Pennsylvania building permits

Where to get a building permit in Pennsylvania

Apply to the building department of the city, town or county where the property is (the steps).

Our Pennsylvania city guides, with each department's contacts, fees, inspections and project rules:

• Philadelphia

Pennsylvania state agencies

These offices set statewide codes or license the trades. They do not issue permits for most home projects.

Building code in Pennsylvania

For homes, the residential code is the International Residential Code of 2021³, in effect since January 1, 2026³ (statewide minimum; local governments may go further³).

Every code family, edition and effective date is on Pennsylvania building codes.

State rules on which work needs a permit

35 P.S. § 7210.104(b); 34 Pa. Code §§ 403.1(b), 403.62(b)-(d)

• Utility and miscellaneous use structures accessory to detached one-family dwellings are excluded from the Act. (3) Utility and miscellaneous use structures that are accessory to detached one-family dwellings.⁴
• 1,000 square feet. The term includes carports, detached private garages, greenhouses and sheds having a building area less than 1,000 square feet.⁴
• UCC does not apply to carports, detached private garages, greenhouses and sheds with a building area under 1,000 sq ft that are accessory to a detached one-family dwelling, except as a local ordinance under section 503 may require. The following structures if the structure has a building area less than 1,000 square feet and is accessory to a detached one-family dwelling except as might be required by an ordinance adopted under section 503 of the act (35 P. S. § 7210.503)…³
• UCC does not apply to residential alterations without structural changes or changes to means of egress, except as local ordinances under sections 303(b)(1) or 503 require. (8) Alterations to residential buildings which do not make structural changes or changes to means of egress, except as required by ordinances in effect under sections 303(b)(1) or 503 of the act (35 P. S. § § 7210.303(b)(1) and 7210.503).³
• UCC does not apply to repairs to residential buildings, except as local ordinances under sections 303(b)(1) and 503 require. (9) Repairs to residential buildings, except as required by ordinances in effect under sections 303(b)(1) and 503 of the act.³
• UCC does not apply to installing aluminum or vinyl siding on an existing residential or commercial building, except as local ordinances under section 303(b)(1) or 503 may require. (10) Installation of aluminum or vinyl siding onto an existing residential or an existing commercial building, except as might be required by ordinances in effect under section 303(b)(1) (35 P. S. § § 7210.303(b)(1)) or section 503 of the act.³
• UCC does not apply to an agricultural building. (4) An agricultural building.³
• 6 feet. (1) Fences that are no more than 6 feet high.³
• 4 feet. (2) Retaining walls that are not over 4 feet in height measured from the lowest level of grade to the top of the wall unless the wall supports a surcharge.³
• (3) Water tanks supported directly upon grade if the capacity does not exceed 5,000 gallons and the ratio of height to diameter or width does not exceed 2 to 1.³
• 30 inches. (4) Sidewalks and driveways that are 30 inches or less above adjacent grade and not placed over a basement or story below it.³
• 24 inches. (5) Prefabricated swimming pools that are less than 24 inches deep.³
• Playground equipment. (6) Swings and other playground equipment accessory to a one- or two-family dwelling.³
• 54 inches. (7) Window awnings supported by an exterior wall which do not 'project more than 54 inches from the exterior wall and do not require additional support.³
• 30 inches. (8) Installation of an uncovered deck where the floor of the deck is no more than 30 inches above grade.³
• Communications wiring. (9) Installation or rearrangement of communications wiring.³
• Exemptions apply only if the work does not violate a law or ordinance. 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…³
• Ordinary repairs need no permit. (d) An ordinary repair does not require a permit.³
• 3 business days. (b) An emergency repair or replacement of equipment may be made without first applying for a permit if a permit application is submitted to the building code official within 3 business days of the repair or replacement.³

Applies to

Residential buildings³

Can local rules be stricter?

Yes³

Homeowners doing their own work

34 Pa. Code § 403.62(a); 73 P.S. § 517.2 (HICPA definition of "home improvement")

• (a) An owner or authorized agent who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a residential building or erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace an electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system regulated by the Uniform Construction Code shall first apply to the building code official and obtain the required permit under § 403.62a (relating to permit application).³
• Unpaid work by an owner on their own residence or rental property is outside HICPA. (v) Any work performed without compensation by the owner of the owner's private residence or residential rental property.⁴

Contractor licensing

Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act, 73 P.S. § 517.1 et seq. (registration, not licensing) · in effect July 1, 2009²

• No state license for most construction contractors. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania currently has no licensure or certification requirements for most construction contractors (or their employees).²
• Home improvement contractors must register with the Attorney General. This law requires most home improvement contractors to register with the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.²
• Registration required before performing home improvement. (a) General rule.--No person shall hold himself out as a contractor, nor shall a person perform any home improvement without first registering with the bureau, as provided for in this act.⁴
• Some municipalities license contractors and trades. Some of Pennsylvania’s 2,562 municipalities have established local licensure or certification requirements for contractors or construction trades people.²

Handyman limits

73 P.S. § 517.2 (definition of "Contractor")

• $5,000. (1) A person for whom the total cash value of all of that person's home improvements is less than $5,000 during the previous taxable year.⁴
• $500. …for which the total cash price of all work agreed upon between the contractor and owner is more than $500…⁴

Deadlines for permit decisions and inspections

35 P.S. § 7210.502(a); 34 Pa. Code §§ 403.63(a), 403.65(b)

• 15 business days. (a) A building code official shall grant or deny a permit application, in whole or in part, within 15 business days of the filing date or the application is deemed approved.³
• 5 business days. If the drawings were prepared by a design professional who is licensed or registered under the laws and regulations of the Commonwealth and the application contains a certification by the licensed or registered design professional that the plans meet the applicable standards of the Uniform Construction Code and ordinance as appropriate, a building code official shall grant or deny a permit application, in whole or in part, within 5 business days of the filing date or the application is deemed approved.³
• Deemed approved if not acted on (one- and two-family dwellings, utility and miscellaneous use structures). (3) If the code administrator fails to act on an application for a construction permit for one-family and two-family dwelling units and utility and miscellaneous use structures within the time prescribed, the application shall be deemed approved.⁴
• 30 business days. All other construction permits shall be granted or denied, in whole or in part, within 30 business days of the filing date.⁴
• 5 business days. (b) A building code official shall issue a certificate of occupancy after receipt of a final inspection report that indicates compliance with the Uniform Construction Code and ordinance within 5 business days or within 10 business days in cities of the first class.³

Private plan review and inspections

35 P.S. § 7210.501(b), (e); 34 Pa. Code § 403.103(b)

• Municipalities may retain third-party agencies. (2) By the retention of one or more construction code officials or third-party agencies to act on behalf of the municipality for administration and enforcement of this act.⁴
• In opt-out municipalities the applicant hires a certified code official or third-party agency. …it shall be the duty of the municipality to notify an applicant for a construction permit that it shall be the responsibility of the permit applicant of one-family or two-family dwelling units and utility and miscellaneous use structures to obtain the services of a construction code official or third-party agency with appropriate categories of certification to conduct the plan review and inspections.⁴
• Third-party agencies must be certified by L&I. All third party agencies that provide Uniform Construction Code (UCC) services must be certified by the Department.¹
• Municipality may not bar a certified code official in good standing from inspecting. Nothing in this act shall allow a municipality to prohibit a construction code official who meets the requirements of Chapter 7 and remains in good standing from performing inspections in the municipality.⁴

Limits on permit fees

35 P.S. § 7210.703(a); 34 Pa. Code § 401.2a

• $4.50. (a) Fee.--Municipalities administering and enforcing this act under section 501(a) and third-party agencies providing services under section 501(e) shall assess a fee of $4.50 on each construction or building permit issued under the authority of this act.⁴
• Municipalities and third-party agencies set their own fees. (a) A municipality or third-party agency that enforces the Uniform Construction Code may establish fees for its administration and enforcement and time periods for payment of the fees.³
• Fee schedule must be public. (b) The building code official for the municipality and a third-party agency shall make the fee schedule available to the public.³
• Appeal fee limited to actual costs. (4) The fee for an appeal to the Board of Appeals for a municipality that is administering and enforcing this act shall not exceed actual costs of the public notice of the hearing, appearance fee for the court reporter and administrative fees as necessary.⁴

Selling a home with unpermitted work

68 Pa.C.S. §§ 7303-7304; 49 Pa. Code § 35.335a

• Seller must disclose known material defects on the disclosure statement. Any seller who intends to transfer any interest in real property shall disclose to the buyer any material defects with the property known to the seller by completing all applicable items in a property disclosure statement which satisfies the requirements of section 7304 (relating to disclosure form).⁵
• Form must cover additions, remodeling and structural changes. (7) Additions, remodeling and structural changes to the property.⁵
• Form asks about additions and alterations. (7) Additions/remodeling. Have you made any additions, structural changes or other alterations to the property?³
• Form asks about uncorrected building or zoning violations. (iii) Are you aware of any public improvement, condominium or homeowner association assessments against the property that remain unpaid or of any violations of zoning, housing, building safety or fire ordinances that remain uncorrected?³

What local governments may change

35 P.S. § 7210.503; 34 Pa. Code § 403.102(i)

• Local ordinances may not fall below the UCC. Subject to the provisions of this act, no municipality may propose or enact any ordinance which is less than the minimum requirement of the Uniform Construction Code, except as provided in subsection (b.1).⁴
• …the municipal governing body may propose and enact an ordinance to equal or exceed the minimum requirements of the Uniform Construction Code under the law governing the adoption of ordinances in that jurisdiction.⁴
• Statewide minimum; local governments may go further. A municipality may enact an ordinance containing standards that equal or exceed the Uniform Construction Code as adopted by § 403.21 (relating to the Uniform Construction Code) under section 503 of the act (35 P.S. § 7210.503) after Department review and approval.³

Can local rules be stricter?

Yes⁴