Roofing in Hampton Township (Allegheny 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, Hampton Township administers the code through a third-party agency it retains: Section 120-1 of the Township Code says "The Township of Hampton hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," the Township's Department of Community Development, at 3101 McCully Road, Allison Park, says it is "responsible for processing and issuing building, zoning and other development permits," and the Township's residential renovations permit application says "The Township of Hampton currently employs the third-party plan review agency Code.sys for all UCC plan review and inspections." Section 120-2 adopts the Uniform Construction Code, "as amended from time to time," as the municipal building code, and Chapter 120 changes nothing in the code's roofing provisions and names no code edition; the department's pages name none either. Section 120-5 A keeps in force building code ordinances adopted on or before July 1, 1999 that equal or exceed the code; none is published with the chapter. Section 310-118 A(2) of the zoning chapter says building permits "will not be required for" "roofing and residing."

Hampton Township's zoning chapter says: "Building permits will not be required for painting, masonry repainting; roofing and residing; repaving existing residential driveways, patios or courts; replacing windows or doors with no change of dimensions." (Section 310-118 A(2) of the Township Code). Section 310-118 A of the Township Code, in the zoning chapter's administration article, requires a building permit "issued by the Zoning Officer and/or Building Inspector" for "all new construction, additions or alterations affecting exterior dimensions of existing structures, or any structural changes," and Section 310-118 A(2) says: "Building permits will not be required for painting, masonry repainting; roofing and residing; repaving existing residential driveways, patios or courts; replacing windows or doors with no change of dimensions." The department's Permits page (read October 7, 2026) lists "Residential Renovations" with the note "Only certain types of residential renovations require the issuance of a permit. Contact the Permitting Office for more information," and says "The above list is not intended to be all encompassing. Please contact the Permitting Office at 412-486-0400 ext. 1304 to inquire about the permitting requirements for your specific project." Its permit FAQs say "Building permits, both commercial and residential, are required in the Township of Hampton to erect, modify, remove or repair all structures." The residential renovations permit application (revised July 2022) offers "Roof Repair" as a type of work beside "Renovation/Alteration" and "Deck Repair" and prices all of them at $5.00 per $1,000 of building cost plus a $50.00 base fee; neither the Permits page nor the FAQs name roofing. Chapter 120 of the Township Code, the Township's Uniform Construction Code ordinance, adopts the code by reference and names no roof work; it changes nothing in the code's permit provisions. Section 310-118 sits in the zoning chapter, and this record does not decide whether its words "Building permits will not be required for" "roofing and residing" reach the Uniform Construction Code building permit or only the permit issued under the zoning chapter. The department's pages neither repeat that text nor name roofing as permit work, and this record does not decide whether the department's general "repair all structures" line reaches a reroof. This record does not state whether the Township requires a permit for a house reroof; ask the Permitting Office at 412-486-0400, ext. 1304, before starting. 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 120 of the Township Code, Construction Code, Uniform (Sections 120-1 to 120-6), in full, which is the Township's Uniform Construction Code ordinance and has no amendments to the code; Section 310-118 of the zoning chapter, Building permits; every page of a search of the whole Township Code for "roof" and for "reroofing"; the department's Permits page, which is its list of permit types, and its permit FAQs; and the residential renovations permit application with its fee page. Where a permit is needed, residential applications go to the Permitting Office at 3101 McCully Road, open 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, 412-486-0400, ext. 1304; UCC inspections are booked directly with the Township's Code.sys building inspector, with at least 48 hours' notice.