Building Permits in Pennsylvania

How much does a building permit cost in Pennsylvania?

Most building permits in the United States cost between $150 and $2,000, with a national median around $1,300. Permit fees are usually set as a percentage of the declared project value — commonly 0.5% to 2% — or on a per-$1,000-of-valuation schedule, so a larger Pennsylvania project pays a proportionally larger permit fee.

Across the 12,122 Pennsylvania permits we currently track, the average declared project value is about $1,300. At a typical 0.5%–2% permit-fee schedule, that implies roughly $10–$30 in permit fees for an average Pennsylvania project — though your city's fee schedule and project scope set the exact figure.

Pennsylvania Building Permit Activity

Across 2 Pennsylvania cities we tracked 3,716 new building permits in the last 30 days. That's up 2.4% from the prior 30 days.

Fastest-growing Pennsylvania markets this month

• Reading — 18 permits, up 80.0% vs the prior month
• Philadelphia — 3,698 permits, up 2.2% vs the prior month

Pennsylvania Construction Market

We're tracking 12,122 active building permits across 2 Pennsylvania cities, led by Philadelphia with 12818 tracked permits.

PermitGrab pulls this data daily, directly from Pennsylvania municipal permit offices — so you see new residential renovations, commercial buildouts, and major developments as they're filed, before your competition finds them.

Browse the cities above to explore specific markets, or sign up for Pro to get daily email alerts and full contact information for permit holders.

Frequently Asked Questions About Pennsylvania Building Permits