Pennsylvania Building Permits
Building permits in Pennsylvania are issued by cities and counties, not the state, so the rules depend on where your home is. These are the Pennsylvania cities we cover: Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
Pennsylvania Permit Activity at a Glance
Across the 2 cities below, we counted 6,996 issued permits for the home projects we track between October 30, 2025 and October 30, 2026. The counts come straight from each city's open permit data and are refreshed monthly. The busiest category was roofing work in Philadelphia, with 2,588 permits.
Philadelphia Building Permits
4 project guides · 5,755 permits in 12 months · Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I)
In Philadelphia, residential permits are issued by the Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I). Our counts use the city's Philadelphia L&I Permits (Carto) dataset. Short answers for each project we cover:
- Roof replacement: Yes. Roof covering replacement needs a building permit in Philadelphia, but it is an EZ permit with no plans required. No zoning permit is needed if the work is limited to the covering.
- AC or furnace replacement: Yes. HVAC work needs a building (mechanical) permit in Philadelphia but no zoning permit, and it can usually be issued as an EZ permit without plans.
- New fence: Sometimes. Wood, metal or vinyl fences up to 6 feet in side and rear yards need no permit. In front yards, fences over 4 feet (or more than 50% opaque) need a zoning permit, and any fence over 6 feet needs zoning and building permits.
- New deck or porch: Usually yes. Decks less than 12 inches above ground need no permit. Higher decks need a building permit, and a zoning permit too if they exceed 216 sq ft, sit above the first floor or are in a front or side yard. Decks up to 216 sq ft can use an EZ permit.
| Project Guide | Permit Needed? | Permits in 12 Months | Median Days to Issue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia Roofing Permits | Yes | 2,588 | Not in city data |
| Philadelphia HVAC Permits | Yes | 2,439 | Not in city data |
| Philadelphia Fence Permits | Sometimes | 331 | Not in city data |
| Philadelphia Deck Permits | Usually yes | 397 | Not in city data |
Not yet covered for Philadelphia: solar panel installation. We only publish a project guide when the city's open data identifies that work clearly enough to count at least 10 permits in 12 months and we have checked the rule against an official city source. Until then, ask the Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I) directly before starting one of these projects.
Pittsburgh Building Permits
5 project guides · 1,241 permits in 12 months · Pittsburgh Department of Permits, Licenses, and Inspections (PLI)
In Pittsburgh, residential permits are issued by the Pittsburgh Department of Permits, Licenses, and Inspections (PLI). Our counts use the city's WPRDC: PLI Permits dataset. Short answers for each project we cover:
- Roof replacement: Often yes. Pittsburgh PLI lists roofing as a Minor Alterations work scope of the residential building permit, and roofing in a historic district also needs Zoning Development Review. Ordinary repairs that don't cut structural members or change systems don't need a permit.
- AC or furnace replacement: Yes. A residential mechanical permit is required to install, repair, extend or modify heating, ventilation or fuel gas systems in Pittsburgh homes. No drawings are needed, but exterior equipment such as an AC condenser also needs a Zoning Development Review.
- Solar panel installation: Yes. Roof-mounted and ground-mounted solar arrays need a residential electrical permit from PLI, plus a Zoning Development Review. Roof-mounted installs are limited to buildings with a valid certificate of occupancy.
- New fence: Yes (zoning). Fences 6 feet or less don't need a PLI building permit, but they do need a Building and Development Application with Zoning review only. Taller fences go through PLI review as well.
- New deck or porch: Usually yes. Uncovered decks with a floor 30 inches or less above grade need zoning approval only. All other decks need a building permit and occupancy permit; a prescriptive deck guide can replace stamped drawings for single-story wood decks 8 feet or less high.
| Project Guide | Permit Needed? | Permits in 12 Months | Median Days to Issue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Roofing Permits | Often yes | 277 | Not in city data |
| Pittsburgh HVAC Permits | Yes | 391 | Not in city data |
| Pittsburgh Solar Panel Permits | Yes | 300 | Not in city data |
| Pittsburgh Fence Permits | Yes (zoning) | 148 | Not in city data |
| Pittsburgh Deck Permits | Usually yes | 125 | Not in city data |
How to Use These Pennsylvania Guides
Start with the city that issues permits for your address. If you live outside city limits, your county or township usually handles permits instead, and its rules can differ from the city pages here. Each project guide quotes the official rule, lists any fee the city publishes, and links to the source so you can confirm it before you start work. Permit counts show how often each kind of job is permitted locally, and median days to issue show how long a typical application took over the last 12 months. Rules and fees change, so treat the official source as final and call the permit office if your project is unusual.
Data last refreshed October 30, 2026.