Roofing in Honesdale, 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, Honesdale Borough's Zoning & Building Applications page says applications "can be dropped off at Honesdale Borough 958 Main Street" and posts a building subcode application from Northeast Inspection Consultant; the Borough's zoning permit application is headed "Zoning Office / NEIC" with telephone 570-280-2111. Section 89-1 of the Borough Code says "The Borough of Honesdale hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act." Chapter 89 (Ord. No. 601, 2004) adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as amended from time to time" by reference as the municipal building code. No Borough page names a code edition.

Honesdale Borough's pages and code read for this record do not settle whether a house reroof needs a permit. Chapter 89 of the Borough Code (Ord. No. 601, 2004) adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as amended from time to time" by reference as the municipal building code, adds no permit clause of its own, and keeps in force (Section 89-5A) building code ordinances adopted on or before July 1, 1999 "which equal or exceed the requirements of the Code." Article I of Chapter 85, the Code Enforcement Ordinance of Honesdale (Ord. No. 435, 1977), says in Section 85-15A "It shall be unlawful to construct, enlarge, alter, move, remove or demolish a building in excess of 100 square feet" without a permit, "excepting that ordinary repairs as defined herein which do not involve any violation of codes shall be exempt from this provision," and Section 85-15D says "Ordinary repairs to buildings may be made without application or notice to the CEO" but do not include "the removal or cutting of any structural beam or bearing support"; that article names no roof work, and the Building Code it was written to enforce, Chapter 74, is now reserved. The zoning chapter, Section 210-32A, says "No zoning permit and/or building permit shall be required in cases of normal maintenance activities (painting, replacement of siding or new roofing), minor repairs or alterations which do not structurally change a building, structure or change the use"; that sentence sits in the zoning chapter. No Borough page names a house reroof either as permit work or as exempt. The building subcode application lists roofing among its boxes for the type of work, beside new building, addition, alteration, fence, sign, pool and demolition, and says nothing on which roof work needs a permit. The Borough's 2026 fee resolution, adopted June 22, 2026 as "A resolution to replace all other resolutions setting fees for the Borough of Honesdale," prices residential "Additions, Alterations, Remodeling & Repairs" at "1.5% of total construction cost" and has no roofing line; earlier Borough fee resolutions listed a "Residential roof permit" under zoning fees. 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 Borough requires a permit for a house reroof; ask the Borough office (570-253-0731) or the zoning office (570-280-2111) before starting. Read for this answer: Chapter 89, Construction Codes, Uniform, and Article I of Chapter 85, Code Enforcement, of the Borough Code; Article VI of Chapter 210, Zoning; every page of a search of the whole Borough Code for "roof" and for "reroofing"; the Borough's Planning, Zoning, Building & Code Enforcement and Zoning & Building Applications pages; the building subcode and zoning permit applications; and the 2026 fee resolution.