Building Permits in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Adopted Construction Codes
These are the state-level code editions for Pennsylvania. They apply in Allegheny Countyunless a verified local adoption or amendment is noted — in local-adoption states, confirm the city or county's own code editions with the building department.
Permit Requirements
Statewide baseline under the codes as adopted by Pennsylvania. Local amendments and fee schedules for Allegheny County are being verified — use the building department contacts to confirm before you build.
Exemptions: Under the statewide Uniform Construction Code, 34 Pa. Code § 403.62(a), an owner must obtain a permit before constructing, enlarging, altering, repairing, moving, or demolishing a residential building or installing/replacing regulated electrical, gas, mechanical, or plumbing systems. Exceptions include the exclusions in § 403.1(b) (e.g., agricultural buildings; non-structural alterations and repairs to residential buildings; siding installation; recreational cabins) and the § 403.62(c) list (fences ≤6 ft, retaining walls ≤4 ft, uncovered decks ≤30 in above grade, etc.); 'ordinary repairs' need no permit per § 403.62(d). Municipalities may adopt stricter ordinances under UCC §§ 303(b)(1)/503, so local rules can require permits for otherwise-exempt work.
Exemptions: Under 34 Pa. Code § 403.62(c)(8), no UCC permit is required for installation of an uncovered deck where the floor of the deck is no more than 30 inches above grade. Decks higher than 30 inches, or covered/roofed decks, require a building permit. Municipalities with ordinances under UCC § 503 may still require permits or inspections, so verify locally.
Exemptions: Installing, altering, or replacing an electrical system regulated by the UCC requires a permit under 34 Pa. Code § 403.62(a). Exemptions: installation or rearrangement of communications wiring (§ 403.62(c)(9)) and utility-owned generation/transmission/distribution/metering equipment (§ 403.62(e)); emergency repairs may proceed with a permit application filed within 3 business days (§ 403.62(b)). Municipalities administering the UCC may have additional local requirements.
Exemptions: Under 34 Pa. Code § 403.62(c)(1), no UCC permit is required for fences that are no more than 6 feet high, provided the work does not violate another law or ordinance; taller fences require a permit. Pool barrier/enclosure requirements still apply regardless of the exemption. Municipalities may have zoning or ordinance rules (height, location) that apply even when no building permit is needed.
Exemptions: The UCC does not apply to repairs to residential buildings (34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(9)) or to residential alterations that make no structural changes or changes to means of egress (§ 403.1(b)(8)), so a like-for-like roof-covering replacement on a house generally needs no state permit; cutting or removing structural beams or load-bearing supports is not an 'ordinary repair' and does require a permit (§ 403.62(d)). These exclusions yield to local ordinances adopted under UCC §§ 303(b)(1)/503, and many Pennsylvania municipalities do require reroofing permits, so check locally.
Exemptions: Under 34 Pa. Code § 403.62(c)(2), no UCC permit is required for retaining walls that are not over 4 feet in height measured from the lowest level of grade to the top of the wall, unless the wall supports a surcharge (e.g., a slope, driveway, or structure bearing on the retained soil). Walls over 4 feet or any wall supporting a surcharge require a permit. Local ordinances may be stricter, so confirm with the municipal code official.
Exemptions: Under 34 Pa. Code § 403.1(b)(3) (as amended effective January 1, 2026, 55 Pa.B. 7701), the UCC does not apply to sheds, detached private garages, carports, or greenhouses with a building area less than 1,000 sq ft that are accessory to a detached one-family dwelling — so no state permit is required (the pre-2026 threshold was 500 sq ft, and originally 200 sq ft). Agricultural buildings are fully excluded under § 403.1(b)(4). The exclusion yields to any local ordinance adopted under section 503 of the UCC Act, so a municipality may still require a permit or impose zoning setbacks.
Exemptions: Replacing a water heater is replacement of a plumbing/mechanical system regulated by the UCC, which requires a permit under 34 Pa. Code § 403.62(a). Under § 403.62(b), an emergency repair or replacement of equipment may be done first if a permit application is submitted to the building code official within 3 business days. Enforcement is by the municipality (or its third-party agency), and local requirements may vary.
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