Roofing in Franklin 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, Franklin Township administers the code itself: its Land Use and Planning page says "Franklin Township enforces the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code and has no stricter municipal regulations," its 2026 fee schedule lists a "UCC Building Permit" at the "Building Code Official Rate," and its building permit application says "Contact Professional Code Services Inc. to schedule inspections" (724-449-2661, the inspection firm's number as the application prints it). The Township office is at 191 Election House Road, Prospect (724-865-2412). The Township's zoning ordinance defines its building code as "Franklin Township's adopted Uniform Construction Code (UCC) (Ordinance No. 81 adopted June 7, 2004, as amended)," but Ordinance No. 81 is not on the Township's Ordinances page, which lists the zoning, burning, subdivision, stormwater and rezoning ordinances, and was not read for this record. The Township's pages name no code edition; this record does not decide which edition the Township applies.

No Township page, form or fee line read (October 12, 2026) names reroofing or roof replacement as permit work or as exempt. The Township's building permit application and its Residential Building Permit checklist are Township forms for construction generally. The Township's zoning ordinance defines its building code as "Franklin Township's adopted Uniform Construction Code (UCC) (Ordinance No. 81 adopted June 7, 2004, as amended)," but Ordinance No. 81 is not on the Township's Ordinances page, which lists the zoning, burning, subdivision, stormwater and rezoning ordinances, and was not read for this record. The zoning ordinance (scanned, read from its page images) says in Section 1102 "Ordinary repairs and maintenance to existing structures that do not involve an expansion or change of use or structure shall not themselves be regulated by this Ordinance," and in Section 1104 that a Zoning Permit is needed to "Erect, reconstruct, move, structurally alter, or enlarge any structure or building"; it names no roof work as needing a permit. The Land Use and Planning page also says "even construction that the state building code does not require to be permitted must be permitted for zoning and for assessment purposes," and the 2026 fee schedule lists a "Zoning Permit - $75.00 (Formally Assessment Permit)." This record does not decide whether a house reroof is "construction" under that sentence or an "ordinary repair" under Section 1102. 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 Township office, 724-865-2412 (the office is closed Wednesday), before starting. The fee schedule says "permit fees are doubled if site or construction work begun prior to obtaining all required approvals and permits." Read for this answer: the Land Use and Planning, Permit Applications, Ordinances and Contact pages; the zoning ordinance (Sections 1101 to 1108 and the definitions, and a search of its full text for roof words, which found definitions, solar, sign and design provisions and no permit provision for roof work); the Township's building permit application and zoning permit application; and the 2026 fee schedule (Resolution 26-01).