Roofing in Red Lion, 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, Red Lion Borough takes every building permit application at the Borough Office, 438 E. Lancaster Street. Section 5-101 of the Borough Code (Ord. 2004-06-04) says "The Borough of Red Lion hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act of 1999," and the Borough's Building Permits page says "The Borough has authorized the following agencies to conduct plan reviews and inspections under the UCC": Dependable Construction Code Services (DCCS), Middle Department Inspection Agency (MDIA) and Pennsylvania Municipal Code Alliance (PMCA), adding "ALL building permits MUST be submitted through the Red Lion Borough Office." Section 5-102 adopts the Uniform Construction Code in 34 Pa. Code Chapters 401-405, "as may be amended from time to time," "as the municipal building code of the Borough of Red Lion," and Chapter 5 adds no permit requirement or exemption of its own; it names no roof work. The Borough's code names no code edition, and the only edition named on the Borough's permit pages is on an undated "RESIDENTIAL DECK CONSTRUCTION NOTES" sheet headed "2018 IRC" (a scanned document, transcribed from the rendered page image); this record has not read the 2018 edition's text and does not decide which edition the Borough applies to a house.

No Red Lion Borough text read names reroofing as permit work or as exempt. Section 5-102 adopts the Uniform Construction Code in 34 Pa. Code Chapters 401-405, "as may be amended from time to time," "as the municipal building code of the Borough of Red Lion," and Chapter 5 adds no permit requirement or exemption of its own; it names no roof work. The Borough's Building Permits page and its Guide to the UCC Permit Process name no roof work. The 2026 Borough fee schedule has no roofing line, and DCCS's 2026 residential fee schedule posted by the Borough has none. The PMCA 2026 supplemental fee schedule posted by the Borough (a scanned document, transcribed from the rendered page image) lists "Residential Re-Roof" at $160 "(with structural repairs, framing & final)"; that line names neither Red Lion nor a reroof without structural repairs. 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." Red Lion Borough's only general permit clause read is the Uniform Construction Code's own, adopted by reference, and no Borough text read names reroofing as permit work or as exempt, so this record does not decide whether the Borough requires a permit for an ordinary reroof. Ask the Borough Office at (717) 850-0790 before work starts. Section 5-106 sets a fine of "not more than $1,000 plus costs" for work in violation of the code or of a permit. The Borough assigns a permit number and forwards the application to the reviewing agency; the Borough collects all permit and inspection fees and issues the permit, and the applicant schedules inspections with the agency. The Borough Office is open Monday to Thursday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Friday, 8 a.m. to noon. Read for this answer: Chapter 5 of the Borough Code (Code Enforcement, Sections 5-101 to 5-203) in full; Section 27-701 of the Zoning Chapter (zoning permits); every page of a search of the whole Borough Code for "roof" and for "reroofing"; the Building Permits page; the Guide to the UCC Permit Process; the 2026 Borough fee schedule, whose UCC line reads "Adopted Commonwealth Code Inspection Service Inc. and Code Administrators Inc. fee schedules by resolution 2/8/2016 (available in borough office)"; and the DCCS, MDIA and PMCA fee schedules the Borough posts.