Roofing in Morris Township (Clearfield County), 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, Morris Township takes permit applications at its business office, 1189 Oak Grove Road, Morrisdale (814-342-4411), open Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Its Permits / Fees and Costs page says "Pennsafe Building Inspection Service serves as the UCC Building Inspection Service for Morris Township" and lists "Building Permits $35.00 Flat Fee (Township Issued)"; its Forms page says "UCC Building Permit Applications are available by visiting www.pennsafebis.com"; and its Township Directory lists a Code Enforcement Officer. Ordinance No. 04-07-01 (July 1, 2004) says the Township "hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act" and adopts the Uniform Construction Code in 34 Pa. Code, Chapters 401-405, "as amended form time to time," by reference "as the municipal building code of this Municipality." The Township's pages name no residential code edition, and Ordinance No. 04-07-01 names none.

The Township also posts its own "Morris Township Building Permit Application," which names no roof work, and Ordinance No. 1990-01 (August 7, 1990), titled as an ordinance "REQUIRING ALL PROPERTY OWNERS (PERSONS, PARTNERSHIPS, BUSINESS AND CORPORATIONS) TO OBTAIN A BUILDING PERMIT FOR ANY CONSTRUCTION OR DEVELOPMENT," says in Section 1.01 that "It shall be unlawful for any property owner (persons, partnerships, business and corporations) to undertake, or cause to be undertaken, any construction or development anywhere within the Township of Morris unless a Building Permit has been obtained from the Code Enforcement Officer" and "A Building Permit shall not be required for minor repairs or new construction costing $1,000.00 or less for materials." Its Section 3.01 defines "Construction" as "the construction, reconstruction, renovation, repair, extension, expansion, alteration, or relocation of a building or structure," and Ordinance 95-11-06 (November 6, 1995) says "Section 3.01 E. of Ordinance Numbered 1990-01 Adopted August 7, 1990 is deleted," the paragraph that had defined "Minor repair," and that "All other provisions of Ordinance Numbered 1990-01 Adopted August 7, 1990, are hereby reaffirmed." The ordinance names no roof work, and this record does not decide whether a house reroof is "construction" or a "minor repair" under it. The Township's floodplain permit ordinance (Ordinance No. 2011-10-17, which also carries the title of an ordinance "REQUIRING ALL PERSONS, PARTNERSHIPS, BUSINESSES, AND CORPORATIONS TO OBTAIN A PERMIT FOR ANY CONSTRUCTION OR DEVELOPMENT" in areas "SUBJECT TO FLOODING") says "A Permit shall not be required for minor repairs to existing buildings or structures," and names no roof work. The inspection agency's building permit applications page lists a "Commercial Roof" packet and a "Deck/Porch" packet and no packet for a house reroof. No Township page read names roof work as permit work or as exempt, and the Township's pages and ordinances read do not say whether a house reroof needs a Township building permit, a Uniform Construction Code building permit, or neither. 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." Ask the Township office (814-342-4411) before starting. Read for this answer: the Township's home, Permits / Fees and Costs, Forms, Ordinances, Township Directory and Contact pages; its Building Permit Application; Ordinances 1990-01, 95-11-06, 1982-6, 2011-10-17 and 04-07-01 (scanned pages, read from rendered page images); and the agency's home, contact, applications and permit guide pages.