Roofing in Plains Township (Luzerne 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, Plains Township administers the code through a retained agency: its Building Permits page says "Plains Township has contracted with BHW Construction Consultation Services, Inc., a State Certified third party inspection agency, to review applications, issue permits and perform inspections relating to the issued permits," and building permit applications and fees go to the Township at 126 N. Main St., Plains. The Township's Code of Ordinances, published in an online code library linked from its Code of Ordinances page, could not be opened for this record, so the Township's Uniform Construction Code ordinance, any permit or exemption section in it, and any older building ordinance it keeps in force were not read. The Township's building permit application names the Uniform Construction Code and no code edition.

No Plains Township text read names reroofing as permit work or as exempt. The Township's 2026 Building Permit Application lists new building, foundation only, alteration, demolition, relocation, addition, change of use, plumbing, mechanical and electrical as types of work, and its residential fee schedule prices permits by cost of work; neither names roof work. The Township's Zoning Permit Application says "PRIOR TO THE START OF CONSTRUCTION, YOU ARE REQUIRED CONTACT THE TOWNSHIP'S BUILDING INSPECTOR AT 570-704-9478 FOR A DETERMINATION AS TO WHETHER A BUILDING PERMIT IS REQUIRED." The Township's Code of Ordinances, published in an online code library linked from its Code of Ordinances page, could not be opened for this record, so the Township's Uniform Construction Code ordinance, any permit or exemption section in it, and any older building ordinance it keeps in force were not read. 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." Nothing the Township publishes names reroofing as permit work or as exempt, and its code could not be read, so this record does not decide whether the Township requires a permit for an ordinary reroof. Call the building inspector at 570-704-9478 before work starts, as the Township's zoning application directs. Where a permit is needed, the Township's application fee schedule says "FEES WILL BE DOUBLED FOR THOSE FAILING TO SECURE PERMIT PRIOR TO START OF WORK," checks are payable to Plains Township, 126 N. Main St., and "IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PROPERTY OWNER OR CONTRACTOR TO CONTACT BHW FOR INSPECTIONS." The application gives the office number as 570-270-3900. Read for this answer: the Building Permits and Zoning Office pages; the Township's 2025 and 2026 Building Permit Applications with their fee schedules, all pages; the Zoning Permit Application; and the one to one permit application. The Township's code could not be opened.