Philadelphia Building Permits for One- and Two-Family Homes

In Philadelphia, a house on the historic register needs a Historical Commission project review as part of the building permit for most exterior changes, from windows and doors to fences and masonry repointing.

City guide

Last verified against Philadelphia L&I sources October 4, 2026

Philadelphia homeowners planning a kitchen, addition, or backyard shed often hit three surprises before they ever open a plan set. First, a Zoning Permit usually comes before the Building Permit. Second, if the property sits on the Philadelphia Historic Registry, the small-job Building Permit exemptions disappear and Historical Commission approval has to clear before Licenses and Inspections (L&I) will accept the filing. Third, the owner-builder lane is narrow: on an existing one- or two-family home, work that does not need an electrical or plumbing permit may be done by a resident owner or a registered Pennsylvania Home Improvement Contractor who also holds a Philadelphia Commercial Activity License — otherwise a licensed Philadelphia contractor must perform the work. This guide sticks to L&I’s published building, zoning, historic, and eCLIPSE rules for one- and two-family homes. Confirm the call for your address before you buy materials. See our disclaimer.

Related: Do I need a building permit? · 10-minute AHJ checklist · Guides by City

Philadelphia at a glance

Zoning usually comes before the building permit

L&I’s building-permit page is blunt: in most cases you need a Zoning Permit before you can get a Building Permit. Zoning regulates use and development. Building covers the construction itself — new buildings, enlargements, interior or exterior changes, partial or full demolition, occupancy classification changes, occupant-load increases, major repairs that go beyond regular maintenance, and earth disturbance of 5,000 square feet or more.

The traps for homeowners are the two different “no permit” lists. Zoning and Building do not use the same square-footage cutoffs. A shed that stays under 130 square feet in the rear yard of a one- or two-family lot may sit outside the Zoning Permit list, while the Building Permit page allows detached structures or sheds for one- and two-family dwellings at 200 square feet or less (when the property is not on the Historic Registry). Decks, fences, pools, and hard surfaces also split across the two tracks. Do not invent which list “wins.” Clear both when they apply, and look up the lot’s zoning on the city’s Atlas tool. Zoning applications for one- and two-family work with plans are reviewed within 15 business days (online filings get one extra business day for pre-processing). Our shed permit guide lists the size and setback questions to ask in any city.

Examples the zoning page lists as not needing a Zoning Permit include alterations that do not change area, height, floor area, or current legal use; fences at or below Zoning Code height; swimming pools on one- or two-family property; canopies or awnings of 120 square feet or less for one- or two-family dwellings; sheds, playhouses, pergolas, and similar structures in the rear yard at 130 square feet or less for one- or two-family lots; concrete and hard surfaces such as driveways and patios; decks not more than 12 inches above ground or over any basement or other story; and generators or air conditioning that are not in a required setback and that serve the property. Matching that list to Building’s separate exemptions is your job before demolition day. If you are not sure which counter covers the lot, start with our permit lookup by state.

Work that often does not need a building permit (and the historic catch)

On properties that are not on the Philadelphia Historic Registry, L&I lists work that may proceed without a Building Permit. Regular maintenance repairs sit on that list, along with fencing up to 6 feet, retaining walls up to 2 feet, and sidewalks or driveways that do not go into the right-of-way or include parking. Pointing masonry; replacing doors and windows in one- or two-family dwellings; and many interior finishes also appear — painting and papering; paneling or gypsum board over existing finishes in one- or two-family dwellings and Group U; conventional floor coverings that are not fiber; carpeting outside certain exits; cabinets and countertops; and movable partitions under 6 feet. Detached structures or sheds for one- or two-family dwellings at 200 square feet or less, playground or pet equipment for one- or two-family lots, and prefabricated pools or spas less than 24 inches deep and less than 5,000 gallons round out the published examples.

Put the house on the Philadelphia Register and that exemption lane closes. The building-permit page states that historic properties need Historical Commission approval before L&I will accept the application, and L&I refuses filings without it. Windows, doors, fences, and similar exterior work on Register properties go through Commission project or design review. Applicants upload materials in eCLIPSE so the Commission can review electronically. Treat “no Building Permit on a non-historic house” as the beginning of the checklist, not the end — zoning, trade permits, and contractor licensing can still apply. For project-type walkthroughs, browse permit guides by project; those pages explain national patterns, while Philadelphia still wants you on the L&I sources below for the local call. Our Certificate of Appropriateness vs building permit guide explains how historic review and the building permit fit together.

Who can do the work on a one- or two-family home

The property owner or an authorized agent applies — a design professional, attorney, contractor, or licensed expediter. Before L&I issues the permit, the contractor must be identified. A licensed Philadelphia contractor must perform the work, with one published exception for projects on an existing one- or two-family home that do not require an electrical or plumbing permit. In that narrow lane, work may also be performed by (1) an owner who resides in the building, or (2) a registered Pennsylvania Home Improvement Contractor who holds a Philadelphia Commercial Activity License. If the job needs electrical or plumbing permits, or if you are building new rather than altering an existing one- or two-family home, stay in the licensed Philadelphia contractor track.

How to apply in eCLIPSE (Residential Permit)

Apply online through eCLIPSE, or in person at the Permit and License Center, 1401 John F. Kennedy Blvd., Municipal Services Building, Public Service Concourse, Philadelphia, PA 19102. Counter hours are 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; the center closes at noon on the last Wednesday of each month; and an appointment is required for in-person service. In eCLIPSE, select Residential Permit for one- or two-family dwellings and Commercial for everything else. Renovating an existing single-family home uses a Residential Construction Permit; jobs that fit EZ permit standards may follow that path, while more complex scopes need plans and Standard Review. Window and door replacements do not require a permit unless the property is commercial or historic — another reason to check the Register early. Combination permits are mandatory for one- or two-family new construction Residential Permits and optional in other cases. Registration and filing steps are covered on L&I’s eCLIPSE FAQs; the portal itself is at eclipse.phila.gov.

After the permit is issued and work is under way, request inspections through eCLIPSE or by calling (215) 255-4040. A Certificate of Approval follows successful inspections. General questions go to 311, or (215) 686-8686 from outside Philadelphia.

Fees and review times you can actually quote

L&I publishes a nonrefundable filing fee of $25 for one- or two-family dwellings (applied toward the final permit fee) and $100 for other occupancy. City and State surcharges also appear on the permit page — $3 City and $4.50 State per permit. Do not treat those numbers as a total project cost; final fees depend on the scope L&I prices for your filing.

Published review times (in person and online; online adds one business day for pre-processing) are 15 business days for alterations or additions to one- or two-family dwellings, 15 business days for new construction of one- or two-family dwellings, and 20 business days for all others. Accelerated Plan Review is optional for eligible new construction with plans: $2,000 for building, with $350 due at application, and review within 5 business days when the job qualifies.

Philadelphia Historical Commission review checklist

If the property is on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places, the Historical Commission reviews exterior work as part of the building permit (Philadelphia: get approval for work to a historic property):

The review is free. Staff often approve applications without referral; projects they cannot approve go to the Architectural Committee and the Historical Commission at public meetings. Reviews can run through eCLIPSE or as an in-person appointment.

Source: Philadelphia: get approval for work to a historic property.

For how these limits compare across cities, see our permit-free limits by city table.

Common homeowner questions

Do I always need zoning before building?

In most cases, yes — L&I says a Zoning Permit comes before the Building Permit. Some scopes sit on Zoning’s no-permit list and some sit on Building’s, but the lists are not identical. Check both, then confirm the lot in Atlas.

Does a historic house lose the shed and window exemptions?

Yes on the Building Permit side. If the property is on the Philadelphia Historic Registry, the published Building Permit exemptions do not apply, and Historical Commission approval must clear before L&I accepts the application. Window, door, and fence work on Register properties typically need Commission review.

Can I do my own renovation as the owner?

Only in the published exception: existing one- or two-family homes, for work that does not require an electrical or plumbing permit, when the owner resides in the building — or when a registered PA Home Improvement Contractor with a Philadelphia Commercial Activity License performs the work. Otherwise a licensed Philadelphia contractor must do it, and that contractor must be identified before the permit issues. For the risks of owner-builder work in general, see owner-builder permits.

Where do I file, and how long does review take?

File in eCLIPSE as a Residential Permit for one- or two-family work, or book an appointment at the Permit and License Center. Alterations, additions, and new one- or two-family construction are published at 15 business days (plus one business day for online pre-processing). Other occupancy types are 20 business days. Accelerated Plan Review can shorten eligible new construction with plans to 5 business days for the published fee.

Does a Philadelphia historic review cost anything?

No. The city says there is no charge for a project review by the Historical Commission or its staff.

Do I need historic review to repoint brick on a registered Philadelphia house?

Yes. Masonry cleaning, painting, pointing, repair, replacement, or removal is on the list of work that needs project review.

Bottom line

Philadelphia building permits for one- and two-family homes are an L&I process with zoning usually first, a historic-registry catch that removes small-job Building Permit exemptions, and a narrow owner or HIC lane that only covers existing one- or two-family work without electrical or plumbing permits. File Residential Permits in eCLIPSE, quote only the published filing fees and review days, and request inspections before you call the job finished. Before you start, run the 10-minute AHJ checklist and open the official pages below for your exact scope.

Edited by Ahmed Khalifa, founder of PermitCove. Sources are linked inline; see our Editorial Policy.