Roofing in Forward Township (Butler 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, Forward Township administers the code itself, with a contracted inspection agency: Section 5-201 of the Township Code says the Township "elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," Section 5-203 lets it do so by "the retention of one or more construction code officials or third-party agencies," and its 2026 fee schedule says "UCC Compliance charged up front to all applicants," "Township pays MDIA monthly" and Township "issues building permit placard". The Township office is at 207 Ash Stop Road, Evans City. Chapter 5, Part 2 of the Township Code adopts the Uniform Construction Code: Section 5-202 incorporates it, "as amended from time to time," as "the municipal building code of this Township." The Township's pages name no code edition.

Forward Township has no statement on reroofing in the pages and forms read. Chapter 4, Part 1 of the Township Code, Building Permits (Section 4-101, Ord. 3/3/1977, amended by Ord. No. 81-2, 9/9/1981; read October 10, 2026), says "It shall be unlawful for any person, partnership, business or corporation to undertake, or cause to be undertaken, the construction, reconstruction enlargement, or relocation of any building or structure unless an approved building permit has been obtained from the Municipal Building Permit Officer" and "A building permit shall not be required for repairs to existing buildings or structures, provided that no structural changes are involved." The Part names no roof work and does not define "repairs" or "reconstruction"; this record does not decide whether a house reroof is either. The Township has published nothing on reroofing. Its Forms & Applications page (read October 10, 2026) says "Forward Township does not have zoning however, all changes to properties in Forward Township which may include such things as building, fences, driveways, etc., please contact the Township office to determine if a permit is needed." Its building forms are a shed permit application and an agency permit application whose types of work list "Alteration" and "Repair" among its boxes, with no roofing line. Ask the Township office at 724-538-9251 (Monday to Thursday, 7:30 am to 3:30 pm, Friday, 7:30 am to 12 pm) before starting. Chapter 5, Part 2 of the Township Code adopts the Uniform Construction Code: Section 5-202 incorporates it, "as amended from time to time," as "the municipal building code of this Township." The Township's pages name no code edition. Read for this answer: Chapter 4, Part 1 and Chapter 5, Part 2 of the Township Code, in full; every page of a search of the whole Code for "roof" (15 results, none a roofing permit rule), for "reroofing" (none) and for "uniform construction"; the Forms & Applications and Administration & Staff pages; the 2026 fee schedule (a scanned document, read from its rendered pages); the agency permit application and the agency's single-family and residential-addition guidelines (scanned, read from their rendered pages); and the shed permit application.