Roofing in Clifford Township (Susquehanna County), 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, Clifford Township elects to run the code itself: its 2004 Uniform Construction Code ordinance says "Clifford Township hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," and its Permits page says "NO WORK IS TO COMMENCE WITHOUT POSSESSION OF A PERMIT FROM THE TOWNSHIP BUILDING PERMIT OFFICIAL" and lists a building inspector, Northeast Inspection Consultants, with its building subcode applications. The Township's Building Permit Official is its secretary; the Township office is at 119 Cemetery Street, Clifford (570-222-9364), and its page says "Office may be closed, please call for appointment." The Township's Uniform Construction Code ordinance (Ordinance 2004, read October 12, 2026 from the scanned pages) says "The Uniform Construction Code, contained in 34 Pa. Code, Chapters 401-405, as amended from time to time, is hereby adopted and incorporated herein by reference as the municipal building code of this Municipality" and keeps in force building code ordinances adopted on or before April 2000 "which equal or exceed the requirements of the Code." It names no roof work and no code edition. One such ordinance is on the Township's Ordinances page, Ordinance No. 4/89, "AN ORDINANCE REQUIRING ALL PERSONS, PARTNERSHIPS, BUSINESSES AND CORPORATIONS TO OBTAIN A BUILDING PERMIT OR EXEMPTION CERTIFICATE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION, RECONSTRUCTION, ENLARGEMENT, OR RELOCATION OF ANY BUILDING OR STRUCTURE." Its Section 1 says "It shall be unlawful for any person, partnership, business or corporation to undertake or cause to be undertaken, the construction, reconstruction, enlargement, or relocation of any building or structure unless an approved building permit or exemption certificate has been obtained from the Permit Officer," and "A building permit or exemption certificate shall not be required for repairs to existing buildings or structures, provided that no structural changes are involved." It names no roof work, and this record does not decide whether a house reroof is a repair under that section or whether the ordinance is still in effect under the 2004 ordinance's savings clause. The Township's Land Use Permit Ordinance (Ordinance No. 3-15) applies to "any building that constructed for agricultural purposes or any other purpose that is exempt from the requirements of the issuance of a building permit pursuant to the Uniform Construction Code" and names no roof work. The Township's ordinance and pages name no residential code edition.

Clifford Township's pages do not say whether a house reroof needs a permit. The Township's Permits page, read October 12, 2026, says "Clifford Township requires permits. The list of permits includes demolition, deck, porch, driveway, addition, building, swimming pools, sewage, building/electrical, mechanical/plumbing, subdivisions, land use and land development," and names no roof work. Its 2015 fee resolution (Resolution No. 2015-1, transcribed from the scanned pages) lists building permits for "Alterations and Repairs" at "1.5% of construction cost (minimum $50)" and has no roofing line, and the inspection agency's fee schedule for the Township has none either. The agency's Building Subcode application, which the Permits page links, lists "ROOFING" as one of several boxes under ALTERATION beside fence, sign, pool and other work and does not say whether a roofing permit is needed. The Township's Uniform Construction Code ordinance (Ordinance 2004, read October 12, 2026 from the scanned pages) says "The Uniform Construction Code, contained in 34 Pa. Code, Chapters 401-405, as amended from time to time, is hereby adopted and incorporated herein by reference as the municipal building code of this Municipality" and keeps in force building code ordinances adopted on or before April 2000 "which equal or exceed the requirements of the Code." It names no roof work and no code edition. One such ordinance is on the Township's Ordinances page, Ordinance No. 4/89, "AN ORDINANCE REQUIRING ALL PERSONS, PARTNERSHIPS, BUSINESSES AND CORPORATIONS TO OBTAIN A BUILDING PERMIT OR EXEMPTION CERTIFICATE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION, RECONSTRUCTION, ENLARGEMENT, OR RELOCATION OF ANY BUILDING OR STRUCTURE." Its Section 1 says "It shall be unlawful for any person, partnership, business or corporation to undertake or cause to be undertaken, the construction, reconstruction, enlargement, or relocation of any building or structure unless an approved building permit or exemption certificate has been obtained from the Permit Officer," and "A building permit or exemption certificate shall not be required for repairs to existing buildings or structures, provided that no structural changes are involved." It names no roof work, and this record does not decide whether a house reroof is a repair under that section or whether the ordinance is still in effect under the 2004 ordinance's savings clause. The Township's Land Use Permit Ordinance (Ordinance No. 3-15) applies to "any building that constructed for agricultural purposes or any other purpose that is exempt from the requirements of the issuance of a building permit pursuant to the Uniform Construction Code" 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 a house reroof needs a permit; ask the Township office (570-222-9364) before starting. Read for this answer: the Township's Permits, Ordinances, Township Personnel and Township Directory pages; its Ordinance No. 4/89, its 2004 Uniform Construction Code ordinance, its Land Use Permit Ordinance, its 2015 fee resolution; and the inspection agency's fee schedule, subcode applications page and Building Subcode application. The Township's setback, floodplain and subdivision ordinances were not read for this record.