Baldwin, Pennsylvania Building Permit Guide

In Baldwin Borough every building or zoning question starts at the code enforcement desk of the Department of Building Inspections and Code Enforcement, 3344 Churchview Avenue (412-882-9600), and Middle Department Inspection Agency (MDIA) helps the code enforcement officer with plan review, residential alterations and commercial inspections. Under the fee schedule the Borough Council adopted on March 17, 2026, a house project up to $10,000 costs 1% of the work plus a $125 review fee and the $4.50 state fee.

What requires a building permit in Baldwin?

The Borough’s building permit page names five kinds of work that always need a permit: new additions, structural alterations, decks, a complete roof replacement and new construction. Its department page adds that the office handles any type of construction, grading permits, residential occupancy and commercial fire safety inspections.

Sheds have their own limits in the zoning ordinance: no larger than 150 square feet, at least 5 feet from the neighboring property line and never in the front yard, shown on an up-to-date plot plan or survey. A dumpster that must sit in the street, or stay on a lot for more than 45 days, needs a written request to the Zoning Officer.

What Baldwin decides and what the state holds

The construction rules themselves come from the statewide Uniform Construction Code, which Baldwin chose to enforce locally in May 2004; the Department of Labor and Industry lists the Borough as an opt-in municipality with local amendments. What Baldwin sets for itself is its zoning ordinance (Chapter 168 of the Borough Code), its flood damage prevention ordinance, its grading, stormwater and sewer rules, the 2009 Property Maintenance Code used for occupancy inspections and the fee schedule. The zoning ordinance is being rewritten: the Planning Director and the consultant LSSE expect to bring the drafts to Council in January 2027, so check which version applies before a large project.

Baldwin building department: who handles permitting

The Department of Building Inspections and Code Enforcement issues the permits. It keeps the building, zoning and occupancy work in one office, and its building permit page says MDIA, a certified third-party agency, assists the Borough’s code enforcement officer with plan review, residential alterations and commercial inspections. The Borough’s own submittal checklists state that MDIA reviews the plans and the Borough then calls the applicant to collect the permit.

The office takes cash, checks, credit and debit cards and money orders.

Baldwin permit types

Baldwin uses one building permit application for every kind of job. The form follows MDIA’s layout: it asks for the site, owner, contractor and architect, the type of work (new building, addition, alteration, repair, demolition, deck, energy, foundation only, change of use, plumbing, mechanical, electrical, fire protection), separate estimated costs for structural, electrical, plumbing and heating work, the use group, and two floodplain questions. It may be signed by the owner or lessee, their agent, or the registered design professional on the job. Customer assistance guides cover dwellings, additions, detached structures, demolition, signs and existing commercial buildings.

Residential permits

The single-family dwelling checklist must be complete before a house application is accepted. It calls for the contractor’s certificate of workers’ compensation insurance, or a notarized affidavit of exemption when the homeowner or an uninsured contractor builds; a sewer permit or septic permit where applicable; a site plan showing the outside dimensions and the distances in feet to the front, side and rear lines; and three sets of construction documents. The drawings must show footings below the frost line, the foundation, framing sizes and spacing, egress windows, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, insulation values, the trades, stair and guard dimensions and wall bracing. The buyer of a new home must be offered an automatic fire sprinkler system, and if it is declined the plans need a detail of the basement ceiling assembly. The detached-structure guide asks for the same site plan and three drawing sets for sheds, detached garages and pavilions.

Building or remodeling a home here? Alliance handles residential permit applications, so the crew isn't waiting on the counter.

Commercial permits

Commercial building fees are calculated once MDIA has reviewed the plans, plus the $4.50 state fee. Commercial fire safety inspections are charged by floor area. Any engineering cost the Borough incurs reviewing grading, a site plan, a subdivision or a land development is billed back to the applicant on top of the permit fees.

For tenant improvements and new commercial builds, Alliance handles commercial building permits through issuance. More on this: commercial building permits explained.

What comes before the building permit

• Zoning. Accessory items are zoning permits under Chapter 168; anything that conflicts with the ordinance needs a variance from the Zoning Hearing Board. The five-member board hears appeals from the Zoning Officer, variances, special exceptions and challenges to zoning rules, and meets on the third Thursday of the month when an application has been filed.
• Land development. Conditional uses, site plan review, rezoning, planned residential developments and subdivisions are on the fee schedule, with escrow of 2% of the site development cost (minimum $1,500) for subdivisions.
• Floodplain. Baldwin requires an elevation certificate, prepared by a certified surveyor, engineer or contractor, for any new structure or any improvement costing 50% or more of the structure’s value, whether or not the site is in the mapped Special Flood Hazard Area. Flooding comes from the Monongahela River along East Carson Street and from Streets Run, Lick Run and Becks Run.
• Sewer. Depending on the street, a property drains to ALCOSAN or to the Pleasant Hills Sewer Authority (the Borough posts a street listing). A sanitary sewer tap-in costs $2,000, and the schedule lists a separate $4,000 “PHA sanitary sewer fee”.
• Grading and walls. Grading permits are priced by cubic yards moved, and wall permits cost $100 plus 2.5% of the grading or construction cost.

Baldwin permit costs and fees

Baldwin’s fees are set in Appendix A, the Borough fee schedule, last amended by Resolution No. 2026-03-08, which Council adopted on March 17, 2026. For one- and two-family homes the building fee is a percentage of the project cost plus a flat review fee; electrical, plumbing and mechanical fees are added separately when the permit is approved.

Two examples from the residential rows: an $8,000 deck costs 1% ($80) plus the $125 review fee and the $4.50 state fee, or $209.50 before any electrical fee. A $30,000 addition falls in the second band: 1.5% ($450) plus $125 and $4.50, or $579.50, again before electrical, plumbing or mechanical fees. Above $50,000 the Borough calculates the fee when the permit is approved. The Borough’s zoning web page still shows $50 for shed and fence permits; the adopted March 2026 schedule sets $75 for residential zoning permits, and the adopted schedule governs.

Trade permits and who may pull them

• Electrical: marked on the same building application with its own cost line. The schedule charges $125 for a residential electrical inspection and bills commercial electrical inspections at MDIA’s rates; the Borough’s pages do not name a separate residential electrical inspector, so the code desk assigns it with the permit.
• Plumbing: Baldwin does not issue plumbing permits. The Allegheny County Health Department requires a permit for residential and commercial plumbing, approves the plumbing plan before work starts and carries out the inspections, including a final; permits are filed online through the county’s Citizen Access Portal or at 2121 Noblestown Road. In Allegheny County a landlord must hire a master plumber for plumbing work in rental units.
• Mechanical: heating and air conditioning costs go on the building application, and the mechanical fee is set when the permit is approved.
• Sewer laterals: the dye test and camera inspection needed when a property changes hands must be done by an Allegheny County certified plumber.

Baldwin’s pages show no Borough license for electricians, heating contractors or general contractors; home improvement contractors register with the Attorney General under the state’s home improvement law, and the application asks for each contractor’s details.

How to apply for a Baldwin building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

The Borough’s own warning is that an application with incomplete information will delay processing, and its checklists say MDIA will ask for more information when the minimum submittal is not met. Under the state code a residential application must be decided within 15 business days and a commercial one within 30. A Baldwin permit stays valid for 6 months if work has not begun and, once construction starts, for 5 years. Zoning Hearing Board cases wait for the board’s monthly meeting.

Inspections in Baldwin

Residential construction permits require inspections, and the Borough lists the specific inspections once the permit is issued. Commercial inspections are handled with MDIA, and the Borough runs commercial fire safety inspections, charging $75 each from the third re-inspection.

Occupancy inspections when a home sells or is rented

Baldwin requires an occupancy inspection and permit whenever a home is sold and whenever a new tenant moves into a rental unit, under the 2009 Property Maintenance Code. The Code Enforcement and Zoning Officer checks exterior maintenance, smoke detectors (one per floor and one per bedroom), GFCI outlets near water and in garages and unfinished basements, handrails where there are more than 4 risers, venting of the water heater and furnace, bath fans, wiring and plumbing condition, and the separation between an integral garage and the living space. Rentals also need a fire extinguisher and deadbolts that open from inside without a key. Utilities must be on or occupancy cannot be granted. The inspection costs $150, and the sale package also needs a $20 lien letter and a $35 dye test and sewer camera inspection; submit everything at least 3 weeks before closing. The sewer certificate is valid for 5 years and is also required when a property is refinanced, assigned or mortgaged.

Pennsylvania building code

Baldwin Borough elected to enforce the Uniform Construction Code on May 17, 2004, and L&I’s list shows it with local amendments. FEMA’s Community Status Book lists Baldwin (community 420007) among the participating communities in the National Flood Insurance Program, with its current flood map dated September 26, 2014.

Pennsylvania has one Uniform Construction Code for the whole state, based on the 2021 International Codes since January 1, 2026. Most municipalities enforce it themselves or through a certified third-party agency; where a municipality has opted out, the Department of Labor and Industry handles commercial work and home owners hire a certified agency. Counties do not issue building permits. Pennsylvania rules

Baldwin permit search and official resources

Baldwin’s permit records are kept at the Municipal Complex rather than in an online search. Questions about an existing permit or a past occupancy certificate go to the permit and closing administrator (ext. 1715), and the Borough can tell sellers whether a valid sewer certificate is already on file. Formal requests for permit files go through the Borough’s right-to-know process: Baldwin has 5 business days to respond, and copies cost $0.25 a page ($0.50 in color).

• Baldwin building permit page
• Department of Building Inspections and Code Enforcement
• Building permit application (PDF)
• Single-family dwelling submittal guide
• Detached structure submittal guide
• Borough fee schedule, revised March 17, 2026
• Council minutes, March 17, 2026 (Resolution 2026-03-08)
• Zoning permits
• Zoning Hearing Board
• Selling property in Baldwin
• Occupancy inspections
• Elevation certificates
• Flood Resource Center
• Sewage and treatment plant listing
• Right to Know
• Allegheny County Health Department plumbing permits
• L&I municipal UCC elections list
• FEMA Community Status Book, Pennsylvania

Baldwin building permit FAQs

How much is a building permit in Baldwin?

For a one- or two-family home, 1% of the cost up to $10,000 or 1.5% from $10,001 to $50,000, plus a $125 review fee and the $4.50 state fee. Larger and commercial jobs are priced on approval.

Do I need a permit to replace my roof in Baldwin?

Yes. The Borough lists a complete roof replacement among the jobs that need a building permit.

Do I need a permit for a shed or a fence?

Both need a zoning permit, $75 for a home under the March 2026 schedule. Sheds may be no larger than 150 square feet, at least 5 feet from the neighbor’s line and out of the front yard.

Who reviews the plans?

Middle Department Inspection Agency (MDIA) reviews plans and helps the Borough’s code enforcement officer with residential alteration and commercial inspections.

What does Baldwin require when I sell my house?

A $150 occupancy inspection and permit, a $35 dye test and sewer camera inspection by a county-certified plumber, and a $20 lien letter, filed at least 3 weeks before closing.

Who issues plumbing permits in Baldwin?

The Allegheny County Health Department, which must approve the plumbing plan before work begins.

How long is a Baldwin permit good for?

6 months if work has not started; once construction begins, 5 years.

Simplify Baldwin permitting with Alliance Permitting

Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Pennsylvania. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the permitting authority through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Baldwin permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.