Roofing in Salisbury Township (Lehigh 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, Salisbury Township administers the code itself: Section 5-501 of the Township Code says "The Township of Salisbury hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," the Township's Department of Community Development "encompasses Zoning, Planning, Code Enforcement and Permits" and takes building permit applications through the Township's online portal, and the Township's 2026 building fee schedule refers to the Township's "Third-Party Inspection Agency," which the Township's pages do not name. The Township offices are at 2900 South Pike Avenue, Allentown. Section 5-501 adopts the Uniform Construction Code as the municipal building code and changes nothing in the code's roofing provisions. The Township's permit applications page says "Salisbury Township has adopted and enforces the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, 2009 International Residential Code, 2009 International Building Code and 2012 International Building Code Chapter 11," and Section 5-501 adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as amended from time to time"; the text above is the 2021 edition's, this record has not read the 2009 edition's text, and it does not decide which edition the Township applies.

Salisbury Township's code and pages do not say whether a house reroof needs a permit. The Township's permit applications page (read October 7, 2026) names no roof work either way, and the Township's online portal offers residential permit types for new buildings, "Residential Building Alterations/Additions," decks, pools, solar, demolition and others, with no roofing permit type. Part 5 of Chapter 5 of the Township Code adopts the Uniform Construction Code by reference and adds a key lock box rule for commercial and multifamily buildings; it has no permit clause of its own for house repairs or alterations and names no roof work. Section 8-201, in the Township's floodplain chapter, says "Building permits shall be required before any construction or development is undertaken within any area of the Township of Salisbury"; it sits in the chapter that regulates construction in identified floodplain areas and names no roof work. The Township's 2026 building fee schedule (Attachment A to Chapter 1, Resolution No. 01-2026-1901, January 22, 2026) lists "ROOF REPLACEMENT" at "$115.00" ("includes one site visit") in its "2026 Fee Schedule - Residential Inspection Services," under the heading "FLAT RATE COSTS INCLUDING PLAN REVIEW (NEW CONSTRUCTION ONLY)," and "Roof Replacement" in its commercial schedule; its "2026 RESIDENTIAL BUILDING PERMIT FEE SCHEDULE" for one and two-family dwellings and townhouses has no roofing line. This record does not decide whether the residential roof replacement line reaches a house reroof. 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 permit is required for a house reroof in Salisbury Township; ask the Township at 610-797-4000 before starting. The permit applications page says "For questions regarding the permitting process or submission requirements, please contact our office during regular business hours before submitting your application." Read for this answer: Chapter 5 of the Township Code, Code Enforcement (Part 5, Uniform Construction Code, and Part 6, Building Code Board of Appeals), in full; Part 12 of Chapter 1, Schedule of Fees, with its Attachment A, the 2026 building permit and inspection fees, in full; Part 2 of Chapter 8, Floodplains; every page of searches of the whole Township Code for "roof" and for "reroofing," which found no permit provision naming roof work; the Township's Building/Code Enforcement, Community Development, permit applications, Building Code Forms, Construction Guidelines and Contact pages; and the list of permit types the Township's online portal offers.