Roofing in New Hope, 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, New Hope Borough administers the code itself: Section 112-1 of the Borough Code says "New Hope Borough hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," its Building, Permitting and Licensing page tells owners to "make application to the building official and obtain the required permit" and posts a Building Code Permit Application on Borough letterhead (123 New Street), and its FAQ says "For building and zoning inspections, please call 48 hours in advance for scheduling at 215-862-3347." Chapter 112 of the Borough Code, Construction Codes, Uniform (Ord. No. 2004-2, June 8, 2004, read October 12, 2026), says in Section 112-2 "The Uniform Construction Code, contained in 34 Pa. Code, Chapters 401 through 405, as amended from time to time, is hereby adopted and incorporated herein by reference as the municipal building code of New Hope Borough," fills in blanks for "Uniform Construction Code 2003 Edition" items, names no roof work and adds no permit clause of its own for house repairs, and its Section 112-5 keeps in force "All building code ordinances or portions of ordinances which were adopted by this municipality on or before July 1, 1999, and which equal or exceed the requirements of the Code"; this record found no such earlier building ordinance in the chapters it read. Every page of a search of the whole Borough Code for "roof" and for "reroofing" found no permit provision naming roof work. Chapter 112 refers to the "Uniform Construction Code 2003 Edition," and no Borough page names a current edition; the text above is the 2021 edition's, this record has not read the 2003 edition's text, and this record does not decide which edition the Borough applies to a house.

New Hope Borough's code and pages read for this record do not say in terms whether a house reroof needs a building permit. Chapter 112 of the Borough Code, Construction Codes, Uniform (Ord. No. 2004-2, June 8, 2004, read October 12, 2026), says in Section 112-2 "The Uniform Construction Code, contained in 34 Pa. Code, Chapters 401 through 405, as amended from time to time, is hereby adopted and incorporated herein by reference as the municipal building code of New Hope Borough," fills in blanks for "Uniform Construction Code 2003 Edition" items, names no roof work and adds no permit clause of its own for house repairs, and its Section 112-5 keeps in force "All building code ordinances or portions of ordinances which were adopted by this municipality on or before July 1, 1999, and which equal or exceed the requirements of the Code"; this record found no such earlier building ordinance in the chapters it read. Every page of a search of the whole Borough Code for "roof" and for "reroofing" found no permit provision naming roof work. The Borough's Building, Permitting and Licensing page says "Any owner or authorized agent who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a building or structure" "shall first make application to the building official and obtain the required permit," and names no roofing. Its 2026 Fee Schedule, under "CONSTRUCTION PERMITS AND CERTIFICATES OF OCCUPANCY," "RESIDENTIAL," has a line "ALTERATIONS, REPAIRS, REMODLING, DEMOLITION (CHIMNEY, FIRE PLACE, ROOFING)" at "$75 PLUS ADD'L fee equiv to 1.5% of construction costs. MINIMUM $100" (read from the rendered page), and its Building Code Permit Application lists "ROOFING" among the boxes under "ADDITIONAL PERMITS REQUIRED OR OTHER JURISDICTION APPROVALS." This record does not decide whether a house reroof is work that fee line prices as a construction permit. For the Historic District, the Borough's flowchart lists "installing a new roof in the same color and materials as the old one" among its examples of a "replacement in kind" (a letter to the Borough) and "changing roofing materials" among its examples of projects needing a Certificate of Appropriateness; this record does not decide whether a given house is in the Historic District. 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." This record does not state whether the Borough requires a permit for a house reroof; ask the Borough office (215-862-3347, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays) before starting. Read for this answer: Chapters 112 and 117 of the Borough Code in full, with every page of a search of the Borough Code for "roof" and "reroofing"; the Borough's home, Departments, Building, Permitting and Licensing, FAQ and Documents and Forms pages; its Building Code Permit Application, Zoning Permit Application, 2026 Fee Schedule and Historic District flowchart and review types sheets.