Roofing in Bensalem Township, 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, Bensalem Township administers the code through its Building and Planning Department. Its page says Bensalem opted in to the code when it was introduced and that "Plan reviews, permits, and inspections for structural, electrical, plumbing and mechanical as well as miscellaneous items (signs, fences, mobile home or manufactured home setups) are provided through the Department." For residential permits the Township works with a third-party agency: its fee schedule says "For Residential Permits refer to Code Inspections Inc. Residential Application and Fee Schedule," and its residential application packet says "Permit fees will be invoiced by Code Inspections." The Department's page names no code edition; it lists the International Residential Code among the codes used "Through the adoption of the UCC in Bensalem Township" and refers readers to the State for the current versions. Chapter 66 of the Township Code, Building Construction, says in Section 66-4 that the Uniform Construction Code is "adopted in its entirety and incorporated herein by reference as the building code of Bensalem Township" (Ordinance No. 2004-05, June 14, 2004), and keeps in force earlier Township building code provisions "which equal or exceed the requirements of the code"; it contains no permit requirement of its own for residential repairs or alterations and names no roof work.

Bensalem Township's fee schedule treats a residential reroof as permit work. Read October 5, 2026: the Building and Planning fee schedule adopted by Resolution #2024-04 lists "(10) REROOFING" with a residential fee of "$ 75.00 plus residential permit fee," and refers residential permit fees to Code Inspections, Inc.: "For Residential Permits refer to Code Inspections Inc. Residential Application and Fee Schedule." Under state law, Act 45 says the Act "shall not apply to" "Alterations to residential buildings which do not make structural changes or changes to means of egress, except as might be required by ordinances in effect pursuant to section 303(b)(1) or adopted pursuant to section 503" or to "Repairs to residential buildings, except as might be required by ordinances in effect pursuant to section 303(b)(1) or adopted pursuant to section 503" (section 104(b)(5) and (6)), and of a municipal ordinance that adds to the code, 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). The Department of Labor and Industry's register of municipal code change ordinances lists one Bensalem Township filing, which amends the 2009 International Fire Code on solar photovoltaic systems, with an approval letter mailed March 17, 2015 and a later note that the Township was to submit a revision; it shows no enactment date and names no residential repair or roofing requirement. In practice, expect the Department to require a permit for a reroof, as its fee schedule states. The schedule's penalty section says permit fees "will be TRIPLED if project is started before all fees have been paid and the approved permit is in the possession of the owner and/or job site." Applications go to the Building and Planning Department: the residential application packet says "ALL APPLICATIONS ARE TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE BENSALEM TOWNSHIP BUILDING & PLANNING DEPT AT 2400 BYBERRY RD" or by email, asks a non-refundable application fee of $15.00 for a single-discipline project, says "Permit fees will be invoiced by Code Inspections," and adds that "Bensalem Township requires an alteration of land permit submitted with the building application for any exterior work or change of grading." A drop box at the south side entrance of the Township building takes paperwork. The Township also issues a contractor licence, $100.00 a year with a certificate of insurance, under its Ordinance 2018-4. The Department is open 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, phone 215-633-3644.