Roofing in Whitehall, 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, Whitehall Borough has elected to administer and enforce the code (Section 78.1 of the Borough Code) and uses a third-party agency: the Borough's Commercial Permits/BIU page says "Whitehall Borough utilizes BIU for review of proposed plans, approvals and inspections of all Uniform Construction Code (UCC) Residential and Commercial projects," and a Building Inspection Underwriters inspector serves as the Borough's Building Code Official. Zoning and permit intake are at the Borough Building, 100 Borough Park Drive, Pittsburgh. Section 78.1.1 adopts the Uniform Construction Code, "as amended from time to time," as the Municipal Building Code of the Borough, and Chapter 78 changes nothing in the code's roofing provisions. The Borough's pages name no code edition.

No Whitehall Borough text read names reroofing as permit work or as exempt. The Borough's Permit Applications page (read October 7, 2026) says "Most interior and exterior construction requires a BIU Construction Permit application," and the BIU permit application posted there lists "Roofing - Total square feet" among the boxes under its type-of-work heading "Alterations/Additions of:" beside fencing, signs, pools, decks and demolition. Neither names reroofing as permit work in words or says a reroof needs no permit, and the Borough's Building Permits page says "The permit fee is based on the cost of the improvement" and sends fee questions to BIU; no fee schedule is published. Chapter 78 of the Borough Code, Building Construction, adopts the Uniform Construction Code by reference and names no roof work; its Section 78.2.1, which lists requirements the Borough "shall continue to enforce" beyond the code's exclusions, covers plan review, fire detection, fire areas, foundations and guards, not repairs or roofing. Section 78.2 also keeps in force "All portions of the Code of the Borough of Whitehall which were adopted by the Borough of Whitehall on or before July 1, 1999" that equal or exceed the code; the Borough's earlier building code (Article I of Chapter 78 was first adopted in 1982) is not published with the chapter and was not read. The permit requirement in Chapter 77, Floodplains, reaches only work within the floodplain districts. 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." Because no Borough text read names reroofing as permit work or as exempt, and the Borough's pre-1999 building code was not read, this record does not decide whether the Borough requires a permit for an ordinary reroof. Ask BIU's Building Code Official at 412-526-4278 before work starts. The Borough's Building Permits page says an applicant provides a zoning permit application and the BIU construction permit, and that "Other information may be required depending on the project's scope." Section 78.9 of the Borough Code requires a contractor applying for a building permit to show proof of workers' compensation insurance or an affidavit of exemption. BIU's main office telephone is 412-766-2565, and the Borough office is open Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, at 412-884-0505. Read for this answer: Chapter 78 of the Borough Code, Building Construction, in full; Chapter 75, Property Maintenance; Chapter 77, Floodplains; Chapter 5, Administration; the 2023 disposition list of ordinances; every other chapter and zoning article posted on the Borough Code page, each searched for "roof"; the Borough's Permit Applications, Building Permits and Commercial Permits/BIU pages; the Borough's Construction Permit Application; and the BIU permit application, a scanned copy read from the page image.