Roofing in Honey Brook, 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, Honey Brook Borough elects to administer the code itself: Section 5-102 of the Borough Code says "Honey Brook Borough hereby elects to and so shall administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," and the Borough's Code Enforcement page says "Honey Brook Borough uses Kraft Municipal Group, Inc. as their Zoning/Codes Officer" and that "All permit applications must be mailed or dropped off at Honey Brook Borough Hall, 71 Pequea Avenue." Section 5-101 of the Borough Code adopts the Uniform Construction Code, 34 Pa. Code Chapters 401 through 405, and says it "shall be amended automatically by all amendments, supplements, additions and later editions"; Section 5-105 keeps in force building code ordinances adopted before July 1, 1999 that equal or exceed the code. Neither names roof work, and Chapter 4, Buildings, covers street address numbers only. A search of the whole Borough Code for "roof" (28 hits over two pages) found only drainage, zoning definition, height, signage and antenna entries, and a search for "reroofing" found none. The Borough's pages name no code edition.

Neither Honey Brook Borough's code nor its published permit pages say whether an ordinary reroof needs a permit. Section 5-101 of the Borough Code adopts the Uniform Construction Code, 34 Pa. Code Chapters 401 through 405, and says it "shall be amended automatically by all amendments, supplements, additions and later editions"; Section 5-105 keeps in force building code ordinances adopted before July 1, 1999 that equal or exceed the code. Neither names roof work, and Chapter 4, Buildings, covers street address numbers only. A search of the whole Borough Code for "roof" (28 hits over two pages) found only drainage, zoning definition, height, signage and antenna entries, and a search for "reroofing" found none. The Borough's 2026 fee schedule (Resolution 2026-03), as transcribed from its rendered pages, prices "Additions and Alterations to Existing Dwellings" by the number of inspections the Building Code Official sets, lists "Roof over Decks, Porches, Patios, etc." among accessory structures requiring a building permit, and carries the note "Criteria used for building permit requirements vary by municipality and may have been amended as allowed by section 503 of the PA UCC." It has no line naming replacement of an existing roof covering. 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 Borough's Code Enforcement page sends permit questions to Kraft Municipal Group, "For inquiries on open Building/Zoning permits please call KMG at 610-777-1311." Because no local text answers the question, this record does not decide whether the Borough requires a permit for an ordinary reroof. Ask the Borough office at 610-273-2020 (Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 8am to 1pm) or the agency before starting work. Read for this answer: Chapters 4 and 5 of the Borough Code in full, a search of the whole Borough Code for "roof" (both pages) and for "reroofing," the Borough's Code Enforcement, Contact and Forms pages, the Borough's 2026 permit application, the 2026 fee schedule, and the Kraft Municipal Group general information sheet for the Borough. The Borough's zoning chapter was searched but not read in full.