Roofing in South Beaver 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, South Beaver Township's Forms page, on the Township's own site, posts a Uniform Construction Code application and a Single Family Dwelling submittal guide that names "MIDDLE DEPARTMENT INSPECTION AGENCY, INC." and says "MDIA will review plans submitted to determine code compliance." The Township's Uniform Construction Code ordinance, posted as a scanned file, says "South Beaver Township shall administer and enforce the Uniform Construction Code provisions by engaging the services of a person, firm or corporation certified by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry." The Township office is at 805 Blackhawk Road, Beaver Falls, (724) 846-9320. The Township's own Uniform Construction Code application says "This Application to be submitted with Building/Zoning Permit for new construction or alteration of, remodeling of or addition to existing structure when provisions of the Uniform Construction Code are applicable." The Township's Uniform Construction Code ordinance requires a "CONSTRUCTION CODE PERMIT" for new structures and for remodeling or alteration of an existing structure, "except as excluded pursuant to the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act or the Uniform Construction Code," and names no roof work. The Township's ordinance books also post Ordinance No. 2, which requires a building permit before the erection, alteration or enlargement of any building and does not apply to projects costing less than $1,000, and Ordinance No. 35, whose Section 101 requires a Building Permit before "alteration or remodeling of the exterior of an existing building which changes the" structural shape or appearance of it. Neither names roof work, and this record does not decide whether a house reroof is an alteration or remodeling within them or whether they remain in force. The Township's 2025 zoning ordinance was posted as a scanned file with no text layer and was not read for this record; the scanned ordinances named above were read from machine text recognition of the page images. The Township's posted submittal guides cite "2009 INTERNATIONAL RESIDENTIAL CODE" (swimming pools) and "2015 IBC" (demolition) and name no later edition; this record has not read those editions' text and does not decide which edition the Township applies.

South Beaver Township's pages read for this record say nothing about whether a house reroof needs a permit. The Township's own Uniform Construction Code application says "This Application to be submitted with Building/Zoning Permit for new construction or alteration of, remodeling of or addition to existing structure when provisions of the Uniform Construction Code are applicable." The Township's Uniform Construction Code ordinance requires a "CONSTRUCTION CODE PERMIT" for new structures and for remodeling or alteration of an existing structure, "except as excluded pursuant to the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act or the Uniform Construction Code," and names no roof work. The Township's ordinance books also post Ordinance No. 2, which requires a building permit before the erection, alteration or enlargement of any building and does not apply to projects costing less than $1,000, and Ordinance No. 35, whose Section 101 requires a Building Permit before "alteration or remodeling of the exterior of an existing building which changes the" structural shape or appearance of it. Neither names roof work, and this record does not decide whether a house reroof is an alteration or remodeling within them or whether they remain in force. The Township's 2025 zoning ordinance was posted as a scanned file with no text layer and was not read for this record; the scanned ordinances named above were read from machine text recognition of the page images. 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 decide whether a house reroof needs a permit in the Township. Read for this answer: the Township's Forms and Ordinance pages, its Uniform Construction Code application, Building/Zoning Permit Application and submittal guides, its Uniform Construction Code ordinance and Ordinances No. 2 and 35. The Township office is open Monday and Wednesday 8:30 am to 4:30 pm and Friday 8:30 am to noon, at (724) 846-9320; ask it before starting.