Roofing in Paradise Township (York County), 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, Paradise Township, in York County, issues building permits through its Zoning and Codes Office at the township building, 82 Beaver Creek Road, Abbottstown. Section 5-101 of the Township Code says the Township "hereby elects to administer and to enforce" the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act; the Township's information page lists Commonwealth Code Inspection Service as its Building Code Official, and its building permit packet says permittees contact Commonwealth Code Inspection Service, Inc. "directly to arrange all building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical inspections." Chapter 5 of the Township Code, Part 1 (Ord. No. 2004-06), read in full, adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as amended from time to time" as the Paradise Township Building Code and names no roof work. Section 5-105 keeps in force building code ordinances adopted "on or before July 1, 1999," which are not published in the Township Code; this record has not read them. No Township page read names a code edition.

Paradise Township's pages read for this record do not say whether a house reroof needs a permit. Chapter 5 of the Township Code, Part 1 (Ord. No. 2004-06), read in full, adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as amended from time to time" as the Paradise Township Building Code and names no roof work. Section 5-105 keeps in force building code ordinances adopted "on or before July 1, 1999," which are not published in the Township Code; this record has not read them. The Township's Fee Schedules page lists among "Permits required for:" the line "Building – Erection, additions, repair, alterations, moving or demolition," with no roof words, and its building permit packet says "A Building Permit application is used for all items falling under the PA UCC Building Code. If the work is exempt from UCC, a Zoning Permit Application should be used," and "IF YOU ARE NOT 100% SURE, CALL THE OFFICE!" Neither 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." This record does not state whether the Township requires a permit for a house reroof; ask the Zoning and Codes Office (717-259-0385, extension 2) before starting. The Fee Schedules page lists building permit fees of "$4.00 per $1,000 Minimum Fee is $50.00" up to $50,000 and a "Zoning Permit – $25.00." Read for this answer: Chapter 5 of the Township Code, Code Enforcement (Parts 1 and 2), in full; Chapter 4, Buildings; every page of a search of the whole Township Code for "roof" and for "reroofing"; the Township's information, forms and fee schedule pages; and its building and zoning permit packet.