Roofing in Conestoga 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, Conestoga Township's Zoning page says "All Conestoga Township building, zoning, and stormwater management application submissions must be taken to Solanco Engineering Associates" in Quarryville, and the Township's Agricultural/Residential Application for a Building/Zoning Permit names Commonwealth Code Inspection Service, in Manheim, as the "Third Party Plan Review and Code Inspection Agency." Chapter 94 of the Township Code (Ord. No. 2004-02, June 24, 2004) says "Conestoga Township hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act 45 of 1999" and adopts the Uniform Construction Code, "as amended from time to time," as the municipal building code. Chapter 94 changes nothing in the code's roofing provisions. The Township's commercial permit application says work "shall comply with the Pa.UCC (IBC and IRC 2003 as referenced)," and no Township page read names a current residential code edition; this record has not read the 2003 edition's text and does not say which residential edition the Township enforces.

Conestoga Township has published nothing that names roof work as permit work or as exempt. The Township's 2026 fee schedule (revised and adopted July 7, 2026) says building permit fees "are determined by Conestoga Township appointed third party inspection agencies" and lists zoning permit fees by structure type; it names no roof work. A search of the whole Township Code for "roof" and for "reroofing" found no section that names roof work as permit work or as exempt; the hits are sewage, stormwater, zoning and design-guideline provisions. Section 94-5 keeps in force "All building code ordinances or portions of ordinances which were adopted by Conestoga Township on or before July 1, 1999, and which equal or exceed the requirements of the code"; no such building code is among the published chapters of the Township Code. The residential application lists "New Building," "Addition," "Alteration" and "Repair" boxes and has no roofing box. 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 reroof. The Zoning page says "If you are contemplating any improvement or alterations to your home, property, or business," contact Solanco Engineering Associates "to discuss your plans and determine if any permits or approvals are required"; Solanco is at 717-786-0355 and the Township office at 717-872-4301, Tuesday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Read for this record: Chapter 94 of the Township Code, Construction Codes, Uniform, in full; every page of a search of the whole Township Code for "roof" and "reroofing"; the Township's home and Zoning pages; its 2026 fee schedule; and its residential and commercial building/zoning permit applications.