Roofing in Beaver, 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, Beaver Borough, in Beaver County, takes building/zoning permit applications at its Borough office, 469 Third Street, Beaver; Section 4-603 of the Borough Code says "The Borough of Beaver hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Uniform Construction Code," and the Borough's 2026 Building/Zoning Permit application carries an "MDIA Job #" line and a "Needs M.D.I.A Approval" box, while its residential additions guide says "MDIA will review plans submitted to determine code compliance" and that the permit is picked up "at the Municipal Building." Section 4-602 adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as amended from time to time" as the municipal building code of the Borough of Beaver, names no edition, and changes nothing in the code's roofing provisions; no Borough page read names a code edition.

Beaver Borough's code and pages read for this record do not say whether a house reroof needs a permit. Part 6 of Chapter 4 of the Borough Code adopts the Uniform Construction Code by reference and adds no permit section of its own. The only general permit clause found is in the Zoning chapter: Section 27-1901 requires a "building/zoning permit demonstrating compliance with applicable Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code standards" before any person may "Erect, rebuild, move, enlarge or structurally alter a building or other structure," and says "A building/zoning permit is not required for normal maintenance activities, minor repairs, or remodeling or alterations which do not affect the basic structure of an existing building, or increase the lot area coverage, or change the use of the parcel or building." Neither names roof work. The Borough's Permits page lists residential permits for building/zoning work, additions, decks, detached structures, fences, pools and other work but names no roofing permit, and the 2026 application's fee list ("$200: Zoning/Occupancy/Building/Sign/New Single Family Dwelling/Additions to existing Building") names no roof work. 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 (724-773-6700) before starting. The application guidelines say "All fees must be paid prior to issuing a permit" and that "M.D.I.A. Has their own fee schedule." Read for this answer: Part 6 of Chapter 4 of the Borough Code, Uniform Construction Code (Sections 4-601 to 4-608), and Part 2, Residential Rehabilitation, both in full, and the chapter's table of contents; Part 19 of the Zoning chapter, Administration and Enforcement; every page of searches of the whole Borough Code for "roof" and "reroofing"; the Borough's Permits page; its 2026 Building/Zoning Permit application; and its residential additions guide. The Borough's fee resolution under Section 4-606 is not published online and was not read.