Building permits in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania
Find the right authority before you build. Lehigh County permitting follows Pennsylvania law — here is exactly who issues the permit and where to start.
Cities issue permits
City, borough and township building departments (e.g., Allentown, Bethlehem, Emmaus; Lehigh County does not issue building permits)
Lehigh County does not issue building permits. The cities (Allentown, Bethlehem), boroughs and townships issue permits under the PA UCC — for example, Allentown’s Building Department and Bethlehem’s Bureau of Code Enforcement. Determine the municipality for your property to find the correct permitting office.
Open the official permit portal →
Bethlehem spans Lehigh and Northampton counties; its city code-enforcement office permits both portions.
Check a home project's permit in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania
Select a project to see its Pennsylvania permit rule. Whether the county or your city issues it depends on incorporation status — see the authority note above.
Pennsylvania
Exact permit fees are set by the local building department. WikEst shows the published or code-based range where one exists, linked to its official source — verify the final amount at the source before budgeting.
🏠 Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) permit fee in Pennsylvania
Permit requiredCase by casecity authority
Permit fee range
Permit fees set by each municipality; Philadelphia adds a $3 city and $4.50 state surcharge per permit plus plan-review fees. No single statewide fee.
Typical timeline
Typically ~15 business days for residential alterations (Philadelphia L&I); other PA municipalities vary.
Setback
—
Exempt if
Not size-exempt
ADUs require a building permit plus zoning/use approval. The PA UCC governs construction; local zoning controls whether an ADU is allowed on your lot. Verify with your municipality (e.g., Philadelphia L&I).
Official sources: City of Philadelphia — Get a Building Permit · PA Dept. of Labor & Industry — Uniform Construction Code (UCC)
Representative cities for Pennsylvania: Philadelphia, Pittsburgh.
All 20 project fee ranges in Pennsylvania
Official-source ranges where published; “By local jurisdiction” means no flat fee is published and the amount is set case by case.
| Project | Permit? | Authority | Fee range | Go / no-go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🏠 Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) | yes | city | Permit fees set by each municipality; Philadelphia adds a $3 city and $4.50 state surcharge per permit plus plan-review fees. No single statewide fee. | case-by-case |
| 🪵 Deck / Porch | yes | city | Municipal permit fee; Philadelphia EZ Permit available for eligible decks. | allowed |
| 🧱 Fence / Wall | conditional | city | Set by local jurisdiction | allowed |
| 🛖 Shed / Outbuilding | conditional | city | Set by local jurisdiction | allowed |
| 🪜 Basement Finish | yes | city | Municipal building permit fee; varies with scope. | allowed |
| 🚗 Garage / Carport | yes | city | Municipal building permit fee; zoning clearance may be required first. | allowed |
| ☀️ Rooftop Solar PV | yes | city | Electrical/structural permit fee set by municipality. | allowed |
| 🌡️ HVAC Replacement | yes | city | Mechanical permit fee set by municipality. | allowed |
| 🍳 Kitchen Remodel | yes | city | Building permit fee; trade permits (plumbing/electrical) billed separately. | allowed |
| 🛁 Bathroom Remodel | yes | city | Building permit fee; trade permits (plumbing/electrical) billed separately. | allowed |
| 🏗️ Room Addition | yes | city | Building permit fee based on valuation; zoning and plan review apply. | allowed |
| 🪟 Window / Door Replacement | conditional | city | Set by local jurisdiction | allowed |
| 🏘️ Roof Replacement | yes | city | Roof-covering permit fee set by municipality. | allowed |
| 🅿️ Driveway / Parking Pad | conditional | city | Set by local jurisdiction | allowed |
| 🏊 Swimming Pool / Spa | yes | city | Building permit fee; barrier fencing required by code. | allowed |
| 🧱 Retaining Wall | conditional | city | Set by local jurisdiction | allowed |
| 💥 Demolition / Teardown | yes | city | Demolition permit fee set by the municipality; verify locally. | allowed |
| 🚰 Septic System | yes | county | Onlot septic permit fees set by the local agency (municipality or county health department); verify locally. | allowed |
| 🔌 EV Charger | conditional | city | Electrical permit fee set by the municipality; verify locally. | allowed |
| ⚡ Standby Generator | yes | city | Electrical (and often mechanical/gas) permit fee set by the municipality; verify locally. | allowed |
Permit cheat-sheet (Pennsylvania rules)
| Project | Permit? | Authority | Typical fee | Timeline | Go / No-Go | Key notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🏠 Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) | Permit required | city | Permit fees set by each municipality; Philadelphia adds a $3 city and $4.50 state surcharge per permit plus plan-review fees. No single statewide fee. | Typically ~15 business days for residential alterations (Philadelphia L&I); other PA municipalities vary. | Case by case | ADUs require a building permit plus zoning/use approval. The PA UCC governs construction; local zoning controls whether an ADU is allowed on your lot. Verify with your municipality (e.g., Philadelphia L&I). |
| 🪵 Deck / Porch | Permit required | city | Municipal permit fee; Philadelphia EZ Permit available for eligible decks. | Philadelphia EZ Permits reviewed while you wait; standard permits ~15 business days. | Generally allowed | Attached decks and any deck more than 30 in above grade need a permit. Philadelphia offers an EZ Permit for residential decks up to 216 sq ft. |
| 🧱 Fence / Wall | Conditional | city | — | — | Generally allowed | Most PA municipalities do not require a permit for fences 6 ft or under; a permit is typically required above that height or in historic/overlay districts. Verify locally. |
| 🛖 Shed / Outbuilding | Conditional | city | — | — | Generally allowed | Larger sheds and any shed with utilities require a building permit. Pittsburgh and other cities follow the same UCC framework with local fee schedules. Exempt: Under 120 sq ft typically exempt under the PA UCC/IRC; Philadelphia exempts detached sheds 200 sq ft or less. |
| 🪜 Basement Finish | Permit required | city | Municipal building permit fee; varies with scope. | Varies by municipality (~15 business days in Philadelphia for alterations). | Generally allowed | Finishing a basement into habitable space requires permits for egress, framing, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work. Sleeping rooms need code-compliant egress windows. |
| 🚗 Garage / Carport | Permit required | city | Municipal building permit fee; zoning clearance may be required first. | — | Generally allowed | A new detached or attached garage requires a building permit. Philadelphia requires zoning clearance before the building permit. |
| ☀️ Rooftop Solar PV | Permit required | city | Electrical/structural permit fee set by municipality. | — | Generally allowed | Rooftop solar PV requires an electrical and structural permit, often reviewed under an expedited/solar process by the municipal building department. |
| 🌡️ HVAC Replacement | Permit required | city | Mechanical permit fee set by municipality. | — | Generally allowed | Furnace, AC, or heat-pump replacement requires a mechanical permit and inspection. |
| 🍳 Kitchen Remodel | Permit required | city | Building permit fee; trade permits (plumbing/electrical) billed separately. | — | Generally allowed | A permit is required when relocating plumbing/electrical, moving walls, or changing fixtures. Cosmetic-only work (cabinets, counters, paint) may be exempt. |
| 🛁 Bathroom Remodel | Permit required | city | Building permit fee; trade permits (plumbing/electrical) billed separately. | — | Generally allowed | A permit is required when relocating plumbing/electrical, moving walls, or changing fixtures. Cosmetic-only updates may be exempt. |
| 🏗️ Room Addition | Permit required | city | Building permit fee based on valuation; zoning and plan review apply. | Plan-review permits typically ~15 business days in Philadelphia; larger additions longer. | Generally allowed | Room additions change the footprint and require a full building permit, zoning approval, and usually a site plan. |
| 🪟 Window / Door Replacement | Conditional | city | — | — | Generally allowed | Swapping windows or exterior doors in the same opening is generally exempt; enlarging or adding openings requires a permit. |
| 🏘️ Roof Replacement | Permit required | city | Roof-covering permit fee set by municipality. | — | Generally allowed | Roof covering replacement is typically permitted (Philadelphia EZ Permit). Minor leak repairs may be exempt. |
| 🅿️ Driveway / Parking Pad | Conditional | city | — | — | Generally allowed | A permit may be required where the driveway connects to the street/right-of-way, involves significant grading, or needs an excavation/site permit. Verify locally. |
| 🏊 Swimming Pool / Spa | Permit required | city | Building permit fee; barrier fencing required by code. | — | Generally allowed | In-ground and above-ground pools need a permit and barrier fencing. Philadelphia exempts prefabricated pools less than 24 in deep and under 5,000 gallons. |
| 🧱 Retaining Wall | Conditional | city | — | — | Generally allowed | Height and whether the wall supports a surcharge (driveway, structure, or slope above) determine the permit threshold. Verify with your municipality. |
| 💥 Demolition / Teardown | Permit required | city | Demolition permit fee set by the municipality; verify locally. | — | Generally allowed | A full teardown or major strip-out requires a demolition (building) permit from the municipality under the PA UCC. Demolition permits commonly require utility disconnects and, for older homes, asbestos/lead clearance before work begins. Philadelphia files through L&I. |
| 🚰 Septic System | Permit required | county | Onlot septic permit fees set by the local agency (municipality or county health department); verify locally. | — | Generally allowed | New or replacement onsite wastewater (onlot septic) systems require a permit from the local agency (municipality or county health department) under the PA Sewage Facilities Act. A certified Sewage Enforcement Officer conducts the soil/perc evaluation and reviews the engineered design. |
| 🔌 EV Charger | Conditional | city | Electrical permit fee set by the municipality; verify locally. | — | Generally allowed | A home EV charging station needs an electrical permit (dedicated 240V circuit and wall unit) issued by the municipality under the PA UCC. Pennsylvania has no single statewide EV-permitting fast-track, so review time varies by city. Work must meet the NEC. |
| ⚡ Standby Generator | Permit required | city | Electrical (and often mechanical/gas) permit fee set by the municipality; verify locally. | — | Generally allowed | A permanently installed standby generator with a transfer switch and fuel (gas/propane) line requires electrical and often mechanical/gas permits, plus inspection. Setback, noise, and carbon-monoxide rules may apply, and HOAs may restrict installation. Verify with the municipality (e.g., Philadelphia L&I). |
Frequently asked questions
Who issues building permits in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania?
City, borough and township building departments (e.g., Allentown, Bethlehem, Emmaus; Lehigh County does not issue building permits) is the permitting authority for Lehigh County. Permits are issued by the incorporated cities; the county handles only unincorporated areas. Start at the official portal linked above.
Do I go to the county or my city for a building permit in Lehigh County?
Permits are issued by the incorporated cities; the county handles only unincorporated areas.
What home projects need a permit in Lehigh County?
The same project types shown in the cheat-sheet above (ADU, deck, fence, shed, solar, and more) — rules follow Pennsylvania state law. Whether the county or your city issues it depends on your property's incorporation status.
How do I apply for a permit in Lehigh County?
Use the official permit portal linked above. Most offices accept online submissions; have your plans, site information, and contractor details ready before applying.