BuildingPermitCost Pennsylvania permit fees at a glance
This page covers 5 cities in Pennsylvania, each priced from its own official fee schedule. For the same $75,000 addition, totals run from $75.00 in Philadelphia to $1,734.50 in Reading, with a Pennsylvania median of $464.50, 43% below the median of $820.58 across all 267 places on this site.
The most common pricing method here is a fee table based on project value (1 of 5), followed by a fee table based on floor area (1) and a rate per $1,000 of project value (1). For project value, 3 places use your contract or bid price and 2 places use floor area instead of value.
1 of 5 charge a separate plan review fee. 4 add a state surcharge to the total, printed for example as "Pennsylvania UCC state-mandated permit fee" and "State-imposed training fee (PA UCC)".
2 of 5 schedules state an effective date, 2 of them from 2025 or later. Every page shows its effective date and the date we last checked it against the official source.
| Project | Pennsylvania median | National median | Places |
|---|---|---|---|
| $25,000 remodel | $304.50 | $380.00 | 5 |
| $75,000 addition | $464.50 | $820.58 | 4 |
| $350,000 new home | $2,124.50 | $2,918.63 | 5 |
Calculate your own project · Compare Pennsylvania places side by side · Fees people often miss
Cities
| Jurisdiction | $25k remodel | $75k addition | $350k new home | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allentown | $304.50 | $804.50 | $3,554.50 | Nov 5, 2026 |
| Bethlehem | $304.50 | — | $629.50 | Nov 5, 2026 |
| Philadelphia | $76.00 | $75.00 | $1,328.00 | Nov 4, 2026 |
| Pittsburgh | $161.50 | $464.50 | $2,124.50 | Nov 4, 2026 |
| Reading | $734.50 | $1,734.50 | $7,234.50 | Nov 5, 2026 |
Pennsylvania permit fee questions
How much is a building permit in Pennsylvania?
It depends on the city or county, because each sets its own fees. Across the 4 places we cover in Pennsylvania, the median for a $75,000 addition is $464.50 and for a $350,000 new home $2,124.50, including plan review and required surcharges.
Which Pennsylvania places have the lowest and highest permit fees?
For a $75,000 addition, the lowest total we found is $75.00 in Philadelphia, PA and the highest is $1,734.50 in Reading, PA. The tables on this page list every place we cover.
Are Pennsylvania state fees included?
Yes, where the local schedule adds them to the permit. 4 of the 5 Pennsylvania schedules we cover include a state surcharge, and each city page shows it as its own line.
Totals use each jurisdiction's own formula for a 300 sq ft remodel, a 400 sq ft addition and a 2,400 sq ft wood-frame home. Trade permits and conditional fees are not included. Fees are estimates based on the official schedules; confirm with the permit office before applying.