Roofing in Washington Township (Jefferson 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, Washington Township elects to administer the code itself: Section 128-1 of the Township Code says "This municipality hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act," and the Township's Documents page, under "Permits & Construction Information," lists "Building Permits" with "Pennsafe Building Inspection Services." The Township building is at 2933 Airport Road, Falls Creek (814-371-2073). Chapter 128 of the Township Code adopts the Uniform Construction Code, 34 Pa. Code Chapters 401 through 405, "as amended from time to time," and Section 128-5 keeps in force building code ordinances adopted on or before July 1, 1999 that equal or exceed the code. Article II of the chapter requires permits and inspections "for electrical service upgraded and/or service renovations to all existing residential structures" and names no roof work. A search of the whole Township Code for "roof" found 15 results, all in stormwater, floodplain, zoning, solar-panel and dangerous-building text, none requiring or exempting a permit for roofing. The Township's fee list names a zoning permit, sign permit and others but no building permit or roof line. The Township's pages name no residential code edition.

Neither Washington Township's code nor its published pages say whether an ordinary reroof needs a permit. Chapter 128 of the Township Code adopts the Uniform Construction Code, 34 Pa. Code Chapters 401 through 405, "as amended from time to time," and Section 128-5 keeps in force building code ordinances adopted on or before July 1, 1999 that equal or exceed the code. Article II of the chapter requires permits and inspections "for electrical service upgraded and/or service renovations to all existing residential structures" and names no roof work. A search of the whole Township Code for "roof" found 15 results, all in stormwater, floodplain, zoning, solar-panel and dangerous-building text, none requiring or exempting a permit for roofing. The Township's fee list names a zoning permit, sign permit and others but no building permit or roof 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." The Documents page notes "Zoning & Driveway permits are still required, even with Agricultural exemption." Because no local text answers the question, this record does not decide whether the Township requires a permit for an ordinary reroof. Ask the Township office at 814-371-2073 (Tuesday and Thursday, 9 am to 2:30 pm) before starting work. Read for this answer: Chapter 128 of the Township Code in full, Chapter 117, Buildings, Dangerous or Dilapidated, a search of the whole Township Code for "roof," the Township's home and Documents pages and its permit fee list. The zoning chapter was searched but not read in full, and the Township's pages name no building permit application.