Roofing in Smith Township (Washington 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, Smith Township in Washington County takes permit applications at its Township office, 1848 Smith Township State Road, Slovan, and its Downloadable Forms page carries a Building Permit Application headed "Municipal Consulting Service" with the firm's building inspector telephone, behind a Township zoning permit page payable to "Smith Township". The Township's sheet on improvements that require permits says "If you have any question whether your project requires a permit please contact: Municipal Consulting Service LLC". Part 1 of Chapter 5 of the Township Code (Ord. 2004-3, June 14, 2004) says "This municipality 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 5 changes nothing in the code's roofing provisions, and the Township's code and permit pages name no residential code edition.

Smith Township's permit sheets name roof work as permit work only for commercial buildings and porch or deck roofs, and say nothing on replacing a house roof. The Township's sheet "PERMIT ARE REQUIRED FOR" lists, under Residential construction, new homes, additions, garages, decks and porches, "Deck roof, Porch roof", and "Remodeling or alteration of the structure, which involves changing structural or supporting members," and names roof work only under Commercial construction: "Roof – any work to an existing roof other than ordinary repairs." Its sheet "Improvements and repairs that Do NOT require a permit" names fences, retaining walls, finishing work, "Residential window replacement without structural change" and other items, and names no roof work. Chapter 5 adds no permit requirement of its own and names no roof work; the Township's former Building Permits part of Chapter 4 (1960) was repealed in 2009, and its BOCA building code part was superseded by the 2004 ordinance. A search of the whole Township Code for "roof" and for "reroofing" found no section that names roof work as permit work or as exempt, and the Township's fee schedule has no building permit or roofing line. 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 the Township requires a permit for a house reroof; the permit sheet refers questions to Municipal Consulting Service LLC at 724-263-0377. The Downloadable Forms page says "NOTE IF YOUR FILLED FORM DOES NOT INCLUDE PAYMENT WE WILL DISREGARD THE PERMIT/APPLICATION". The Township office is at 724-947-9456, Monday thru Friday, 8 AM to 4 PM. Read for this record: Part 1 of Chapter 5 of the Township Code, Uniform Construction Code, in full, with Part 2 (Property Maintenance Code) and Chapter 4, Buildings; every page of a search of the whole Township Code for "roof", "reroofing" and "BOCA"; the Township's Main Office and Downloadable Forms pages; its two permit sheets; the fee schedule with Resolution No. 2026-10R; and the Building Permit and Zoning Permit applications.