Roofing in Indiana Township (Allegheny 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, Indiana Township in Allegheny County issues building permits through its Building / Code / Zoning Department at the Township building, 3710 Saxonburg Boulevard, and its page sends residential inspections to the Township's own code office ("RESIDENTIAL and FINAL OCCUPANCY – Contact Indiana Township Code Office") and commercial work to Professional Code Services (PCS). The Township's codified ordinances were not found published online, and this record has not read the Township's Uniform Construction Code adoption ordinance or any Township ordinance on permits for residential repairs. The Township's pages speak of the "Statewide Building Code" and name no code edition.

Indiana Township's Building/Code/Zoning page lists replacing existing roofs, without altering their size or placement, as work needing no permit. The Township's Building/Code/Zoning page (read October 9, 2026) lists under "NO PERMIT REQUIRED": "General Maintenance of interior or exterior NOT altering the occupancy or the structure" and "Replace existing exterior paint, gutters, downspouts, trim, roofs, doors, or windows" where "NOT altering the size or placement." The same page says a building permit for residential additions and renovations is "Required for structural changes (construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, or demolish) to the building, all basement renovations, or changes to the occupancy." The Township's 2026 fee schedule (Resolution No. 2026-01) has no roofing line; it prices residential building permits by construction cost. The Township's codified ordinances were not found published online, and this record has not read the Township's Uniform Construction Code adoption ordinance or any Township ordinance on permits for residential repairs. 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." Because the Township's own Uniform Construction Code ordinance was not read, this record does not state whether the Township requires a permit for a house reroof; the Township's page is quoted as its stated practice, and the Building / Code / Zoning Department (412-767-5333) can confirm before work starts. The Township's building permit application says "Failure to obtain any of the above inspections may result in penalties imposed in accordance with the UCC Act 45." The office is open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Read for this answer: the Township's Building/Code/Zoning, Annual Fee Schedule and 2nd Class Township Code pages; its 2025 building permit application and its building permit instructions and checklist; and its 2026 fee schedule, a scanned document read from its page images. The Township's own Uniform Construction Code ordinance is not published online and was not read.