Roofing in East Brandywine Township, Pennsylvania

Required

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 Brandywine Township issues building permits from its Building Permits and Codes Enforcement office at 1214 Horseshoe Pike, Downingtown. The Township's page says "East Brandywine Township has elected to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act" and that the Department "contracts for the services of certified residential and commercial building code officials from Arro Consulting, Inc." Section 127-1 says the Township "hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," and Section 127-2 adopts the Uniform Construction Code, "as amended from time to time," as the East Brandywine Township Building Code of 2004. Section 127-5 keeps in force pre-1999 Township rules listed in Exhibit A, which concern decks, patios, pools and courts and name no roof work; Chapter 127 changes nothing in the code's roofing provisions. The Township's Building Permits and Codes Enforcement page says "The codes applicable to work for which a construction permit is sought on or after February 15, 2022, are the 2018 International Codes issued by the International Code Council (ICC), and certain provisions from the 2021 International Codes," while Section 127-2 adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as amended from time to time"; this record has not read the 2018 edition's text and does not decide which edition the Township applies.

East Brandywine Township's fee schedule carries a roofing permit for residential roofing alterations. Section 127-8F(18) of the Township Code (Res. No. 11-2014), headed "Roofing permits," sets a fee for "Residential roofing alterations: $150 (flat fee)," and the Township's current master fee schedule, Resolution No. 9 of 2024, linked from the Township's permit page and read October 9, 2026, keeps the same line: "18. Roofing Permits" and "Residential Roofing Alterations" at "$150.00 (Flat Fee)." Under state law, Act 45 says the Act "shall not apply to" "Alterations to residential buildings which do not make structural changes or changes to means of egress, except as might be required by ordinances in effect pursuant to section 303(b)(1) or adopted pursuant to section 503" or to "Repairs to residential buildings, except as might be required by ordinances in effect pursuant to section 303(b)(1) or adopted pursuant to section 503" (section 104(b)(5) and (6)), and of a municipal ordinance that adds to the code, section 503(c) says "An ordinance under this subsection shall not be effective nor enforceable unless subsections (d), (e), (f), (g), (h) and (i) have been satisfied." This record does not decide whether the municipality's requirement is one adopted under section 503 or kept in effect by section 303(b)(1). In practice, expect the Township to require a permit for a house reroof. Section 127-8F(26) says "Work begun without permit: Permit fees are doubled," and the Township's permit page says "ANY WORK REQUIRING PERMIT COMMENCED WITHOUT FIRST SECURNG PERMIT WILL RESULT IN DOUBLE FEES." The Township's page says applications "MUST be signed + delivered to our office + any required application fees," that review takes "less than or equal to 15 business days," that payment is by "Check(s) and/or exact cash NO CREDIT/DEBIT CARDS," and that "All permit fees are non-refundable." Every permit starts from the Standard Building / Zoning Permit Application Form, which the page marks "REQUIRED FOR ALL PERMITS." The office is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., at 610-269-8230. Read for this answer: Chapter 127 of the Township Code, Construction Codes, Uniform (Sections 127-1 to 127-14), in full, with its Exhibit A, Modifications, which keeps pre-1999 rules on decks, patios, pools and courts and names no roof work; every page of a search of the whole Township Code for "roof" and a search for "reroofing", which returned no result; the Building Permits and Codes Enforcement page; the Residential General Building Permit attachment; and the 2024 master fee schedule.