.21(a)(7); the State's list of changes names no Chapter 9 section). Section R908.3.1.1 says "A roof recover shall not be permitted where any of the following conditions occur," and the third condition is "Where the existing roof has two or more applications of any type of roof covering." So one existing layer may be covered once, and a roof that already has two layers is torn off to the deck. The same section also bars a recover "Where the existing roof or roof covering is water soaked or has deteriorated to the point that the existing roof or roof covering is not adequate as a base for additional roofing" and "Where the existing roof covering is slate, clay, cement or asbestos-cement tile." The existing-building code the State also adopts, the 2021 International Existing Building Code (34 Pa. Code 403.21(f)), carries the same three conditions in Section 705.2.1.1. These rules bind work the Uniform Construction Code reaches. The Act does not apply to "Repairs to residential buildings" or to alterations that make no structural change, "except as might be required by ordinances" (Act 45 section 104(b)(5) and (6)), so whether R908 binds a particular house reroof turns on that exclusion and on the municipality's own ordinances. Everything above is Pennsylvania state law, the same in every municipality. Locally, Athens Borough's office at 2 South River St., Athens (570-888-2319, Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm) lists a Zoning / Code Enforcement Officer on its Government page. Section 178-9 of the Borough Code says "This municipality hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act, Act 45 of 1999, as amended from time to time," and Section 178-18 sends building permit applications to "Athens Borough or their designated Building Official." The Borough's home page links to "Code Inspections INC," which calls itself "a licensed and authorized third party inspection and plan review agency," but no Borough page read for this record says which office issues the Uniform Construction Code building permit for a house. Chapter 178 of the Borough Code changes nothing in the code's reroofing provisions, and the Borough's pages say nothing on roof layers. Article I of Chapter 178 of the Borough Code adopts the "2015 International Building Code" and Article II (Ord. No. 540, 2000, as codified) adopts the "2015 International Residential Code" as the code of the Borough for one- and two-family dwellings, with changes to Section R101.1, Table R301.2(1) and a new Section R113.5 that name no roofing provision, and the Borough's pages name no later edition; the text above is the 2021 edition's, the 2015 edition's reroofing text was not read for this record, and this record does not decide which edition the Borough applies.
Do roofing contractors need a license or registration in Borough of Athens, PA?
Yes.
What building code does Borough of Athens, PA use?
The 2021 International Residential Code, as adopted by the State in the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code (UCC). 34 Pa. Code 403.21(a)(7) adopts "The 'International Residential Code of 2021,' except that:" followed by the State's list of exclusions and modifications, effective January 1, 2026 (55 Pa.B. 7701). None of the State's changes touches Chapter 9, Roof Assemblies, or Section R803, Roof Sheathing, so those apply as the International Code Council publishes them. Work on existing buildings is also pointed to the State's existing-building code: "The repair, alteration, change of occupancy, addition and relocation of existing buildings must comply with Chapter 34 of the 'International Building Code of 2021' or with the 'International Existing Building Code of 2021'" (34 Pa. Code 403.21(f)). The UCC is the minimum everywhere in the state: "no municipality may propose or enact any ordinance which is less than the minimum requirement of the Uniform Construction Code" (Pennsylvania Construction Code Act, Act 45 of 1999, section 503(b)). The Act also lists work it "shall not apply to", including "Alterations to residential buildings which do not make structural changes or changes to means of egress" or to "Repairs to residential buildings," in each case "except as might be required by ordinances" kept in force under section 303(b)(1) or adopted under section 503 (Act 45 section 104(b)(5) and (6); 34 Pa. Code 403.1(b)(8) and (9)). The Act defines a repair as "The reconstruction or renewal of any part of an existing building for the purpose of its maintenance." So whether the code's roofing rules reach a given house reroof depends on the municipality's own ordinances. Everything above is Pennsylvania state law, the same in every municipality. Locally, Athens Borough's office at 2 South River St., Athens (570-888-2319, Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm) lists a Zoning / Code Enforcement Officer on its Government page. Section 178-9 of the Borough Code says "This municipality hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act, Act 45 of 1999, as amended from time to time," and Section 178-18 sends building permit applications to "Athens Borough or their designated Building Official." The Borough's home page links to "Code Inspections INC," which calls itself "a licensed and authorized third party inspection and plan review agency," but no Borough page read for this record says which office issues the Uniform Construction Code building permit for a house. Article III of Chapter 178 (Ord. No. 591, 2004) adopts "The Uniform Construction Code, contained in 34 Pa. Code, Chapters 401 through 405, as amended from time to time," as the municipal building code and names no roof work. Article I of Chapter 178 of the Borough Code adopts the "2015 International Building Code" and Article II (Ord. No. 540, 2000, as codified) adopts the "2015 International Residential Code" as the code of the Borough for one- and two-family dwellings, with changes to Section R101.1, Table R301.2(1) and a new Section R113.5 that name no roofing provision, and the Borough's pages name no later edition; this record has not read the 2015 edition's text and does not decide which edition the Borough applies.