Jurisdiction
Township of Unity, Pennsylvania
Address
154 Beatty County Road, Latrobe, PA 15650
Contact
- url: https://www.unitytownship.org/departments/building/
- phone: 724-539-2546
Roofing permit required
Required
Contractor registration required
Required
Permit process note
Unity Township's code requires a building permit for all construction, "including any alterations or repairs to existing buildings or structures," and the Township has published no exemption for a reroof. Section 42-1 of the Township Code, in Chapter 42, Building Permits (adopted January 30, 1995 by Ordinance No. O-2-95), says "A building permit shall be required for all construction and development, including any alterations or repairs to existing buildings or structures." It names no roof work and is not limited to flood-prone areas; the Township's flood rules are in a separate chapter. Section 41-1 C keeps building code ordinances adopted on or before July 1, 1999 "and which equal or exceed the requirements of the UCC" in effect, and Section 42-5, as amended August 14, 2025, says that where a permit requirement in Chapter 42 "is in conflict or inconsistent with the terms and provisions of Chapter 41," Chapter 41's terms apply. Chapter 41 adopts the Uniform Construction Code by reference, and the Code says "An ordinary repair does not require a permit" (34 Pa. Code 403.62) without defining an ordinary repair or setting an area or cost limit. This record does not decide how Sections 41-1 C and 42-5 bear on Section 42-1. The Department of Building Safety has published nothing on reroofing. Its Residential Building Permit Information Guide (read October 7, 2026) lists work for which "By state law, a building permit, inspections and a Certificate of Occupancy is required," including "Structural alterations to an existing dwelling unit (Building Code Official will determine if the work you intend to perform involves structural alterations)," and says "No work shall begin on any project until the application is approved and permit is issued and paid for"; it names no roof work. The Township's Building Permit Application offers "Repair" as a type of improvement and has no roofing line. 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, Section 42-1 names repairs without exception and the Township has published no exemption for a reroof, so expect to need a building permit. Section 42-4 says a violator shall "pay a fine of not more than $1,000 plus all court costs, including reasonable attorneys' fees incurred by the Township," and the guide warns that "doing work regulated by the UCC without a permit will result in an enforcement action being taken against you by Unity Township." Applications are available at the Township office, which is open Monday to Friday, 8AM to 4PM; the guide says residential applications are processed within 15 working days, inspections must be requested on the Township's Inspection Request form at least five working days ahead, and the Township holds a $200 deposit until the final inspection (Section 42-6). The Township's telephone is 724-539-2546. Read for this answer: Chapter 41 of the Township Code, Building Code (Sections 41-1 to 41-6), and Chapter 42, Building Permits (Articles I to III), in full; Chapter 43, Nuisance; a search of the whole Township Code for "roof," which found no permit provision naming roof work, and for "reroofing," which found none; the Township's Building, Code Enforcement and FAQ pages; its Residential Building Permit Information Guide; and its Building Permit Application. The Township's permit fee schedule, an image-only file, was not read for this record.
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, Unity Township administers the code itself: Section 41-1 B of the Township Code says "Unity Township hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act, Act 45 of 1999," Section 41-3 has the Board of Supervisors designate Township employees "to serve as building code officials or code administrators," and the Township's Residential Building Permit Information Guide comes from the Unity Township Department of Building Safety, 154 Beatty County Road, Latrobe. Section 41-1 A adopts the Uniform Construction Code, "as amended from time to time," together with Appendixes B and C of the International Fire Code, as the municipal building code of Unity Township, and changes nothing in the code's roofing provisions. Chapter 41 of the Township Code adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as amended from time to time" and names no edition, and the Department of Building Safety's guide says "We are currently utilizing the 2015 International Residential Code in Pennsylvania"; this record has not read the 2015 edition's text and does not decide which edition the Township applies.
Repair permit threshold
Unity Township's code requires a building permit for all construction, including repairs to existing buildings, and the Township has published no exemption for a reroof. Section 42-1 of the Township Code, in Chapter 42, Building Permits (adopted January 30, 1995 by Ordinance No. O-2-95), says "A building permit shall be required for all construction and development, including any alterations or repairs to existing buildings or structures." It names no roof work and is not limited to flood-prone areas; the Township's flood rules are in a separate chapter. Section 41-1 C keeps building code ordinances adopted on or before July 1, 1999 "and which equal or exceed the requirements of the UCC" in effect, and Section 42-5, as amended August 14, 2025, says that where a permit requirement in Chapter 42 "is in conflict or inconsistent with the terms and provisions of Chapter 41," Chapter 41's terms apply. Chapter 41 adopts the Uniform Construction Code by reference, and the Code says "An ordinary repair does not require a permit" (34 Pa. Code 403.62) without defining an ordinary repair or setting an area or cost limit. This record does not decide how Sections 41-1 C and 42-5 bear on Section 42-1. The Department of Building Safety has published nothing on reroofing. Its Residential Building Permit Information Guide (read October 7, 2026) lists work for which "By state law, a building permit, inspections and a Certificate of Occupancy is required," including "Structural alterations to an existing dwelling unit (Building Code Official will determine if the work you intend to perform involves structural alterations)," and says "No work shall begin on any project until the application is approved and permit is issued and paid for"; it names no roof work. The Township's Building Permit Application offers "Repair" as a type of improvement and has no roofing line. 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, Section 42-1 names repairs without exception and the Township has published no exemption for a reroof, so expect to need a building permit. Section 42-4 says a violator shall "pay a fine of not more than $1,000 plus all court costs, including reasonable attorneys' fees incurred by the Township," and the guide warns that "doing work regulated by the UCC without a permit will result in an enforcement action being taken against you by Unity Township." 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, Unity Township administers the code itself: Section 41-1 B of the Township Code says "Unity Township hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act, Act 45 of 1999," Section 41-3 has the Board of Supervisors designate Township employees "to serve as building code officials or code administrators," and the Township's Residential Building Permit Information Guide comes from the Unity Township Department of Building Safety, 154 Beatty County Road, Latrobe. Section 42-1 of the Township Code, quoted at the start, sets no area, percentage or cost threshold, and the Township's guide draws no line 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, Unity Township administers the code itself: Section 41-1 B of the Township Code says "Unity Township hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act, Act 45 of 1999," Section 41-3 has the Board of Supervisors designate Township employees "to serve as building code officials or code administrators," and the Township's Residential Building Permit Information Guide comes from the Unity Township Department of Building Safety, 154 Beatty County Road, Latrobe. Chapters 41 and 42 of the Township Code change nothing in the code's reroofing provisions, and the Township's pages say nothing on roof layers. Section 42-1 requires a building permit for repairs to existing buildings; this record does not decide whether that brings a house reroof within the Uniform Construction Code. Chapter 41 of the Township Code adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as amended from time to time" and names no edition, and the Department of Building Safety's guide says "We are currently utilizing the 2015 International Residential Code in Pennsylvania"; the text above is the 2021 edition's, and the 2015 edition's reroofing text was not read for this record.
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, Unity Township administers the code itself: Section 41-1 B of the Township Code says "Unity Township hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act, Act 45 of 1999," Section 41-3 has the Board of Supervisors designate Township employees "to serve as building code officials or code administrators," and the Township's Residential Building Permit Information Guide comes from the Unity Township Department of Building Safety, 154 Beatty County Road, Latrobe. Chapters 41 and 42 of the Township Code change nothing in the code's roof sheathing provisions; the Township's guide lists "Structural alterations to an existing dwelling unit" as permit work and draws no separate line for roof sheathing. Chapter 41 of the Township Code adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as amended from time to time" and names no edition, and the Department of Building Safety's guide says "We are currently utilizing the 2015 International Residential Code in Pennsylvania"; the text above is the 2021 edition's, and the 2015 edition's sheathing text was not read for this record.
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. Unity Township is in Westmoreland County. The Township's pages and permit guide say nothing on sales tax.