Roofing in Williams Township (Northampton 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, Williams Township in Northampton County takes building permit applications at its Zoning Office in the municipal building at 655 Cider Press Road, Easton, and its Zoning and Building Department page says "Please note that as of January 8, 2013 Keycodes Inspection Agency is the third party building code inspection agency for Williams Township. All building code inspections will be performed by them." Section 5-101 of the Township Code (Ord. 2004-2, as amended by Ord. 2006-9) elects to administer and enforce the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act and adopts the Uniform Construction Code, "as amended from time to time," as the Township Building Code; it names no roof work and no permit exemption. Part 4 of the same chapter (Ord. No. 2003-2, April 8, 2003) adopts the 2000 International Building Code with local changes to that code's administrative chapter, none of which names roof work; the permit sections of the 2000 edition are adopted by reference and their text was not read for this record. A search of the whole Township Code for "roof" found no section that requires or exempts a permit for roof work. The Township's Zoning and Building Department page says "On June 1st, 2010, Williams Township began enforcing the 2009 International Building Codes as per the State mandated Uniform Construction Code" and names no later edition, and Section 5-101 quotes the 2006 printings of the International Building Code and International Residential Code; the text above is the 2021 edition's, the older editions' text was not read for this record, and this record does not decide which edition the Township applies.

Williams Township's pages read for this record do not say whether a house reroof needs a permit. The Township's Zoning and Building Department page says "Williams Township requires all property owners to obtain a permit for new construction" and "Please contact the Township Zoning Office before you start your project to determine if a permit is required." The Township's 2026 fee schedule (Resolution 2026-5) has no roofing line. The Keycodes Inspection Agency 2025 residential fee schedule the Township posts lists "ROOF REPLACEMENT" at "$115.00 - includes one site visit" under the heading "FLAT RATE COSTS (NEW CONSTRUCTION ONLY) - CONTINUED", and the Township's application for zoning/building permit has no roofing box. The roof replacement fee is printed under a heading limited to new construction, so this record does not decide whether it applies to a reroof of an existing house. Section 5-101 of the Township Code (Ord. 2004-2, as amended by Ord. 2006-9) elects to administer and enforce the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act and adopts the Uniform Construction Code, "as amended from time to time," as the Township Building Code; it names no roof work and no permit exemption. Part 4 of the same chapter (Ord. No. 2003-2, April 8, 2003) adopts the 2000 International Building Code with local changes to that code's administrative chapter, none of which names roof work; the permit sections of the 2000 edition are adopted by reference and their text was not read for this record. A search of the whole Township Code for "roof" found no section that requires or exempts a permit for roof work. 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 Zoning Office (610-258-0522) or Keycodes Inspection Agency (610-866-9663) before starting. Building permit applications, plans and construction drawings go to the municipal office, open Monday through Friday, 7:00am to 3:30pm, and the fee schedule says "After the fact permits (permits obtained after construction, change of use or occupancy) shall be double the pertinent fee above." Read for this answer: Chapter 5 of the Township Code, Code Enforcement, Part 1 (Section 5-101) and Part 4 (Sections 5-401 to 5-404), and Chapter 4, Buildings, in full; every page of a search of the whole Township Code for "roof" and for "reroofing"; the Zoning and Building Department and Forms pages; the 2026 fee schedule (Resolution 2026-5); the Keycodes Inspection Agency 2025 residential fee schedule; and the Township's application for zoning/building permit.