Riverside Borough - Building Permits and Zoning Officer

Borough of Riverside, Pennsylvania (Northumberland County)

city

415 Dewart Street, Riverside, PA 17868

Required

No Riverside Borough text read for this record names reroofing as permit work or as exempt from a building or Uniform Construction Code permit. The Borough's Building Permits page names no work for which a permit is or is not needed. Chapter 125 adopts "The Uniform Construction Code, contained in 34 Pa. Code, Chapters 401 to 405, as amended from time to time," as the municipal building code, continues pre-July 1, 1999 building code ordinances "which equal or exceed the requirements of the code," leaves fees to resolution, and names no roof work. The Borough's Zoning Chapter, Section 285-8 B, says "Ordinary repairs and maintenance to existing structures that do not involve an expansion or change of a use or structure 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 Construction Codes may be needed for such work.)" That sentence speaks to the zoning chapter and says a construction permit "may be needed," so this record does not treat it as the Borough's statement that a reroof does or does not need a permit. The Borough's Floodplain Management chapter, Section 163-4, says "It shall be unlawful for any person, partnership, business or corporation to undertake, or cause to be undertaken, any construction or development anywhere within the Borough of Riverside unless a building permit has been obtained from the Building Permit Officer" and "A building permit shall not be required for minor repairs to existing buildings or structures"; it names no roof work, defines no "minor repairs," and this record does not decide whether a house reroof is a minor repair. The Borough's Property Maintenance and Buildings chapters (Chapters 213, 107) were read and name no roof permit. 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." This record does not decide whether a reroof needs a permit in Riverside Borough. Read for this answer: the Borough's Building Permits, Borough Secretary, About the Borough and home pages; Chapters 125, 163, 213 and 107 of its Code on ecode360; Zoning Chapter 285, Section 285-8; and every page of a search of the whole Code for "roof," "reroofing" and "permit." The Borough's pages post no permit application and no fee schedule, so neither was read, and Section 163-7 of the Floodplain chapter could not be opened for this record. Call the Borough's Zoning Officer at 570-205-0496 before starting, as the Building Permits page directs.

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, Riverside Borough's Building Permits page, read October 12, 2026, says "Due to statewide changes in local building codes,please contact" the Riverside Borough Zoning Officer (570-205-0496) "with any questions you may have and to obtain a building permit." The Borough's Code, Chapter 125 (Ord. No. 6-04, June 7, 2004), says "This municipality hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act" and lets the Borough Council choose by resolution among a municipal employee, "third-party agencies" and joint arrangements; no Borough page read for this record names the resolution or any agency. The Borough office is at 415 Dewart Street, Riverside (570-275-1751). The Borough's pages and Chapter 125 name no code edition, adopting the Uniform Construction Code "as amended from time to time"; this record does not decide which edition the Borough applies.

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, Riverside Borough's Building Permits page directs applicants to the Borough's Zoning Officer "to obtain a building permit," and Chapter 125 of its Code elects to administer and enforce the Construction Code Act. The Borough's pages and Code name no impact-resistance rule and no code edition.

No Riverside Borough text read for this record names reroofing as permit work or as exempt from a building or Uniform Construction Code permit. The Borough's Building Permits page names no work for which a permit is or is not needed. Chapter 125 adopts "The Uniform Construction Code, contained in 34 Pa. Code, Chapters 401 to 405, as amended from time to time," as the municipal building code, continues pre-July 1, 1999 building code ordinances "which equal or exceed the requirements of the code," leaves fees to resolution, and names no roof work. The Borough's Zoning Chapter, Section 285-8 B, says "Ordinary repairs and maintenance to existing structures that do not involve an expansion or change of a use or structure 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 Construction Codes may be needed for such work.)" That sentence speaks to the zoning chapter and says a construction permit "may be needed," so this record does not treat it as the Borough's statement that a reroof does or does not need a permit. The Borough's Floodplain Management chapter, Section 163-4, says "It shall be unlawful for any person, partnership, business or corporation to undertake, or cause to be undertaken, any construction or development anywhere within the Borough of Riverside unless a building permit has been obtained from the Building Permit Officer" and "A building permit shall not be required for minor repairs to existing buildings or structures"; it names no roof work, defines no "minor repairs," and this record does not decide whether a house reroof is a minor repair. The Borough's Property Maintenance and Buildings chapters (Chapters 213, 107) were read and name no roof permit. 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, Riverside Borough's Building Permits page directs applicants to the Borough's Zoning Officer "to obtain a building permit," and Chapter 125 of its Code elects to administer and enforce the Construction Code Act. The Borough's pages set no area or cost threshold for roof work.

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, Riverside Borough's Building Permits page directs applicants to the Borough's Zoning Officer "to obtain a building permit," and Chapter 125 of its Code elects to administer and enforce the Construction Code Act. The Borough's pages and Code say nothing on roof layers. The Borough's pages and Chapter 125 name no code edition, adopting the Uniform Construction Code "as amended from time to time"; this record does not decide which edition the Borough applies.

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, Riverside Borough's Building Permits page directs applicants to the Borough's Zoning Officer "to obtain a building permit," and Chapter 125 of its Code elects to administer and enforce the Construction Code Act. The Borough's pages and Code say nothing on roof sheathing. The Borough's pages and Chapter 125 name no code edition, adopting the Uniform Construction Code "as amended from time to time"; this record does not decide which edition the Borough applies.

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. Riverside Borough is in Northumberland County. The Borough's pages and Code say nothing on sales tax.