Roofing in Womelsdorf, 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, Womelsdorf Borough takes permit applications through its Code Officer department: the Borough's Departments page lists a "Code Officer" with a phone number, and the Permit Applications form the Borough posts says the application goes to a Building Code Official for review of "Other information as may be required by the Building Code Official to confirm code compliance" (read October 10, 2026). The Borough Hall is at 101 West High Street. The Borough's ordinance adopting the Uniform Construction Code is not published on its Ordinances page and was not read for this record, and the Borough's pages name no residential code edition.

Womelsdorf Borough's own pages name no roof work as permit work or as exempt. The Permit Application the Borough posts says "No construction may begin without paying for and receiving your approved permit," and asks whether the project will include "the construction, enlargement, alteration, structural repair, relocation, or demolition of a building," which names no roof work and does not say whether a house reroof is an alteration or a repair. The Joint Zoning Ordinance of Womelsdorf, Heidelberg, North Heidelberg and Robesonia, transcribed from the rendered page images, requires a zoning permit for erecting, constructing, moving, placing or expanding a structure, building or sign, for a change of use and for demolition, and names no roof work. The Borough's ordinance adopting the Uniform Construction Code is not published on its Ordinances page, and no code library for the Borough was found on eCode360, so it was not read for this record. No page read says whether a house reroof needs a building 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." Ask the Borough office (610-589-4725) or the Code Officer's office (610-777-1311) before starting. Read for this answer: the Borough's Home, About Us, Departments, Code Officer, How Do I, Forms & Documents, Ordinances and Zoning Ordinance pages; the Permit Applications form in full; and the Joint Zoning Ordinance in full (194 pages, transcribed from the rendered page images), whose permit and administration provisions name no roof work.