Roofing in Hanover Township (Luzerne 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, Hanover Township administers the code itself: Section 225-1 of the Township Code says the Township "hereby elects to administer and enforce" the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act, Chapter 215 creates the Township's Office of Code Enforcement, and the Township's directory lists its Code Enforcement Office with a code enforcement officer and building inspector, at 1267 Sans Souci Parkway. Section 225-2 adopts "The Uniform Construction Code, contained in 34 Pa. Code, Chapters 401 through 405, as amended from time to time" as the Hanover Township Building Code and changes nothing in the code's roofing provisions. Section 225-5A keeps in force building code ordinances adopted on or before July 1, 1999 "which equal or exceed the requirements of the Code," and Sections 215-10 and 270-10 still price permits "issued by the Office of Code Enforcement under the provisions of the BOCA Building Code"; the Township's earlier building code ordinance itself is not published in the Township Code and was not read for this record. The Township's pages name no code edition.

Hanover Township's building permit application lists Roofing among its types of improvement. The Township's Application for Plan Examination and Building Permit, issued by its Bureau of Code Enforcement and posted on its Forms page (read October 9, 2026; transcribed from the rendered page image), lists "Roofing" among the boxes under TYPE OF IMPROVEMENT, beside "Repair, Replacement" and "Siding," and says "CONTRACTOR OR APPLICANT MUST COMPLY WITH HANOVER TOWNSHIP BUILDING CODES" and "All Contractors MUST submit a copy of their contract and plan in order to take out a permit." Section 215-8 of the Township Code says "Applications for permits shall be required in accordance with the provisions of applicable codes and ordinances which the Office of Code Enforcement has the responsibility to administer." The Township's Construction Permit Fee Schedule (Ordinance No. 007-2026) prices construction permits by the cost of the work, with no roofing line. 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." The fee schedule says "DOUBLES PERMIT FEES FOR NOT SECURING PERMIT BEFORE WORKING." The application names no area, percentage or cost line for roof work, and no Township text read says whether an ordinary house reroof needs a building permit; this record does not state whether one is required. Ask the Code Enforcement Office at 570-825-1247 before work starts. Section 225-5A keeps in force building code ordinances adopted on or before July 1, 1999 "which equal or exceed the requirements of the Code," and Sections 215-10 and 270-10 still price permits "issued by the Office of Code Enforcement under the provisions of the BOCA Building Code"; the Township's earlier building code ordinance itself is not published in the Township Code and was not read for this record. Contractors and homeowners call the Code Enforcement Office at 570-825-1247 for inspections; the application says they "must call the Code Enforcement Office at (570) 825-1247 for an inspection to be made for work that has been completed under this permit." Read for this answer: Chapter 225 of the Township Code, Construction Codes, Uniform (Sections 225-1 to 225-8), in full; Chapter 215, Code Enforcement, and Article III of Chapter 270, Fees and Charges; every page of a search of the whole Township Code for "roof" and for "reroofing"; the Township's Forms page, its Application for Plan Examination and Building Permit, and its Construction Permit Fee Schedule (Ordinance No. 007-2026).