Roofing in Lowhill 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, Lowhill Township takes permit applications at its municipal building, 7000 Herber Rd, New Tripoli, and its Building Permits page (read October 12, 2026) says "Lowhill Township has opted to enforce the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code," "All permit applications must be presented to the Township Zoning Office" and "Lowhill Township has contracted ALL INSPECTION AND PLAN REVIEW for all new construction, alterations and additions to a third party agency." The Township's Ordinances page, which says its online ordinances are "not the official version," lists the 2025 Zoning Ordinance, the 2025 Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance and twenty other ordinances, and none is titled as an adoption of the Uniform Construction Code or as a building code. The Township Building Code that the Zoning Ordinance mentions was therefore not found, and the code libraries ecode360, General Code and Municode opened without a Lowhill Township entry, while the sites of American Legal Publishing and Code Publishing refused the request. This record has not read the Township's ordinance adopting the Uniform Construction Code or any amendment to it. The Township's pages name no code edition.

The Township's Permit FAQs page (read October 12, 2026) answers "Do I need a permit to reroof my house?" with "Yes, we require a building permit only if the wood planks need to be replaced. Simple re-shingling of a roof does not require a permit." and lists "Roof Addition" among the things for which "Building/Zoning permits are needed." The Township's 2025 Zoning Ordinance, in its permits article, says "Ordinary repairs and maintenance to existing structures that do not infringe upon a required setback may be made without a permit under this Ordinance. However, such work may require a Building Permit under the Township Building Code as amended." The Township's Ordinances page, which says its online ordinances are "not the official version," lists the 2025 Zoning Ordinance, the 2025 Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance and twenty other ordinances, and none is titled as an adoption of the Uniform Construction Code or as a building code. The Township Building Code that the Zoning Ordinance mentions was therefore not found, and the code libraries ecode360, General Code and Municode opened without a Lowhill Township entry, while the sites of American Legal Publishing and Code Publishing refused the request. This record has not read the Township's ordinance adopting the Uniform Construction Code or any amendment to it. The Township's 2026 fee schedule (Resolution 2026-01) lists a Uniform Construction Code fee of $4.50 and a Township filing fee of 25% of the total of all permit fees, and refers the reader to the attached fee schedule of its contracted agency for the specific building permit fees; the building permit pages of that schedule, read from their rendered page images, price new construction, additions, alterations, decks, pools, signs, demolition and similar work and carry no roofing line. The Township's residential permit checklist and building/zoning permit application (read October 12, 2026) are general forms and do not name roofing as a separate permit. The Township says it "does NOT accept online permit submissions," accepts cash or check only, and says permits "may take anywhere from 15 to 30 business days to be issued." 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." Because the Township's ordinance adopting the Uniform Construction Code was not read, this record does not decide whether Lowhill Township requires a permit for an ordinary house reroof. Call the Zoning Office at 610-298-2641 before starting.