Roofing in Rush Township (Centre 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, Rush Township in Centre County lists "UCC Building Code Enforcement" with Pennsafe Building Inspection, 175 Beaver Drive, DuBois, 814-375-1111, in its Township Directory, and its Forms, Permits & Applications page posts the Pennsafe Building Inspection Services LLC permit application for "Building inspection and permit application through PENNSAFE." Chapter 135 of the Township Code (Ord. No. 2004-I, June 10, 2004) says "Rush Township hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act" and adopts the Uniform Construction Code, "as amended from time to time," as the municipal Building Code. Chapter 135 changes nothing in the code's roofing provisions. Neither Chapter 135 nor the Township's pages and permit application name an edition of the International Residential Code.

Rush Township's pages do not say whether a house reroof needs a permit; ask the Township office or Pennsafe Building Inspection before starting. Chapter 103 of the Township Code, Building Permits (Ord. No. 29, July 14, 1967), says "It shall be unlawful for any individual, copartnership or corporation to proceed with the erection, alteration or enlargement of any building, or any part thereof, in the Township of Rush where the anticipated cost thereof shall exceed the sum of $200 unless application for a permit shall have been made by the owner or contractor to the Township Secretary and a permit shall have been properly obtained," and Section 103-6 sets a fine of "not more than $1,000, plus costs" for a violation. The chapter does not name roof work or repairs, and this record does not decide whether a house reroof is an "alteration" under it. Section 135-5A of the Township Code keeps in force building code ordinances adopted on or before July 1, 1999 "which equal or exceed the requirements of the code"; this record does not decide whether Chapter 103 is one. No Township page read for this record says whether a house reroof needs a permit. The permit application names no roof work, and the Township's 2014 Zoning Fee Schedule, the only fee schedule posted, prices zoning permits and names no roof work. 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." The Township office, 150 North Richard Street, Philipsburg, is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM, at 814-342-0514; Pennsafe Building Inspection is at 814-375-1111. Read for this answer: Chapter 135 of the Township Code, Construction Codes, Uniform, in full; Chapter 103, Building Permits, in full; every page of a search of the whole Township Code for "roof", which found no permit provision naming roof work, and for "reroofing", which found none; the Township's Forms, Permits & Applications page and Directory; the Pennsafe permit application, read from its rendered pages; and the 2014 Zoning Fee Schedule.