Roofing in North Cornwall 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, North Cornwall Township issues building permits from the Township office at 330 South 18th Street, Lebanon. Its Building/Zoning Permits page says "North Cornwall Township currently handles Zoning and Building questions and permits in house" and that "we have two well qualified companies retained for all required inspections," and that applicants "must choose either Associated Building Inspections (ABI), or Commonwealth Code Inspection Services (CCIS)." The Township's ordinance adopting the Uniform Construction Code is not posted on its Ordinances and Resolutions page and was not read for this record. The Township's 2025 residential permit packet refers to "The current International Residential Code" without naming an edition, and its hot tub section says "Electrical wiring and equipment shall be installed in accordance with the 2006 IRC Chapter 41"; the text above is the 2021 edition's, the 2006 edition's text was not read for this record, and this record does not decide which edition the Township applies.

North Cornwall Township text read for this record names no roof work as permit work or as exempt. The Building/Zoning Permits page (read October 9, 2026) describes building permits as "projects that require code inspections, accessory structures over 1,000 square feet, decks over 30 inches in height, hardscaping over 4 feet in height, generators, canopies or awnings attached to structures, additions, new homes, in-ground pools, basement finishing. These are just a few examples. Please contact us if you are unsure." The Township's 2025 Residential Building Permit Application packet says "ALL remodeling will required a signed contract to be submitted with the initial permit application" and names no roof work as permit work or as exempt. The Township's ordinance adopting the Uniform Construction Code is not among the ordinances posted on its Ordinances and Resolutions page, and no fee schedule for building permits is posted on its Applications / Permits page. Section 901 of the Zoning Ordinance (amended December 2025) says "No zoning permit shall be required for repairs or maintenance of any structure or land provided such repairs do not change the use or the exterior dimensions" of the structure, and speaks to zoning permits only. No Township text read for this record says whether an ordinary reroof needs a building permit. 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." Read for this record: the Township's Building/Zoning Permits page, Applications / Permits page and Ordinances and Resolutions page; the 2025 Residential Building Permit Application packet; and the Zoning Ordinance as amended December 2025, searched for "roof" and read at Section 901, Zoning Permits. Where a permit is needed, the packet says the Zoning Officer forwards the application to the applicant's choice of inspection company, that the review "has up to 15 Working Business Days to approve / deny the permit," and that "The Non-Refundable $100.00 Permit Application Fee must be included with submission." The Township office is at 717-273-9200.