Roofing in Abington Township, Pennsylvania

Required

Required

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, Abington Township administers the code through its own department. Its Community Development page says "The Community Development Department administers the building, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, accessibility, energy, property maintenance, and zoning ordinances of the Township," and its permit pages, which call the office the Fire and Code Services Department, take residential applications through the Township's portal and schedule inspections at 267-536-1000, ext. 4. Those pages name no third-party agency for residential work; for commercial projects they say "Applicants must use a state-approved third-party agency." The Codes and Regulations page says "Abington Township is a PA UCC Opt-In Municipality with Amendments," and for residential projects contracted and applied for on or after January 1, 2026 it names the "2021 International Residential Code (IRC) as adopted and amended by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania," covering "the construction, alteration, movement, enlargement, replacement, repair, renovation, and demolition." The Township's Uniform Construction Code ordinance, Chapter 67 of its Code (Ordinance No. 1916, adopted July 29, 2004), adopts the state code by reference "as the municipal building code of the Township." Section 67-5 of the Abington Township Code says "The Township hereby removes the following types of work/construction from the list of exemptions set forth in §§ 403.42 and UCC 403.62 of the Act, and accordingly, a permit will still be required for the following," and lists for residential work "Replacement of existing roofing material that does not exceed 25% of the total roof area performed within any twelve-month period" and "Replacement of existing siding." Chapter 62, Building Construction, which holds the Township's older amendments to the model building code, was not read for this record.

Abington Township names roof work as permit work in its code, and its permit pages say every reroof needs a permit. Section 67-5 of the Abington Township Code says "The Township hereby removes the following types of work/construction from the list of exemptions set forth in §§ 403.42 and UCC 403.62 of the Act, and accordingly, a permit will still be required for the following," and lists for residential work "Replacement of existing roofing material that does not exceed 25% of the total roof area performed within any twelve-month period" and "Replacement of existing siding." Read October 5, 2026: the Township's Residential Applications & Forms page lists a Roofing / Siding permit, "Required to install or replace roofing or siding on any building," and says "Abington has removed the 2018 IRC Exemption for roofing permits, and therefore requires roofing and siding permits for all roof/siding work"; its Building Permits, Use and Occupancy Permits and Inspections Policies sheet says "Permits are required for Roofing, Siding, Fencing, and Retaining Walls." 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 permit for any reroof, as its code and pages state. Its policies sheet says "No work may start until the permit is issued," lists as an exception "Verbal permission for roofing, siding and fencing," and says "Failure to comply will result in the removal of any work necessary to ensure compliance with the building code." Applications are made through the Township's online permit portal, on its Roofing/Siding Permit Application. Construction drawings are "Required for any new roof or modifications to an existing roof. Reroofs replaced in kind do not require construction drawings." The roofing and siding fee runs by project cost, from $25 for $1 to $500 up to $180 for $4,001 to $5,000, plus $35 for each $1,000 over $5,000 or fraction thereof. Where a contractor does the work, the Township asks for a copy of the signed contract and a current certificate of insurance, and says "All insurance coverage must list Abington Township as additional insured"; its Contractor Information page says "All contractors who perform work within Abington Township are required to register with the Township." Inspections and questions go to 267-536-1000, ext. 4. Township offices at 1176 Old York Road are open Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.