Roofing in Jermyn, 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, Jermyn Borough's Zoning & Code Enforcement page says "A project you are doing may require a Building Code Inspector - Jermyn Borough currently uses NEIC as our inspectors" and lists Northeast Inspection Consultants (NEIC), 209 S. Main St., Childs, PA 18407, phone (570) 280-2111, under "Building Code (Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code)"; the Borough office is at 440 Jefferson Avenue, open Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 4:00 pm. The Borough's Uniform Construction Code adoption ordinance was not found among the 62 ordinances listed in its Documents Center, and no codified building or permit chapter was found on the Borough's site, so none was read for this record. The Borough's pages read name no code edition.

The Borough's "When is a Permit Required?" document, posted on its site and read October 12, 2026, says "Any time one of these activities occurs a permit must be obtained: 1) construct or alter a structure (including roofs)" and also says "ORDINARY REPAIRS do not require a permit. Some examples of such would be new gutters, painting, replacement of windows where the existing opening in the structure isn't altered." It does not use the words reroof, re-roofing or roof replacement, and this record does not decide whether a house reroof is an alteration of a roof or an ordinary repair. The Borough's Building and Zoning Permit Application asks for a "REASON FOR APPLYING FOR APPLICATION" and lists no roof item. The Borough's Uniform Construction Code adoption ordinance was not found among the 62 ordinances listed in its Documents Center, and no codified building or permit chapter was found on the Borough's site, so none was read for this record. Ask the Borough office at 570-876-0610 or the Borough's code agency at (570) 280-2111 before work starts. Read for this answer: the Borough's Zoning & Code Enforcement, Forms, Documents Center and Contact pages, its "When is a Permit Required?" document, its Building and Zoning Permit Application and the code agency's building subcode application.