Roofing in Aspinwall, Pennsylvania

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, Aspinwall Borough administers the code: Section 5-101 of the Borough Code says "the Borough hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," Section 5-104 refers to "the building code official employed and/or retained by the Borough," and the Borough's Residential Building & Zoning Package, posted on its Building & Zoning page, says to contact the "Building Inspector/Zoning Officer at 412-781-0213." Permit applications go to the Borough Office, 217 Commercial Avenue, Aspinwall. Section 5-102 of the Borough Code adopts "the Uniform Construction Code, 34 Pa. Code, Part XIV, as amended," and the Borough's pages name no code edition; the older BOCA editions kept in effect by Section 5-102 2 were not read for this record, and this record does not decide which code the Borough applies to a house.

Aspinwall Borough's code and pages read for this record do not say whether a house reroof needs a permit. Chapter 5, Part 1 of the Borough Code, the Borough's Uniform Construction Code ordinance (Ord. 999, June 9, 2004, amended 2007 and 2010, read October 10, 2026), adopts the Uniform Construction Code in Section 5-102 and Section 5-103 makes local insertions and cross-reference changes to the code's building, energy, existing building, fire, fuel gas, mechanical, plumbing and residential volumes, none naming roof work; the ordinance names no roof work and adds no permit clause of its own for house repairs. Section 5-102 2 keeps in effect Borough building code ordinances adopted before July 1, 1999, among them Ord. 806 (the "1984 Edition of the BOCA Basic National Building Code") and Ord. 953 (the "1999 Edition of the BOCA National Building Code"), which "shall remain in effect until such time as any such provisions fail to equal or exceed the minimum requirements of the regulations promulgated under the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act"; this record has not read those editions' texts and does not decide whether either reaches a house reroof. Chapter 27, Zoning, Section 27-702 1 A says "No use of land shall be made or any building or structure constructed, altered, remodeled, sold, leased, occupied or used" until "a zoning use permit and a zoning occupancy permit have been issued by the Zoning Officer"; it names no roof work, and this record does not decide whether a house reroof is "altered" or "remodeled." The Residential Building & Zoning Package says "A Residential Building and/or Zoning Permit is required prior to the construction including but not limited to the following," and its list includes "Remodeling/Alterations/Repairs" and "Roof - changes to the roof (such as adding dormers or in changing from a flat roof to a gable roof)." The list names no reroofing or roof replacement, and this record does not decide whether a house reroof is a "change to the roof" or a repair. The package asks for drawings that show "Roof - Pitch or slope of the roof and type of wood sheathing, type of covering shingles, etc." and its fee page lists "BUILDING PERMIT FEE:" as a line to be filled in, with "SOLAR PANEL FEE: $250.00" and "PA STATE ADMINISTRATIVE FEE: $4.50," and no roofing line. 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 state whether the Borough requires a permit for a house reroof; ask the Borough Office (412-781-0213) before starting. The Borough Office is open Monday and Tuesday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Wednesday 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Friday 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Read for this answer: Chapter 5 of the Borough Code, Code Enforcement (Part 1, Construction Code, Sections 5-101 to 5-109, and Part 2, Property Maintenance Code), Chapter 27, Part 7, Administration and Enforcement, and every page of a search of the whole Borough Code and its posted minutes for "roof" (54 results, none a permit provision for roof work) and for "reroofing" (no results); the Borough's home page and Building & Zoning page; and the Residential Building & Zoning Package.