Roofing in Guilford Township (Franklin 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, Guilford Township administers the code through a third-party agency: the Township's own FAQ page says "Commonwealth Code Inspection Service, Inc . implements the state-wide building code for Guilford Township" and "They handle code related inspections - please contact their office at 717-262-0081," and the Township office, which issues land use permits, is at 115 Spring Valley Road, Chambersburg. The Township's Uniform Construction Code ordinance is not published online: the Township's website posts its zoning ordinance and fee schedule but no codified code or building code ordinance, and no codified code for the Township was found on the code-hosting service other Franklin County townships use. So this record has not read whether that ordinance changes the Act's treatment of residential repairs or alterations, and does not state whether a house reroof needs a permit. The Township's pages name no code edition.

Guilford Township's pages do not say whether a house reroof needs a permit. The Township's FAQ answers "I am doing some work/construction to my home - do I need a permit?" with "The answer to this depends on the type of work you are doing to your home. Please call our office at 717-264-6626 to determine if you need a permit for the specific work you are doing." Section 11.2 A.1 of the Township's zoning ordinance requires a zoning permit before "the erection, construction, improvement or alteration of any structure or portion thereof" and says "No zoning permit shall be required for repairs or maintenance of any structure or land provided such repairs do not change the use or the exterior dimensions of the structure"; it names no roof work and is about zoning permits, not building permits. The Township's fee schedule (Resolution No. 2025-07) prices a land use permit at "$50 or $2 per $1,000 of the Construction Cost" and has no roofing line. The Township's Uniform Construction Code ordinance is not published online: the Township's website posts its zoning ordinance and fee schedule but no codified code or building code ordinance, and no codified code for the Township was found on the code-hosting service other Franklin County townships use. So this record has not read whether that ordinance changes the Act's treatment of residential repairs or alterations, and does not state whether a house reroof needs a permit. 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 Township office at 717-264-6626 and Commonwealth Code Inspection Service at 717-262-0081 before starting. The Township office is open 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday. Read for this answer: the Township's FAQ, Zoning and Board of Supervisors pages, Article 11 (Administration) of its zoning ordinance, and its fee schedule, Resolution No. 2025-07.