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Permitting Authorities / City of Erie - Bureau of Building Standards and Safety

Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Erie, PA?

Adopted code

City of Erie - Bureau of Building Standards and Safety

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Erie, PA, issued by City of Erie - Bureau of Building Standards and Safety. The City of Erie's enacted code makes a full reroof permit work, while the Bureau of Building Standards and Safety's web page says roof coverings need no permit. City Code Section 1503.41 (Ord. 30-2004; https://ecode360.com/33839602, read October 5, 2026) requires a permit to "construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a residential building" and exempts only "Replacement of existing roof material that does not exceed 25% of the total roof area performed within any twelve-month period," a limit a full reroof exceeds. The Bureau's Residential Permits page (https://www.erie.pa.us/departments/economic_development/bureau_of_building_standards_and_safety/residential_permits.php, read October 5, 2026) says "Permits are not required for residential roof coverings (ex: shingles, etc.) Permits are required for structural repairs or changes to roofs," and its Permitting page says "The City of Erie requires permits for" work including "Renovation and Repair of Existing Structures." This record follows the enacted code; the page is the Bureau's stated practice as of the date read. 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 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, a roofer replacing more than a quarter of a roof should expect the code's permit requirement to apply even though the Bureau's page says otherwise, and should settle the point with the Bureau before starting; City Code Section 333.07 says "Licensed contractors shall not engage in any work requiring a permit unless a permit has been issued by the Building Code Official." Applications go to the Code Enforcement office in Room 407 of the City of Erie Municipal Building, 626 State Street; the page says "For minor projects, a permit will often times be granted at time of application," and the Bureau's FAQ says the office "is open from 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM" and "All building permits require zoning approval, including those for interior renovations." Building Inspection is at 814-870-1471. Section 1502.02 charges "an administration and technology fee in the amount of $25" with each building permit application, plus $25 for work costing up to $2,000 or $25 plus $7 per $1,000 above $2,000, and Section 1502.001 adds a $4.50 state surcharge. Article 333 licenses contractors by examination and lists a roofing contractor category among its master contractor licences; Section 333.07 requires proof of liability insurance of $500,000 per person and $1,000,000 per occurrence and of workers' compensation coverage before a permit issues, and Section 333.13 lets an owner who does the work on a single-family home they own and occupy obtain a permit without a contractor licence.

Roof code checklist: Erie, PA

ItemAnswerCode citeSourceVerified
Permit to replace a roofYesecode360.com2026-10-05
Repair permit thresholdPublishedpacodeandbulletin.gov2026-10-05
Layer limit / roof-overPublishedR908.3.1.1pacodeandbulletin.gov2026-10-05
Deck & sheathingPublishedR905.2.1pacodeandbulletin.gov2026-10-05
Drip edgeNot published
Ice & water shieldNot published
Mid-roof inspectionNot published
Impact-resistant (Class 4) roofingNopacodeandbulletin.gov2026-10-05
Wind design criteriaNot published
Adopted codePublishedSec. 1503.21pacodeandbulletin.gov2026-10-05
Contractor license / registrationYespalegis.us2026-10-05
Sales & use taxPublishedSec. 1503.41pa.gov2026-10-05

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
City of Erie, Pennsylvania
Jurisdiction type
city
Address
626 State Street, Room 407 (City of Erie Municipal Building), Erie, PA 16501
Contact
  • url: https://www.erie.pa.us/departments/economic_development/bureau_of_building_standards_and_safety/index.php
  • phone: 814-870-1471
Roofing permit required
Required
Contractor registration required
Required
Permit process note
The City of Erie's enacted code makes a full reroof permit work, while the Bureau of Building Standards and Safety's web page says roof coverings need no permit. City Code Section 1503.41 (Ord. 30-2004; https://ecode360.com/33839602, read October 5, 2026) requires a permit to "construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a residential building" and exempts only "Replacement of existing roof material that does not exceed 25% of the total roof area performed within any twelve-month period," a limit a full reroof exceeds. The Bureau's Residential Permits page (https://www.erie.pa.us/departments/economic_development/bureau_of_building_standards_and_safety/residential_permits.php, read October 5, 2026) says "Permits are not required for residential roof coverings (ex: shingles, etc.) Permits are required for structural repairs or changes to roofs," and its Permitting page says "The City of Erie requires permits for" work including "Renovation and Repair of Existing Structures." This record follows the enacted code; the page is the Bureau's stated practice as of the date read. 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 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, a roofer replacing more than a quarter of a roof should expect the code's permit requirement to apply even though the Bureau's page says otherwise, and should settle the point with the Bureau before starting; City Code Section 333.07 says "Licensed contractors shall not engage in any work requiring a permit unless a permit has been issued by the Building Code Official." Applications go to the Code Enforcement office in Room 407 of the City of Erie Municipal Building, 626 State Street; the page says "For minor projects, a permit will often times be granted at time of application," and the Bureau's FAQ says the office "is open from 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM" and "All building permits require zoning approval, including those for interior renovations." Building Inspection is at 814-870-1471. Section 1502.02 charges "an administration and technology fee in the amount of $25" with each building permit application, plus $25 for work costing up to $2,000 or $25 plus $7 per $1,000 above $2,000, and Section 1502.001 adds a $4.50 state surcharge. Article 333 licenses contractors by examination and lists a roofing contractor category among its master contractor licences; Section 333.07 requires proof of liability insurance of $500,000 per person and $1,000,000 per occurrence and of workers' compensation coverage before a permit issues, and Section 333.13 lets an owner who does the work on a single-family home they own and occupy obtain a permit without a contractor licence.
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 City of Erie administers the code through its Bureau of Building Standards and Safety, which takes building permit applications at the Code Enforcement office in Room 407 of the City of Erie Municipal Building. City Code Section 1503.21 adopts its list of codes "as the Uniform Construction Code" and still names the 2018 editions, the 2018 International Residential Code among them, while the Bureau's page says "The City of Erie currently uses the 2021 International Code Council Codes and 2020 National Electrical Codes adopted by the State of Pennsylvania." Section 1503.27 says the International Residential Code and the International Existing Building Code "apply to the construction, alteration, movement, enlargement, replacement, repair, equipment, use and occupancy, location, removal and demolition of detached one- and two- family dwellings," Section 1503.11's list of work the code "does not apply to" names no house repairs or alterations, and Section 1503.41 requires a permit for residential repairs and alterations, exempting roof replacement only up to 25% of the roof area in twelve months. Articles 1503.1, 1503.2 and 1503.4, read in full, change none of the codes' reroofing, roof covering or roof sheathing sections.
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 City of Erie administers the code through its Bureau of Building Standards and Safety. City Code Section 1503.41 (Ord. 30-2004) requires a permit to "construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a residential building" and exempts "Replacement of existing roof material that does not exceed 25% of the total roof area performed within any twelve-month period," and Section 1503.11's list of work the code "does not apply to" names no house repairs or alterations. The Bureau's Residential Permits page states a different practice: "Permits are not required for residential roof coverings (ex: shingles, etc.) Permits are required for structural repairs or changes to roofs." Articles 1503.1, 1503.2 and 1503.4 of the City Code, read in full, change none of the codes' reroofing, roof covering or roof sheathing sections. Those articles contain no UL 2218, Class 4 or hail-impact requirement.
Repair permit threshold
Replacing more than 25% of the roof area within twelve months needs a permit under the City of Erie's code. City Code Section 1503.41 (Ord. 30-2004; https://ecode360.com/33839602, read October 5, 2026) says an owner or agent who intends to "construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a residential building" shall "first apply to the Building Code Official and obtain the required permit," and its list of work for which "A permit is not required" includes "Replacement of existing roof material that does not exceed 25% of the total roof area performed within any twelve-month period." Section 1503.11 says "The Uniform Construction Code applies to the construction, alteration, repair, movement, equipment, removal, demolition, location, maintenance, occupancy or change of occupancy of every building or structure which occurs on or after July 8, 2004," and its list of work the code "does not apply to" names no house repairs or alterations. The Bureau of Building Standards and Safety's Residential Permits page (https://www.erie.pa.us/departments/economic_development/bureau_of_building_standards_and_safety/residential_permits.php, read October 5, 2026) states a different practice: "Permits are not required for residential roof coverings (ex: shingles, etc.) Permits are required for structural repairs or changes to roofs," and "Window, Door, Roof and Siding Replacement: No permit is required, under the condition that the dimensions or framing of the original structures are not altered." This record follows the enacted code and reports the page as the Bureau's stated practice. 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 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). 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. 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, apart from the City's code and the Bureau's page quoted at the start. Locally, the City's Bureau of Building Standards and Safety takes the permit applications, and the 25% line above is the City's own.
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 City of Erie administers the code through its Bureau of Building Standards and Safety. City Code Section 1503.41 (Ord. 30-2004) requires a permit to "construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a residential building" and exempts "Replacement of existing roof material that does not exceed 25% of the total roof area performed within any twelve-month period," and Section 1503.11's list of work the code "does not apply to" names no house repairs or alterations. The Bureau's Residential Permits page states a different practice: "Permits are not required for residential roof coverings (ex: shingles, etc.) Permits are required for structural repairs or changes to roofs." Articles 1503.1, 1503.2 and 1503.4 of the City Code, read in full, change none of the codes' reroofing, roof covering or roof sheathing sections. City Code Section 1503.21 still adopts the 2018 International Residential Code, while the Bureau's page says the City uses the 2021 codes adopted by the State; this record has not read the 2018 edition's reroofing text. The Bureau's pages state nothing on roof layers.
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 City of Erie administers the code through its Bureau of Building Standards and Safety. City Code Section 1503.41 (Ord. 30-2004) requires a permit to "construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a residential building" and exempts "Replacement of existing roof material that does not exceed 25% of the total roof area performed within any twelve-month period," and Section 1503.11's list of work the code "does not apply to" names no house repairs or alterations. The Bureau's Residential Permits page states a different practice: "Permits are not required for residential roof coverings (ex: shingles, etc.) Permits are required for structural repairs or changes to roofs." Articles 1503.1, 1503.2 and 1503.4 of the City Code, read in full, change none of the codes' reroofing, roof covering or roof sheathing sections. City Code Section 1503.21 still adopts the 2018 International Residential Code, while the Bureau's page says the City uses the 2021 codes adopted by the State; this record has not read the 2018 edition's sheathing text. The Bureau's page draws its line at "structural repairs or changes to roofs" and does not name 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. Locally, Erie is in Erie County. Locally, the City of Erie administers the code through its Bureau of Building Standards and Safety. City Code Section 1503.41 (Ord. 30-2004) requires a permit to "construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a residential building" and exempts "Replacement of existing roof material that does not exceed 25% of the total roof area performed within any twelve-month period," and Section 1503.11's list of work the code "does not apply to" names no house repairs or alterations. The Bureau's Residential Permits page states a different practice: "Permits are not required for residential roof coverings (ex: shingles, etc.) Permits are required for structural repairs or changes to roofs." Articles 1503.1, 1503.2 and 1503.4 of the City Code, read in full, change none of the codes' reroofing, roof covering or roof sheathing sections. The Bureau's pages say nothing on sales tax.

More roof permit pages in Pennsylvania

Harrisburg, PARoof permit Hempfield Township - Code Enforcement DepartmentRoof permit Lancaster, PARoof permit Manheim Township - Code Compliance DepartmentRoof permit Municipality of Penn Hills, PARoof permit

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The City of Erie's Bureau of Building Standards and Safety, in the Department of Neighborhood and Economic Development, takes building permit applications at the Code Enforcement office in Room 407 of the City of Erie Municipal Building, 626 State Street, and its page says "The City of Erie currently uses the 2021 International Code Council Codes and 2020 National Electrical Codes adopted by the State of Pennsylvania." 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: Erie, PA

Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Erie, PA?

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Erie, PA. Replacing more than 25% of the roof area within twelve months needs a permit under the City of Erie's code. City Code Section 1503.41 (Ord. 30-2004; https://ecode360.com/33839602, read October 5, 2026) says an owner or agent who intends to "construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a residential building" shall "first apply to the Building Code Official and obtain the required permit," and its list of work for which "A permit is not required" includes "Replacement of existing roof material that does not exceed 25% of the total roof area performed within any twelve-month period." Section 1503.11 says "The Uniform Construction Code applies to the construction, alteration, repair, movement, equipment, removal, demolition, location, maintenance, occupancy or change of occupancy of every building or structure which occurs on or after July 8, 2004," and its list of work the code "does not apply to" names no house repairs or alterations. The Bureau of Building Standards and Safety's Residential Permits page (https://www.erie.pa.us/departments/economic_development/bureau_of_building_standards_and_safety/residential_permits.php, read October 5, 2026) states a different practice: "Permits are not required for residential roof coverings (ex: shingles, etc.) Permits are required for structural repairs or changes to roofs," and "Window, Door, Roof and Siding Replacement: No permit is required, under the condition that the dimensions or framing of the original structures are not altered." This record follows the enacted code and reports the page as the Bureau's stated practice. 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 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). 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. 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, apart from the City's code and the Bureau's page quoted at the start. Locally, the City's Bureau of Building Standards and Safety takes the permit applications, and the 25% line above is the City's own.

Can you roof over an existing roof in Erie, 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 City of Erie administers the code through its Bureau of Building Standards and Safety. City Code Section 1503.41 (Ord. 30-2004) requires a permit to "construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a residential building" and exempts "Replacement of existing roof material that does not exceed 25% of the total roof area performed within any twelve-month period," and Section 1503.11's list of work the code "does not apply to" names no house repairs or alterations. The Bureau's Residential Permits page states a different practice: "Permits are not required for residential roof coverings (ex: shingles, etc.) Permits are required for structural repairs or changes to roofs." Articles 1503.1, 1503.2 and 1503.4 of the City Code, read in full, change none of the codes' reroofing, roof covering or roof sheathing sections. City Code Section 1503.21 still adopts the 2018 International Residential Code, while the Bureau's page says the City uses the 2021 codes adopted by the State; this record has not read the 2018 edition's reroofing text. The Bureau's pages state nothing on roof layers.

Do roofing contractors need a license or registration in Erie, PA?

Yes.

What building code does Erie, 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 City of Erie administers the code through its Bureau of Building Standards and Safety, which takes building permit applications at the Code Enforcement office in Room 407 of the City of Erie Municipal Building. City Code Section 1503.21 adopts its list of codes "as the Uniform Construction Code" and still names the 2018 editions, the 2018 International Residential Code among them, while the Bureau's page says "The City of Erie currently uses the 2021 International Code Council Codes and 2020 National Electrical Codes adopted by the State of Pennsylvania." Section 1503.27 says the International Residential Code and the International Existing Building Code "apply to the construction, alteration, movement, enlargement, replacement, repair, equipment, use and occupancy, location, removal and demolition of detached one- and two- family dwellings," Section 1503.11's list of work the code "does not apply to" names no house repairs or alterations, and Section 1503.41 requires a permit for residential repairs and alterations, exempting roof replacement only up to 25% of the roof area in twelve months. Articles 1503.1, 1503.2 and 1503.4, read in full, change none of the codes' reroofing, roof covering or roof sheathing sections.