Roofing in Highspire, 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, Highspire Borough takes permit applications at its Borough office, 640 Eshelman Street, Highspire (717-939-3303; Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm). The Borough's Building Permits page says "Highspire Borough has passed an ordinance adopting the Uniform Construction Code (UCC) as the standard for building, construction, remodeling, and repairs" and "An application for a permit is to be filed with the Code Enforcement Officer and no work shall commence until a permit is issued," and its Codes + Zoning page names a Codes & Zoning Officer at the Borough office; the Borough's Permit Process sheet says "Any individual requesting a Building, Plumbing, Electrical, Mechanical, or Demolition Permit must complete the appropriate application(s)" and posts a Building Permit Application on the form of Commonwealth Code Inspection Service, Inc. The Borough's pages name no code edition. The Borough's ordinance adopting the Uniform Construction Code was not found in the Borough's Ordinance Directory, which lists its zoning and subdivision ordinances; American Legal Publishing and Code Publishing refused automated requests, the eCode360 search required a login, and Municode's lookup found no Highspire code, so that ordinance was not read for this record.

Highspire Borough's own pages read for this record name no roof work as permit work or as exempt. The Borough's Building Permits page, read October 11, 2026, says "permits are required to repair, construct, enlarge, alter, or demolish a building or structure," gives "a quick list of items requiring a permit" ("Chimneys," "Remodeling," "Additions / Alterations of Structures" among them) and adds "Other items may be included which are not listed. Please check with the Codes/Zoning Department before beginning any work." The list names no roof work. The Borough's Zoning Ordinance, Part 3, Section 302 A.1 requires a zoning permit for "Use, occupation, erection, construction, reconstruction, movement, alteration, razing," and says "No zoning permit shall be required for repairs or routine maintenance of any structure, building, or land provided such repairs or maintenance do not change the use or the exterior dimensions of the structure, building, or otherwise violate the provisions of this Chapter"; that is a zoning permit statement and says nothing on a building permit. The Borough's ordinance adopting the Uniform Construction Code was not found in the Borough's Ordinance Directory, which lists its zoning and subdivision ordinances; American Legal Publishing and Code Publishing refused automated requests, the eCode360 search required a login, and Municode's lookup found no Highspire code, so that ordinance was not read for this record. 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 Borough office (717-939-3303) before starting. Read for this answer: the Borough's Building Permits, Codes + Zoning, Ordinance Directory, Borough Office and Contact pages; its Permit Process sheet; its Building Permit Application (an image file, read from page renders) and Zoning Permit Application; and Parts 1 through 5 of its Zoning Ordinance, whose "roof" hits are definitions, accessory shelters and solar equipment, none a permit or exemption.