Lower Merion Township, PENNSYLVANIA Building Permit Guide

Permit Authority

Township building permit, trade permit, rental, and related UCC enforcement within Lower Merion Township

Department

Building and Planning Department, Building Division

Address

75 E. Lancaster Ave., Ardmore, PA 19003-2323

Phone

610-645-6200

Email

building@lowermerion.org

Website

https://www.lowermerion.org/departments/building-and-planning-department/building-division/permits-licensing

Online Permit Portal

Application Process

1. Confirm permit type and collect the correct building/trade application and checklist from the Building Division page.
2. Submit the completed application, plans, and Permit Plan Compliance Form through the online permitting portal or by paper drop-off.
3. Pay permit fees at application; include contractor license/insurance materials where required.
4. Building Division reviews the submission and issues comments or approval under the current Pennsylvania/UCC code cycle.
5. After issuance, perform work, request required inspections, and complete any final approvals or certificates as applicable.

Source: Building and Planning Department, Building Division

General Requirements

Residential permits accepted online for demo, new construction, plumbing, electric, HVAC, roofing, and other listed categories; additional commercial forms are also posted.

Required Documents

• Permit application
• Project checklist where applicable
• Plans
• Permit Plan Compliance Form
• Contractor license paperwork
• Worker's compensation addendum where required
• Project-specific addenda

Permit validity

Contractor licenses expire December 31 each year; permit expiration not clearly stated on public pages.

Building code

Pennsylvania UCC updated to 2018 International Codes, with NEC 2017, NFPA 72 2017, and NFPA 13 2017 as adopted references.

Owner-builder

Residential owners may submit permit applications depending on permit type; contractor licensing still applies where work is contracted out.

Contractor requirements

Township contractor license required for applicable trades/contractors; township posts contractor application, renewal form, and licensed contractor list.

Fees

Minimum permit fee

Residential fence $100.00; residential reroofing up to $5,000 at $102.50 (examples).

Plan check fee

Residential subsequent plan review $75.00; non-residential subsequent plan review $125.00.

Permit fee formula

Mixed fee schedule: residential new construction starts with first $2,000 cost of job at $100.00, then per-$1,000 increments; many trade and accessory permits are flat or tiered.

Reinspection fee

Additional inspections for uncorrected violations $100.00 per hour or fraction; many categories also list reinspection fees.

Penalty (no permit)

Work without permit administrative fee starts at $225.00 for construction costs up to $10,000.

Payment note

Permit fees due at time of permit application; fee PDF notes included PA state training and TRAISR fees per application.

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

Work That Does NOT Require a Permit

Contact the Building and Planning Department, Building Division to confirm whether your project requires a permit before starting work.

Inspections

How to Schedule

• TRAISR Online Permitting Portal (online)
• Building Division Contact (phone)

Typical inspection sequence: Project-specific by permit type, with building/trade finals and any required intermediate inspections. Follow-up inspection may be free once, with additional inspections charged under the fee schedule.

Additional Resources

• Building code: Pennsylvania UCC updated to 2018 International Codes, with NEC 2017, NFPA 72 2017, and NFPA 13 2017 as adopted references.
• Zoning information: View zoning info
• Building FAQs
• Permits & Licensing
• License lookup guide: Pennsylvania Contractor License Requirements
• Contract template: Pennsylvania Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
• Pennsylvania hub: Pennsylvania Contractor License & Permit Hub

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