Bath Borough Codes and Zoning Office

Borough of Bath, Pennsylvania (Northampton County)

city

121 South Walnut Street, Bath, PA 18014

Not required

Required

Bath Borough's Forms & Construction Code Project Guidance page (last modified April 7, 2026), under "Generally, what needs a permit?" and "Not an exhaustive list:", has a table with the columns "ZONING PERMIT" and "UNIFORM CONSTRUCTION CODE REVIEW PERMIT & GENERAL PERMITS" and the row "Roofing – Replacing or Repairing Roof Material (example: shingles/asphalt with new shingles/asphalt)" marked NO in both columns (read October 10, 2026). The same table marks "Roofing – Replacing one architectural roofing material with another (example: going from shingles to metal roof or vice versa)" NO for the zoning permit and YES for Uniform Construction Code review, and "Roofing – Replacing or Repairing Structural Members of the Roof (rafters or plywood)" NO for the zoning permit and YES for Uniform Construction Code review. The page adds "Always best, if you are unsure if your project needs a permit or UCC review, please call our office (610) 837-6525." Under state law, Act 45 section 104(b)(5) and (6) list "Alterations to residential buildings which do not make structural changes or changes to means of egress" and "Repairs to residential buildings" among work the Act 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," and 34 Pa. Code 403.62(c) says "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." Section 675-13 A(1) of the Borough's zoning chapter says "No person shall commence to erect, alter, occupy or convert any structure or building, alter the use of any land or structure, or commence grading until the Zoning Officer issues a zoning permit authorizing such change or construction," Section 675-13 A(2) adds that no one shall "excavate or store material or equipment on a lot in connection with the erection, construction, placement, reconstruction, alteration, repair, extension, replacement, restoration or conversion of any structure, building or sign" until a zoning permit issues, and the chapter defines "ALTERATION" as "A change or rearrangement in any structural part of an existing facility, building or structure or in an exit or entrance, or an enlargement thereof." Those are zoning permit texts that name no roof work, and the Borough's own table marks the like-for-like roofing row NO for the zoning permit; this record does not decide whether that line is the Borough's reading of those clauses. Chapter 270 adds no permit clause of its own: Section 270-5 keeps in force building code ordinances adopted on or before July 1, 1999 "which equal the requirements of the Code," Section 270-4 refers to the Borough's earlier adoption of the "BOCA Basic Building Code," and no such ordinance is posted in the Borough Code, so this record has not read one. The no-permit line is the Borough's stated practice for the same-material job, and the Borough's table is the only text read that speaks to reroofing. The Borough's "Building/Zoning Permits Issued" postings show a permit issued May 26, 2026 on a form headed "BUILDING PERMIT" with the line "PERMIT FOR: Re-Roofing" (the Borough Code's public documents list it as ZBPA-26-17); a log of issued permits is not a statement of when a permit is required, and this record does not say what that job involved. The Borough's 2026 fee schedule (Resolution No. 2025-011, adopted December 8, 2025, scanned and read from its rendered page images) lists "Residential Reno/Demo/Construction" building permits under the Uniform Construction Code and attaches the third-party agency's 2026 Residential Building Permit Fee Schedule, which lists new dwellings, additions, "Renovations or Alterations," decks, pools, "Solar and Photovoltaic Panel System installations either roof or ground mounted" and minor alteration categories, and has no roof replacement line. Ask the Borough office (610-837-6525), open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., before starting, especially for a change of roofing material or work on rafters or plywood. Read for this answer: the Borough's Forms & Construction Code Project Guidance, Codes, Building/Zoning Permits Issued, Frequently Asked Questions and Contact pages; the Residential Plan Information handout; Chapter 270 (Construction Codes, Uniform) of the Borough Code in full; Article V (permits and certificates) and the definitions of the zoning chapter; Chapter 470 (Property Maintenance); the 2026 fee schedule; and every page of searches of the Borough Code and its public documents for "roof" (49 results: zoning and stormwater definitions, signs, rental inspection, historic review, solar-panel permit logs and council minutes), "re-roofing" (1 result, the permit log entry above) and "reroofing" (no results). The Borough's pages name no code edition.

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, Bath Borough takes permit applications at its Borough office, 121 South Walnut Street, and through an online citizens services portal, and its Codes page says "The borough contracts with a third-party vendor for general code, zoning & plan reviews. The contracted Code/Zoning Official maintains office hours with the borough from Tuesday through Thursdays 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM." Section 270-1 of the Borough Code says Council "hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," Section 270-2 adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as amended from time to time" by reference "as the Municipal Building Code of the Borough of Bath," and Section 270-3 lets Council choose by resolution among a Borough employee, "third-party agencies" and other arrangements. Section 675-13 A(1) of the Borough's zoning chapter says "No person shall commence to erect, alter, occupy or convert any structure or building, alter the use of any land or structure, or commence grading until the Zoning Officer issues a zoning permit authorizing such change or construction," Section 675-13 A(2) adds that no one shall "excavate or store material or equipment on a lot in connection with the erection, construction, placement, reconstruction, alteration, repair, extension, replacement, restoration or conversion of any structure, building or sign" until a zoning permit issues, and the chapter defines "ALTERATION" as "A change or rearrangement in any structural part of an existing facility, building or structure or in an exit or entrance, or an enlargement thereof." Those are zoning permit texts that name no roof work, and the Borough's own table marks the like-for-like roofing row NO for the zoning permit; this record does not decide whether that line is the Borough's reading of those clauses. Chapter 270 adds no permit clause of its own: Section 270-5 keeps in force building code ordinances adopted on or before July 1, 1999 "which equal the requirements of the Code," Section 270-4 refers to the Borough's earlier adoption of the "BOCA Basic Building Code," and no such ordinance is posted in the Borough Code, so this record has not read one. The Borough's pages name no code edition.

Not required — No impact-resistance requirement under state law. The State's adoption of the 2021 International Residential Code (34 Pa. Code 403.21) contains no hail or impact rule, and it makes no change to the code's roof assemblies chapter, which itself has no UL 2218, Class 4 or hail-impact requirement for roof coverings. A municipality could add one only by an ordinance that equals or exceeds the Uniform Construction Code under Act 45 section 503, filed with the Department of Labor and Industry; none of the filings on the Department's register of municipal code change ordinances mentions hail or impact resistance. An owner may still choose an impact-rated roof covering. Everything above is Pennsylvania state law, the same in every municipality. Locally, Bath Borough takes permit applications at its Borough office, 121 South Walnut Street, and through an online citizens services portal, and its Codes page says "The borough contracts with a third-party vendor for general code, zoning & plan reviews. The contracted Code/Zoning Official maintains office hours with the borough from Tuesday through Thursdays 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM." Section 270-1 of the Borough Code says Council "hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," Section 270-2 adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as amended from time to time" by reference "as the Municipal Building Code of the Borough of Bath," and Section 270-3 lets Council choose by resolution among a Borough employee, "third-party agencies" and other arrangements. No Borough page, code chapter or fee schedule read for this record adds an impact-resistance rule.

Bath Borough's Forms & Construction Code Project Guidance page (last modified April 7, 2026), under "Generally, what needs a permit?" and "Not an exhaustive list:", has a table with the columns "ZONING PERMIT" and "UNIFORM CONSTRUCTION CODE REVIEW PERMIT & GENERAL PERMITS" and the row "Roofing – Replacing or Repairing Roof Material (example: shingles/asphalt with new shingles/asphalt)" marked NO in both columns (read October 10, 2026). The same table marks "Roofing – Replacing one architectural roofing material with another (example: going from shingles to metal roof or vice versa)" NO for the zoning permit and YES for Uniform Construction Code review, and "Roofing – Replacing or Repairing Structural Members of the Roof (rafters or plywood)" NO for the zoning permit and YES for Uniform Construction Code review. The page adds "Always best, if you are unsure if your project needs a permit or UCC review, please call our office (610) 837-6525." Under state law, Act 45 section 104(b)(5) and (6) list "Alterations to residential buildings which do not make structural changes or changes to means of egress" and "Repairs to residential buildings" among work the Act 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," and 34 Pa. Code 403.62(c) says "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." 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, Bath Borough takes permit applications at its Borough office, 121 South Walnut Street, and through an online citizens services portal, and its Codes page says "The borough contracts with a third-party vendor for general code, zoning & plan reviews. The contracted Code/Zoning Official maintains office hours with the borough from Tuesday through Thursdays 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM." Section 270-1 of the Borough Code says Council "hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," Section 270-2 adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as amended from time to time" by reference "as the Municipal Building Code of the Borough of Bath," and Section 270-3 lets Council choose by resolution among a Borough employee, "third-party agencies" and other arrangements. State law sets no square-footage or percentage threshold for roof work, and the Borough's table sets none: its like-for-like roofing row is NO for both permits, and the two rows that are YES for Uniform Construction Code review turn on a change of roofing material or on structural members of the roof (rafters or plywood).

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, Bath Borough takes permit applications at its Borough office, 121 South Walnut Street, and through an online citizens services portal, and its Codes page says "The borough contracts with a third-party vendor for general code, zoning & plan reviews. The contracted Code/Zoning Official maintains office hours with the borough from Tuesday through Thursdays 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM." Section 270-1 of the Borough Code says Council "hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," Section 270-2 adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as amended from time to time" by reference "as the Municipal Building Code of the Borough of Bath," and Section 270-3 lets Council choose by resolution among a Borough employee, "third-party agencies" and other arrangements. The Borough's pages, forms and codes read for this record say nothing on roof layers. The Borough's pages name no code edition.

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, Bath Borough takes permit applications at its Borough office, 121 South Walnut Street, and through an online citizens services portal, and its Codes page says "The borough contracts with a third-party vendor for general code, zoning & plan reviews. The contracted Code/Zoning Official maintains office hours with the borough from Tuesday through Thursdays 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM." Section 270-1 of the Borough Code says Council "hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," Section 270-2 adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as amended from time to time" by reference "as the Municipal Building Code of the Borough of Bath," and Section 270-3 lets Council choose by resolution among a Borough employee, "third-party agencies" and other arrangements. The Borough's permit guidance table draws a line at roof sheathing and framing: it marks "Roofing – Replacing or Repairing Structural Members of the Roof (rafters or plywood)" YES for Uniform Construction Code review, and no other Borough text read for this record speaks to roof sheathing. The Borough's pages name no code edition.

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. Bath Borough is in Northampton County. The Borough's pages and fee schedule say nothing on sales tax.