Roofing in Richland Township (Allegheny 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, Richland Township elects to administer the code through a third-party agency: Section 5-101 of the Township Code says "Richland hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," the Township's fee resolution (Resolution No. 1 of 2026) adopts the plan review and inspection fees of "the UCC Service Agreement it has executed with Professional Code Services Inc. for the administration and enforcement of the Pennsylvania Unified Construction Code," the Township's building inspection checklist says "Contact Professional Code Services Inc. to schedule inspections," and the Township's Building and Zoning office, at 4019 Dickey Road, Gibsonia, takes permit applications through its online permitting portal. Chapter 5 adopts the code "as amended, from time to time" and changes nothing in its roofing provisions; it adopts the Allegheny County Health Department Plumbing Code in place of the International Plumbing Code. The Township's pages name no residential code edition.

Richland Township's code and its Building and Zoning page point different ways on a house reroof. Section 27-1701 of the Township's zoning chapter (Part 17, Schedule of Fees; Ord. 430 of 2008 as amended by Ord. 438 of 2009) says "A building permit shall be required for all new construction, additions or alterations or any structural or interior changes required for a change of the structure's use," and then "No building permit shall be required for the following:" with a list that includes "(2) Wall covering or siding," "(3) Replacement of existing doors, windows, storm doors or screens without structural changes," and "(4) Replacement of existing roofing." Chapter 5, the Township's Uniform Construction Code ordinance (Ord. 395 of 2004), names no roof work and adds no permit clause of its own; Section 5-101(6)(A) keeps in force building code ordinances adopted on or before July 1, 1999 that equal or exceed the code. Resolution No. 1 of 2026 has no roofing line; it takes its building permit fees from appendices of the service agreement, which the Township has not published. The Township's Building and Zoning page (read October 9, 2026) says "Both commercial and residential building permits are required in Richland Township to erect, modify, and/or repair structures," and its list of work for which building and zoning permits "are required for, but not limited to," includes "Structural Changes to Existing Building (Interior & Exterior)" and "Roof (changes to existing)." The page does not say whether replacing a roof covering is a change to an existing roof. Professional Code Services' own frequently asked questions page, which does not name Richland, says "All home additions and roof structures require building permits." 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 Building and Zoning office (724-443-5921) before starting. The page says "All permit applications must be approved prior to beginning construction," and the office is open 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday. Read for this answer: Chapter 5 of the Township Code, Code Enforcement, and Chapter 4, Buildings, in full; Part 17 of Chapter 27, Zoning, in full; every page of a search of the whole Township Code for "roof" and for "reroofing"; the Building and Zoning page; the building inspection checklist; Resolution No. 1 of 2026, the fee schedule, in full; and Professional Code Services' frequently asked questions page.