AIA Pennsylvania was in attendance at the UCC Review & Advisory Council (RAC) meeting earlier this month when the adoption date of the new codes into Pennsylvania’s Uniform Construction Code (UCC) was announced.
February 14, 2022, is the effective date for the adoption of the 2018 International Codes reviewed and modified by the UCC Review & Advisory Council (RAC). The six-month grace period (quoted below from the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act/PCCA) applies as long as contracts are signed prior to February 14th and permits are applied for within six months of February 14, 2022.
Where a design or construction contract was signed before the effective date of regulations for a subsequent Uniform Construction Code or International Fuel Gas Code issued under this act, the permit may be issued under the Uniform Construction Code or International Fuel Gas Code in effect at the time the design or construction contract was signed if the permit is applied for within six months of the effective date of the regulation or the period specified by a municipal ordinance, whichever is less. – The Pennsylvania Construction Code Act of 1999, Chapter 3, § 304
For more information on the code changes, download or order the ICC’s “Significant Changes to the International Building Code, 2018 Edition.”
As detailed in the UCC Review and Advisory Council (RAC) report adopted by the Department of Labor and Industry, the updated codes and modifications, as well as the effective date has yet to be published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin and/or the Department’s website. AIA Pennsylvania will update members once the Bulletin publishes the updated regulations. See the regulations that took effect in 2018 for reference.
Additionally, updated UCC building accessibility requirements will take effect on January 1, 2022. In accordance with PCCA (The Pennsylvania Construction Code Act of 1999, Chapter 3, § 304), Pennsylvania will adopt the most up-to-date accessibility standards for new and existing construction as established by Chapter 11 (Accessibility) and Appendix E of the 2021 International Building Code (IBC) as well as the 2021 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) accessibility provisions.
Please disregard the guidance on the accessibility requirements outlined above. As of October 2022, updated guidance on Pennsylvania’s accessibility standards has been issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry.
Questions? Contact Amal Mahrouki, Director of Legislative Affairs, at amahrouki@aiapa.org.
Special thanks to the members of the UCC Review & Advisory Council (RAC) for their work on the review to get this update over the finish line.