Roofing in Altoona, 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, the City of Altoona administers the code itself: its Codes & Inspections Department page says the department "administers the Uniform Construction Code in the City of Altoona," and its Permits and Inspections sheet says "The City of Altoona reviews plans and conducts inspections for all residential building, plumbing, electrical and mechanical work." Chapter 270 of the City Code, Construction Standards, Article I (Ord. No. 5533, 2004), says "The City of Altoona hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act" and adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as the building code of the City of Altoona"; Article II (Ord. No. 5796, 2022) amends the code's administrative provisions (permit life, fees, penalties, appeals) and touches no roofing section. No enacted City text naming roofing or reroofing as permit work was found in Chapter 270, Articles I, II and IV, read in full, or in a search of the whole City Code for "roof." The department's sheet lists "Replacing or repairing a roof, porch, foundation or siding" under "When Do I Need a Permit?"

Altoona's Codes & Inspections Department lists roof work as permit work. Its Permits and Inspections sheet (https://www.altoonapa.gov/getmedia/0073944d-a2de-48ac-9fd2-a86685c79f32/PERMITS-and-INSPECTIONS.pdf, read October 5, 2026) says "Building, Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing permits are required in the City of Altoona in accordance with the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code," and lists under "When Do I Need a Permit?" the item "Replacing or repairing a roof, porch, foundation or siding"; "spouting" is among the simple repairs it calls exempt. 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 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 department to require a building permit for a reroof or roof repair, as its sheet states, and to inspect the work: its page says "Inspections are conducted for all work that requires a permit." Applications use the City's "Application for Building Permit, Zoning Review and Plan Examination," which offers "Repair/Replacement" as a type of work, and go to the department at 1301 12th Street, Suite 103, where customer service runs Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM (phone 814-949-2456). The department's licensing page says "The Commonwealth's Contractor License is the only requirement the City of Altoona has for Contractors performing residential work," and that all contractors "must first obtain a City of Altoona Business License." Chapter 270, Article IV of the City Code says "No person shall engage in, operate, or conduct contracting work in the City without first obtaining a license" and "No permit shall be issued to any contractor who has not first obtained a license." Starting work early costs more: Article II says "In the event work is commenced on any project prior to the issuance of an approved building permit, electrical permit, mechanical permit and/or plumbing permit, the fees for the acquisition of a permit will be doubled."