Roofing in Hamilton Township (Adams 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, Hamilton Township administers the code itself: Section 56-1 of the Township Code says "Hamilton Township hereby elects to administer and to enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," and the Township's Permits & Forms page, at 272 Mummerts Church Road, Abbottstown, lists "Building Permit/Use Certificate Application" and "Application for Annual Permit (UCC)" among its permit forms; the permit forms it links carry the letterhead of the Pennsylvania Municipal Code Alliance, Inc. Section 56-2 adopts the Uniform Construction Code, "as amended from time to time," as the Hamilton Township Building Code, and Chapter 56 changes nothing in the code's roofing provisions. Chapter 56 names no edition and the Township's pages name none; this record does not decide which edition the Township applies.

No Hamilton Township text read says that a reroof with no structural repair needs a permit or needs none, so this record does not decide whether the Township requires a permit for an ordinary reroof. The Township's Permits & Forms page (read October 12, 2026) links a form titled "Permit for Residential Re-Roof," which is a Pennsylvania Municipal Code Alliance, Inc. requirement checklist (revision date 1-29-22, transcribed from the rendered page image) headed "Requirement checklist to obtain a Building Permit for:" "RESIDENTIAL RE-ROOF" and saying "A Building Permit is required if there is a structural repair." The checklist also lists "Land Use Permit (signed/approved by the Municipality)." It does not say whether a reroof with no structural repair needs a permit. Chapter 56 of the Township Code, the Township's Uniform Construction Code ordinance (adopted May 3, 2004, Ord. No. 105), adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as amended from time to time" as the Township Building Code, names no roof work either way and adds no permit clause of its own. Section 150-130 of the Zoning chapter says "A zoning permit shall be required: 1) prior to the erection, addition, or alteration of any building or portion thereof" and "No such zoning permit shall be required in case of normal maintenance activities, minor repairs, and alterations which do not structurally change a building or structure"; it is a zoning permit and names no roof work, and this record does not decide whether a house reroof is within it. 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: Chapter 56 of the Township Code, Construction Code, Uniform, in full; Section 150-130 of Chapter 150, Zoning; every page of searches of the whole Township Code for "roof" (20 results, none a permit provision for roof work), for "reroofing" (none) and for "roofing" and "roof replacement"; the Township's Permits & Forms page; and the Pennsylvania Municipal Code Alliance, Inc. re-roof checklist and building permit application it links. Whether the Township's 2004 ordinance or any intergovernmental agreement under Chapter 56 sets a different rule was not read, because the agreement is on file in the Township offices and not posted. The checklist asks for a completed two-page application, a site plan, a descriptive narrative of existing and proposed materials and a contractor's certificate of workers' compensation insurance or a waiver. Ask the Township office before work starts: it is open Monday and Tuesday 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM and Wednesday and Thursday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, closed Fridays, at 717-259-7237; the code alliance's Adams office lists 717 321-9046.