Roofing in East Bethlehem Township (Washington 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, East Bethlehem Township's home page says "Zoning, Floodplain and Building Permits are administered by K2 Engineering, Inc." with the phone number 724-439-3440, and its residential Uniform Construction Code building permit application, posted on the Township's Zoning/Building Permits page, says "No work may be concealed from view until it has been approved by a K2 Engineering Inspector." Ordinance 2004-3, posted on the Township's Ordinances page, says "This Municipality hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act, Act 45 of 1999" and adopts "The Uniform Construction Code, contained in 34 Pa. Code, Chapters 401-405, as amended from time to time"; its section 5.a keeps in force building code ordinances adopted on or before July 1, 1999 "which equal or exceed the requirements of the Code," and the ordinance names no roof work, adds no permit clause of its own for house repairs, and names no code edition.

East Bethlehem Township's pages and ordinances read for this record do not say whether a house reroof needs a permit. The Township's other ordinances read for this record name no roof work as permit work. Its Floodplain Ordinance (2015-3) says in Section 3.02 "A Permit shall be required before any construction or development is undertaken within any area of the East Bethlehem Township," defines "Development" to include "construction, reconstruction, renovation, repair, expansion, or alteration of buildings or other structures," and says in Section 2.02 B "A Permit shall not be required for minor repairs to existing buildings or structures"; it does not define "minor repairs" or set an area, percentage or cost limit, and this record does not decide whether a house reroof is a "minor repair." Its zoning ordinance (2016-1) says "No structure shall be located, erected, demolished, constructed, moved, altered externally, converted, or enlarged" except in compliance with the ordinance "and the subsequent lawful issuance of all permits and certifications required by this Ordinance," names no roof work as permit work, and this record does not decide whether a house reroof is an external alteration under it. Ordinance 2004-6 adopts the International Property Maintenance Code with "currently no revisions." The Township's Zoning/Building Permits page says "For questions on the Zoning Ordinance and/or requirements please contact the Township Office at 724-377-1777." Its residential building permit application is headed "NEW CONSTRUCTION AND/OR IMPROVEMENTS" and lists improvement types including "Porch Roof ONLY" and "Interior Renovations"; it lists "Roofing" only among the contractors to be named, asks in its plan-characteristics sheet for the "Type of roof coverings & roof ventilation," and names no reroof as permit work or as exempt. The Township's fee schedule was not found published. 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 house reroof; ask the Township office (724-377-1777) or K2 Engineering (724-439-3440) before starting. Read for this answer: the Township's home, Zoning/Building Permits, Ordinances and Announcements/Forms pages; Ordinance 2004-3 (Uniform Construction Code), Ordinance 2004-6 (Property Maintenance Code), Ordinance 2015-3 (Floodplain Regulations) and Ordinance 2016-1 (Zoning) in full; and the residential building permit application. The Township's Ordinances page lists other ordinances as scanned files; those were not read.