Hazleton, PENNSYLVANIA Building Permit Guide

Permit Authority

Applies within the City of Hazleton

Department

City of Hazleton, Licenses and Permits Office, with PAUCC Building Inspector and Zoning Department support

Address

Third Floor, Hazleton City Hall, 40 North Church Street, Hazleton, PA 18201

Phone

570-459-4960

Website

https://www.hazletoncity.org/departments/permits-and-licenses

Online Permit Portal

Application Process

1. Determine whether the project needs a zoning permit first; the city states the zoning permit application must be filed before the building permit application.
2. Assemble the zoning or building application, contractor estimate, and any required insurance and state registration documentation.
3. For commercial work, submit three signed and sealed sets of plans and specifications meeting the posted building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, fire alarm, and energy plan requirements.
4. File with the Licenses and Permits Office on the third floor of City Hall and clear any outstanding city taxes, garbage, water, sewer, fees, or fines before issuance.
5. Await zoning review and building permit review.
6. After issuance, complete the required PAUCC inspection sequence and obtain the final certificate of occupancy where applicable.

Typical processing time: Up to 15 days for residential permits and 30 days for commercial permits; zoning permits are stated at 15 days

Source: City of Hazleton, Licenses and Permits Office, with PAUCC Building Inspector and Zoning Department support

General Requirements

Interior renovations including plumbing, electrical, and general repair; exterior work including siding, roofs, sidewalks, sheds, fences, paving, blacktop, and concrete work; some projects also need zoning approval

Required Documents

• Application
• Sketch/site plan
• Contractor estimate
• Contractor insurance and workers compensation proof (where applicable)
• Contractor registration number
• For commercial work: three signed and sealed plan sets

Permit validity

No local expiration rule was clearly posted; Pennsylvania UCC default invalidation after 180 days of non-start or suspension or abandonment applies absent a stricter local rule

Building code

Pennsylvania UCC governs; note that Hazleton's posted design criteria page still references 2015 IBC and 2018 accessibility criteria, so applicants should confirm current code edition at filing

Owner-builder

Thin data; public pages do not publish a separate local owner-builder policy beyond the state owner-or-authorized-agent framework

Contractor requirements

Home improvement contractors must be registered with the Pennsylvania Attorney General; contractors also need a Hazleton City Contractors Business License if working on a commercial structure or building a new dwelling, with at least $500,000 liability coverage and workers compensation if they have employees

Fees

Minimum permit fee

Building permit fees are not published in a complete schedule on the city site; posted minimums include residential zoning permit $75, commercial zoning permit $125, and occupancy inspection $75 per dwelling unit if scheduled 15 days ahead

Plan check fee

Not separately published; commercial third-party inspection and review requirements vary by project

Permit fee formula

Mixed; building permit pricing is office quote only, while zoning, occupancy, demolition, transient business, and other items use flat fees

Reinspection fee

Occupancy inspection cancellations, rescheduling, or no-shows add $50; expedited occupancy inspections under 15 days or within 72 hours carry higher flat fees

Payment note

All outstanding city fees and fines must be paid before a permit can be issued

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

Work That Does NOT Require a Permit

Contact the City of Hazleton, Licenses and Permits Office, with PAUCC Building Inspector and Zoning Department support to confirm whether your project requires a permit before starting work.

Inspections

How to Schedule

• Licenses and Permits Office (in-person)
• City coordination (phone)

Inspection hours

Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Typical inspection sequence: Residential and commercial sequences posted by the city include footers or rebar, foundation pre-pour, perimeter drains and damp proofing, rough-ins before wall or ceiling closure, insulation or energy, drywall, and final trade and building inspections; commercial also adds sprinkler and fire alarm stages

Additional Resources

• Building code: Pennsylvania UCC governs; note that Hazleton's posted design criteria page still references 2015 IBC and 2018 accessibility criteria, so applicants should confirm current code edition at filing
• Zoning information: View zoning info
• License lookup guide: Pennsylvania Contractor License Requirements
• Contract template: Pennsylvania Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
• Pennsylvania hub: Pennsylvania Contractor License & Permit Hub

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