Roofing in Jefferson Township (Butler 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, Jefferson Township takes permit applications at its Municipal Building and administers the code through Code.sys Code Consulting, Inc.: Section 5-201 of the Township Code says the Township "hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," Section 5-203 allows "the retention of one or more construction code officials or third-party agencies to act on behalf of the Township," and the Township's 2026 building permit application says the Building Permit Officer reviews each application and "Then, your application will be submitted to Code.sys Code Consulting, Inc. (BCO & Inspectors)." Section 5-202 adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as amended from time to time" and incorporates it by reference "as the municipal building code of Jefferson Township," and Chapter 5 changes nothing in the code's roofing provisions. Neither Chapter 5 nor the Township's pages name a code edition.

No Jefferson Township text read names reroofing as permit work or as exempt. The Township's building permit application (revised May 21, 2026, read October 9, 2026) says "New buildings (regardless of size), adding to or renovating existing buildings, changing the use of an existing structure/building, and demolition of an existing structure ALL REQUIRE PERMITS"; its permit-type boxes include "Alteration" and "Repair-Replacement," and it names no roof work. Part 2 of Chapter 5 of the Township Code (Ord. 213, June 14, 2004) adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as amended from time to time" and adds no roof words of its own; Section 5-205 keeps in force building code ordinances adopted on or before July 1, 1999 "which equal or exceed the requirements of the code." The Township's own building permit ordinance, Section 4-101 of Chapter 4 (Ord. 29 of 1968, as amended through Ord. 311 of 2011), says "It shall be unlawful for any person to proceed with the erection, alteration or enlargement of any structure or building, or any part thereof, including accessory buildings, a mobile home or any other permanent structure, such as a swimming pool, in Jefferson Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, unless a permit has been issued by the designated Township official of said Township"; it names neither repairs nor roof work. The Township's fee resolution (Resolution #556, adopted January 5, 2026) prices UCC permits by the agency agreement, Resolution #426, whose residential schedule has a line "Repairs and alterations" at "$45.00 plus .80% of construction cost" and no roofing line. 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 permit clause names alterations but not repairs or roof work, and neither the Township nor its agency has published a statement on reroofs, this record does not decide whether the Township requires a permit for an ordinary reroof. The application warns "DO NOT BEGIN CONSTRUCTION BEFORE A PERMIT IS ISSUED" and says "Construction begun before permit is officially given out is cause for the issue of a Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Non-Traffic Citation." Completed applications go to Jefferson Township, 157 Great Belt Rd., Butler, PA 16002-9026. The office is open Monday through Thursday, 7:30 am to 4:30 pm (closed Friday), at 724-352-2324. Read for this answer: Chapter 4 of the Township Code, Buildings, and Part 2 of Chapter 5, Uniform Construction Code, in full; every page of a search of the whole Township Code for "roof" and for "reroofing," which found no permit provision naming roof work; the Township's Forms and Resolutions/Fees pages; the 2026 building permit application and the building permit modification form; and fee Resolutions #556 and #426.