Roofing in Reading, 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 City of Reading administers the code through its Building and Trades Division. City Code Section 180-101 says the City "hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," and Section 180-102 incorporates the Uniform Construction Code, "as amended from time to time," as the City's Building Code. Section 180-401 also adopts the 2009 International Residential Code as the Residential Code of the City "for regulating and governing the construction, alteration, movement, enlargement, replacement, repair, equipment, location, removal and demolition" of the dwellings it covers, "providing for the issuance of permits and collection of fees therefor," and Section 180-501 adopts the 2009 International Existing Building Code on the same terms for existing buildings; the permit sections of those 2009 codes were not read for this record. The Division's pages name no code edition. Chapter 180 of the City Code (Construction Codes) was read in Part 1 (Sections 180-101 to 180-105), Part 4 (Sections 180-401 to 180-407), Part 5 (Sections 180-501 to 180-507) and Section 180-802; none of them names roofing or reroofing as permit work or as exempt, and the only roofing text in Section 180-802 is in its special demolition specification for walls and roofs left exposed next to a demolished building. A search of the whole City Code for roof provisions could not be run, and the residential fee section of Chapter 212 was not read.

The City of Reading's Building and Trades Division has published nothing read for this record that names roofing as permit work or as exempt. Its page lists among its services "Provide new construction, alteration, renovation and repair permits for building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing trades," and its permit application, residential plan submittal requirements page, permit cost estimator and online portal permit types name no roofing permit or exemption. Chapter 180 of the City Code (Construction Codes) was read in Part 1 (Sections 180-101 to 180-105), Part 4 (Sections 180-401 to 180-407), Part 5 (Sections 180-501 to 180-507) and Section 180-802; none of them names roofing or reroofing as permit work or as exempt, and the only roofing text in Section 180-802 is in its special demolition specification for walls and roofs left exposed next to a demolished building. A search of the whole City Code for roof provisions could not be run, and the residential fee section of Chapter 212 was not read. Sections 180-401 and 180-501 adopt the 2009 International Residential Code and International Existing Building Code "providing for the issuance of permits and collection of fees therefor," but the permit sections of those codes 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." This record therefore does not state whether a City ordinance requires a permit for a reroof. Applications go online through the City's Reading Self-Serve portal or on paper to the Division in room 3-10 of City Hall, 815 Washington Street (City Hall hours Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm); the Division's phone, on its application packet, is 610-655-6284. The application says "All contract work on this project will be done by a contractor holding valid business privilege license and contractor's license by the City of Reading." Its fee schedule charges $20 for each $1,000 of project cost, rounded up, plus $134.50, described as "$130.00 for the first $1,000.00 of project cost plus $4.50 State fee," so a $1,000 job costs $154.50.