Roofing in Robinson 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, Robinson Township's permits are handled by United Code Consultants, a third-party agency: Section 105-1 of the Township Code (Ordinance No. 3-2004, May 10, 2004) says "The Township of Robinson hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," and the Township's Building & Planning Department page says "Robinson Township contracts with United Code Consultants, a third party who handles all aspects of the permitting process." Chapter 105 adopts the code "as amended from time to time" and changes none of its roofing provisions, and neither the Township's pages nor the agency's name a residential code edition.

No Robinson Township text read names reroofing as permit work or as exempt. Chapter 105, the Township's Uniform Construction Code ordinance, adopts the code by reference, names no roof work and adds no permit clause of its own; a former Section 105-8, "Building permit requirement," added by Ordinance No. 14-2006 on September 11, 2006, was repealed by Ordinance No. 9-2010 on October 11, 2010. The Department of Labor and Industry's register of municipal code change ordinances lists a Robinson Township, Allegheny County, filing that "Requires a building permit for all residential alterations and repairs and establishes 9 exceptions," marked "Enacted 9 / 11 / 06"; the Township's code shows the section of that date repealed, and the 2006 ordinance's text was not read. The zoning chapter defines a building permit as "A permit indicating that a proposed construction, alteration or reconstruction of a structure is in accordance with the construction provisions of any building code which may be adopted by the municipality" (Section 300-17 B) and names no roof work. United Code Consultants' FAQ page (read October 7, 2026) says "Residential projects typically require permits for new builds, structural alterations, or changes to the means of egress, but generally exempting cosmetic updates and minor repairs" and "If you are unsure whether your project needs a permit, contact our office for clarification before you begin work"; it does not name roofing. Its Residential Building Permit Application offers "Remodel / Structural Alteration" and "Porch Roof / Pergola" and no reroofing box, and the fee schedule the Township links has no reroofing line; it prices "Residential Building Permit (Misc.): - Structural Alterations" at a $300.00 minimum. 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." Neither the agency's pages nor the Township's name reroofing as permit work or as exempt, and the agency does not say whether its "minor repairs" line covers a reroof, so this record does not decide whether the Township requires a permit for an ordinary reroof. Ask United Code Consultants at 724-492-1301 before work starts. Under Resolution No. 10 of 2026, building permit fees are set by an exhibit and the Township "reserves the right to withhold building permits and/or occupancy permits" until fees owed are paid. The agency says building permit fees "are due upon approval and prior to issuance" and every building permit includes a State fee, a municipal fee and a technology fee. Read for this answer: Chapter 105 of the Township Code, Building Construction, in full; Sections 300-15, 300-17 and 300-20 of the zoning chapter; Resolution No. 10 of 2026, the Township's fee resolution; every page of searches of the whole Township Code for "roof," which found no permit provision naming roof work, and for "reroofing," which found none; the Township's Building & Planning pages, its zoning permit application and the fee schedule it links; and United Code Consultants' FAQ and applications pages and its Residential Building Permit Application.