Roofing in Bellevue, 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, Bellevue Borough administers the code itself through its Code Office: Section 100-1 of the Borough Code says the Borough "hereby elects to administer and enforce" the Act, Section 100-2 adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as amended from time to time" as the municipal building code, and the Borough's Code Enforcement page says "Borough of Bellevue handles residential, including decks and fences" and that "all building permit applications MUST first be submitted to the Borough of Bellevue." Chapter 100 changes nothing in the code's roofing provisions. The Borough's Code Enforcement page says "The Borough has adopted the 2015 ICC codes per Ordinance 18-09," and that ordinance lists the 2015 International Residential Code among the codes it adopts; the text above is the 2021 edition's, the 2015 edition's text was not read for this record, and this record does not decide which edition the Borough applies.

Bellevue Borough text read for this record names no roof work as permit work or as exempt. The Borough's Code Enforcement page (read October 9, 2026) says "Anyone who intends to repair, add to, alter, relocate, demolish, or change the occupancy of a building or alter, remove, convert, or replace any electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system shall first obtain a permit from the code office. If unsure as to whether or not a permit is required, contact our office for assistance." Its list headed "Building/Zoning permits are required for, but not limited to:" does not mention roofing, and neither does the Borough's list of building permit requirements on its Permit Applications page. The Borough's 2025 Fee Schedule prices "Additions or alterations (Residential)" at "1.5% estimated cost of construction" and has no roofing line; its only roof entry is a fire-code fee for "Hot work operations (on roofs)." Chapter 100 of the Borough Code (Ord. No. 04-06, amended in its entirety by Ord. No. 07-04) adopts the Uniform Construction Code by reference and names no roof work either way; Section 100-5 keeps in force building code ordinances adopted on or before July 1, 1999 that equal or exceed the code, and names none. Ordinance No. 18-09 (2018), which adopts the 2015 International Codes with amendments, names no roof covering or reroofing permit rule either way. No Borough text read for this record says whether an ordinary reroof needs a permit. 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." Read for this record: Chapter 100 of the Borough Code, Construction Codes, Uniform (Sections 100-1 to 100-6), in full; Ordinance No. 18-09; every page of a search of the whole Borough Code for "roof" and for "reroofing," which found no permit provision naming roof work on houses; and the Borough's Code Enforcement and Permit Applications pages, building permit application and 2025 Fee Schedule. The Code Office is in the Borough Building, 537 Bayne Avenue, 412-766-6164, office hours 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM, and its staff are available without appointment daily between 1 and 3 PM, Monday to Friday.