Building Permit Fees in Pittsburgh, PA (2026)

What common projects cost

Kitchen or bath remodel

$25,000 value, remodel 300 sq ft

$161.50

$150.00 building permit + $2.00 technology fee (residential) + $4.50 state education & training fund (setf) + $5.00 digital record retention

Room addition

$75,000 value, addition 400 sq ft

$464.50

$450.00 building permit + $5.00 technology fee (residential) + $4.50 state education & training fund (setf) + $5.00 digital record retention

New single-family home

$350,000 value, new single-family 2,400 sq ft

$2,124.50

$2,100.00 building permit + $15.00 technology fee (residential) + $4.50 state education & training fund (setf) + $5.00 digital record retention

How Pittsburgh calculates your permit fee

The city charges a building permit fee using $6.00 per $1,000 of project value, with a $130.00 minimum and a $8,000.00 maximum.

The fee table

Residential, all construction permit types

$6.00 per $1,000 of project value, with a $130.00 minimum and a $8,000.00 maximum.

Commercial, all construction permit types

$7.00 per $1,000 of project value, with a $605.00 minimum and a $95,000.00 maximum.

Added to every matching permit

Technology fee (residential): a fee table based on project value (Residential)
Technology fee (commercial): a fee table based on project value (Commercial)

Surcharges

State Education & Training Fund (SETF): $4.50
Digital Record Retention Fee: $5.00

What counts as project value

Your contract or bid price. "The cost of a permit will now be calculated based on the total construction value of the project." If the construction value changes between application and issuance the permit cost may change.

Worked example: a $350,000 new home

Building permit fee: $350,000.00 ÷ 1,000 × $6.00 = $2,100.00
Technology fee (residential): table value for $350,000.00: $15.00 = $15.00
State Education & Training Fund (SETF): fixed = $4.50
Digital Record Retention Fee: fixed = $5.00
Total before trade permits: $2,124.50.

Fees people miss

Fee	Amount
Residential certificate of occupancyWhen: only when no scope beyond Approve Use (not charged on permits that include other scopes)	$130.00 each
Residential overtime inspectionWhen: requested overtime inspection	$150.00 three-hour minimum, $58 each additional hour
Floodplain review (non-substantial)When: floodplain projects	$175.00 each
License holder change amendmentWhen: contractor change	$50.00 per permit
Residential pre-application plan review meetingWhen: optional	0.25% of project value, min $125, max $7,000
Card / eCheck processing feeWhen: online card or eCheck payment	small processing fee

How to apply

Gather your plans and your project's total value.
Submit to Department of Permits, Licenses, and Inspections (PLI), OneStopPGH through OneStopPGH.
Pay the permit and plan review fees when invoiced.
Questions: 412-255-2175 · 412 Boulevard of the Allies, Pittsburgh, PA

Source record

Effective: 2026-01-01
Verified: 2026-11-04
Issuer: Department of Permits, Licenses, and Inspections (PLI), OneStopPGH
Valuation: Your contract or bid price
Confidence: high

What this page does not cover (3)

Whether construction value is rounded to the next $1,000 is not stated; calculator uses exact value
Technology fee tiers are set by base permit fee; converted to valuation bands (exact for the stated rates); fees between $200 and $201 or $1,000 and $1,001 fall between printed tiers
Zoning fees (separate Zoning Fee Schedule) and trade permits not captured

Separate electrical, plumbing, mechanical, fire, impact, utility and school fees are usually not included unless they are listed. BuildingPermitCost is not a government permit office, and this is not legal advice.

Report an error · How we verify fees

How Pittsburgh compares

A $25,000 remodel costs $161.50 in Pittsburgh: 57% below the national median of $380.00, and the 2nd lowest of 5 places we cover in Pennsylvania (state median $304.50).

A $75,000 addition costs $464.50 in Pittsburgh: 43% below the national median of $820.58.

A $350,000 new home costs $2,124.50 in Pittsburgh: 27% below the national median of $2,918.63, and the 3rd lowest of 5 places we cover in Pennsylvania (state median $2,124.50).

Same standard projects everywhere, including plan review and required surcharges. All Pennsylvania places · Compare side by side

Pittsburgh permit fee FAQ

How much is a building permit in Pittsburgh, PA?

A $25,000 remodel: $161.50. A $75,000 addition: $464.50. A $350,000 new single-family: $2,124.50. These include every fee the schedule applies to that project; trade permits are separate.

Is plan review included in the Pittsburgh permit fee?

Pittsburgh lists no separate plan review fee for these projects.

How does Pittsburgh determine project value?

Your contract or bid price. "The cost of a permit will now be calculated based on the total construction value of the project." If the construction value changes between application and issuance the permit cost may change.

When did these Pittsburgh fees take effect?

The schedule is effective Jan 1, 2026 (“2026 Fee Schedule, effective 1/1/2026”). We last checked it against the official source on Nov 4, 2026.