Roofing in Wormleysburg, 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, Wormleysburg Borough administers the code itself: Section 5-120 of its Code (Ord. 438, June 13, 2004) says "The Borough hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act, Act 45 of 1999," adopts the Uniform Construction Code "as the Municipal Building Code of the Borough of Wormleysburg," and leaves the method of administration to Borough Council "by resolution." The Borough's Appointed Officials & Employees page lists a Codes Enforcement & Zoning Officer and, as its Building Codes Official, an outside firm, its Permits page posts an "APPLICATION FOR PA UCC CONSTRUCTION PERMIT," and the Borough office is at 20 Market Street (717-763-4483); its Codes and Zoning Office takes calls at 717-514-0416. The Borough's pages name no code edition; its building permit application leaves its "Code Edition" box for office use. Section 5-118 of the Borough Code says the Uniform Construction Code "shall apply to all changes, alterations, repairs, additions and newly constructed buildings," and nothing read changes the code's roofing provisions.

Wormleysburg Borough's own pages and code name no roof work as permit work or as exempt. Section 5-118 of the Borough Code, in Chapter 5, Part 1, Building Code (Ord. 381, 7/12/1989, as amended by Ord. 464, 11/14/2006, read October 10, 2026), says the Uniform Construction Code "shall apply to all changes, alterations, repairs, additions and newly constructed buildings." The Borough has published nothing on reroofing; its Permits page lists a building permit, demolition permit, floodplain permit and others and gives no list of work needing or not needing a permit. The Borough's zoning chapter says "No zoning permit shall be required for repairs or routine maintenance of any structure, building, or land, provided such repairs or maintenance do not change the use or the exterior dimensions of the structure, building, or otherwise violate the provisions of this chapter" (Section 27-1203, Ord. No. 497, 1/8/2013), which speaks to the zoning permit only, and its floodplain chapter says "A building permit shall not be required for minor repairs to existing buildings or structures" (Section 8-101, Ord. 478, 12/9/2008, as amended by Ord. 482, 7/14/2009). None of the three names roof work, and this record does not decide whether a house reroof falls under any of them or whether Section 5-118 reaches a reroof. The Borough's 2026 fee schedule (Resolution 2025-08) lists under "Building Permit" an administration fee, permit fees, a floodplain permit fee, a demolition permit fee and a "UCC Permit Surcharge," and names no roof work. The Borough's posted building permit application lists "Alteration" among its types of proposed construction and has no roofing line, and says "*(3) SETS OF DETAILED CONSTRUCTION PLANS MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH ALL APPLICATIONS.*" The application's "Code Edition" box is left blank for office use. 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's Codes and Zoning Office (717-514-0416) or the Borough office (717-763-4483) before starting. Read for this answer: Chapter 5 of the Borough Code, Part 1, Building Code (Sections 5-118 to 5-120), in full, and the Chapter 5 table of contents; Chapter 4, Buildings (table of contents); Part 12 of the zoning chapter, Administration and Enforcement (Sections 27-1201 to 27-1217); Chapter 8, Floodplains, Part 1; the Code's disposition list; every page of a search of the whole Code for "roof" (47 results, none naming a permit) and for "reroofing" (none), and for "zoning permit," "building permit" and "alterations repairs"; the Borough's Code Enforcement & Zoning, Zoning Information, Codes and Zoning Ordinances, Permits, Forms and Appointed Officials pages; the building permit and zoning permit applications; and the 2026 fee schedule.