Roofing in Carnegie, 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, Carnegie Borough administers the code itself: Section 5-101 of the Borough Code (Ord. 2229, May 9, 2005) says "The Borough hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," and Section 5-102 adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as amended from time to time" as the Building Code of the Borough. The Borough's Code Enforcement office, at One Veterans Way, takes permit applications on the Borough's General Permit Application. Chapter 5, Part 1 changes nothing in the code's roofing provisions, and the Borough's permit pages and application name no code edition.

No Carnegie Borough text read names reroofing as permit work or as exempt. The Borough's Code Enforcement page (read October 9, 2026) says "Permits: Are required for new construction, fences, additions, garages, storage sheds, decks, porches, swimming pools, and signs." and "Please contact the code office at 412-279-3787 to obtain a permit application." The Building Inspector & Code Office's sheet, an image read from the rendered page, lists "Work requiring permits" as "New construction, additions, electrical, mechanical signs, demolition, fire protection, sidewalks, curb cuts, street openings, sewer taps and accessory structures." The Borough's General Permit Application has a "BUILDING / RENOVATION" box and no roofing box. Chapter 5, Part 1 of the Borough Code adopts the Uniform Construction Code by reference, names no roof work and adds no permit clause of its own, and Section 5-105 keeps in force building code ordinances adopted on or before July 1, 1999 that equal or exceed the code; no such ordinance appears in the published Borough Code. A read of every chapter of the published Borough Code and of the zoning ordinance found no provision naming roof work on houses as permit work or as exempt. The Borough does not publish a building permit fee schedule on its website. 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." Neither the Borough's statements nor its code names reroofing as permit work or as exempt, and the Borough publishes no building permit fee schedule, so this record does not decide whether the Borough requires a permit for an ordinary reroof. Ask the Borough's code office at 412-279-3787 before work starts. The Borough's General Permit Application asks for the contractor's home improvement contractor number and workers' compensation insurance details, and the Borough says forms "may not be submitted electronically. Please deliver in person or mail to the appropriate person." The Borough's office is open Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Read for this answer: every chapter of the Borough Code as published on the Borough's Code of Ordinances page, including Chapter 4, Buildings, and Chapter 5, Code Enforcement, in full, and a search of each for "roof"; the zoning ordinance; the Code Enforcement and Applications, Permits & Forms pages; the Building Inspector & Code Office sheet; and the General Permit Application.