Roofing in Lower Towamensing Township, 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, Lower Towamensing Township administers the code itself: Chapter 165 of its Code (Ord. No. 137, April 13, 2004, effective July 8, 2004) says in Section 165-1 that the Township "hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act, Act 45 of 1999, as amended from time to time," and Section 165-2 adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as the municipal building code of Lower Towamensing Township." The Township's Zoning and Code Compliance page says "The BCO is responsible for the administration of and issuing permits under the PA Uniform Construction Code," the Township's Zoning Officer also serves as its Building Code Official, and the Zoning / Building Code Office is at the Township Municipal Building, 595 Hahns Dairy Road, Palmerton (610-826-2522). The Township's pages name no code edition.

Lower Towamensing Township's own pages and code say nothing about reroofing. Its Building Code Permit Information page (read October 10, 2026) says "Any owner or authorized agent who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a residential or nonresidential building, structure or facility" or to work on systems "regulated by the Uniform Construction Code (UCC) shall first apply to the Lower Towamensing Township Office, in order to obtain the required permit(s) prior to the start of construction," lists "Applicant to secure a zoning permit from Township (required in most cases)," and names no roof work. Its Licensing and Permits page says "Zoning and Building Permits: These permits are required for structures, fencing, pools, additions, etc." Section 450-7 of the zoning chapter says "No one shall erect, demolish, structurally alter or modify any sign, structure, building or part of a sign, building or structure nor alter the use of any land after the adoption of this chapter until a zoning permit has been issued by the Zoning Officer"; it names no roof work, and this record does not decide whether a house reroof is a structural alteration or a modification under it. Chapter 165 of the Code adds no permit requirement of its own for residential repairs or alterations. The Building Code Permit Information page lists three state-certified construction code officials from whom an applicant may choose a plan reviewer and inspector, and says "The Township charges a flat fee per type of project in accordance with the fee schedule"; the fee schedule and the Township's UCC and zoning permit application forms are served only through a script-driven document center and could not be read for this record. 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 Building Code Permit Information page says "All construction activity shall be completed within one (1) year from the date of issuance of the building permit, unless an extension is given in writing from the BCO" and strongly recommends applicants "contact the Zoning Officer/Building Code Official (BCO) prior to applying for permits." Ask the Township office (610-826-2522) before starting. Read for this answer: Chapter 165 of the Township Code, Construction Codes (Sections 165-1 to 165-7), in full; Article I of the zoning chapter, Administration (Sections 450-1 to 450-16), including Section 450-7; the Code's table of contents and disposition list; every page of a search of the whole Code for "roof" (17 results, none naming a permit) and for "reroofing" (none), and for "zoning permit," "building permit" and "uniform construction code"; and the Township's Building Code Administration, Zoning and Code Compliance, Licensing and Permits, Ordinances and Codes, Staff and Services pages.