Roofing in Lehman Township (Pike 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, Lehman Township in Pike County takes building permit applications at its office, 193 Municipal Drive, Bushkill, and its Building Codes page sends residential plan review, fees and inspections to Building Inspection Underwriters (BIU), which it names as the "Township's third-party commercial building inspectors": "The fee will be determined by Building Inspection Underwriters (BIU) after review of your plans," and "Inspection requests may be made by calling BIU at 570-344-9681." The Township's Ordinances page posts its zoning, subdivision, floodplain, stormwater, sewage, well and property maintenance ordinances and others, but not the ordinance adopting the Uniform Construction Code or the "Lehman Township Building Code" its application packet refers to, and no codified Township code was found online, so any Township permit or exemption section reaching house repairs, and any older building ordinance kept in force, was not read. The Township's Building Codes page carries a reminder that begins "2018 IRC Requires," and the Building Inspector's notice in its application packet says "all construction is regulated by the current International Residential Code"; the Township names no later edition; the text above is the 2021 edition's, this record has not read the 2018 edition's text, and it does not decide which edition the Township applies.

No Lehman Township text read names reroofing as permit work or as exempt. The Township's Building Codes and Zoning pages (read October 9, 2026) say "Permits are required by the Township for, but not limited to the following: new construction, additions, sheds, fences and structural alterations," and "If you are planning a project, please contact the Township Office to see if a permit is required." The permit form in the Township's building permit application packet lists "Roofing - Total square feet" among its types of work, beside fencing, signs, pools, decks and demolition. The Township's Ordinances page posts its zoning, subdivision, floodplain, stormwater, sewage, well and property maintenance ordinances and others, but not the ordinance adopting the Uniform Construction Code or the "Lehman Township Building Code" its application packet refers to, and no codified Township code was found online, so any Township permit or exemption section reaching house repairs, and any older building ordinance kept in force, was not read. 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 Township's pages and the agency form do not name reroofing as permit work or as exempt, and the Township's code could not be read, so this record does not decide whether the Township requires a permit for an ordinary reroof. Ask the Township Office at 570-588-9365 before work starts. Applications are available at the Township Office Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, checks are payable to Lehman Township, and the Township says "Please allow up to ten days for processing." Read for this answer: the Building Codes, Zoning and Ordinances pages and the building permit application packet in full.