Roofing in Cape Elizabeth, Maine

The 2021 International Residential Code, as adopted by the State in the Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code (MUBEC). The State's residential rule, 08-003 C.M.R. chapter 6 (formerly 16-642 C.M.R. chapter 5), adopts "Chapters 1 - 11", "Chapter 15", "Chapter 44" and six appendices of the 2021 International Residential Code, effective March 4, 2025 (Secretary of State filing 2025-046). None of the State's changes touches Chapter 8, Roof-Ceiling Construction, or Chapter 9, Roof Assemblies, so those apply as the International Code Council publishes them. Work on existing buildings also falls under the State's adoption of the 2021 International Existing Building Code (08-003 C.M.R. chapter 5), which makes no change to its reroofing section. The code is uniform statewide: "The MUBEC applies to all buildings constructed or renovated in Maine regardless of municipal population" (08-003 C.M.R. chapter 2, section 4(1)). "The Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code must be enforced in a municipality that has more than 4,000 residents" (10 M.R.S. 9724(1)), and a smaller municipality "is not required to enforce, but may not adopt or enforce a building code other than" the MUBEC (10 M.R.S. 9724(1-A)). A municipality may not write its own building rules: "any ordinance regarding a building code of any political subdivision of the State that is inconsistent with the Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code is void" (10 M.R.S. 9724(3)). It may adopt an ordinance "that sets forth provisions for local enforcement of building codes" (10 M.R.S. 9724(5)), which the State's rule says "may include items such as, permits, fees, boards of appeals and violations" (08-003 C.M.R. chapter 2, section 4(4)). The State's version of the residential code accordingly requires a permit only "where required by municipal ordinance" (Section R105.1) and lets a municipality exempt more work from permits (Section R105.2), so whether a reroof needs a permit is set by each municipality. The code does not apply to "Log homes or manufactured housing" or to "Post and beam or timber frame construction" (10 M.R.S. 9724(5)(A)). Everything above is Maine state law, the same in every municipality. In Cape Elizabeth the Code Enforcement Officer enforces the building and plumbing codes, processes and approves the permits for construction, and inspects the work, according to the town's own page.