The Roofing Book

Permitting Authorities / Upper Makefield Township - Department of Planning and Zoning

Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Township of Upper Makefield, PA?

Adopted code

Upper Makefield Township - Department of Planning and Zoning

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Township of Upper Makefield, PA, issued by Upper Makefield Township - Department of Planning and Zoning. Upper Makefield Township's Roofing sheet requires a building permit application for a roof replacement. The Department's Roofing sheet (revised September 2022, read October 9, 2026), under the heading "Roof Replacement," lists as "Required Forms and Submissions" a "Zoning Use and Occupancy Permit Application," a "Building Permit Application," a "Building Materials List," a certificate of insurance naming the Township as "Certificate Holder," and the contractor's "PA Contractor Registration Certificate." The sheet adds: "If exterior decking/sheathing or other structural members are found to be damaged, the Township must be called to arrange for an inspection by the Township Building Code Official," and the final building inspection "May include inspection via the attic for sheathing inspection." Chapter 5, Part 1 of the Township Code (Ord. No. 259, adopted June 2, 2004) adopts the Uniform Construction Code by reference and adds no permit rule for residential repairs or alterations. Section 5-105 keeps in force the provisions of Ord. No. 108 of 1984, as amended through 1997, "which are equal to or exceed the minimum requirements of the code"; that ordinance's text is not published with the code and was not read for this record. Under state law, Act 45 says the Act "shall not apply to" "Alterations to residential buildings which do not make structural changes or changes to means of egress, except as might be required by ordinances in effect pursuant to section 303(b)(1) or adopted pursuant to section 503" or to "Repairs to residential buildings, except as might be required by ordinances in effect pursuant to section 303(b)(1) or adopted pursuant to section 503" (section 104(b)(5) and (6)), and of a municipal ordinance that adds to the code, section 503(c) says "An ordinance under this subsection shall not be effective nor enforceable unless subsections (d), (e), (f), (g), (h) and (i) have been satisfied." This record does not decide whether the municipality's requirement is one adopted under section 503 or kept in effect by section 303(b)(1). In practice, expect the Township to require a building permit for a roof replacement. The 2026 fee schedule says "Permits applied for after commencement of any activity requiring a permit shall be two (2) times the regular fee, plus any additional penalties prescribed by Township ordinances." The Permits and Applications page says "Before you submit a permit application, please see the Common Projects list on the right for guidance," and most permits may be submitted by email. The Department is at 215-968-3340, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday. Read for this answer: Chapter 5, Part 1 of the Township Code, Uniform Construction Code (Sections 5-101 to 5-108), in full; every page of a search of the whole Township Code for "roof" and for "reroofing"; the Planning and Zoning and Permits and Applications pages; the Roofing sheet; the 2026 building permit application; and the 2026 fee schedule, adopted December 2, 2025, which has no roofing line.

Roof code checklist: Township of Upper Makefield, PA

ItemAnswerCode citeSourceVerified
Permit to replace a roofYesRoofing-FINAL-9-2022.pdf2026-10-09
Repair permit thresholdPublishedpacodeandbulletin.gov2026-10-09
Layer limit / roof-overPublishedR908.3.1.1pacodeandbulletin.gov2026-10-09
Deck & sheathingPublishedR905.2.1pacodeandbulletin.gov2026-10-09
Drip edgeNot published
Ice & water shieldNot published
Mid-roof inspectionNot published
Impact-resistant (Class 4) roofingNot published
Wind design criteriaNot published
Adopted codePublishedSec. 5-101pacodeandbulletin.gov2026-10-09
Contractor license / registrationYespalegis.us2026-10-09
Sales & use taxPublishedpa.gov2026-10-09

Each row comes from the sourced record on this page; full wording is in the table below. "Not published" means no official source for that item was found when the record was last verified.

Jurisdiction
Township of Upper Makefield, Pennsylvania
Jurisdiction type
city
Address
1076 Eagle Road, Newtown, PA 18940
Contact
  • url: https://uppermakefield.org/departments/planning-and-zoning/
  • phone: 215-968-3340
Roofing permit required
Required
Contractor registration required
Required
Permit process note
Upper Makefield Township's Roofing sheet requires a building permit application for a roof replacement. The Department's Roofing sheet (revised September 2022, read October 9, 2026), under the heading "Roof Replacement," lists as "Required Forms and Submissions" a "Zoning Use and Occupancy Permit Application," a "Building Permit Application," a "Building Materials List," a certificate of insurance naming the Township as "Certificate Holder," and the contractor's "PA Contractor Registration Certificate." The sheet adds: "If exterior decking/sheathing or other structural members are found to be damaged, the Township must be called to arrange for an inspection by the Township Building Code Official," and the final building inspection "May include inspection via the attic for sheathing inspection." Chapter 5, Part 1 of the Township Code (Ord. No. 259, adopted June 2, 2004) adopts the Uniform Construction Code by reference and adds no permit rule for residential repairs or alterations. Section 5-105 keeps in force the provisions of Ord. No. 108 of 1984, as amended through 1997, "which are equal to or exceed the minimum requirements of the code"; that ordinance's text is not published with the code and was not read for this record. Under state law, Act 45 says the Act "shall not apply to" "Alterations to residential buildings which do not make structural changes or changes to means of egress, except as might be required by ordinances in effect pursuant to section 303(b)(1) or adopted pursuant to section 503" or to "Repairs to residential buildings, except as might be required by ordinances in effect pursuant to section 303(b)(1) or adopted pursuant to section 503" (section 104(b)(5) and (6)), and of a municipal ordinance that adds to the code, section 503(c) says "An ordinance under this subsection shall not be effective nor enforceable unless subsections (d), (e), (f), (g), (h) and (i) have been satisfied." This record does not decide whether the municipality's requirement is one adopted under section 503 or kept in effect by section 303(b)(1). In practice, expect the Township to require a building permit for a roof replacement. The 2026 fee schedule says "Permits applied for after commencement of any activity requiring a permit shall be two (2) times the regular fee, plus any additional penalties prescribed by Township ordinances." The Permits and Applications page says "Before you submit a permit application, please see the Common Projects list on the right for guidance," and most permits may be submitted by email. The Department is at 215-968-3340, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday. Read for this answer: Chapter 5, Part 1 of the Township Code, Uniform Construction Code (Sections 5-101 to 5-108), in full; every page of a search of the whole Township Code for "roof" and for "reroofing"; the Planning and Zoning and Permits and Applications pages; the Roofing sheet; the 2026 building permit application; and the 2026 fee schedule, adopted December 2, 2025, which has no roofing line.
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, Upper Makefield Township issues building permits through its Department of Planning and Zoning, at 1076 Eagle Road, Newtown. Section 5-101 of the Township Code says the Township "hereby elects to administrator and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," and Section 5-102 adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as the municipal building code for Upper Makefield Township." Chapter 5, Part 1 of the Township Code (Ord. No. 259, adopted June 2, 2004) adopts the Uniform Construction Code by reference and adds no permit rule for residential repairs or alterations. Section 5-105 keeps in force the provisions of Ord. No. 108 of 1984, as amended through 1997, "which are equal to or exceed the minimum requirements of the code"; that ordinance's text is not published with the code and was not read for this record. The Department's Planning and Zoning page lists among the codes enforced the "2021 International Building Code" and names no residential edition, and its Roofing sheet says "2018 International Building Code Applies for all Inspections"; this record has not read the 2018 edition's text and does not decide which edition the Township applies.
Repair permit threshold
Upper Makefield Township's Roofing sheet requires a building permit application for a roof replacement. The Department's Roofing sheet (revised September 2022, read October 9, 2026), under the heading "Roof Replacement," lists as "Required Forms and Submissions" a "Zoning Use and Occupancy Permit Application," a "Building Permit Application," a "Building Materials List," a certificate of insurance naming the Township as "Certificate Holder," and the contractor's "PA Contractor Registration Certificate." Under state law, Act 45 says the Act "shall not apply to" "Alterations to residential buildings which do not make structural changes or changes to means of egress, except as might be required by ordinances in effect pursuant to section 303(b)(1) or adopted pursuant to section 503" or to "Repairs to residential buildings, except as might be required by ordinances in effect pursuant to section 303(b)(1) or adopted pursuant to section 503" (section 104(b)(5) and (6)), and of a municipal ordinance that adds to the code, section 503(c) says "An ordinance under this subsection shall not be effective nor enforceable unless subsections (d), (e), (f), (g), (h) and (i) have been satisfied." This record does not decide whether the municipality's requirement is one adopted under section 503 or kept in effect by section 303(b)(1). In practice, expect the Township to require a building permit for a roof replacement. The 2026 fee schedule says "Permits applied for after commencement of any activity requiring a permit shall be two (2) times the regular fee, plus any additional penalties prescribed by Township ordinances." 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, Upper Makefield Township issues building permits through its Department of Planning and Zoning, at 1076 Eagle Road, Newtown. Section 5-101 of the Township Code says the Township "hereby elects to administrator and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," and Section 5-102 adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as the municipal building code for Upper Makefield Township." Chapter 5, Part 1 of the Township Code (Ord. No. 259, adopted June 2, 2004) adopts the Uniform Construction Code by reference and adds no permit rule for residential repairs or alterations. Section 5-105 keeps in force the provisions of Ord. No. 108 of 1984, as amended through 1997, "which are equal to or exceed the minimum requirements of the code"; that ordinance's text is not published with the code and was not read for this record. Neither the code nor the Roofing sheet states a size or percentage 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, Upper Makefield Township issues building permits through its Department of Planning and Zoning, at 1076 Eagle Road, Newtown. Section 5-101 of the Township Code says the Township "hereby elects to administrator and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," and Section 5-102 adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as the municipal building code for Upper Makefield Township." Chapter 5, Part 1 of the Township Code changes nothing in the code's reroofing provisions. The Department's Roofing sheet says "A maximum of two (2) layers of shingles permitted. This would include the existing layer and the new layer," which agrees with the two-layer rule above. The Department's Planning and Zoning page lists among the codes enforced the "2021 International Building Code" and names no residential edition, and its Roofing sheet says "2018 International Building Code Applies for all Inspections"; the text above is the 2021 International Residential Code's, and this record does not decide which edition the Township 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, Upper Makefield Township issues building permits through its Department of Planning and Zoning, at 1076 Eagle Road, Newtown. Section 5-101 of the Township Code says the Township "hereby elects to administrator and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," and Section 5-102 adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as the municipal building code for Upper Makefield Township." Chapter 5, Part 1 of the Township Code changes nothing in the code's roof sheathing provisions. The Department's Roofing sheet says "If exterior decking/sheathing or other structural members are found to be damaged, the Township must be called to arrange for an inspection by the Township Building Code Official." The Department's Planning and Zoning page lists among the codes enforced the "2021 International Building Code" and names no residential edition, and its Roofing sheet says "2018 International Building Code Applies for all Inspections"; the text above is the 2021 International Residential Code's, and this record does not decide which edition the Township 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. Upper Makefield Township is in Bucks County. The Department's pages and 2026 fee schedule say nothing on sales tax.

Local roofing hub

Roofing in Upper Makefield Township, PennsylvaniaCity hub

More roof permit pages in Pennsylvania

Township of Upper Merion, PARoof permit Township of Upper Milford, PARoof permit Township of Upper Moreland, PARoof permit Township of Upper Mount Bethel, PARoof permit Township of Upper Nazareth, PARoof permit Roofing in PennsylvaniaState hub

Related guides

Denver-Metro Roofing Permits Filing a Hail Insurance Claim Colorado Hail Season Prep Hiring a Contractor

Upper Makefield Township's Department of Planning and Zoning, at 1076 Eagle Road, Newtown, issues building permits, and its Roofing sheet lists a building permit application among the required submissions for a roof replacement. 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."

Working an insurance claim in Township of Upper Makefield, PA? Everything on this page (drip edge, ice & water shield, inspections, Class 4 rules) formatted as a claim-ready evidence pack: verbatim ordinance quotes, code section cites, verification dates, and official source links, ready to attach to a supplement. See a real sample pack (PDF, 4 pages, free).

Buy this jurisdiction's pack: $12 Delivered by email within minutes. Digital download: all sales are final once delivered, except for a failed delivery, a defective file, a duplicate purchase, or a pack materially different from its description. See Section 6 of our Terms of Use.

Questions about the Township of Upper Makefield, PA pack?

Not ready to buy, or need a different jurisdiction? Tell us and we’ll reply directly.

By submitting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Sources

Roofing questions: Township of Upper Makefield, PA

Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Township of Upper Makefield, PA?

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Township of Upper Makefield, PA. Upper Makefield Township's Roofing sheet requires a building permit application for a roof replacement. The Department's Roofing sheet (revised September 2022, read October 9, 2026), under the heading "Roof Replacement," lists as "Required Forms and Submissions" a "Zoning Use and Occupancy Permit Application," a "Building Permit Application," a "Building Materials List," a certificate of insurance naming the Township as "Certificate Holder," and the contractor's "PA Contractor Registration Certificate." Under state law, Act 45 says the Act "shall not apply to" "Alterations to residential buildings which do not make structural changes or changes to means of egress, except as might be required by ordinances in effect pursuant to section 303(b)(1) or adopted pursuant to section 503" or to "Repairs to residential buildings, except as might be required by ordinances in effect pursuant to section 303(b)(1) or adopted pursuant to section 503" (section 104(b)(5) and (6)), and of a municipal ordinance that adds to the code, section 503(c) says "An ordinance under this subsection shall not be effective nor enforceable unless subsections (d), (e), (f), (g), (h) and (i) have been satisfied." This record does not decide whether the municipality's requirement is one adopted under section 503 or kept in effect by section 303(b)(1). In practice, expect the Township to require a building permit for a roof replacement. The 2026 fee schedule says "Permits applied for after commencement of any activity requiring a permit shall be two (2) times the regular fee, plus any additional penalties prescribed by Township ordinances." 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, Upper Makefield Township issues building permits through its Department of Planning and Zoning, at 1076 Eagle Road, Newtown. Section 5-101 of the Township Code says the Township "hereby elects to administrator and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," and Section 5-102 adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as the municipal building code for Upper Makefield Township." Chapter 5, Part 1 of the Township Code (Ord. No. 259, adopted June 2, 2004) adopts the Uniform Construction Code by reference and adds no permit rule for residential repairs or alterations. Section 5-105 keeps in force the provisions of Ord. No. 108 of 1984, as amended through 1997, "which are equal to or exceed the minimum requirements of the code"; that ordinance's text is not published with the code and was not read for this record. Neither the code nor the Roofing sheet states a size or percentage threshold for roof work.

Can you roof over an existing roof in Township of Upper Makefield, 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, Upper Makefield Township issues building permits through its Department of Planning and Zoning, at 1076 Eagle Road, Newtown. Section 5-101 of the Township Code says the Township "hereby elects to administrator and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," and Section 5-102 adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as the municipal building code for Upper Makefield Township." Chapter 5, Part 1 of the Township Code changes nothing in the code's reroofing provisions. The Department's Roofing sheet says "A maximum of two (2) layers of shingles permitted. This would include the existing layer and the new layer," which agrees with the two-layer rule above. The Department's Planning and Zoning page lists among the codes enforced the "2021 International Building Code" and names no residential edition, and its Roofing sheet says "2018 International Building Code Applies for all Inspections"; the text above is the 2021 International Residential Code's, and this record does not decide which edition the Township applies.

Do roofing contractors need a license or registration in Township of Upper Makefield, PA?

Yes.

What building code does Township of Upper Makefield, 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, Upper Makefield Township issues building permits through its Department of Planning and Zoning, at 1076 Eagle Road, Newtown. Section 5-101 of the Township Code says the Township "hereby elects to administrator and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," and Section 5-102 adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as the municipal building code for Upper Makefield Township." Chapter 5, Part 1 of the Township Code (Ord. No. 259, adopted June 2, 2004) adopts the Uniform Construction Code by reference and adds no permit rule for residential repairs or alterations. Section 5-105 keeps in force the provisions of Ord. No. 108 of 1984, as amended through 1997, "which are equal to or exceed the minimum requirements of the code"; that ordinance's text is not published with the code and was not read for this record. The Department's Planning and Zoning page lists among the codes enforced the "2021 International Building Code" and names no residential edition, and its Roofing sheet says "2018 International Building Code Applies for all Inspections"; this record has not read the 2018 edition's text and does not decide which edition the Township applies.