Roofing in Mount Carmel 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, Mount Carmel Township takes zoning permit applications at its Township office, 300 Laurel Street, Mount Carmel (570-339-1287): Ordinance 2004-01 (enacted May 20, 2004) says 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 its regulations" and adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as the Municipal Building Code of Mount Carmel Township," the Township Staff page lists "Building Codes Inspector: Tri-County COG," and the Township's Zoning Permit Application says "most projects will also require a Building Permit from TRI-COUNTY COG". Ordinance 2004-01 changes nothing in the code's roofing provisions, and the Township's pages name no code edition.

No Mount Carmel Township text read names reroofing as building permit work or as exempt. The Township's Ordinance 2004-01, which adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as amended from time to time," was read in full: it names no roof work, no exemption and no code edition, and keeps in effect only building code ordinances adopted on or before July 1, 1999 "which equal or exceed the requirements of the Code." The Township's Forms and Applications page posts a Zoning Permit Application, whose project types include "Renovation" and name no roofing, and a 2023 fee resolution (Resolution No. 23-15) that lists zoning, road opening, dumpster and rental fees and no building permit or roofing fee. Every other ordinance posted on the Township's Ordinances page that could be read as text was searched for roof and permit language and none names reroofing as permit work or as exempt; the Zoning Ordinance and two other ordinances were posted as scanned images and were not read for this record. The Township's Forms and Applications page says "All applications & permits must be mailed/dropped off to:" the Township office, and the 2023 fee resolution lists a residential zoning permit fee and no building permit fee. Ask the Township office at 570-339-1287 before work starts. Read for this answer: the Township's Township Staff, Forms and Applications and Ordinances pages, Ordinance 2004-01, its Zoning Permit Application and its 2023 fee resolution.