Roofing in Derry Township (Westmoreland 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, Derry Township administers the code itself: the Township's information page says "Derry Township opted-in to the Uniform Construction Code (Act 45) on July 1st of 2004" and that "Building Permits for commercial and residential projects are issued by Building Code Official," and the permit packet posted on the Township's Forms page says "Applications for a permit required by the UCC shall be submitted to the Township building as per Township Ordinance Number 114" and refers questions to American Building Inspection Services, Inc., of Latrobe. The Township building is at 5321 Route 982, Derry. Township Ordinance Number 114 is not published online: the Township's website posts no ordinances, and the Township of Derry code on eCode360 is that of Derry Township, Dauphin County, not this Township; so this record has not read the Township's Uniform Construction Code ordinance or any other Township ordinance on building permits. The permit packet says "The 2009 International Building Codes are available from the International Code Council" and lists the "International Residential Code 2009" among the codes the State adopts, and the Township's pages name no later edition; the text above is the 2021 edition's, this record has not read the 2009 edition's text, and it does not decide which edition the Township applies.

Derry Township's pages do not say whether a house reroof needs a permit. The Township's information page (read October 7, 2026) says "Permits are required for, but not limited to, the following:" and lists "Building construction or alteration" with no roof words, and says "Please call the Township with any questions you may have regarding what types of construction projects require a building permit." The permit packet's list headed "The following residential items will require a permit under the Uniform Construction Code (UCC)" names new homes, additions, "Alterations to existing homes that require a structural change or change to the means of egress" and other items, and names no roof work; the packet's list of required attachments names no roof work either. Township Ordinance Number 114 is not published online: the Township's website posts no ordinances, and the Township of Derry code on eCode360 is that of Derry Township, Dauphin County, not this Township; so this record has not read the Township's Uniform Construction Code ordinance or any other Township ordinance on building permits. 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 Derry Township; ask the Township at 724-694-8835 before starting. The packet says "No work shall begin on any project until the application is approved and permit is issued and paid for. Work started prior may result in the doubling of the building permit fee." The Township office hours given in the packet are 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Read for this answer: the Township's home, information, directory and Forms pages, and the ten-page Building Permit Application packet posted on the Forms page, in full. The Township's Uniform Construction Code ordinance and any other Township ordinance on building permits could not be read.