Roofing in Hickory Township (Lawrence 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, Hickory Township's own pages do not say who administers the Uniform Construction Code there. Its fee schedule lists a "Building Permit" fee for Residential, Non-Residential and Accessory Structure work "Plus State Building Code Fees (Vary )," and Section 502.1 of its zoning ordinance says the Zoning Officer "shall receive applications for building permits and may make all inspections in accordance with the provision of the Zoning Ordinance." The Township's Ordinances page, which says "It is only a small collection of the township ordinances," lists no ordinance adopting the Uniform Construction Code, and its Forms and Applications page lists no building permit application; this record has not read the Township's ordinance adopting the Uniform Construction Code and does not decide which office reviews or inspects house permits.

Hickory Township's pages and ordinances read for this record do not say in terms whether a house reroof needs a permit. Section 504 of the Township's zoning ordinance (adopted December 6, 1999, a scanned file read October 12, 2026 from the rendered page images), headed "Building Permits," says "No building permit shall be required for exterior maintenance work (replacing roofing materials, siding, paint, etc.) or interior maintenance (painting, floor coverings, wiring or plumbing upgrades)" and "All exterior additions of over $100.00 including adding to existing structures, any outbuilding with foundation or conversions to a new use shall require a building permit." It sits in the ordinance's administration article beside Section 503, which says "Until the Zoning Officer has issued a building permit applicable thereto, no person shall," and this record does not decide whether Section 504 speaks to the Uniform Construction Code building permit or only to the Township's zoning permit. The Township's Floodplain Ordinance, also scanned, requires a permit for construction or development "within Areas Designated as Floodway Areas, Floodplain Areas, and Flood-Fringe Areas" and says "A Building Permit shall not be required for minor repairs to existing buildings or structures"; it is limited to those areas. 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." This record does not state whether the Township requires a permit for a house reroof; ask the Township office (724-658-0510) before starting. Read for this answer: the Township's home, Ordinances, Fees and Tax Schedule and Forms and Applications pages; its zoning ordinance (70 scanned pages, transcribed from the rendered page images) and Floodplain Ordinance (scanned). The Township's ordinance adopting the Uniform Construction Code was not found published and was not read.