Roofing in Windber, 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, Windber Borough's Codes & Zoning page says "Windber Borough has contracted PA Municipal Codes Alliance for our permitting and inspection needs" and sends building and remodeling questions to the Pennsylvania Municipal Code Alliance (PMCA) Somerset Office, 318 Georgian Place, Somerset (814-444-6112). The Borough's Uniform Construction Code ordinance was not found published and was not read for this record, and no Borough page names a code edition.

Windber Borough's pages read for this record do not say whether a house reroof needs a permit. This record found no published copy of the Borough's codified ordinances, and the Borough's Uniform Construction Code ordinance was not read for this record. The Borough's Zoning Ordinance requires a zoning permit where a building is "erected, moved, added to, structurally altered" (section 301) and names no reroof as permit work or as exempt. PMCA's own residential re-roof packet says "A Building Permit is required if there is a structural repair." A 2018 PMCA letter linked from its FAQ, addressed "Dear Municipal Official" and naming no municipality, says a residential re-roof "does not require a building permit" but that "If structural work is required such as replacing studs, headers, rafters or trusses a permit would now be required." Neither document names Windber Borough, and no Borough page carries either one or says whether a house reroof needs a permit. 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 Borough requires a permit for a house reroof; ask the PMCA Somerset Office (814-444-6112) before starting. The Borough's zoning application asks whether "A Uniform Construction Code Building Permit is required" and the Borough office is at 1401 Graham Avenue, Windber (814-467-9014). Read for this answer: the Borough's Codes & Zoning page, its zoning application and its Zoning Ordinance; and PMCA's permit applications page, its FAQ, its residential re-roof packet and its re-roof letter.