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Permitting Authorities / Borough of Emmaus - Zoning Department

Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Borough of Emmaus, PA?

Adopted code

Borough of Emmaus - Zoning Department

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Borough of Emmaus, PA, issued by Borough of Emmaus - Zoning Department. The Borough of Emmaus's 2026 fee schedule lists a residential roof permit. The Borough's 2026 fee schedule (Resolution 2025-39, effective January 1, 2026, read October 9, 2026) establishes building permit fees "In accordance with the PA UCC as amended by the Borough of Emmaus," and under "Residential Building Permit Fees" lists "7. Roof Permit and Solar" with "A. Residential Roof $100.00." The Borough's Zoning and Building Code Guidelines say "Permits Are Required When" work includes "Making structural alterations or repairs," and the Zoning page says "The Borough's Zoning Office is happy to assist you with determining if a permit is required. Please call 610-967-1322 to speak with someone in our Zoning office." 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 municipality's requirement is one adopted under section 503 or kept in effect by section 303(b)(1). In practice, expect the Borough to require a permit for a residential reroof. The fee schedule says "Penalty Fee: All fees are doubled for construction started before obtaining a permit." Applications are taken at Borough of Emmaus Town Hall, 28 S. Fourth Street, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and the guidelines say "All permits must be obtained and fees paid prior to starting actual work" and "Code Enforcement Staff requires 24-hour notice for all inspections." Read for this answer: Part 1 of Chapter 5 of the Borough Code, Building Code (Sections 5-101 to 5-106), in full; every page of a search of the whole Borough Code for "roof" and for "reroofing," which found no code section naming a permit for roof work; the Zoning and Permit Applications/Fee Schedule pages; the Zoning and Building Code Guidelines; the zoning and building permit application; and the 2026 fee schedule.

Roof code checklist: Borough of Emmaus, PA

ItemAnswerCode citeSourceVerified
Permit to replace a roofYesemmauspa.gov2026-10-09
Repair permit thresholdPublishedpacodeandbulletin.gov2026-10-09
Layer limit / roof-overPublishedR908.3.1.1pacodeandbulletin.gov2026-10-09
Deck & sheathingPublishedR905.2.1pacodeandbulletin.gov2026-10-09
Drip edgeNot published
Ice & water shieldNot published
Mid-roof inspectionNot published
Impact-resistant (Class 4) roofingNopacodeandbulletin.gov2026-10-09
Wind design criteriaNot published
Adopted codePublishedSec. 5-101pacodeandbulletin.gov2026-10-09
Contractor license / registrationYespalegis.us2026-10-09
Sales & use taxPublishedpa.gov2026-10-09

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 Emmaus, Pennsylvania
Jurisdiction type
city
Address
28 South Fourth Street, Emmaus, PA 18049
Contact
  • url: https://www.emmauspa.gov/206/Zoning
  • phone: 610-967-1322
Roofing permit required
Required
Contractor registration required
Required
Permit process note
The Borough of Emmaus's 2026 fee schedule lists a residential roof permit. The Borough's 2026 fee schedule (Resolution 2025-39, effective January 1, 2026, read October 9, 2026) establishes building permit fees "In accordance with the PA UCC as amended by the Borough of Emmaus," and under "Residential Building Permit Fees" lists "7. Roof Permit and Solar" with "A. Residential Roof $100.00." The Borough's Zoning and Building Code Guidelines say "Permits Are Required When" work includes "Making structural alterations or repairs," and the Zoning page says "The Borough's Zoning Office is happy to assist you with determining if a permit is required. Please call 610-967-1322 to speak with someone in our Zoning office." 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 municipality's requirement is one adopted under section 503 or kept in effect by section 303(b)(1). In practice, expect the Borough to require a permit for a residential reroof. The fee schedule says "Penalty Fee: All fees are doubled for construction started before obtaining a permit." Applications are taken at Borough of Emmaus Town Hall, 28 S. Fourth Street, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and the guidelines say "All permits must be obtained and fees paid prior to starting actual work" and "Code Enforcement Staff requires 24-hour notice for all inspections." Read for this answer: Part 1 of Chapter 5 of the Borough Code, Building Code (Sections 5-101 to 5-106), in full; every page of a search of the whole Borough Code for "roof" and for "reroofing," which found no code section naming a permit for roof work; the Zoning and Permit Applications/Fee Schedule pages; the Zoning and Building Code Guidelines; the zoning and building permit application; and the 2026 fee schedule.
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, The Borough of Emmaus administers the code itself: Section 5-101 of the Borough Code says "The Borough of Emmaus hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," and the Borough's Zoning page lists its Director of Codes, a building code official, and a Code Official, and says "The Zoning Department regulates the use of land and the construction of buildings and other structures." The Borough's 2026 fee schedule adds that "Fees incurred by 3rd party inspector / plan reviewer will be charged to applicant." Section 5-102 adopts the Uniform Construction Code, "as amended from time to time," as the municipal building code of the Borough, and Part 1 of Chapter 5 changes nothing in the code's roofing provisions and names no edition; Section 5-105 keeps in force building code ordinances adopted on or before July 1, 1999 "which equal or exceed the requirements of the Code," and none was found in the published Borough Code.
Impact-resistant roofing
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, The Borough of Emmaus administers the code itself: Section 5-101 of the Borough Code says "The Borough of Emmaus hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," and the Borough's Zoning page lists its Director of Codes, a building code official, and a Code Official, and says "The Zoning Department regulates the use of land and the construction of buildings and other structures." The Borough's 2026 fee schedule adds that "Fees incurred by 3rd party inspector / plan reviewer will be charged to applicant." Part 1 of Chapter 5 of the Borough Code, read in full, contains no UL 2218, Class 4 or hail-impact requirement. Part 1 of Chapter 5 of the Borough Code adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as amended from time to time" and names no edition, and the Borough's pages name none.
Repair permit threshold
The Borough of Emmaus lists a residential roof permit among its building permit fees. The Borough's 2026 fee schedule (Resolution 2025-39, effective January 1, 2026, read October 9, 2026) establishes building permit fees "In accordance with the PA UCC as amended by the Borough of Emmaus," and under "Residential Building Permit Fees" lists "7. Roof Permit and Solar" with "A. Residential Roof $100.00." The Borough's Zoning and Building Code Guidelines say "Permits Are Required When" work includes "Making structural alterations or repairs," and the Zoning page says "The Borough's Zoning Office is happy to assist you with determining if a permit is required. Please call 610-967-1322 to speak with someone in our Zoning office." 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 municipality's requirement is one adopted under section 503 or kept in effect by section 303(b)(1). In practice, expect the Borough to require a permit for a residential reroof. The fee schedule says "Penalty Fee: All fees are doubled for construction started before obtaining a permit." 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, The Borough of Emmaus administers the code itself: Section 5-101 of the Borough Code says "The Borough of Emmaus hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," and the Borough's Zoning page lists its Director of Codes, a building code official, and a Code Official, and says "The Zoning Department regulates the use of land and the construction of buildings and other structures." The Borough's 2026 fee schedule adds that "Fees incurred by 3rd party inspector / plan reviewer will be charged to applicant." No Borough text read for this record sets an area or cost threshold for roof work; the fee schedule's residential roof permit, quoted at the start, is a flat $100.00.
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, The Borough of Emmaus administers the code itself: Section 5-101 of the Borough Code says "The Borough of Emmaus hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," and the Borough's Zoning page lists its Director of Codes, a building code official, and a Code Official, and says "The Zoning Department regulates the use of land and the construction of buildings and other structures." The Borough's 2026 fee schedule adds that "Fees incurred by 3rd party inspector / plan reviewer will be charged to applicant." Part 1 of Chapter 5 of the Borough Code changes nothing in the code's reroofing provisions, and the Borough's pages say nothing on roof layers. The 2026 fee schedule lists a "Residential Roof" permit.
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, The Borough of Emmaus administers the code itself: Section 5-101 of the Borough Code says "The Borough of Emmaus hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," and the Borough's Zoning page lists its Director of Codes, a building code official, and a Code Official, and says "The Zoning Department regulates the use of land and the construction of buildings and other structures." The Borough's 2026 fee schedule adds that "Fees incurred by 3rd party inspector / plan reviewer will be charged to applicant." Part 1 of Chapter 5 of the Borough Code changes nothing in the code's roof sheathing provisions. The Borough's guidelines say permits are required when "Making structural alterations or repairs" and draw no separate line for roof sheathing.
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. The Borough of Emmaus is in Lehigh County. The Borough's permit pages and 2026 fee schedule say nothing on sales tax for roofing work.

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The Borough of Emmaus's Zoning Department, at Town Hall, 28 South Fourth Street, issues building permits, and the Borough's 2026 fee schedule lists a residential roof permit fee among its residential building permit fees. 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 Emmaus, PA

Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Borough of Emmaus, PA?

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Borough of Emmaus, PA. The Borough of Emmaus lists a residential roof permit among its building permit fees. The Borough's 2026 fee schedule (Resolution 2025-39, effective January 1, 2026, read October 9, 2026) establishes building permit fees "In accordance with the PA UCC as amended by the Borough of Emmaus," and under "Residential Building Permit Fees" lists "7. Roof Permit and Solar" with "A. Residential Roof $100.00." The Borough's Zoning and Building Code Guidelines say "Permits Are Required When" work includes "Making structural alterations or repairs," and the Zoning page says "The Borough's Zoning Office is happy to assist you with determining if a permit is required. Please call 610-967-1322 to speak with someone in our Zoning office." 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 municipality's requirement is one adopted under section 503 or kept in effect by section 303(b)(1). In practice, expect the Borough to require a permit for a residential reroof. The fee schedule says "Penalty Fee: All fees are doubled for construction started before obtaining a permit." 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, The Borough of Emmaus administers the code itself: Section 5-101 of the Borough Code says "The Borough of Emmaus hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," and the Borough's Zoning page lists its Director of Codes, a building code official, and a Code Official, and says "The Zoning Department regulates the use of land and the construction of buildings and other structures." The Borough's 2026 fee schedule adds that "Fees incurred by 3rd party inspector / plan reviewer will be charged to applicant." No Borough text read for this record sets an area or cost threshold for roof work; the fee schedule's residential roof permit, quoted at the start, is a flat $100.00.

Can you roof over an existing roof in Borough of Emmaus, 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, The Borough of Emmaus administers the code itself: Section 5-101 of the Borough Code says "The Borough of Emmaus hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," and the Borough's Zoning page lists its Director of Codes, a building code official, and a Code Official, and says "The Zoning Department regulates the use of land and the construction of buildings and other structures." The Borough's 2026 fee schedule adds that "Fees incurred by 3rd party inspector / plan reviewer will be charged to applicant." Part 1 of Chapter 5 of the Borough Code changes nothing in the code's reroofing provisions, and the Borough's pages say nothing on roof layers. The 2026 fee schedule lists a "Residential Roof" permit.

Do roofing contractors need a license or registration in Borough of Emmaus, PA?

Yes.

What building code does Borough of Emmaus, 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, The Borough of Emmaus administers the code itself: Section 5-101 of the Borough Code says "The Borough of Emmaus hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," and the Borough's Zoning page lists its Director of Codes, a building code official, and a Code Official, and says "The Zoning Department regulates the use of land and the construction of buildings and other structures." The Borough's 2026 fee schedule adds that "Fees incurred by 3rd party inspector / plan reviewer will be charged to applicant." Section 5-102 adopts the Uniform Construction Code, "as amended from time to time," as the municipal building code of the Borough, and Part 1 of Chapter 5 changes nothing in the code's roofing provisions and names no edition; Section 5-105 keeps in force building code ordinances adopted on or before July 1, 1999 "which equal or exceed the requirements of the Code," and none was found in the published Borough Code.