State Building Permits

Pennsylvania Building Permit Guides

Permit authority, application process, fees, and requirements for counties and cities across Pennsylvania. Select your county to find your local permit guide.

21 Counties 168 Jurisdictions Updated March 2026

How Pennsylvania Permitting Works

Pennsylvania enforces the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code (UCC), a mandatory statewide building code administered by the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED). The UCC adopts the International Building Code (IBC) and International Residential Code (IRC) with Pennsylvania amendments and applies to virtually all construction in the state.

Building permits are issued at the municipal level — by the city, borough, or township, depending on where the property is located. Unlike most states, Pennsylvania's permitting is highly decentralized: cities, boroughs, and townships each maintain their own building departments and enforce the UCC locally. Municipalities that opted out of administering UCC enforcement use the county or a third-party agency instead.

Philadelphia is a consolidated city-county with its own comprehensive permit system (L&I / eCLIPSE). Select your county below, then choose your municipality for the permit office, application links, fees, required documents, and inspection process that apply to your project.

Pennsylvania Counties

Allegheny County 11 jurisdictions → Beaver County 7 jurisdictions → Berks County 8 jurisdictions → Bucks County 10 jurisdictions → Butler County 6 jurisdictions → Centre County 7 jurisdictions → Chester County 9 jurisdictions → Cumberland County 8 jurisdictions → Dauphin County 8 jurisdictions → Delaware County 10 jurisdictions → Erie County 6 jurisdictions → Lackawanna County 7 jurisdictions → Lancaster County 9 jurisdictions → Lehigh County 9 jurisdictions → Luzerne County 8 jurisdictions → Montgomery County 11 jurisdictions → Northampton County 8 jurisdictions → Philadelphia County 1 jurisdiction → Washington County 7 jurisdictions → Westmoreland County 9 jurisdictions → York County 9 jurisdictions →

Coverage currently includes major metro and regional counties. Additional counties being added.

Related Pennsylvania Resources

Contract Template Free Pennsylvania homeowner-contractor agreement → License Requirements Verify your contractor's PA license →

Statewide Resources

  • Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED): Administers the Uniform Construction Code and provides UCC enforcement resources for municipalities.
  • Pennsylvania Attorney General — Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act (HICPA): Requires home improvement contractors doing more than $5,000 in work per year to register with the state.
  • Pennsylvania State Real Estate Commission: Relevant for projects involving property conveyances or real estate transactions.

Information on this page was last verified: March 2026. Permit rules and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with your local building department before applying.

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Important: This page is an educational resource provided by jaspector.com. It is not legal advice, and it does not substitute for official guidance from your local permit authority. Permit requirements, fees, and processes change frequently. Always verify current requirements directly with the issuing department before beginning any construction project. Use of this page does not create an attorney-client relationship. Jaspector assumes no liability for any outcomes arising from reliance on this information.