Roofing in Washington Township (York 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's Building Permit Application and Permit, posted on its Forms & Applications page, says "Application is hereby made for a Building Permit in accordance with the requirements of the Uniform Construction Code and applicable amendments" and carries an "Issued By" line for the Township's "BCO"; its 2026 fee resolution puts residential building permit fees at "$9.00 PER $1,000.00 value of cost". The Township office is at 14 Creek Rd, East Berlin ((717) 432-9814). The Township's Ordinance 2004-01, posted on its Ordinances page and read October 12, 2026 from the rendered page image of a scanned copy, says in section 2 "The Uniform Construction Code, contained in 34 Pa. Code, Chapters 401-405, as amended from time to time, is hereby adopted and incorporated herein by reference as the Washington Township Building Code," lets the Board of Supervisors use "third-party agencies to act on behalf of the Township" (section 3), and in section 5 keeps building code ordinances adopted "on or before July 1, 1999" in effect where they "equal or exceed the requirements of the Code." The Township's zoning ordinance, section 801.A.1, says "A building permit, which must be obtained from the Zoning Officer, shall be required for the erection, enlargement, repair, alteration, moving of any structure, except temporary signs and fences"; it names no roof work, and this record does not decide whether a house reroof is a "repair" or an "alteration" under it. The Township's pages and Ordinance 2004-01 name no edition of the International Residential Code, so this record does not decide which edition the Township applies to a house.

Washington Township's pages read for this record do not say whether a house reroof needs a permit. The Township's 2026 fee resolution says "Remodeling or renovations to a residential structure without increasing size or structural change NO permit required" and, for structures classified as UCC exempt, that "Renovations or remodeling of a UCC exempt structure without increasing the size or capacity of the structure shall not be charged." Neither line names roofing or reroofing, and this record does not decide whether a house reroof is "remodeling or renovations." The Township's pages posted on its site name no roofing permit, fee line or form. The Township's Ordinance 2004-01, posted on its Ordinances page and read October 12, 2026 from the rendered page image of a scanned copy, says in section 2 "The Uniform Construction Code, contained in 34 Pa. Code, Chapters 401-405, as amended from time to time, is hereby adopted and incorporated herein by reference as the Washington Township Building Code," lets the Board of Supervisors use "third-party agencies to act on behalf of the Township" (section 3), and in section 5 keeps building code ordinances adopted "on or before July 1, 1999" in effect where they "equal or exceed the requirements of the Code." The Township's zoning ordinance, section 801.A.1, says "A building permit, which must be obtained from the Zoning Officer, shall be required for the erection, enlargement, repair, alteration, moving of any structure, except temporary signs and fences"; it names no roof work, and this record does not decide whether a house reroof is a "repair" or an "alteration" under it. 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 the Township office ((717) 432-9814) before starting. Read for this answer: the Township's home, Forms & Applications, Ordinances and Fee Schedule pages; its Ordinance 2004-01; its zoning ordinance (October 2025 edition) searched for roofing and permit sections; its Building Permit Application and Permit; and its 2026 fee resolution. The Ordinance 2004-01, the application and the fee resolution are scanned images with no text layer and were read from rendered page images.