Roofing in Upper Frederick 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, Upper Frederick Township administers the code through its third-party agency, LTL Consultants, Ltd.: Section 112-8 of the Township Code says the Township "hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," and the Township's Code Enforcement page lists the "Township Building Inspector and Code Enforcement Officer" with LTL Consultants, Ltd., P.O. Box 241, Oley (610-987-9290, ext. 229). Section 112-8B adopts the Uniform Construction Code, "as amended from time to time," as "the municipal building code of this Township," and Section 112-11A keeps in force building code ordinances adopted "on or before July 1, 1999" that equal or exceed the code. Section 112-28 adopts "the International Residential Code For One- and Two-Family Dwellings, 2003 Edition," Section 112-30 says each new triennial edition "shall be automatically adopted as the Township of Upper Frederick Residential Code," and the Township's pages name no current edition; this record has not read the 2003 edition's text and does not decide which edition the Township applies to a house.

Section 112-11K of the Township Code (amended June 13, 2005, by Ord. No. 05-06) says that "In addition to all types of construction, placement of structures, repairs and alterations for which the Uniform Construction Code requires a permit," the Township "shall require persons to obtain permits" for "All alterations or repairs to residential buildings which are exempt from the UCC by Act 92 of 2004; provided, however, that the following types of alterations and repairs shall continue to be exempt, and no permit will be required," and the second listed exemption is "Reroofing of less than 25% of the total existing roof square footage." The Township's 2026 fee schedule (Resolution No. 2025-15) says under residential building permits: "Re-roofing- non-structural roof work (replacing shingles) does not require a permit. Structural roof work shall obtain a building permit. The Code Enforcement Officer may require structural analysis of the building structure by a registered engineer. $200.00." The ordinance section is in the current Township Code; the fee schedule is a 2026 Board resolution. The Department of Labor and Industry's register of municipal code change ordinances lists an Upper Frederick Township filing that "Requires a building permit for all residential alterations and repairs, and establishes 9 exceptions," found in compliance with an approval letter mailed June 13, 2005, "Enacted 8 / 11 / 05." 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 of a municipal ordinance that adds to the code, section 503(c) says "An ordinance under this subsection shall not be effective nor enforceable unless subsections (d), (e), (f), (g), (h) and (i) have been satisfied." 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 ordinance and the fee schedule answer an ordinary full reroof differently, so this record does not decide whether the Township requires a permit for one. Ask the Code Enforcement Officer at LTL Consultants (610-987-9290, ext. 229) before starting. The fee schedule says that for "work requiring permits per the Uniform Construction Code and the Upper Frederick Code of Ordinances, that commence prior to the issuance of a permit" the fee "will be double the permit fee or $250.00, whichever is greater," and Section 112-29G sets a fine "of not less than $100, but not more than $1,000, plus costs" for a violation of the Township's residential code. The Township office is at 3205 Big Road, Zieglerville. Read for this answer: Articles I, II and VIII of Chapter 112 of the Township Code, Code Enforcement, in full; every page of a search of the whole Township Code for "roof" and for "reroofing"; the Township's Code Enforcement and Documents & Forms pages; and the Township's 2026 fee schedule.