Roofing in Doylestown 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, Doylestown Township administers the code itself: Section 76-1 of the Township Code says "Doylestown Township hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code," and its Code and Zoning department, at the Township Administration building, 425 Wells Road, Doylestown, lists a Director of Code Enforcement and a code inspector from Keystone among its staff. Section 76-3 adopts the Uniform Construction Code, "as amended from time to time," as the municipal building code of the Township, names no code edition and changes nothing in the code's roofing provisions. The Code and Zoning page says "Residential construction projects use the International Residential Code 2021 and additional codes and standards as referenced."

The Doylestown Township code and pages read for this record do not say whether a house reroof needs a permit. Chapter 76 of the Township Code, the Township's Uniform Construction Code ordinance, adopts the code by reference and names no roof work. Its Section 76-2 deletes four of the state regulation's permit exemptions ("subsections i, ii, vi and xvii" of Section 403.62(c), numbered as the regulation stood in 2004, when they were fences, retaining walls, prefabricated swimming pools and low uncovered decks), and none of them is roof work. Section 76-6 keeps in effect "All building code ordinances or portions of ordinances which were adopted by the Township on or before July 1, 1999, and which equal or exceed the requirements of this code"; it names none, none is printed in the current Township Code, and none was read for this record. The permit clause in Chapter 96, Floodplain Management ("A permit shall be required before any construction or development is undertaken within any area of the Township of Doylestown") is part of the floodplain chapter's administration and is not a general building permit rule. The Code and Zoning pages (read October 7, 2026) do not say whether a house reroof needs a permit. The Township's building permit application, revised January 13, 2026, lists "Re-Roofing" only under "TYPE OF COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMIT"; its residential types name no roof work. The 2026 fee schedule (revised April 14, 2026) likewise names re-roofing only in "NON-RESIDENTIAL ALTERATIONS INCLUDING RE-ROOFING," and prices houses under "RESIDENTIAL ALTERATION / ADDITIONS / DECKS / ACCESSORY STRUCTURES," which 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." Before starting a reroof, ask the Code and Zoning department at 215-348-9915 whether it requires a permit for the job. Under the fee schedule's penalty fee, where construction is started without the required permits, "the applicable fees will be increased by 100%." The building permit application asks every contractor for a certificate of workers' compensation and general liability insurance naming the Township as additional insured. Read for this record: Chapter 76 of the Township Code, Construction Codes, Uniform (Sections 76-1 to 76-7), in full; Chapter A180, Fees, a note that the fee schedule is kept by resolution; the administration article of Chapter 96, Floodplain Management; a search of the whole Township Code for "roof" and for "reroofing," which found no permit provision naming roof work; the Code and Zoning and Permit Applications and Guidelines pages; both versions of the building permit application; and the 2026 fee schedule. The Township office is open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.