Roofing in Bellefonte, 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, The Borough of Bellefonte elects to administer and enforce the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code (Section 235-2 of the Borough Code), and the Borough's Building & Housing page says "Centre Region Code Administration can be reached at 814-231-3056 for all building and housing code assistance"; the Borough's Centre Region Code Services page says "most building projects within the borough require a building permit from Centre Region Code." The Centre Region Code Administration (CRCA), at 2643 Gateway Drive, State College, serves the Centre Region Council of Governments municipalities, including the Borough of Bellefonte. Section 235-1 adopts the Uniform Construction Code, "as amended from time to time," as the Municipal Building Code of the Borough, and Chapter 235 changes nothing in the code's roofing provisions. The Borough's Centre Region Code Services page lists the "International Residential Code 2009" among codes the UCC regulation adopted "effective 12/31/2006," while the CRCA's 2021 Code Cycle page says residential construction is regulated by the UCC "and the 2021 International Residential Code (IRC) as adopted and amended by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania"; this record has not read the 2009 edition's text and does not decide which edition applies in the Borough.

No Borough or CRCA page read for this record says whether a residential reroof needs a building permit. The Borough's Permits & Forms page says "A zoning permit is needed for any exterior projects, including driveways, fences, accessory structures (shed, garage, etc.), additions, swimming pools" and names no roof work, and the Borough's linked CRCA Application for Zoning and Building Permit offers "Repair, replacement" as a type of improvement with no roof box. The CRCA's own Electronic Application for Building Permit (form dated 8/26), which names no municipality, lists "Roof Repair / Replacement" among its types of work and asks for "ROOF - Zoning (where required), Spec/Material Cut Sheets." The Borough's 2026 Comprehensive Fee Schedule bills 1 and 2 family "Renovation" at "$0.0070 x Declared Cost*" and has no roofing line. The CRCA's residential guidance says "Before any construction or remodeling work begins, application for a permit should be made." Chapter 235 of the Borough Code, Construction (Ord. No. 1187, 2004), adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as amended from time to time" as the Municipal Building Code and adds no permit clause of its own; Section 235-4A keeps in force building code ordinances adopted on or before July 1, 1999 "which equal or exceed the requirements of the Uniform Construction Code," and this record has not read any such ordinance. Chapter 425 adopts the Centre Region Building Safety and Property Maintenance Code, 2017 Edition, whose permit sections concern rental housing, fire safety and wells; no section of the Borough Code read names roof work as permit work or as 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 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." In the Borough's Historic District, the Permits & Forms page says "HARB approval is required for any exterior projects in Historic District before a zoning permit can be issued." The Borough's Centre Region Code Services page says to "apply for Zoning Permit before being issued a Building Permit." The CRCA's residential forms page says "Please contact our office with questions regarding the permitting process and any additional questions. 814-231-3056." The CRCA office is open Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and is closed daily from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM. Read for this answer: Chapter 235 of the Borough Code, Construction, Chapter 425, Property Maintenance and Safety, and Chapter 330, Historic District, in full; every page of a search of the whole Borough Code for "roof" and for "reroofing"; the Centre Region Building Safety and Property Maintenance Code, 2017 Edition; the Borough's Building & Housing, Centre Region Code Services, Permits & Forms and Fee Schedule pages; pages 1 to 3 of the Borough's 2026 Comprehensive Fee Schedule, which carry its building, rental housing and zoning fees; the Borough's zoning permit application; and the CRCA's residential pages, permit fee procedure and permit applications.