Roofing in Danville, 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, Danville Borough's Codes & Zoning Office, at the Borough office, 463 Mill Street, takes zoning and UCC permit applications, and the Borough's permit sheet tells residents who are unsure to "contact the Building Code Official for clarification" at the Borough's number, extension 1. The Borough's fee schedule (Resolution 2025-1, adopted January 14, 2025) adds "A 20% administration fee, plus a $4.50 state fee" to all UCC permits and attaches as its UCC fee schedule one on the form of Barry Isett & Associates. Chapter 102 of the Borough Code (Ord. No. 456, May 11, 2004) says "This municipality hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act" and adopts the Uniform Construction Code, "as amended from time to time," as "the municipal building code of this municipality." Chapter 102 changes nothing in the code's roofing provisions, and the Borough's code and permit pages name no residential code edition.

Danville Borough's permit sheets name roof sheathing replacement as building permit work and say nothing on replacing the roof covering alone. The Borough's sheet "What kind of permits do I need?" lists a building permit for "Removal, cutting, reinforcement, drilling or replacement of a load bearing beam, header, roof sheathing or wall" and names no other roof work. Its Residential Construction Permit Guidelines list, among projects "NOT REQUIRING construction permits (unless by Municipal amendments)," "Repairs to residential buildings, except as required by ordinances in effect under sections 303(b)(1) and 503 of the act," and say "An ordinary repair does not require a permit"; they too name no roof work. Neither sheet says in its own words whether replacing a roof covering without touching the sheathing needs a permit. Chapter 102 of the Borough Code adds no permit requirement of its own and names no roof work, and a search of the whole Borough Code for "roof" and for "reroofing" found no section that names roof work as permit work or as exempt. The Borough's fee schedule has no roofing line: its residential UCC fee schedule prices "Alterations and Renovations" at a share of construction cost, and its zoning permit table names "Patio/Patio roof/Porch/Deck" under accessory additions. 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 Borough requires a permit for a reroof that leaves the sheathing in place. The permit sheet says "If you are unsure, contact the Building Code Official for clarification" and warns that "Performing any work regulated by the Uniform Construction Code (UCC) without a permit and required inspections" is a summary offense with a fine of up to $1,000 a day. The Codes & Zoning Office is at 570-275-3091, extension 1; the Borough office is open Monday to Thursday, 8am to 5pm, and Friday, 8am to 3:30pm. Read for this record: Chapter 102 of the Borough Code, Construction Codes, Uniform, in full; every page of a search of the whole Borough Code for "roof" and for "reroofing"; the Borough's Code & Zoning page; its "What kind of permits do I need?" sheet and Residential Construction Permit Guidelines; and the fee schedule, Resolution 2025-1, with its attached UCC fee schedules.