Roofing in Chartiers Township, 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, Chartiers Township in Washington County administers the code itself: Section 135-1 of the Township Code says "The Township of Chartiers hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," and Section 135-3 says administration and enforcement "shall be undertaken by the designation of an employee of Chartiers Township to serve as the Municipal Code Official." Building permit applications are filed with the Township at 2 Buccaneer Drive, Houston, by mail or in person. Section 135-2 says "The Uniform Construction Code, contained in 34 Pa. Code, Chapters 401 to 405 , as amended from time to time, is hereby adopted and incorporated herein by reference as the Municipal Building Code of the Township of Chartiers," naming no edition, and Chapter 135 changes nothing in the code's roofing provisions. The Township's building permit application lists "2021 International Residential" as the code version used. Section 135-5A keeps in force building code ordinances adopted on or before July 1, 1999 that equal or exceed the code; none is printed in the Township Code, and this record has not read one.

Chartiers Township's code and pages read for this record do not say whether a house reroof needs a permit. Chapter 135 of the Township Code, the Township's Uniform Construction Code ordinance (Ord. No. 303, July 6, 2004, read October 9, 2026), names no roof work and adds no permit clause of its own for house repairs. Its Section 135-5A says "All building code ordinances or portions of ordinances which were adopted by Chartiers Township on or before July 1, 1999, and which equal or exceed the requirements of the code shall continue in full force and effect"; no such ordinance is printed in the Township Code, and this record has not read one. Section 350-72A of the zoning chapter says "A zoning permit shall be required prior to the erection, construction or alteration of any building, structure or any portion thereof"; it names no roof work. The Township's pages say nothing on roofing. Its 2026 fee resolution (Resolution R-2-2026, amended June 23, 2026, read in full from its scanned pages) prices residential building permits for "Repairs and Alterations" at "$ 0.50 per square foot" and lists "Roofing" at "$ 0.10 per square foot" only under "Commercial Construction"; its building permit application offers the types "Alteration or Renovation", "Addition", "New Building" and "Other" and names no roof work. 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 (724-745-3415) before starting. The 2026 fee resolution adds a "Late Permit fee (all permits, zoning, building etc.)" of "10% over cost of permit." Forms are printed and returned by mail or in person; the Township says "FORMS CAN NOT BE SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY". The office is open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, Tuesday 8:00 am to 7:00 pm, and Friday 8:00 am to 12:30 pm. Read for this answer: Chapter 135 of the Township Code, Construction Codes, Uniform (Sections 135-1 to 135-6), and Chapter 115, Building and Grading, in full; Section 350-72 of the zoning chapter; every page of a search of the whole Township Code for "roof" and for "reroofing," which found no permit provision naming roof work; the Applications and Permits, Code Enforcement and Contact Us pages; the building permit and residential zoning permit applications; and the 2026 fee resolution.