Roofing in Punxsutawney, 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, The Borough of Punxsutawney's Code Enforcement Office, at 301 East Mahoning Street, Suite 6, issues Borough building permits, and the Borough's Codes & Permits page says "The cost for a building permit from the Borough is $20. In some cases, in keeping with Pennsylvania state UCC regulations, a second permit is required from our inspection agency." The page does not name the agency. Chapter 100 of the Borough Code (Ord. No. 1043, June 14, 2004) says "The Borough of Punxsutawney hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act" and adopts the Uniform Construction Code, "as amended from time to time," as "the municipal building code of the Borough of Punxsutawney." Neither Chapter 100 nor the Borough's permit page names an edition of the International Residential Code, and Chapter 100 changes nothing in the code's roofing provisions.

No Borough text read requires a permit for residential repairs or alterations or names roof work as permit work. Chapter 100 adopts the Uniform Construction Code by reference and amends nothing, and its Section 100-5A keeps in force building code ordinances adopted on or before July 1, 1999 that equal or exceed the code, without naming any; none is in the published Borough Code. The zoning chapter (Section 235-48B) says "A zoning permit shall be required for all construction or alterations. No zoning permit shall be required for repairs to or maintenance of any building, structure or grounds, provided that such repairs do not change the use or otherwise violate the provisions of this chapter." The Borough's permit application offers a "Repair, Replacement" box under Type of Improvement and names no roof work. 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 a permit is required for a house reroof in the Borough of Punxsutawney; ask the Code Enforcement Office at 814-938-4480 before starting. The Borough says permit applications may be downloaded and delivered in person or by mail to the Code Enforcement Office, 301 East Mahoning Street, Suite 6, Punxsutawney, PA 15767. Read for this answer: the Borough's Codes & Permits page and its permit application; Chapter 100 (Construction Codes, Uniform) of the Borough Code in full; Article VI of the zoning chapter (Administration, Enforcement and Procedures); and every page of a search of the whole Borough Code for "roof" and for "reroofing". The Borough publishes no fee schedule beyond the $20 Borough permit fee on its page.