Roofing in Ford City, 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, Ford City Borough's Permits and Forms page lists a "Bureau Veritas Permit Application" under "Building, Zoning, & Occupancy Forms," its 2026 Municipal Fee Schedule lists "UCC Building Permit Admin Fee 10% Bureau Veritas Fees," and the Bureau Veritas demolition guidelines it posts speak of a "UCC demolition permit"; the Bureau Veritas application lists an Armstrong office at 204 Butler Road, Suite 3, Kittanning (724.548.1414). Zoning applications go to the Borough office, 1000 4th Ave, Ford City. The Borough's pages name no code edition.

Ford City Borough's pages read for this record do not say whether a house reroof needs a permit. The Borough's Building, Zoning, Floodplain, & Code Enforcement page says "a zoning permit shall be required: 1. Prior to the erection or construction of any structure which requires the issuance of a building permit; 2. Prior to the erection, structural alteration or occupancy of any building;" and names no roof work. The Bureau Veritas permit application asks for the type of work as "Residential" or "Commercial" with a description and cost and names no roofing category, and the 2026 Municipal Fee Schedule's "Building/Zoning Fees" list new construction, addition, accessory building, demolition, change of use, swimming pool, sign and curb cut applications and no roofing line. The 2020 Zoning Ordinance's materials standards in Article 5 say "Allowed pitched roof materials include dimensional asphalt" and then list others, a design standard that names no permit. This record does not decide whether a house reroof needs a Borough or Bureau Veritas permit or is reached by that standard. 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." Ask the Borough office (724-763-3081) or Bureau Veritas's Armstrong office (724.548.1414) before starting. The Borough office is open 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday through Friday (excluding holidays). Read for this answer: the Borough's home, Building, Zoning, Floodplain, & Code Enforcement and Permits and Forms pages, its 2026 Municipal Fee Schedule, the Bureau Veritas permit application and demolition guidelines, the Borough's zoning application, and its 2020 Zoning Ordinance (searched for "roof": a pitched-roof materials standard and no permit or exemption for roof work). The Borough's Code of Ordinances is hosted at codelibrary.amlegal.com, which returned a bot-check page to automated requests and was not read, so the Borough's Uniform Construction Code ordinance was not read for this record.