Roofing in Buffalo Township (Butler County), 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, Buffalo Township in Butler County takes building permit applications at its municipal office, 109 Bear Creek Road, Sarver: its Applications & Permits page directs questions on building permits to the "Township Zoning Officer (Building Permits and Zoning Issues)" and on inspections to the "Code Enforcement Officer (Inspections) with Code-Sys Consulting," and the Township's Construction Permit Application carries a "Code.Sys REVIEW FEE" line. The Township's ordinance adopting the Uniform Construction Code was not read for this record, and the Township's permit pages name no code edition.

Buffalo Township's pages read for this record do not say whether a house reroof needs a permit. The Applications & Permits page lists the Township's permit applications and names no roof work, and the Township's Construction Permit Application lists only generic work types ("New Construction ____ Addition / Alterations ____ Repairs ____ Demolition") and names no reroofing or roof replacement. The Township's ordinances were not read for this record: its Ordinances page refused automated reads when tried, so its ordinance adopting the Uniform Construction Code and its fee schedule are unread. 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 Township requires a permit for a house reroof; ask the Township office (724-295-2648, Monday to Friday, 7:00am to 4:00pm) before starting. Read for this answer: the Township's Applications & Permits page and its 2026 Construction Permit Application.