Roofing in Littlestown, 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, Littlestown Borough in Adams County administers the Uniform Construction Code under Chapter 174 of its Code (Ordinance No. 571, 2004): Section 174-2 says the Borough "hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," and Section 174-3 adopts the Uniform Construction Code, "as amended from time to time," as the municipal building code. Permit applications are made at the Borough office, 41 South Columbus Avenue, on the Borough's Universal Permit Application, which says the Borough "utilizes a third-party inspection agency" and that "MDIA will only process applications that have come directly from Littlestown." Section 174-12 adopts the 2003 International Residential Code, while Section 174-3 incorporates the Uniform Construction Code "as amended from time to time"; the Borough's pages name no edition, and Section 174-13's amendments to the 2003 code change no roofing provision; the permit sections of the 2003 International Residential Code were not read for this record, and this record does not decide which edition the Borough applies.

Littlestown Borough's code requires a plan for review and approval for repairs to existing structures in general terms and names no roof work. Section 174-12 also adopts "the 2003 edition of the International Residential Code" as the Residential Code of the Borough "for regulating and governing the construction, alteration, movement, enlargement, replacement, repair, equipment, location, removal and demolition" of the dwellings it covers, "providing for the issuance of permits and collection of fees therefor," and Section 174-32 says: "For each new construction, addition, alteration, renovation or repairs to existing structures, home occupation or demolition to existing structures, a plan is required for review and approval by the Borough Code Enforcement Officer." Neither section names roof work, and the permit sections of the 2003 International Residential Code were not read for this record. A search of the whole Borough Code for "roof" and for "reroofing" found no permit provision naming roof work. The Universal Permit Application lists no roofing permit or roofing fee and says the Borough's building code official "will make all determinations on when a UCC Building Permit is required"; it adds that "MDIA does not charge any fees (at this time) for Application for Building Permits that are deemed Exempt from UCC inspections." The agency's Littlestown Borough fee schedule has 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." The application also tells the applicant to contact the Adams County Building Permit Office at 717-337-9837 "to determine whether a separate permit is required at the county level." The Borough office is at 717-359-5101. Read for this record: Chapter 174 of the Borough Code, Construction Codes, Uniform, Articles I, II, III, V, VI, VIII and XII; every page of a search of the whole Borough Code for "roof" and for "reroofing"; the Borough's Permits and Forms page; the Universal Permit Application; and the agency's Littlestown Borough fee schedule.