Roofing in Wilson, 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, The Borough of Wilson in Northampton County administers the code through a third-party agency: Chapter 86A of the Borough Code (Ordinance No. 711, March 22, 2004) elects to administer and enforce the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act and allows enforcement by "the retention of one or more construction code officials or third-party agencies," and the Borough's Permits & Fee Schedule page says "The Borough of Wilson contracts with Barry Isett and Associates for third party administration of our Building and Code Enforcement Program." Permits are applied for through the Borough office at 2040 Hay Terrace. Chapter 86A changes nothing in the code's roofing provisions. Section 86A-2 adopts the Uniform Construction Code "including the 2003 Code and all subsequent editions of the Code as amended and superseded from time to time," and the Borough's pages name no code edition; this record has not read the 2003 edition's text and does not decide which edition the Borough applies.

No Borough of Wilson text read names reroofing as permit work or as exempt. The Borough's "Do I need a permit?" page (read October 9, 2026), for single-family and two-family dwellings and townhouses, does not mention roofing; it says "Alterations that involve structural changes require a Building permit application," that the list "is to provide general guidance but may not be all encompassing," and "Please call the Borough Office with any questions." The Permits & Fee Schedule page says "Permits are issued for Use and Occupancy, repairs, replacements, additions and new installations," and the residential UCC fee schedule posted there has no roofing line. Chapter 86A adds no permit clause of its own and names no roof work; it keeps in force building code ordinances adopted on or before July 1, 1999 that equal or exceed the code. A search of the whole Borough Code for "roof" and for "reroofing" found no provision requiring or exempting 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." Read for this answer: Chapter 86A of the Borough Code, Construction Codes, Uniform, in full; Chapter 102, Fees; Chapter 139, Property Maintenance; every page of a search of the whole Borough Code for "roof" and for "reroofing"; the Code Enforcement, Do I need a permit? and Permits & Fee Schedule pages; the residential UCC fee schedule; and the UCC permit application. The "Do I need a permit?" page says "doing work regulated by the Uniform Construction Code (UCC) without a permit WILL result in an enforcement action being taken against you by the municipality," and the Permits & Fee Schedule page says "applications can take up to 30 days to process." The Borough office is at 610-258-6142.