Roofing in Monaca, 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, The Borough of Monaca administers the code through a retained third-party agency: Section 107-1 of the Borough Code says the Borough "hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," Section 107-3 provides for "the retention of one or more construction code officials or third-party agencies to act on behalf of the Borough of Monaca," and the building permit guides the Borough posts on its permit portal are headed "MIDDLE DEPARTMENT INSPECTION AGENCY, INC." and say "MDIA will review plans submitted to determine code compliance" and that the applicant collects the permit "at the Municipal Building." Section 107-2 adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as amended from time to time" and incorporates it by reference "as the municipal building code of the Borough of Monaca," and Chapter 107 changes nothing in the code's roofing provisions. Section 107-5A keeps in force pre-July 1999 building code ordinances that equal or exceed the code, and Chapter 92 adopts the BOCA National Building Code, 12th Edition, 1993; this record has not read that code's text. Neither Chapter 107 nor the Borough's pages name a Uniform Construction Code edition.

No Borough of Monaca text read names reroofing as building permit work or as exempt from a building permit. The Borough's Permit Applications page (read October 9, 2026) says the Building Permit application "includes all of the following: New Building, Pool, additions, detached garage, solar panels, etc." and does not name roof work either way; the building permit application on the portal lists Alteration and Repair among its types of work without naming roofs. Chapter 107 of the Borough Code, Construction Codes, Uniform (Ord. No. 872, 2004), adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as amended from time to time" and adds no permit clause and no roof words of its own. Section 107-5A keeps in force building code ordinances adopted on or before July 1, 1999 "which equal or exceed the requirements of the Act and code," and Chapter 92, Building Construction (Ord. No. 751-A, 1993), adopts the "BOCA National Building Code, 12th Edition, 1993" with a building permit fee schedule keyed to cost of work; Chapter 92 names no roof work, and this record has not read the 1993 BOCA code's text. The Borough's fee schedule, Section A256-2, prices residential "Alterations and repairs: 25% of construction cost" with no roofing line, and the agency's 2023 fee sheet the Borough posts has none either. Section 245-81 of the Zoning Ordinance says "No zoning permit shall be required" for "Routine exterior maintenance such as replacing existing windows or doors, painting, replacing siding such as aluminum or vinyl which does not increase the exterior dimensions of the building and/or replacing shingles or roof wood"; that clause speaks to the zoning permit only. 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 Borough's only general permit clause read is the state code's own, adopted by reference, the 1993 BOCA code kept in force has not been read, and neither the Borough nor its agency has published a statement on reroofs, this record does not decide whether the Borough requires a building permit for an ordinary reroof. The Borough's Permits page says "Once permit(s) are submitted to the Borough with all required electronic documents, the Borough will then reach out to you/contractor with the fee amount when the permit is approved and completed." The Borough office is at 724-775-9600. Read for this answer: Chapter 107 of the Borough Code, Construction Codes, Uniform, and Chapter 92, Building Construction, in full; Chapter A256, Fee Schedule; Article XII of Chapter 245, Zoning, Administration and Enforcement; Chapter 144, Licenses and Permits, and Chapter 169, Property Maintenance; every page of a search of the whole Borough Code for "roof" and for "reroofing"; the Borough's Permits and Permit Applications pages; its iWorQ permit portal, building permit application and posted agency guides; and the agency's 2023 fee sheet.