Building permits in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Of the 13 common home projects we have verified in Philadelphia, 6 need a permit outright and 7 depend on size or scope. Click any project for the full rule, fee, and how to apply.
By Mario Bailey Last checked · 1 official source
Verified against official sources- Project types verified
- 13
- in Philadelphia
Department of Licenses and Inspections
- 1401 John F. Kennedy Blvd., MSB, Philadelphia, PA 19102
- Phone: (215) 255-4040
- Official permit page
- Permit portal
- Official fee schedule
Look up a permit in Philadelphia
Philadelphia permit records are public, and you can check a property's permit history online.
What needs a permit in Philadelphia
Of the 13 common home projects we have verified in Philadelphia, 6 need a permit outright and 7 depend on size or scope. Click any project for the full rule, fee, and how to apply.
| Project | Permit needed? | Threshold | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bathroom Remodel Permit | It depends | Not specified | Billed as a plumbing alteration permit at $50 for the first 7 fixtures plus $22.50 per... |
| Deck Permit | It depends | residential decks up to 216 sq ft (excluding roof decks) qualify for EZ permit without plans; larger decks require full building permit with plans | New decks fall under the accessory structure and addition bucket at $75 for the first... |
| Electrical Permit | Permit required | Not specified | $100 filing fee (nonrefundable) |
| EV Charger Permit | It depends | Not specified | Charged as a standard electrical permit at $25 per $1,000 of estimated cost with a $63... |
| Fence Permit | It depends | permit required if fence exceeds 6 feet tall, is masonry over 2 ft, is on Historic Registry, or is in the 100-year floodplain | Zoning permit $50-$632 by lot size |
| HVAC Permit | Permit required | Not specified | $100 filing fee (nonrefundable) |
| Patio Permit | It depends | concrete or other hard-surface paving on grade (driveways, walkways, patios not used for parking) is exempt; covered or elevated patio structures require a permit, and paving in flood protection areas requires one | No fee |
| Plumbing Permit | Permit required | Not specified | $100 filing fee (nonrefundable) |
| Pool Permit | It depends | prefabricated swimming pools or spas less than 24 inches deep AND less than 5000 gallons do not require a permit; all larger pools require a permit | Flat $69 building permit fee for a pool or spa accessory to a one or two family... |
| Roof Replacement Permit | Permit required | Not specified | Flat $69 building permit fee to replace the roof covering on a one or two family... |
| Shed Permit | It depends | detached structures under 200 sq ft for one-or-two-family dwellings do not require a permit | Sheds 120 sq ft or less in the rear yard need no permit |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Not specified | Flat $200 building permit fee for the solar panel structure plus a separate electrical... |
| Water Heater Permit | Permit required | Not specified | Flat $31 plumbing permit fee to replace a water heater in a one or two family dwelling... |
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Schedule an inspection in Philadelphia
Permitted work is not finished until it passes inspection. City service page for requesting an L and I inspection through eCLIPSE.
Schedule or request a Philadelphia inspection
When the portal will not take the date you need, the office still books by phone: (215) 255-4040.
Checked . If the office has changed its process, report it.
Philadelphia permit fees compared with nearby Pennsylvania localities
| Pennsylvania locality | Deck Permit | HVAC Permit | Electrical Permit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia | New decks fall under the accessory structure and addition... | $100 filing fee (nonrefundable) | $100 filing fee (nonrefundable) |
| Pittsburgh | 2026 PLI Fee Schedule, effective 1/1/2026: "Base Permit... | 2026 PLI Fee Schedule, effective 1/1/2026: "Base Permit... | 2026 PLI Fee Schedule, effective 1/1/2026: "Base Permit... |
Each cell is the opening clause of that Pennsylvania jurisdiction's own fee schedule; the full wording and source sit on each permit page.
Philadelphia permit questions, answered from the data
- Do you need a permit in Philadelphia?
- For most projects, yes. Of the 13 permit types we have verified for Philadelphia, 6 always require a permit (for example an electrical permit), 7 depend on size or scope (a bathroom remodel permit, for instance). Each Philadelphia permit type's page states the exact rule and its source.
- How much does a permit cost in Philadelphia?
- Philadelphia publishes a fee for 13 of the 13 permit types we cover, each quoted on its page from the jurisdiction's own schedule (linked on every page that carries one). Fees are set by Department of Licenses and Inspections; we do not estimate or mark them up.
- Where do you apply for a permit in Philadelphia?
- Department of Licenses and Inspections issues permits in Philadelphia, with an online portal for applications, plan uploads and status checks, and takes questions at (215) 255-4040. The Philadelphia official page and portal are linked in the office section above.
How the Philadelphia pages were verified. 13 permit types, 11 distinct official sources, most recently checked . Every rule is read from Department of Licenses and Inspections or the applicable code and cited on its page; anything we could not confirm for Philadelphia is marked rather than estimated. How we verify.
Permitting activity in Philadelphia
In 2024, Philadelphia authorized permits for 2,962 new residential housing units (539 single-family, 2,423 in multi-family buildings), valued at $498M , down from 3,863 the year before. That works out to about 1.9 permits per 1,000 residents. It is a useful gauge of how busy the local permit office is.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual data · population 1,578,487.
About Philadelphia
Philadelphia has about 739,725 housing units. The median home is valued at $232,400, against a median household income of $60,698. About 52% of homes are owner-occupied, and the typical home was built around 1949. Older housing stock usually means more renovation, electrical, and plumbing permits.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 5-year.