Roofing in Fallowfield 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, Fallowfield Township in Washington County issues building permits through its own code enforcement office: the Township's Zoning Code Enforcement page says "The Code Enforcement/Zoning Officers are responsible for the issuance of building permits, inspection of construction sites, review of site and construction plans and the enforcement of building codes and zoning ordinances" and lists the Township's Code Enforcement and Zoning Officer, who is also its UCC Building Inspector, at 724-322-2166. The Township Building is at 9 Memorial Drive, Charleroi. Chapter 175 of the Township Code adopts the Uniform Construction Code by reference and changes none of its roofing provisions; neither the Township's pages nor Chapter 175 name a code edition.

No Fallowfield Township text read for this record says that a reroof needs a building permit or that it is exempt. Chapter 175 of the Township Code (Ordinance No. 177, adopted May 26, 2004) elects to administer and enforce 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"; it names no roof work either way, and Section 175-5A keeps in force building code ordinances "adopted by this municipality on or before July 1, 1999, and which equal or exceed the requirements of the code". No such earlier building code is published in the Township Code. The Township's fee schedule, Resolution No. 500 (September 26, 2016), has no reroofing line; its roof line is "Porch Roofs New- 50.00 per inspection", and the Township's Application for Building & Zoning Permit asks only for the "Type of Construction" and names no roof work. The Township's Zoning Code Enforcement page, under "Projects That May Require Permits," lists "Reroofing or residing" with building an addition, adding or replacing windows and building a fence, deck, or patio; that list says such projects may require permits and does not say which permit, or that a building permit is required, for a reroof. The page says "We encourage you to inquire as to whether or not you need a building permit before expending time, effort and money on formal plans", and under "Failure to Obtain a Permit" says "A stop work order will be issued, and you may be fined up to $500 a day." 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 decide whether the Township requires a permit for an ordinary reroof. Ask the Code Enforcement and Zoning Officer at 724-322-2166 before work starts; the Township office is at 724-483-8700. Read for this record: Chapter 175 of the Township Code (Construction Codes, Uniform, Sections 175-1 to 175-6) in full; Chapter 278, Property Maintenance; the Township Code's table of chapters, which lists no other building permit chapter; every page of a search of the whole Township Code and its posted documents for "roof," for "reroofing" and for "BOCA"; Resolution No. 500, the fee schedule, in full; the Application for Building & Zoning Permit (read from the rendered page); and the Township's home, Zoning Code Enforcement, Permits/Forms/Fees and Ordinances pages.