Roofing in Conewago Township (York 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, Conewago Township in York County issues building permits at its office, 490 Copenhaffer Road, York: Section 703 of its Zoning Ordinance says the Zoning Officer "issues all building permits," and the Township's Application for Building Permit/Use Certificate is signed by the Township's "PERMIT OFFICER/BCO" and carries a "CCIS Administration Fee" line. The 2026 fee schedule (Resolution 2026-02) charges "a Third-Party Fee covering any applicable UCC processes, reviews, and inspections." The Township's Uniform Construction Code ordinance is not among the ordinances it publishes online and is not in an online code library, so it was not read for this record, and no Township ordinance reaching residential reroofing was read. The Township's Forms/Permits page links to the 2021 International Residential Code ("Link to 2021 IRC"), while its residential permit application, dated March 22, 2023, is headed "RESIDENTIAL PENNSYLVANIA UNIFORM CONSTRUCTION CODES ENFORCED 2018 IRC"; this record has not read the 2018 edition's text and does not decide which edition the Township applies.

Conewago Township's pages do not say whether a house reroof needs a permit. Section 701a of the Township's Zoning Ordinance (No. 322, 2009) says "Where required by the Conewago Township and the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code for the erection, enlargement, repair, alteration, moving or demolition of any structure, a permit must be obtained from the Zoning Officer." It names no roof work, and the Township ordinance it refers to was not read. The residential application's "Type of Work or Improvement" boxes are "New Building," "Addition," "Alteration," "Repair," "Demolition" and others, with no roofing box, and the 2026 fee schedule has no roofing line. The Forms/Permits page says "Please remember that penalties will be assessed if building is started without first having a permit issued." The Township's Uniform Construction Code ordinance is not among the ordinances it publishes online and is not in an online code library, so it was not read for this record, and no Township ordinance reaching residential reroofing was read. 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 permit is required for a house reroof in Conewago Township; ask the Township office at 717-266-2122 before starting. Read for this answer: the Township's Forms/Permits and Ordinances pages; its residential permit application; its 2026 fee schedule, both pages; and its Zoning Ordinance (No. 322), searched for every mention of roofs and permits, with Article VII, Administration and Enforcement, read. The Township's Uniform Construction Code ordinance was not found published and was not read.