Who issues building permits in Philadelphia?

The Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I) issues building permits in Philadelphia.

How do I look up building permits in Philadelphia?

Search the city's records at https://li.phila.gov/property-history by address or permit number. US Permit Search groups every commercial and multifamily permit at an address into one project page, with the contractor and declared value.

How much does a building permit cost in Philadelphia?

Under L&I's schedule effective October 1, 2026, non-residential (other occupancy) new construction costs $253 for the first 500 sq ft plus $73 per additional 100 sq ft. Alterations cost $253 for the first 500 sq ft plus $60 per additional 100 sq ft, or the applicant can choose 2% of the construction cost (minimum $253). A $100 filing fee also applies to non-1-or-2-family occupancies. The official schedule: https://www.phila.gov/documents/fees-for-li-permits-and-licenses/.

How to Get a Building Permit in Philadelphia, PA (2026)

Where to apply and look up permits in Philadelphia

Apply for a permiteCLIPSE ↗eclipse.phila.gov/
Look up a permitL&I Property History ↗li.phila.gov/property-history
FeesOfficial fee schedule ↗www.phila.gov/documents/fees-for-li-permits-and-licenses/
Open dataPhiladelphia building permit dataset ↗opendataphilly.org/datasets/licenses-and-inspections-building-and-zoning-permits/

You need a building permit before constructing a new building, enlarging or altering a structure, demolishing, changing occupancy classification or increasing occupant load, making major non-maintenance repairs, or disturbing 5,000 sq ft or more of earth.

Applications are filed online in eCLIPSE, and a Zoning Permit is usually needed first. Some simpler projects qualify for EZ permits with no plans. Permits can be searched by address in L&I Property History or Atlas (https://atlas.phila.gov/).

L&I reviews applications for anything other than 1-2 family homes (including commercial) within 20 business days, and 1-2 family alterations or new construction within 15. New construction with plans can get accelerated review within 5 business days for a $2,000 fee.

How to get a building permit in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Where to apply and look up permits in Philadelphia

How to get a building permit in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Where to apply and look up permits in Philadelphia

Most common commercial permit types

Commercial permits per month

Questions and answers