Roofing in Bradford, 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 City of Bradford, in McKean County, administers the Uniform Construction Code with a third-party agency: Section 80-1 of the City Code says "The City of Bradford hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," and the City's Forms Library says "All Residential and Commercial Building permits will be approved by the Inspectors at Bureau Veritas." Applications are made to the City's Permits Department at City Hall, 24 Kennedy Street. Section 80-2 adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as amended from time to time" and names no edition, and the City's pages name none either. Chapter 171 separately adopts, for repairs to houses, "the version of the International Residential Code that is currently adopted by Chapter 80," and changes nothing in that code's roofing provisions.

The City of Bradford requires its own application for reroofing, a City approval separate from a UCC building permit. Chapter 171 of the City Code, Residential Repairs (Ord. No. 3297, July 9, 2024; read October 9, 2026), says it "intends to prevent substandard work and repairs from being conducted on residential structures within the City of Bradford when other regulations and statutes do not apply to the work being conducted," adopts for the repair of single-family and two-family dwellings and townhouses "the version of the International Residential Code that is currently adopted by Chapter 80 of this code," and says "An owner or authorized agent who intends to conduct a repair listed in this section shall first apply to the City of Bradford and obtain an application for the work," listing "(1) Reroofing." Work "permitted under Chapter 80" (the City's Uniform Construction Code chapter) is exempt from that application, and a violation is a summary offense with a fine "of not less than $250" (Section 171-9). The City's Residential Roof (Replacement / Repair Application), posted in its Forms Library (read October 9, 2026), says "Applicant must apply prior to performing the replacement and/or repairs to residential roof" and "Any structural alterations and/or additions to a residential roof will require a full residential building permit," lists an Application Fee of $25.00, and says City officials may "conduct spot checks on the residential roofing project." The City's Projects That Do Not Require a Permit sheet (read October 9, 2026; posted in 2023, before Chapter 171) lists, under "BUILDING CONSTRUCTION/REPLACEMENT/REPAIRS," "Replacement/repair of existing roof material that does not exceed 10% of the total roof area." 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 decide whether a UCC building permit is needed for a house reroof here. In practice, expect the City to require its residential roof application before a house is reroofed, and a full residential building permit for structural roof work; Section 171-6 says "The proof of approved application shall be displayed in public view" while the work is done. The roof application says contractors must also file and pay the City's Business Privilege Tax "at the time a building permit is obtained." The Permits Department is at City Hall, 24 Kennedy Street, 814-362-3884 extension 121. Read for this answer: Chapters 80 (Construction Codes, Uniform), 106 (Fees) and 171 (Residential Repairs) of the City Code, in full; every page of a search of the whole City Code for "roof" and for "reroofing"; the City Hall, Forms Library and FAQ pages; the Residential Roof application; the Projects That Do Not Require a Permit sheet; and the Bureau Veritas UCC/Building Permit Fees schedule posted by the City, which has a "Commercial Roofing Inspections" line and no residential roofing line. The City's Master Fee Schedule was not found published.