Roofing in Northampton Township, Pennsylvania

Required

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, Northampton Township administers the code itself: Section 5-101 of the Township Code says "This Township hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," and the Township's Building & Codes page lists its own building inspectors. Chapter 5, Part 1 of the Township Code (Sections 5-101 to 5-107, Ord. 547), read in full, adopts the Uniform Construction Code by reference and changes nothing in the code's roofing provisions. Its Section 5-103 amends the State's residential permit section only to require permits for "Decks less than 30 inches off grade" and design-professional documents for certain buildings. Section 5-106 keeps in force building code ordinances adopted "on or before July 1, 1999, and which equal or exceed the requirements of the Code"; this record found none in the Township Code's Chapters 4 and 5 and read no other. Section 5-101 also adopts appendices of the 2009 International Residential Code and other 2009 codes, while the Township's roof permit application says "All Work to Conform to the IRC 2021 and IBC 2021"; this record has not read the 2009 edition's appendix text. The Township names roof work as permit work by its own form and fee line, quoted in the permit entries of this record.

Read October 6, 2026: the Building-Zoning-Code Enforcement Department's Roof and Exterior Veneer Permit Application (revised 7/8/2026) is headed "ROOF and EXTERIOR VENEER PERMIT APPLICATION" and "All Work to Conform to the IRC 2021 and IBC 2021," and the Township's 2026 fee schedule (approved 1-5-26) lists among its residential building and construction permits "Roofing, Siding, Windows (each)" at "1.5% of total cost ($75 min.)." The Township's code names no roof work either way: Chapter 5, Part 1 of the Township Code (Sections 5-101 to 5-107, Ord. 547), read in full, adopts the Uniform Construction Code by reference and changes nothing in the code's roofing provisions. Under state law, Act 45 says the Act "shall not apply to" "Alterations to residential buildings which do not make structural changes or changes to means of egress, except as might be required by ordinances in effect pursuant to section 303(b)(1) or adopted pursuant to section 503" or to "Repairs to residential buildings, except as might be required by ordinances in effect pursuant to section 303(b)(1) or adopted pursuant to section 503" (section 104(b)(5) and (6)), and of a municipal ordinance that adds to the code, section 503(c) says "An ordinance under this subsection shall not be effective nor enforceable unless subsections (d), (e), (f), (g), (h) and (i) have been satisfied." This record does not decide whether the municipality's requirement is one adopted under section 503 or kept in effect by section 303(b)(1). In practice, plan on a Township permit for any reroof, as its form and fee line show. The application asks whether the roof is being stripped to the deck, says "*If yes, ice and water shield is required 3' up from edge of roof," asks the applicant to initial that "drip edge will be installed," says of a recover "*If yes, only 1 layer of existing shingles is permitted under a new roof covering," asks "Are you replacing any structural or non-structural members?" and says "Townhouses require fire-retardant plywood, 4' at each side of the party wall." It asks a contractor for an "HIC #" and the cost of improvement. The fee schedule says "If a project is started without applicable permits and/or approvals, the permit fees may be doubled." The department is at 55 Township Road, Richboro, phone 215-355-3883; Township offices are open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.