Roofing in Carroll Valley, 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, Carroll Valley Borough's Codes Department, in the Borough Office at 5685 Fairfield Road, Fairfield, lists "Issuing building/zoning permits" among its duties and reviews and inspects construction "through the use of a Third-Party Inspection Company, Pennsylvania Municipal Code Alliance"; its Building Codes page says "The Borough has contracted with PA Municipal Code Alliance for review, inspection and enforcement of the PA Uniform Construction Code." Chapter 5, Part 1 of the Borough Code (Ord. 1-04 of 2004) adopts "The Uniform Construction Code, contained in 34 Pa. Code Chapters 401 to 405, as amended from time to time" as the Borough's building code, and section 5-105 keeps in force building code ordinances adopted on or before July 1, 1999 "which equal or exceed the requirements of the code." Section 5-106 amends "Table 301.2(1) of the 2018 International Residential Code" with the Borough's design criteria, and the Borough's pages name no code edition; this record has not read the 2018 edition's text and does not decide which edition the Borough applies.

Carroll Valley Borough's code and pages read for this record do not say whether a house reroof needs a permit. Chapter 5, Part 2 (the Code Enforcement Ordinance, Ord. 6 of 1975 as amended through 2001), section 5-204.1, says "An application for a permit shall be required in accordance with the provisions of those applicable codes and ordinances which the Office of Code Enforcement has the responsibility to administer." Under the heading "Required Fees," section 5-204.3.C says "Any new construction, renovation, or alteration which is less than $1,000 in total valuation shall require a zoning permit with the required fee, but no building permit or fee unless, in the opinion of the Code Enforcement Officer, the new construction, renovation or alteration affects the structural integrity of an existing structure." Neither part names roof work, and a code-wide search of the Borough Code for "roof" found no section that requires or exempts a permit for it. The Borough's Permits page lists among "Projects that require a Building Permit" "Any improvement that will construct, enlarge, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a residential building," and says "While a Building Permit might not be required, you may need a Zoning Permit for: Any new construction, renovation, alteration, or attached garage/carport." It does not name roofing. The Borough's 2026 fee schedule (Resolution 1-2026) lists "UCC Inspections" at "Rates charged by 3rd party inspection company" and has no roofing line. A 2018 Pennsylvania Municipal Code Alliance letter linked from its own FAQ, addressed "Dear Municipal Official" and naming no municipality, says a residential re-roof "does not require a building permit"; no Borough page carries it. 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 Borough requires a permit for a house reroof; ask the Borough Codes Department (717-642-8269) before starting. Under section 5-205, a violation of Part 2 or of any applicable code or ordinance carries "a fine of no more than $1,000" on conviction. Read for this answer: Chapter 5, Parts 1 and 2, of the Borough Code, a code-wide search of it for "roof" and "reroofing," the Borough's Codes / Zoning, Building Codes and Permits pages, and its 2026 fee schedule.