Roofing in Rochester Township (Beaver 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, Rochester Township's Zoning and Building Department, at 1013 Elm Street, Rochester, lists a Building Inspector on its Building Inspector page, which says "Confirmation of compliance with the ICC is by site inspections by certified building inspection officers," and the Township's Forms and Documents page posts a 2025 fee schedule of United Code Consultants headed "RESIDENTIAL FEES" that adds "PA State Building Permit Fee" to "all Building Permits." Chapter 60 of the Township Code adopts "The 2009 International Building Code, the 2009 International Fire Code, the 2009 International Residential Code" and other 2009 codes (Ord. No. 438, December 16, 2010), and its 2024 amendment (Ord. No. 491) adopts the 2021 International Property Maintenance Code; this record has not read the 2009 International Residential Code's text. Chapter 53, Building Construction, says "No person, firm or corporation shall erect, construct, reconstruct or remodel any structure within the Township involving any connection with any sewer line or lateral without having first obtained a building permit from the Township Secretary," which names no roof work. The Zoning chapter says "A zoning permit is needed to: 1. Erect, reconstruct, move, structurally alter, or enlarge any structure or building" and describes a building permit as "A permit indicating that a proposed construction, alteration or reconstruction of a structure is in accordance with the provisions of the Township's Construction Code (Chapter 60) and Building Requirements (Chapter 53)." None of these texts names roof work or says whether a house reroof is "construction activity" or an "alteration," and this record does not decide either question. The Township's pages name "the ICC" without an edition and Chapter 60 names the 2009 editions; this record has not read the 2009 edition's text and does not decide which edition the Township applies.

No Rochester Township text read names reroofing as permit work or as exempt, so this record does not decide whether the Township requires a permit for an ordinary reroof. The Building Inspector page (read October 12, 2026) says "The International Construction Code (ICC) is in effect for all construction within Rochester Township, with the exception of a few items that have been excluded pursuant to The Pennsylvania Construction Code Act, as amended," and "However, a Zoning Permit is required for all construction activity, including items excluded by the Act." The 2025 fee schedule of United Code Consultants (transcribed from the rendered page images) lists "Residential Building Permit (Misc.)" for "Structural Alterations," a "Residential Deck or Porch Roof" permit and a "Residential Zoning Permit," and has no line for reroofing. The Township's FAQs page says "All additions and porches with roofs attached to the dwelling require a "Building Permit"" and does not mention reroofing. Chapter 60 of the Township Code adopts "The 2009 International Building Code, the 2009 International Fire Code, the 2009 International Residential Code" and other 2009 codes (Ord. No. 438, December 16, 2010), and its 2024 amendment (Ord. No. 491) adopts the 2021 International Property Maintenance Code; this record has not read the 2009 International Residential Code's text. Chapter 53, Building Construction, says "No person, firm or corporation shall erect, construct, reconstruct or remodel any structure within the Township involving any connection with any sewer line or lateral without having first obtained a building permit from the Township Secretary," which names no roof work. The Zoning chapter says "A zoning permit is needed to: 1. Erect, reconstruct, move, structurally alter, or enlarge any structure or building" and describes a building permit as "A permit indicating that a proposed construction, alteration or reconstruction of a structure is in accordance with the provisions of the Township's Construction Code (Chapter 60) and Building Requirements (Chapter 53)." None of these texts names roof work or says whether a house reroof is "construction activity" or an "alteration," and this record does not decide either question. 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." Read for this answer: Chapter 53, Building Construction, and Chapter 60, Construction Codes, International, of the Township Code; Ordinance No. 491; the Zoning chapter's permit sections (1104 to 1111); every page of searches of the whole Township Code for "roof" and for "reroofing," which found no permit provision naming roof work on houses; the Township's Building Inspector, Forms and Documents and FAQs pages; and the 2025 United Code Consultants fee schedule. The Township's Fee Schedule and its residential deck guide are image-only files and were not read. Ask the Zoning and Building Department before work starts: the Township office is open 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday to Friday, at 724-774-0135, and the Building Inspector page lists the Building Inspector at 724-328-3633.