Roofing in North East 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 East Township, in Erie County, runs its own Building and Zoning Departments at the Township municipal building, 814-725-8606. Section 123-1 of the Township Code (Ord. No. 2004-005) says "North East Township does hereby elect to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," the Township's home page lists its Building Code Officials, and its Planning and Zoning page says the Code Enforcement Officer "is the primary field inspector for the enforcement of the many health and safety ordinances such as the building codes." Section 123-2 adopts the Uniform Construction Code in 34 Pa. Code Chapters 401 to 405, "as amended from time to time," "as the municipal building code of North East Township," and Section 123-5A keeps in force building code ordinances "adopted by the Township on or before July 1, 1999, and which equal or exceed the requirements of the code"; the Township Code's table of contents lists no other building code chapter, and Chapter 123 names no roof work. The Township pages read for this record name no code edition.

No North East Township text read names reroofing as permit work or as exempt. Section 123-2 adopts the Uniform Construction Code in 34 Pa. Code Chapters 401 to 405, "as amended from time to time," "as the municipal building code of North East Township," and Section 123-5A keeps in force building code ordinances "adopted by the Township on or before July 1, 1999, and which equal or exceed the requirements of the code"; the Township Code's table of contents lists no other building code chapter, and Chapter 123 names no roof work. The Township's Planning and Zoning and Ordinances pages name no roof work, and the Township publishes no building permit form or fee schedule on its site. The Township's 2024 Zoning Ordinance (final November 4, 2024) lists work for which "No Zoning Permit shall be required" and says "When a Zoning Permit is not required, certain activities may still require permits under other ordinances, including, but not limited to, Uniform Construction Code permits"; neither that list nor its zoning permit list names roofing. 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." North East Township's only building permit clause read is the Uniform Construction Code's own, adopted by reference, and no Township text read names reroofing as permit work or as exempt, so this record does not decide whether the Township requires a permit for an ordinary reroof. Ask the Township's Building and Zoning Departments at 814-725-8606 before work starts. The municipal building is open Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Read for this answer: Chapter 123 of the Township Code (Construction Codes, Uniform, Sections 123-1 to 123-6) in full; Section 350-53 of the codified Zoning Chapter and Article 3 of the 2024 Zoning Ordinance (zoning permits and exemptions); every page of a search of the whole Township Code for "roof" and for "reroofing"; and the Township's home, Planning and Zoning and Ordinances pages.