Roofing in Old Lycoming 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, Old Lycoming Township in Lycoming County administers the code through a third-party agency, Light-Heigel and Associates: the Township's 2026 "Uniform Construction Code Building Permit Application" for "Old Lycoming Township" is that firm's form, sends permit fees to it ("made payable to Light-Heigel & Associates, Inc."), and asks first for a "Zoning Permit from Zoning Officer." Section 5-101 of the Township Code (Ord. 214, March 9, 2004) adopts the Uniform Construction Code, "as amended from time to time," as "the municipal building code of Old Lycoming Township." The Township office is at 1951 Green Avenue, Williamsport. Section 5-101 also adopts the International Property Maintenance Code and Appendix F of the International Residential Code on radon control, and changes nothing in the code's roofing provisions. The Township's Code Enforcement page says its goal is to "Assure that proper building practices are followed in construction as per BOCA Codes," and its Zoning Regulations page says "Old Lycoming Township is a participant in the BOCA Building Codes"; BOCA is a model code that predates the Uniform Construction Code, Section 5-101 keeps in force building code ordinances adopted on or before July 1, 1999 that equal or exceed the code, no BOCA ordinance is in the published Township Code, and this record has not read any BOCA text and does not decide which code the Township applies.

Old Lycoming Township has published no line on whether a reroof needs a building permit. The Township's Zoning Regulations page says "A building permit is required prior to the placement, erection or construction of a building, structure, fence, driveway or swimming pool," and names no roof work. The Township's zoning ordinance exempts roofing from the zoning permit only: Section 27-1203.1.C says "Zoning permits shall not be required for the following activities unless they are proposed within an identified floodplain district," including "General maintenance and repair to existing buildings or structures; including siding, roofing, painting, the addition of storm windows, and similar activities." That section speaks to the zoning permit and says nothing of the building permit. No Township or agency text read for this record says whether a reroof needs a building permit; the agency's 2026 residential fee sheet has no reroofing line, and its application's type-of-work boxes are "New Building," "Addition," "Alteration," "Change of Use" and "Relocation." 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." The agency's application says "Failure to arrange for your final inspection after the project is completed is a violation that will result in possible legal action from your municipality," and the Township's 2026 zoning fee schedule says "All Fees Doubled if sought after development begins." The Township office is open 8:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M., Monday through Friday, at 570-322-6906, and the agency's Lewisburg office is at (570) 524-7742. Read for this record: Chapter 4, Buildings, and Chapter 5, Parts 1 and 3 (Uniform Construction Code and Property Maintenance Code), of the Township Code in full; Section 27-1203 of the zoning ordinance; every page of a search of the whole Township Code for "roof" and for "reroofing"; the 2026 Uniform Construction Code Building Permit Application with the agency's residential fee sheet, read from the page images; the Township's 2026 zoning fee schedule and its zoning permit FAQ; and the Township's Code Enforcement, Zoning Regulations and Location pages.