Pennsylvania Building Codes

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Pennsylvania Building Codes

Welcome to the Building Codes Web site at the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry!

This site provides information regarding Pennsylvania's statewide building code called the Uniform Construction Code (UCC). Enforcement of the UCC began in April 2004.

Administration and Enforcement of the UCC

Over 90% of Pennsylvania's 2,562 municipalities have elected to administer and enforce the UCC locally, using their own employees or via certified third party agencies (private code enforcement agencies) that they have retained. In these municipalities, the Department has no code enforcement authority, except where the municipality lacks the services of a person certified as an "Accessibility Inspector/Plans Examiner."

If a municipality has "opted out," the Department is responsible for all commercial code enforcement in that municipality. The Department also has sole jurisdiction for all elevators and all state-owned buildings, no matter where they are located.

Certified third party agencies hired by property owners (or their contractors) enforce the residential requirements of the UCC in all opt-out municipalities. Detailed information about these agencies can be accessed by clicking on the link below entitled "Certified Third Party Agencies: Buildings" (found under "Code Official and Third Party Agency Info").

A listing of all of Pennsylvania's municipalities and their decisions regarding local enforcement of the UCC can be accessed below by clicking on the link entitled "Municipal Elections and Contact Information" (under the "Local Enforcement" header).

Codes and Standards Enforced Under the UCC

The codes currently in use under the UCC are the 2006 International Codes issued by the International Code Council. No supplements to the 2006 codes will be adopted for use. The next code changes will occur in 2009 (when the next triennial versions of the I-Codes are adopted by regulation). For further information about the codes and standards adopted, click on the link entitled "UCC Codes" below.

Due to an oversight, the revised regulation that adopted the 2006 codes for use in Pennsylvania did not contain one of the statutory requirements pertaining to residential stairway treads and risers (imposed by Act 13 of 2004). Although this requirement is not yet included in the approved UCC regulation, the statutory mandate took effect on Feb. 19, 2004 and must be complied with. The omitted requirement is as follows:
In occupancies in Use Group R-3 and within dwelling units in occupancies in Use Group R-2, the maximum riser height shall be 8 1/4 inches (210 mm) and the minimum tread depth shall be 9 inches (229 mm). A 1-inch (25 mm) nosing shall be provided on stairways with solid risers. (Exception 8 to Section 1014.6 of the BOCA National Building Code 1993)
The 2006 International Codes are now applicable to construction and the use and occupancy of all buildings in the Commonwealth (except where exempted from UCC permit and inspection requirements). The only other exception is construction for which a design or construction contract was signed prior to Dec. 31, 2006. This work shall comply with the 2003 code requirements.

Revised UCC Regulations

Click on the link entitled “UCC Regulations & Statutes” (below) to access copies of the three chapters of the revised UCC Regulations that took effect on Dec. 31, 2006 (and as published in the Pennsylvania Code).

For more detailed on the Uniform Construction Code, click on the links below.

UNIFORM CONSTRUCTION CODE

Code Official And Third Party Agency Info:
Certification of Individuals and Third Party Agencies
Certified Code Officials
Certified Third Party Agencies (Buildings)
Certified Third Party Agencies (Elevators)

Continuing Education Providers

Contractor Licensing

Labor & Industry Enforcement: Buildings and Structures
Accessibility Advisory Board: Accessibility Variances/Appeals/Extensions of Time
Accessibility-Only Plan Reviews and Inspections
Appeals of UCC Decisions/Requests for Variances and Extensions of Time (interactive
PDF only)
Complaints about Municipal and Third Party Agency Officials
Contacts
Historic Buildings
Interactive Forms
Obtaining Copies of Approved Construction Plans
Obtaining Duplicate or Revised Occupancy Permits/Certificates
Plan Review and Inspection Requirements
Technical Code Advisories

Labor & Industry Enforcement: Elevators and Lifting Devices
Advisories
Appeals of UCC Decisions/Requests for Variances and Extensions of Time (interactive
PDF only)
Certified Third Party Inspection Agencies
Fees
Plan Review and Inspection Requirements
Regulations and Standards

Local Enforcement:
Advisories
Change in "Building Code Official" Notification Form (interactive PDF only)
Complaints about Municipal and Third Party Agency Officials
L&I Accessibility Audit Program and Findings
Municipal Elections and Contact Information
Municipal Election Information and Forms
Municipal Code Changes
Recreational Cabin Exclusion

UCC Codes

UCC e-Alerts

UCC Regulations & Statutes

UCC Review and Advisory Council

Copyright © 2001 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. All Rights Reserved.