Roofing in Taylor, 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, Taylor Borough administers the code through third-party agencies: Chapter 77 of the Borough Code (Ordinance No. 4-2004) says "This municipality hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act" and allows "the retention of one or more construction code officials or third-party agencies to act on behalf of the municipality," and the Borough's Permits and Applications page lists, under "Third Party Inspection Agencies," Building Inspection Underwriters of PA (B.I.U.) in Scranton and NorthEast Inspection Consultant (N.E.I.C.) in Childs. The page posts the Borough's Uniform Construction Code applications and names the Borough's Zoning and Code Enforcement Officer at 122 Union Street. Chapter 77 adopts the code "as amended from time to time" and changes none of its roofing provisions; the Permits and Applications page links to the State's list of current UCC codes, and no Borough page read for this record names a code edition.

Taylor Borough's pages do not say whether an ordinary house reroof needs a permit; ask the Zoning and Code Enforcement Officer before starting. Taylor Borough administers the code through third-party agencies: Chapter 77 of the Borough Code (Ordinance No. 4-2004) says "This municipality hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act" and allows "the retention of one or more construction code officials or third-party agencies to act on behalf of the municipality," and the Borough's Permits and Applications page lists, under "Third Party Inspection Agencies," Building Inspection Underwriters of PA (B.I.U.) in Scranton and NorthEast Inspection Consultant (N.E.I.C.) in Childs. The page posts the Borough's Uniform Construction Code applications and names the Borough's Zoning and Code Enforcement Officer at 122 Union Street. Chapter 77 adopts the Uniform Construction Code by reference "as the municipal building code of this municipality," adds no permit clause of its own and names no roof work, and leaves fees to resolution. The Borough's UCC fee schedule has no roofing line: under "Residential" it lists "Alterations & repairs" at "1.5% of construction cost." The Borough's Uniform Construction Code permit application lists "( ) Roofing -Total square feet" among types of work, beside fencing, signs, pools, decks and demolition, and N.E.I.C.'s Building Subcode application lists "ROOFING" among types of work. 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." Read for this answer: Chapter 77, Construction Codes, in full; every page of a search of the Borough Code for "roof" and for "reroofing," which found no permit provision naming roof work on houses; the Borough's Permits and Applications page; its Uniform Construction Code applications; its UCC fee schedule and its posted Zoning, SALDO and UCC fee schedules; and N.E.I.C.'s Building Subcode application posted on that page. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at 570-562-1400, extension 111.