Borough of West Chester, PENNSYLVANIA Building Permit Guide

Permit Authority

Borough permit authority for West Chester Borough; borough page notes zoning or stormwater review may be required before permit issuance if footprint or use changes.

Department

Department of Building, Housing & Codes Enforcement

Address

401 East Gay Street, West Chester, PA 19380

Phone

610-696-1773

Email

housing@west-chester.com

Website

https://www.west-chester.com/131/Building-Housing-Code-Enforcement

Online Permit Portal

Application Process

1. Confirm whether zoning or stormwater review is needed before permit issuance if the work changes building footprint or use.
2. Create a SmartGov account and apply through the borough permitting portal.
3. Upload the permit-specific application and supporting plans/information from the borough instructions pages.
4. Respond to borough review comments and obtain any prerequisite zoning or related approvals.
5. Pay assessed fees through SmartGov.
6. Receive issued permit and post it at the site; schedule required inspections through the borough.

Typical processing time: Not posted on the building permit page.

Source: Department of Building, Housing & Codes Enforcement

General Requirements

The borough states permits are required for most construction and renovation projects.

Required Documents

• Permit application (varies by permit type)
• Construction plans
• Supporting plans/information per permit type

Permit validity

Not clearly posted on the public building permit page.

Building code

Pennsylvania UCC administered locally by the borough.

Owner-builder

Owner users can create SmartGov accounts; no separate owner-builder rule was located on the public page.

Contractor requirements

PA Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act registration applies to qualifying home improvement contractors; no separate borough contractor registration requirement was clearly posted on the public building permit page.

Fees

Minimum permit fee

One- and two-family building permits start at $80 for the first $1,000; multi-family/non-residential building permits start at $154.50 for the first $1,000; zoning review fee for site plans/fences/sheds/patios is $50.

Plan check fee

Plan review fees shown on the 2025 fee schedule are $100 for one- and two-family first review, $150 for multi-family/non-residential first review, and $100 for each additional review.

Permit fee formula

Building permits are tiered by valuation; plumbing base fee is $80 for one- and two-family and $154.50 for multi-family/non-residential, plus per-fixture fees; electrical first $1,000 is $80 then $10 per additional $1,000 and annual maintenance permit is $504.

Reinspection fee

Additional inspections for all permits are $150; re-inspection fee for corrections is $300; failure to appear/no show is $50; working without a permit or with an expired permit is double permit fee with $50 minimum.

Payment note

Portal setup guide states payments can be made through the SmartGov portal or by mailing a check after borough approval for payment.

Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule.

Work That Does NOT Require a Permit

Contact the Department of Building, Housing & Codes Enforcement to confirm whether your project requires a permit before starting work.

Inspections

How to Schedule

• SmartGov portal (portal)
• 610-696-1773 (phone)

Inspection hours

8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Typical inspection sequence: Varies by permit type; permits must remain posted and final approvals are required before occupancy-related approvals.

Additional Resources

• Building code: Pennsylvania UCC administered locally by the borough.
• Zoning information: View zoning info
• Building Permits
• Fee Schedule
• License lookup guide: Pennsylvania Contractor License Requirements
• Contract template: Pennsylvania Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
• Pennsylvania hub: Pennsylvania Contractor License & Permit Hub

Other cities in Chester County