Roofing in Ridgebury Township (Bradford 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, Ridgebury Township's own pages name Code Inspections, Inc. as its code enforcement: the Officials page lists "Code Enforcement: Code Inspections Inc." and the Permits page says "For all other Permits and Code information, visit:" the agency's site, with the agency's Dushore office, 268 Overton Road, 888-264-2633. The Township's Ordinance #73 (read October 12, 2026) says "Ridgebury Township hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act" through an intermunicipal agreement with the Eastern and Western Bradford County Councils of Government and "THEIR APPOINTED, CERTIFIED THIRD PARTY AGENCY," and adopts the Uniform Construction Code, which "is hereby adopted and incorporated herein by reference as the municipal building code of this Municipality." The Township office is at 13278 Berwick Turnpike, Gillett (570-596-2731). Ordinance #73 also keeps in force building code ordinances "which were adopted by this Municipality on or before July 1, 1999, and which equal or exceed the requirements of the Code"; it names no roof work and no code edition. The agency's guides page, which the Township's Permits page points to, lists "International Residential Code 2018 (code for one- and two-family dwellings no more than 3 stories in height)" and the Township's ordinance and pages name no edition; this record has not read the 2018 edition's text and does not decide which edition the agency applies.

Ridgebury Township's pages and ordinances do not say whether a house reroof needs a permit. The Township's Permits page says "For all other Permits and Code information, visit:" the inspection agency's site and lists applications for assessment, driveway, fireworks, junkyard, ATV and snowmobile permits and a property easement form, none naming roofing. Ordinance #73 also keeps in force building code ordinances "which were adopted by this Municipality on or before July 1, 1999, and which equal or exceed the requirements of the Code"; it names no roof work and no code edition. The Township's Ordinance #74, titled "ASSESSMENT ORDINANCE REGARDING MISCELLANEOUS STRUCTURES NOT REVIEWED UNDER THE UNIFORM CONSTRUCTION CODE," requires an assessment permit for the "construction, renovation or repair" of an "accessory or miscellaneous-use structure less than 1,000 square feet which is non-habitable and limited to one-story" and the other kinds of building it lists; it names no roof work, and this record does not decide whether a house reroof falls within it. The Township's fee schedule lists assessment permits, road crossing and driveway permits, junk yard licenses, mobile home park inspection and sewer fees, with no building permit line and no roofing line. The inspection agency's permits page lists residential forms for a dwelling, addition, accessory structure, deck, porch, pool and demolition and its FAQ lists work that requires a building permit; neither names roofing. 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 house reroof needs a permit; call the Township office (570-596-2731) or the agency (888-264-2633) before starting. Read for this answer: the Township's home, permits, fee schedule, ordinances, officials, contact and about pages; its Ordinance #73 and Ordinance #74 in full; the contents page of its Health and Safety ordinance (junked vehicles, nuisances and hazardous materials cleanup; the rest of that scanned ordinance was not read); its assessment permit application; and the agency's permits, FAQ and guides pages. The Township's other listed ordinances (911 renumbering, supervisor compensation, earned income tax, fire insurance, road renaming, wind energy, vehicle weight, mobile home park) are not building or permit ordinances by their titles and were not read.