The state rule
Under Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code, a residential re-roof has generally been treated like other exterior maintenance, exempt from the building permit requirement, though the work still has to meet the code. Structural work, such as replacing rafters or adding weight the framing was not built for, is a different matter.
Where local rules come in
Act 92 of 2004 lets municipalities adopt ordinances that require permits for work the state exempts. Some boroughs and townships around Harrisburg do; others do not. Some draw the line by how much of the roof is replaced.
- 1Find out which municipality your house is actually in; many mailing addresses cross township lines.
- 2Call or check that municipality's code office about re-roofing.
- 3Ask whether zoning or historic approval applies separately.
- 4Write into the contract who is responsible for any permit.
Historic districts are a separate track
Even where no building permit is needed, a property in a local historic district may need approval for a new roofing material or a change visible from the street. In Harrisburg, the city's historic architecture board (HARB) advises City Council on certificates of appropriateness. See Harrisburg and Carlisle.
The short version
Detached house, same kind of roof, no structural work, outside a historic district, in a municipality without its own ordinance? Probably no permit. Anything else, ask first.
Questions
+Who is responsible for getting a permit if one is needed?
Whoever the contract says. Usually the roofer handles it; put it in writing either way and keep a copy with your house records.
+Does replacing the plywood decking change the answer?
It can. Decking and structural work may bring the job under the code's permit rules in some municipalities. Ask your code office if the roofer expects significant deck work.