Roofing in Greenwich Township (Berks 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, Greenwich Township, in Berks County, takes permit applications at its Township office, 775 Old Route 22, Lenhartsville. Its Ordinance No. 2004-1 says "Greenwich Township hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," and the permit packet on the Township's Forms & Documents page is headed "LTL CONSULTANTS, LTD - (610-987-9290)" with a "Residential Building Permit:" checklist, so building permit review and inspection run through LTL Consultants, Ltd., a third-party code firm. Ordinance No. 2004-1 (enacted June 2004), read in full from the copy posted on the Township's Ordinances page, adopts "The Uniform Construction Code contained in 34 Pa. Code, Chapters 401-405, as amended from time to time" as the Greenwich Township Building Code, adopts the Department of Labor and Industry's permit sections "to govern applications for and issuance of Building Code permits for nonresidential and residential construction," says "All construction which the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act or the L&I Regulations exempt from compliance with the Uniform Construction Code are exempt from the provisions of this Building Code," and names no roof work. Ordinance No. 2004-1 describes the Uniform Construction Code as incorporating "the International Residential Code/ 2003" and adopts the Code "as amended from time to time," and no Township page read names a current edition; this record has not read the 2003 edition's text and does not decide which edition the Township applies to houses.

Greenwich Township's pages and permit forms do not say whether a house reroof needs a permit; call the Township office at 610-756-6707 or LTL Consultants at 610-987-9290 before starting. Ordinance No. 2004-1 (enacted June 2004), read in full from the copy posted on the Township's Ordinances page, adopts "The Uniform Construction Code contained in 34 Pa. Code, Chapters 401-405, as amended from time to time" as the Greenwich Township Building Code, adopts the Department of Labor and Industry's permit sections "to govern applications for and issuance of Building Code permits for nonresidential and residential construction," says "All construction which the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act or the L&I Regulations exempt from compliance with the Uniform Construction Code are exempt from the provisions of this Building Code," and names no roof work. The Township's fee schedule, Resolution 2026-02 ("Adopted and enacted by the Board of Supervisors of Greenwich Township this 5th day of January, 2026"), lists building permit fees for new construction, additions, garages, pools and "Renovations, Alterations, Modifications and where none of the above categories apply", and names no roof work. The fee resolution's penalty for "Failure to obtain a permit prior to starting work" is the applicable application and permit fees or $250.00, whichever is greater. 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." Read for this answer: Ordinance No. 2004-1 in full; the Township's 2026 fee resolution; the LTL Consultants permit packet posted by the Township; and the Township's Forms & Documents, Ordinances and Contact pages.