Roofing in Leesport, Pennsylvania

Not required

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, Leesport Borough has opted in to administering the code: its Uniform Construction Code ordinance (Ordinance 404, which Ordinance 489 describes as enacted May 20, 2004) says "Administration and enforcement of the Code within Leesport Borough shall be undertaken by the retention of one or more Building Code Officials or third-party agencies to act on behalf of Leesport Borough." The Borough's Permits & Zoning page says "FOR BORO ZONING AND PERMIT RELATED QUESTIONS: LTL CONSULTANTS, 610-987-9290," and its application checklist and Permit Terms and Conditions name LTL Consultants, Ltd. beside the Municipal Code Administrator. Ordinance 404 adopts "the Uniform Construction Code contained in 34 PA Code, Chapters 401 - 405, as amended from time to time" as the Borough's building code, names no roof work, and adds no permit clause of its own for house repairs; its paragraph 4(a) keeps in force building code ordinances adopted on or before July 1, 1999 "which equal or exceed the requirements of the Code," and none was found among the ordinances the Borough posts. Ordinance 489, which amends it, adds one requirement under section 503 of the Act, "In addition to all types of construction, placement of structures, repairs, and alterations for which the Uniform Construction Code requires a permit," key boxes in new non-residential buildings, and names no residential or roof work. Ordinance 489 recites that "effective February 14, 2022 the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has elected to enforce the 2018 versions of the International Codes as part of the Uniform Construction Code," the Borough's pages name no edition, and Ordinance 404 adopts the State's code "as amended from time to time"; the text above is the 2021 edition's, and this record has not read the 2018 edition's text.

The Borough's Permits & Zoning page, read October 12, 2026, says under the heading "BUILDING PERMITS": "FOR ACTIVITIES SUCH AS ROOF REPLACEMENT, SIDING REPLACEMENT, OR REPLACEMENT WINDOWS, WHERE NO STRUCTURAL ALTERATION WILL BE INVOLVED, NO PERMIT IS REQUIRED." The Borough's building permit application and checklist name no roof work, and its fee Resolution 263 prices "Renovations, Alterations, Modification" of one and two family residences at "$0.41 per square foot" with no roof line. The Borough's zoning ordinance (Section 702) says "No building, structure or sign shall be erected, constructed, moved, added to or structurally altered, nor shall land be put to any use, without a permit therefor issued by the Zoning Officer," and Resolution 263 says "Unless specifically exempted in the Building Code, a zoning permit is required in conjunction with all construction and every material change in the use of land"; neither names roof work, and this record does not decide whether a house reroof is "erected, constructed, moved, added to or structurally altered." Ordinance 404 adopts "the Uniform Construction Code contained in 34 PA Code, Chapters 401 - 405, as amended from time to time" as the Borough's building code, names no roof work, and adds no permit clause of its own for house repairs; its paragraph 4(a) keeps in force building code ordinances adopted on or before July 1, 1999 "which equal or exceed the requirements of the Code," and none was found among the ordinances the Borough posts. Ordinance 489, which amends it, adds one requirement under section 503 of the Act, "In addition to all types of construction, placement of structures, repairs, and alterations for which the Uniform Construction Code requires a permit," key boxes in new non-residential buildings, and names no residential or roof work. 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." Ask the Borough office (610-926-2115) or LTL Consultants (610-987-9290) before starting if the work involves any structural change. Ordinance 404 makes a violation of the code a summary offense with a fine of $100 to $1,000, each day a separate offense. Read for this answer: the Borough's Permits & Zoning, Ordinances and Resolutions and Home pages; Ordinance 404 (Uniform Construction Code) and Ordinance 489 (its amendment) in full; Resolution 263 (the zoning and building fee schedule) in full; the zoning/building permit application, checklist and Permit Terms and Conditions; the Zoning Ordinance of 1972, as amended, searched for roof and permit provisions; and Ordinances 459 and 485.