Roofing in Tilden Township, Pennsylvania

Not required

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, Tilden Township in Berks County takes permit applications at its Township office, 874 Hex Highway, Hamburg; its Forms & Permits page says "Effective September 23, 2013 the Building Code Official for Tilden Township is Building Inspection Underwiters of Pennsylvania" and that completed forms "may be mailed to or dropped off at the Township Office." The Township's Code, Chapter 210, Article I (Ord. No. 244-2021), says the Township "has elected to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act, Act 45 of 1999 and the Uniform Construction Code contained in 34 Pa. Code, Chapters 401 to 405" as amended from time to time. Its revisions insert the Township's design criteria in the residential code's Table R301.2(1), including "Ice Barrier Underlayment Required - Yes," and bring house repairs and alterations under the code apart from a list of exemptions that includes "Replacement of existing roof material." Section 210-1B adopts the "International Residential Code of 2015" and the other 2015 International Codes, and the Township's pages name no edition; this record has not read the 2015 edition's text and does not decide which edition the Township applies.

Tilden Township's Uniform Construction Code ordinance lists "Replacement of existing roof material" among the house repairs and alterations that "shall be exempt from such compliance." Section 210-3L of the Township's Code says "All alterations to residential buildings which do not make structural changes or changes to means of egress and repairs to residential buildings shall be subject to compliance with the Uniform Construction Code" but that "the following repairs and alterations shall be exempt from such compliance," and item (11) of that list is "Replacement of existing roof material." Section 210-3M adds "An ordinary repair does not require a permit," and lists as not ordinary repairs "Cutting away a wall, partition or portion of a wall" and "The removal of cutting and any structural beam or load-bearing support." The Township's 2026 building fee schedule (Resolution 2026-2), read in full from the rendered pages, has no roofing line; its residential lines include "Alterations & Repairs" at ".015 of total construction cost," and its only roof words are a line for "Roof mount or ground mount solar arrays." The Township's building permit application lists "( ) Roofing - Total square feet" among its types of work; it does not say which roof work needs a permit. Section 210-6A says "All building code ordinances or portions of ordinances which were adopted by the Township before April 7, 2010, are hereby repealed." No other Township section naming roof work as permit work was found in the Code's search for "roof." 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 office is open Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., at 610-562-7410. Read for this answer: the Township's Code, Chapter 210 (Code Enforcement), in full, and the Code's search results for "roof" and "reroofing"; the Township's Forms & Permits and Contact pages; its building permit application; and its 2026 building fee schedule, Resolution 2026-2.