Roofing in Cherry Ridge 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, Cherry Ridge Township elects to run the code itself: Section 111-1 of its code (Chapter 111, Ordinance No. 040706, adopted July 7, 2004, read October 12, 2026) says "Cherry Ridge Township hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act" and adopts the Uniform Construction Code "by reference as the municipal building code of Cherry Ridge Township." The Township's contacts page lists a "Building Permit/UCC Enforcement Officer" (570-493-1716), and its zoning permit application says "NEW HOMES, ADDITIONS TO HOMES & ACCESSORY STRUCTURES & ADDITIONS REQUIRE BUILDING PERMITS AS WELL AS ZONING PERMIT" and lists a building inspector with the same telephone number. The Township office is at 269 Spinner Road, Honesdale (570-253-8464). Section 111-3 of the same chapter keeps in force building code ordinances adopted on or before July 1, 1999 "which equal or exceed the requirements of the Code"; Chapter 111 names no roof work and no code edition. The Township's pages name no residential code edition.

Cherry Ridge Township's pages and code do not say in terms whether a house reroof needs a permit. Section 108-51A of the Township's zoning chapter (Chapter 108, read October 12, 2026) says "A building and/or zoning permit shall be required prior to the erection, addition, or alteration of any building or portion thereof" and, in the same paragraph, "No Zoning Permit shall be required in cases of normal maintenance activities, (painting, replacement of siding or new roofing), minor repairs or alterations which do not structurally change a building, or structure, or change the use." The exemption names the zoning permit, and this record does not decide whether a house reroof also needs a Uniform Construction Code building permit. Section 108-41, on non-conforming uses, says "Normal maintenance and repair activities, such as painting, replacing a roof, or fixing gutters shall be permitted." The Township's zoning permit application says "Any and All buildings require a zoning permit" and names no reroof, and its schedule of fees (Resolution No. 080506, adopted May 6, 2008, transcribed from the scanned pages) lists "Zoning Permit Additions / Alteration (residential)" at $150.00 and has no building permit fee line and no roofing line. The Township's Uniform Construction Code chapter says the Township "hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act" and adopts the Uniform Construction Code "by reference as the municipal building code of Cherry Ridge Township." Section 111-3 of the same chapter keeps in force building code ordinances adopted on or before July 1, 1999 "which equal or exceed the requirements of the Code"; Chapter 111 names no roof work and no code edition. 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 a house reroof needs a permit; call the Township office (570-253-8464) before starting. Read for this answer: the Township's home, contacts, applications and zoning pages; its Code of Cherry Ridge Township (Chapters 1 to 111, with Chapter 111 and Sections 108-41 and 108-51 in full and every one of the 17 lines naming a roof read in context); its zoning permit application and zoning review flow chart; and its schedule of fees. No separate ordinance requiring building permits was found among those chapters.