Roofing in South Strabane Township, 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 Strabane Township's Building Department is at the Township Municipal Building, 550 Washington Road, Washington. Section 95-15 of the Township Code says the Township "elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," and the Building Department page says "All new building permits must be submitted through: Code.sys Code Consulting, Inc." Section 95-16 adopts the Uniform Construction Code, "as amended from time to time," as the Township Building Code of South Strabane Township, and Chapter 95 changes nothing in the code's roofing provisions. Article I of Chapter 95 (Ord. No. 2-2000) adopts "the BOCA National Building Code, 1999 Edition" and says it and "its incorporation of the 1998 International One- and Two-Family Dwelling Code shall apply to single-family dwelling units"; Section 95-14 says amendments to Article I "in effect prior hereto are hereby reaffirmed and adopted," and Section 95-19A keeps in force building code ordinances in effect on or before the date of the Township's Uniform Construction Code article "which equal or exceed the requirements of the code." The permit provisions of those model codes are not printed in the Township Code and were not read for this record, so whether they require a permit for a house reroof is not stated here. The Building Department's answer to "What building codes are used at South Strabane?" names "The 2015 International Building Code and its referenced standards" and no residential edition, while Section 95-16 adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as amended from time to time"; this record does not decide which edition the Township applies.

South Strabane Township text read for this record names no roof work on a house either way. The Building Department's answer to "What projects require a building permit?" (read October 9, 2026) says "The best way to be sure when a permit may be required is to check the townships fee schedule which address most issues or please feel free to call the township office if in doubt." The Township's 2026 fee schedule (Resolution 01-2026) lists "Commercial Roofing Replacement" at .10 per square foot under building permits and has no residential roofing line. Article I of Chapter 95 (Ord. No. 2-2000) adopts "the BOCA National Building Code, 1999 Edition" and says it and "its incorporation of the 1998 International One- and Two-Family Dwelling Code shall apply to single-family dwelling units"; Section 95-14 says amendments to Article I "in effect prior hereto are hereby reaffirmed and adopted," and Section 95-19A keeps in force building code ordinances in effect on or before the date of the Township's Uniform Construction Code article "which equal or exceed the requirements of the code." The permit provisions of those model codes are not printed in the Township Code and were not read for this record, so whether they require a permit for a house reroof is not stated here. 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's page says a residential permit "is usually 10 to 15 working days" and that inspections must be scheduled "at least 24 hours in advance"; the office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at 724-225-9055. Read for this answer: Chapter 95 of the Township Code, Construction Codes, Uniform (Sections 95-1 to 95-19), in full, with its Appendix A, Standards and Amendments, which amends fire-suppression and other sections and names no roof work; every page of a search of the whole Township Code for "roof" and a search for "reroofing", which returned no result; the Building Department page and its five answered questions; the Permits and Licenses page; and the 2026 fee schedule.