Roofing in Strasburg Township (Lancaster 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, Strasburg Township's FAQ says "Permit applications must be submitted by mail or hand delivery to Solanco Engineering Associates, 103 Fite Way, Quarryville, PA 17566," its contacts page lists the Zoning Officer at Solanco Engineering, and its 2026 fee schedule leaves building permit fees to the Township's appointed third party inspection agencies. The Township's Ordinance No. 82, the Strasburg Township Construction Code Ordinance (2013), adopts the Uniform Construction Code standards "as such regulations and standard codes adopted by such regulations may, be amended from time to time." The ordinance amends the administrative chapter of the "International Building Code/2009" "or such future editions" as the State adopts, and no Township page names a residential code edition.

Strasburg Township's pages and ordinances read for this record do not say whether a house reroof needs a permit. Ordinance No. 82 says the International Building Code's own permit section, 105, "shall not be a part of the Township Construction Code," adopts the State's permit rules, including 34 Pa. Code 403.62, in its place, and says "Items exempted from compliance with the Uniform Construction Code by Sections 403.1 (b) and 403.1(e) of the L & I Regulations do not have to comply with the Construction Code but shall comply with all other applicable Township Ordinances"; it names no roof work. The zoning ordinance's permit section, 701.1, says "No zoning permit shall be required for repairs or maintenance of any structure or land, provided such repairs do not increase the exterior dimensions of the structure"; that sentence speaks to the zoning permit only. The Township's FAQ answers "Do I need a permit for a fence or a shed?" and gives the steps to obtain a building permit but says nothing on roofs. The residential building and zoning permit application lists new building, addition, alteration, repair, demolition and relocation as the kinds of work and has no roofing entry, and the 2026 fee schedule has no 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; ask Solanco Engineering Associates ((717) 786-0355) or the Township office (717-687-6233) before starting. Ordinance No. 82 says anyone who starts work before obtaining a needed Construction Code permit is subject "to an additional fee for expedited processing which shall be equal to the fee which should have been paid at permit application." Read for this answer: Ordinance No. 82 in full; Articles 1 and 7 of the zoning ordinance; the Township's ordinances list; its FAQ, contacts and online forms pages; the residential building and zoning permit application; and the 2026 fee schedule.