Permitting Authorities / Mount Joy Borough - Codes and Zoning Office
Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Borough of Mount Joy, PA?
Adopted code
Mount Joy Borough - Codes and Zoning Office
No, Borough of Mount Joy, PA does not require a permit for like-for-like roof replacement (Mount Joy Borough - Codes and Zoning Office). Mount Joy Borough's own permit list puts "Reroofing that is non-structural in nature – i.e. replacing shingles only" under work not requiring permits, and "Re-Roofing when decking or sheathing is being repaired and or replaced" under work needing building and zoning permits. The Borough's "When Permits Are Required?" page (read October 9, 2026) lists, under "Work NOT requiring Permits in Mount Joy Borough," "Reroofing that is non-structural in nature – i.e. replacing shingles only," and lists, under "Building AND Zoning Permits are required in Mount Joy Borough when:", "Re-Roofing when decking or sheathing is being repaired and or replaced." The page also says "THIS IS NOT AN ALL INCLUSIVE LIST AND IS INTENDED TO PROVIDE GENERAL OR FREQUENTLY OCCURRING EXAMPLES. PLEASE CONTACT THE CODES AND ZONING OFFICE IF YOU ARE NOT SURE WHAT PERMITS MAY BE REQUIRED." Chapter 110 of the Borough Code adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as such regulations and standard codes adopted by such regulations may be amended from time to time" and adopts the State's permit sections, 34 Pa. Code 403.41 to 403.63, with additions that name no roof work; its scope section says "Items exempted from compliance with the Uniform Construction Code by Sections 403.1(b) and 403.1(e) of the L & I Regulations do not have to comply with the Construction Code but shall comply with all other applicable Borough ordinances." The zoning chapter, Section 270-3B, says "Ordinary repairs and maintenance to existing structures shall not by itself be regulated by this chapter. Examples of such work include replacement of a roof or porch that does not involve enclosure of space. (However, a construction permit under the UCC may be needed for such work.)" The Borough's fee schedule (Resolution 2023-17, effective January 1, 2024) has no roofing line; a residential building permit is "$75 up to $5,000 + $5 per $1,000 over $5,000." The enacted text names no roof work on houses as permit work; the no-permit line is the Borough's stated practice, and this record does not decide whether it is the Borough's reading of the State's exclusion for house repairs. 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." Read for this answer: Chapter 110 of the Borough Code, Construction Codes, Uniform (Sections 110-1 to 110-4), in full; Section 270-3 of the zoning chapter; every page of a search of the whole Borough Code for "roof" and for "reroofing," which found no permit provision naming roof work on houses; the Borough's When Permits Are Required page, Building/Construction pages, zoning and construction permit application and 2024 fee schedule. Where a permit is needed, apply on the Borough's Zoning & Construction Permit Application at the Borough office, 300 Orchard Road, Mount Joy, 717-653-2300, open Monday to Friday 7 AM to 4 PM. The fee schedule charges "Double Permit Fees" for "Failure to Acquire Permits," and Section 110-4 of the Borough Code sets a penalty "of not less than $200 and not more than $1,000 for each violation" of the construction code.
Roof code checklist: Borough of Mount Joy, 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 Mount Joy, Pennsylvania
Address
300 Orchard Road, Mount Joy, PA 17552
Contact
- url: https://mountjoyborough.com/permits/when-permits-are-required/
- phone: 717-653-2300
Roofing permit required
Not required
Contractor registration required
Required
Permit process note
Mount Joy Borough's own permit list puts "Reroofing that is non-structural in nature – i.e. replacing shingles only" under work not requiring permits, and "Re-Roofing when decking or sheathing is being repaired and or replaced" under work needing building and zoning permits. The Borough's "When Permits Are Required?" page (read October 9, 2026) lists, under "Work NOT requiring Permits in Mount Joy Borough," "Reroofing that is non-structural in nature – i.e. replacing shingles only," and lists, under "Building AND Zoning Permits are required in Mount Joy Borough when:", "Re-Roofing when decking or sheathing is being repaired and or replaced." The page also says "THIS IS NOT AN ALL INCLUSIVE LIST AND IS INTENDED TO PROVIDE GENERAL OR FREQUENTLY OCCURRING EXAMPLES. PLEASE CONTACT THE CODES AND ZONING OFFICE IF YOU ARE NOT SURE WHAT PERMITS MAY BE REQUIRED." Chapter 110 of the Borough Code adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as such regulations and standard codes adopted by such regulations may be amended from time to time" and adopts the State's permit sections, 34 Pa. Code 403.41 to 403.63, with additions that name no roof work; its scope section says "Items exempted from compliance with the Uniform Construction Code by Sections 403.1(b) and 403.1(e) of the L & I Regulations do not have to comply with the Construction Code but shall comply with all other applicable Borough ordinances." The zoning chapter, Section 270-3B, says "Ordinary repairs and maintenance to existing structures shall not by itself be regulated by this chapter. Examples of such work include replacement of a roof or porch that does not involve enclosure of space. (However, a construction permit under the UCC may be needed for such work.)" The Borough's fee schedule (Resolution 2023-17, effective January 1, 2024) has no roofing line; a residential building permit is "$75 up to $5,000 + $5 per $1,000 over $5,000." The enacted text names no roof work on houses as permit work; the no-permit line is the Borough's stated practice, and this record does not decide whether it is the Borough's reading of the State's exclusion for house repairs. 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." Read for this answer: Chapter 110 of the Borough Code, Construction Codes, Uniform (Sections 110-1 to 110-4), in full; Section 270-3 of the zoning chapter; every page of a search of the whole Borough Code for "roof" and for "reroofing," which found no permit provision naming roof work on houses; the Borough's When Permits Are Required page, Building/Construction pages, zoning and construction permit application and 2024 fee schedule. Where a permit is needed, apply on the Borough's Zoning & Construction Permit Application at the Borough office, 300 Orchard Road, Mount Joy, 717-653-2300, open Monday to Friday 7 AM to 4 PM. The fee schedule charges "Double Permit Fees" for "Failure to Acquire Permits," and Section 110-4 of the Borough Code sets a penalty "of not less than $200 and not more than $1,000 for each violation" of the construction code.
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, Mount Joy Borough administers the code itself through a Building Code Official and a third-party agency: Chapter 110 of the Borough Code (Ord. No. 2-04, June 22, 2004) has the Building Code Official "receive Construction Code permit applications" and allows the Construction Code Official to be a third-party agency, and the Borough's Building/Construction Overview page says "Code Administrators Inc. is the third-party agency appointed by the Borough." Section 110-3 adopts the Uniform Construction Code as the Mount Joy Borough Construction Code and fills in Table R301.2(1), including a ground snow load of "30 pounds per square foot" and "Ice shield underlayment required: yes"; Chapter 110 changes nothing in the code's roofing provisions. The Borough's Building/Construction Regulations page, under a heading giving February 14, 2022 as the effective date of Uniform Construction Code updates, says "2018 codes, along with the 2021 IBC, the 2021 IEBC, and the 2017 ICC A.117.1 Accessibility Standard are now to be used"; the text above is the 2021 edition's, the 2018 edition's text was not read for this record, and this record does not decide which edition the Borough applies.
Repair permit threshold
Mount Joy Borough lists reroofing that is non-structural, such as replacing shingles only, among work that needs no permit, and requires a permit for re-roofing when decking or sheathing is repaired or replaced. The Borough's "When Permits Are Required?" page (read October 9, 2026) lists, under "Work NOT requiring Permits in Mount Joy Borough," "Reroofing that is non-structural in nature – i.e. replacing shingles only," and lists, under "Building AND Zoning Permits are required in Mount Joy Borough when:", "Re-Roofing when decking or sheathing is being repaired and or replaced." The page also says "THIS IS NOT AN ALL INCLUSIVE LIST AND IS INTENDED TO PROVIDE GENERAL OR FREQUENTLY OCCURRING EXAMPLES. PLEASE CONTACT THE CODES AND ZONING OFFICE IF YOU ARE NOT SURE WHAT PERMITS MAY BE REQUIRED." Chapter 110 of the Borough Code adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as such regulations and standard codes adopted by such regulations may be amended from time to time" and adopts the State's permit sections, 34 Pa. Code 403.41 to 403.63, with additions that name no roof work; its scope section says "Items exempted from compliance with the Uniform Construction Code by Sections 403.1(b) and 403.1(e) of the L & I Regulations do not have to comply with the Construction Code but shall comply with all other applicable Borough ordinances." The zoning chapter, Section 270-3B, says "Ordinary repairs and maintenance to existing structures shall not by itself be regulated by this chapter. Examples of such work include replacement of a roof or porch that does not involve enclosure of space. (However, a construction permit under the UCC may be needed for such work.)" The Borough's fee schedule (Resolution 2023-17, effective January 1, 2024) has no roofing line; a residential building permit is "$75 up to $5,000 + $5 per $1,000 over $5,000." The enacted text names no roof work on houses as permit work; the no-permit line is the Borough's stated practice, and this record does not decide whether it is the Borough's reading of the State's exclusion for house repairs. 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, Mount Joy Borough administers the code itself through a Building Code Official and a third-party agency: Chapter 110 of the Borough Code (Ord. No. 2-04, June 22, 2004) has the Building Code Official "receive Construction Code permit applications" and allows the Construction Code Official to be a third-party agency, and the Borough's Building/Construction Overview page says "Code Administrators Inc. is the third-party agency appointed by the Borough." The Borough's line, quoted at the start, falls between reroofing that replaces shingles only, which needs no permit, and re-roofing that repairs or replaces decking or sheathing, which needs building and zoning permits; no Borough text sets an area or cost threshold for roof work.
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, Mount Joy Borough administers the code itself through a Building Code Official and a third-party agency: Chapter 110 of the Borough Code (Ord. No. 2-04, June 22, 2004) has the Building Code Official "receive Construction Code permit applications" and allows the Construction Code Official to be a third-party agency, and the Borough's Building/Construction Overview page says "Code Administrators Inc. is the third-party agency appointed by the Borough." Chapter 110 of the Borough Code changes nothing in the code's reroofing provisions, and the Borough lists reroofing that replaces shingles only among work that needs no permit; its pages say nothing on roof layers. The Borough's Building/Construction Regulations page, under a heading giving February 14, 2022 as the effective date of Uniform Construction Code updates, says "2018 codes, along with the 2021 IBC, the 2021 IEBC, and the 2017 ICC A.117.1 Accessibility Standard are now to be used"; the text above is the 2021 edition's, the 2018 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, Mount Joy Borough administers the code itself through a Building Code Official and a third-party agency: Chapter 110 of the Borough Code (Ord. No. 2-04, June 22, 2004) has the Building Code Official "receive Construction Code permit applications" and allows the Construction Code Official to be a third-party agency, and the Borough's Building/Construction Overview page says "Code Administrators Inc. is the third-party agency appointed by the Borough." Chapter 110 of the Borough Code changes nothing in the code's roof sheathing provisions. The Borough's permit list draws the line at sheathing: "Re-Roofing when decking or sheathing is being repaired and or replaced" needs building and zoning permits. The Borough's Building/Construction Regulations page, under a heading giving February 14, 2022 as the effective date of Uniform Construction Code updates, says "2018 codes, along with the 2021 IBC, the 2021 IEBC, and the 2017 ICC A.117.1 Accessibility Standard are now to be used"; the text above is the 2021 edition's, the 2018 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. Mount Joy Borough is in Lancaster County. The Borough's permit pages and fee schedule say nothing on sales tax.
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Mount Joy Borough takes zoning and construction permit applications at the Borough office, 300 Orchard Road, Mount Joy, with plan review and inspections by its appointed third-party agency, Code Administrators Inc., and the Borough lists non-structural reroofing among work that needs no 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 Mount Joy, PA
Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Borough of Mount Joy, PA?
No, Borough of Mount Joy, PA does not require a permit to replace a roof. Mount Joy Borough lists reroofing that is non-structural, such as replacing shingles only, among work that needs no permit, and requires a permit for re-roofing when decking or sheathing is repaired or replaced. The Borough's "When Permits Are Required?" page (read October 9, 2026) lists, under "Work NOT requiring Permits in Mount Joy Borough," "Reroofing that is non-structural in nature – i.e. replacing shingles only," and lists, under "Building AND Zoning Permits are required in Mount Joy Borough when:", "Re-Roofing when decking or sheathing is being repaired and or replaced." The page also says "THIS IS NOT AN ALL INCLUSIVE LIST AND IS INTENDED TO PROVIDE GENERAL OR FREQUENTLY OCCURRING EXAMPLES. PLEASE CONTACT THE CODES AND ZONING OFFICE IF YOU ARE NOT SURE WHAT PERMITS MAY BE REQUIRED." Chapter 110 of the Borough Code adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as such regulations and standard codes adopted by such regulations may be amended from time to time" and adopts the State's permit sections, 34 Pa. Code 403.41 to 403.63, with additions that name no roof work; its scope section says "Items exempted from compliance with the Uniform Construction Code by Sections 403.1(b) and 403.1(e) of the L & I Regulations do not have to comply with the Construction Code but shall comply with all other applicable Borough ordinances." The zoning chapter, Section 270-3B, says "Ordinary repairs and maintenance to existing structures shall not by itself be regulated by this chapter. Examples of such work include replacement of a roof or porch that does not involve enclosure of space. (However, a construction permit under the UCC may be needed for such work.)" The Borough's fee schedule (Resolution 2023-17, effective January 1, 2024) has no roofing line; a residential building permit is "$75 up to $5,000 + $5 per $1,000 over $5,000." The enacted text names no roof work on houses as permit work; the no-permit line is the Borough's stated practice, and this record does not decide whether it is the Borough's reading of the State's exclusion for house repairs. 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, Mount Joy Borough administers the code itself through a Building Code Official and a third-party agency: Chapter 110 of the Borough Code (Ord. No. 2-04, June 22, 2004) has the Building Code Official "receive Construction Code permit applications" and allows the Construction Code Official to be a third-party agency, and the Borough's Building/Construction Overview page says "Code Administrators Inc. is the third-party agency appointed by the Borough." The Borough's line, quoted at the start, falls between reroofing that replaces shingles only, which needs no permit, and re-roofing that repairs or replaces decking or sheathing, which needs building and zoning permits; no Borough text sets an area or cost threshold for roof work.
Can you roof over an existing roof in Borough of Mount Joy, 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, Mount Joy Borough administers the code itself through a Building Code Official and a third-party agency: Chapter 110 of the Borough Code (Ord. No. 2-04, June 22, 2004) has the Building Code Official "receive Construction Code permit applications" and allows the Construction Code Official to be a third-party agency, and the Borough's Building/Construction Overview page says "Code Administrators Inc. is the third-party agency appointed by the Borough." Chapter 110 of the Borough Code changes nothing in the code's reroofing provisions, and the Borough lists reroofing that replaces shingles only among work that needs no permit; its pages say nothing on roof layers. The Borough's Building/Construction Regulations page, under a heading giving February 14, 2022 as the effective date of Uniform Construction Code updates, says "2018 codes, along with the 2021 IBC, the 2021 IEBC, and the 2017 ICC A.117.1 Accessibility Standard are now to be used"; the text above is the 2021 edition's, the 2018 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 Mount Joy, PA?
Yes.
What building code does Borough of Mount Joy, 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, Mount Joy Borough administers the code itself through a Building Code Official and a third-party agency: Chapter 110 of the Borough Code (Ord. No. 2-04, June 22, 2004) has the Building Code Official "receive Construction Code permit applications" and allows the Construction Code Official to be a third-party agency, and the Borough's Building/Construction Overview page says "Code Administrators Inc. is the third-party agency appointed by the Borough." Section 110-3 adopts the Uniform Construction Code as the Mount Joy Borough Construction Code and fills in Table R301.2(1), including a ground snow load of "30 pounds per square foot" and "Ice shield underlayment required: yes"; Chapter 110 changes nothing in the code's roofing provisions. The Borough's Building/Construction Regulations page, under a heading giving February 14, 2022 as the effective date of Uniform Construction Code updates, says "2018 codes, along with the 2021 IBC, the 2021 IEBC, and the 2017 ICC A.117.1 Accessibility Standard are now to be used"; the text above is the 2021 edition's, the 2018 edition's text was not read for this record, and this record does not decide which edition the Borough applies.