Roofing in Monroeville, 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 Municipality of Monroeville administers the code itself: Section 176-1 of the Municipal Code says "This Municipality hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," Section 176-3 provides for "the designation of an employee of the Municipality to serve as the Municipal Code Official," and the Municipality's Building & Engineering Department takes the permit applications. Chapter 176 of the Municipal Code, Construction Codes, Uniform (Sections 176-1 to 176-8, Ord. No. 2300 as amended), read in full, adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as amended from time to time" as the Municipal Building Code; its only amendment, Section 176-8, concerns accessory utility and miscellaneous structures, and it names no roof work. Section 176-5 affirms building code ordinances adopted "on or before July 1, 1999, and which equal or exceed the requirements of the code," and Chapter 162 of the Municipal Code, Building Construction, read in full, still adopts the "BOCA National Building Code/1996, Thirteenth Edition" (Section 162-1) and the "CABO One and Two Family Dwelling Code, 1995 Edition" (Section 162-7); its amendments to those codes name no roof work. The Department's pages name no code edition, and this record has not read the 1996 BOCA or 1995 CABO text, including their permit and roofing provisions. Chapter 267, Occupancy Permits (Ord. No. 2818, 2026), read in full, names the 2021 International Residential Code among the standards for inspecting a dwelling before a change of occupant and says nothing on roof permits. A search of the whole Municipal Code for "roof" found no provision naming roof work as permit work or as exempt. The Municipality's statements on roof permits are quoted in the permit entries of this record.

Read October 6, 2026: the Building & Engineering Department's page lists, under "Building & Fire Code Permits Are Required For:", "Roof Replacements/Solar Panels," offers a "Residential Roof" permit with its own list of requirements and forms, and lists "Roof/Solar Panels" among the permits that can be applied for online. It says "A Building permit application is required to be completed submitted and approved prior to the start of ANY job." The Municipality's building permit application lists "REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT (ROOF/POOL)" as a type of improvement. The Municipality's 2026 fee ordinance (Ordinance No. 2812, enacted December 9, 2025), in its Section 2, "Roof Replacement, Repair and Alteration," says "The permit fee for replacement, repair or alteration of the roof of an existing structure shall be as follows:" and adds "Permit not required for residential shingle replacement only," then sets $50.00 for "Structures classified in residential use group categories." The Department's building permit requirements sheet (updated 7/2021) heads its roof list "Roof (COMMERCIAL MUST APPLY IN ALL CASES)." So the Department's page names roof replacement as permit work without qualification, while the fee ordinance says no permit is required for residential shingle replacement only; this record does not decide which the Department applies to a given house. This record does not answer whether an ordinary house reroof needs a permit in Monroeville: it does not decide which of the Municipality's statements applies to an ordinary house reroof, or what "shingle replacement only" covers. Under state law, Act 45 says the Act "shall not apply to" "Alterations to residential buildings which do not make structural changes or changes to means of egress, except as might be required by ordinances in effect pursuant to section 303(b)(1) or adopted pursuant to section 503" or to "Repairs to residential buildings, except as might be required by ordinances in effect pursuant to section 303(b)(1) or adopted pursuant to section 503" (section 104(b)(5) and (6)). The Department of Labor and Industry's register of municipal code change ordinances lists one Monroeville ordinance, which "Requires a building permit for residential utility and miscellaneous use structures larger than 120 sq. ft. or for such structures that are 120 sq. ft. or less, when served by electrical, gas or plumbing systems," with an approval letter mailed March 28, 2005, and enacted May 10, 2005; it names no roof work. In practice, get the Building & Engineering Department's answer in writing (412-856-3340) before starting a residential reroof. Applications go in through the Municipality's online permit portal or in person or by mail to the Building & Engineering Department, 2700 Monroeville Boulevard, Monroeville, PA 15146; the roof list on the requirements sheet asks for the building permit application, the zoning application, two sets of drawings with material lists or specification sheets, and workers' compensation. The page says "Applications can take between 15 and 30 business days for review and processing" and that inspections should be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance. The municipal building is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.