Pursuant to Section 501 of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act, 35 P.S. § 7210.501, as amended, the Township hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act, 35 P.S. § 7210.101, as amended. For the purposes described in Section 102 of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act, 35 P.S. § 7210.102, as amended, the Township hereby adopts the Uniform Construction Code (UCC), 34 Pa. Code, Article XIV, as amended, and the standardized codes adopted thereunder as presently promulgated or as they shall be amended hereafter, except Chapter 1 of the International Building Code, UCC Chapter 405, Elevators and Other Lifting Devices, and except as hereafter set forth.
[Amended 3-9-2026 by Ord. No. 2026-04]
This section contains amendments to the provisions of the Uniform Construction Code at 34 Pa. Code Article XIV.
A. 
Section 403.42a(a), Permit application, subsection (a) is amended by adding the following phrase to the end of the first sentence:
On a form obtained from the Department of Code Compliance with the applicable permit fee.
B. 
Sections 403.42a, Permit application, subsections (b) and (c) are deleted and replaced with the following:
(b) The application for the permit shall be accompanied by not less than two sets of construction documents as described by the UCC or submitted electronically on the Manheim Township permitting portal. The Building Code official may waive the requirement for fling construction documents when the scope of work is of a minor nature. When the quality of materials is essential for conformity to the UCC, the International Codes, or this Ordinance, specific information shall be submitted to establish such quality. Citation to the UCC or use of the term "legal" or its equivalent shall not be used as a substitute for specific information.
(c) The construction documents for new construction, alteration, repairs, expansion, addition or modification for the buildings or structures shall be prepared by a registered design professional. All construction documents required for a building permit application shall be prepared by a registered design professional consistent with the professional registration laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
The construction documents shall include the name and address of the registered design professional and shall be signed, sealed and dated by a registered design professional registered in accordance with the professional registration laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Building Code Official may waive the requirements for having documents prepared by a licensed design professional when the scope of work is of a minor nature.
Fire protection system designs shall be by one of the following: PA licensed professional engineer or an individual who is certified by the National Institute for Certification in Engineering and Technology (Level III and Level IV only) or an equally recognized certifying agency.
At the time of filing an application for permit, the applicant shall present to the Building Code Official adequate evidence that they has obtained from all governmental authorities having jurisdiction all permits, licenses, approvals and/ or variances required in connection with the proposed use, occupancy, construction, enlargement, alteration or demolition.
C. 
Section 403.43.(g), Grant, denial and effect of permits, is hereby deleted in its entirety and replace as follows:
(g) A permit becomes invalid unless the authorized construction work begins within 180 days after the permit's issuance or if the authorized construction work permit is suspended or abandoned for 180 days after the work has commenced. A permit holder may submit a written request for an extension of time to commence construction in writing.
The work shall be completed within the time period stated on the building permit but not longer than one year from the date of the permit issuance. The work shall be completed within six months from the date of the permit issuance for the electrical, plumbing, mechanical, roofing and fire alarm permits. A permit holder, permit applicant, property owner or authorized agent may submit a written request for an extension of time to complete the work for just cause. A request for an extension shall be accompanied by the appropriate fee. The Code Official may grant extensions of time commence construction in writing.
D. 
Section 403.44, Alternative construction materials and methods, is hereby amended to by addition of subparagraph (d) as follows:
(d) Determinations by the Building Code Official shall be made in one of three written forms of communication.
(i) An Administrative Order which will provide guidance as to policy decisions. Administrative orders shall be issued by the Building Code Official to clarify code questions and to establish departmental policy where no other criteria exists or where administrative guidance is needed to establish a methodology to resolve recurring problems; or
(ii) A Standard Design Bulletin which will be issued where code criteria leave a specific aspect of construction to the judgment of the Building Code Official or the authority having jurisdiction. Specific design criteria will be set by the appropriate authority as necessary; or
(iii) A Code Modification may be issued by the Building Code Official when the design professional of record submits a written request and justification for using alternative methods of construction. The request shall be equal to or more restrictive that the code, section and subsection for which a modification is being requested, a narrative detailing the difficulty in complying with the applicable section(s) of the code or standard, and a description of the proposed construction.
E. 
Section 403.45, Inspections, is hereby amended by the addition of subparagraph (g) as follows:
(g) Reinspections: When a structure or equipment or mechanical, electrical or plumbing or other system subject to inspection under this or any other code shall fail two or more inspections or when the Department of Code Compliance is contacted to perform a test or inspection but the structure, equipment or system is not ready for testing or inspection when the Code Official arrives, the contractor or other person or business responsible for performing the work shall pay a fee for each such failure, as prescribed from time to time by resolution.
F. 
Section 403.62, Permit requirements and exemptions, is hereby amended to include the following new subsection:
(f) A building permit shall be required for the erection, construction or placement of detached utility and miscellaneous use structures, such as private garages, carports, structures accessory to swimming pools, greenhouses, gazebos and sheds accessory to single family, two-family and townhouse dwellings if greater than 250 square feet in area.
Where detached utility and miscellaneous use structures, such as private garages, carports, structures accessory to swimming pools, greenhouses, gazebos and sheds accessory to single family, two-family and townhouse dwellings, of 250 square feet or less in building area are connected to a utility, an appropriate permit for the utility connection is required. A utility is electric, natural gas, water or sewer service.
A building permit shall be required for residential alterations or repairs as set forth in Section 403.62 of the Uniform Construction Code.
G. 
Sections 430.62a, Permit application, is amended by deleting subsections (b) and (c) and adding new subsections as follows:
(b) The application for a permit shall be accompanied by not less than two sets of construction documents as described by the UCC or submitted electronically on the Manheim Township permitting portal. The Building Code Official may waive the requirement for filing construction documents when the scope of the work is of a minor nature. When the quality of materials is essential for the conformity to the UCC, The International Codes, or this Ordinance, specific information shall be submitted to establish such quality. Citation to the UCC or use of the term "legal" or its equivalent shall not be used as a substitute for specific information.
(c) The construction documents for new construction, alteration, repairs, expansion, addition or modification for buildings or structures shall be prepared by a registered design professional when the proposed design is outside the scope of the prescriptive building code. When construction documents required for a building permit application are prepared by a registered design professional, they shall be consistent with the professional registration laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The construction documents shall include name and address of the registered design professional and shall be signed, sealed and dated by a registered design professional registered in accordance with the professional registration laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Fire protection system designs shall be by one of the following:
PA licensed professional engineer or an individual who is certified by the National Institute for Certification in Engineering and Technology (Level III and Level IV only) or an equally recognized certifying agency.
At the time of filling an application for permit, the applicant shall present to the Building Code Official adequate evidence that they has obtained from all governmental authorities having jurisdiction all permits, licenses approvals and/or variances required in connection with the proposed use, occupancy construction, enlargement, alteration or demolition.
H. 
Section 403.63, Grant, denial and effect of permit, is hereby amended by deleting subsection (g) and replacing it in its entirety as follows:
(g) A permit becomes invalid unless the authorized construction work begins within 180 days after the permits issuance of if the authorized construction work permit is suspended or abandoned for 180 days after the work has commenced. A permit holder may submit a written request for an extension of time to commence construction for just cause. The Code Official may grant extensions of time to commence construction in writing.
The work shall be completed within the time period stated on the building permit but not longer than one year from the date of the permit. The work shall be completed within six months from the date of permit issuance for electrical, plumbing, mechanical and residential fire alarm permit. A permit holder, permit applicant, property owner or authorized agent may submit a written request for an extension of time to complete the work for just cause. A request for an extension shall be accompanied by the appropriate fee. The Code Official may grant extensions of time to complete construction in writing.
I. 
Section 403.64, Inspections, is hereby amended by adding new subsection (h) as follows:
(h) Reinspections: When a structure or equipment or mechanical, electrical or plumbing or other system subject to inspection under this or any other code shall fail two or more inspections or when the Department of Code Compliance is contacted to perform a test or inspection but the structure, equipment or system is not ready for testing or inspection when the Code Official arrives, the contractor or other person or business responsible for performing the work shall pay a fee for each such failure, as prescribed from time to time by resolution.