East Goshen Township, Pennsylvania Building Permit Guide

East Goshen Township issues building and zoning permits on one combined application through its Codes and Zoning Department at 1580 Paoli Pike, West Chester (610-692-7171; codes@eastgoshen.org), led by Director of Codes and Zoning Kelly Krause. The township enforces the Uniform Construction Code with its own code staff, and the 2026 fee schedule, Resolution 2026-03, charges 1% of the cost for house renovations and additions, with a $200 minimum. Since February 1, 2025 every residential sale or refinance transfer application needs a $150 inspection before the use and occupancy certificate is issued.

What requires a building permit in East Goshen Township?

The township’s list of construction activities that need a permit is long and specific. It is a guide rather than a complete list, and the Code Department offers complimentary plan reviews for projects that turn out not to need a permit.

Fence and shed rules come from the zoning ordinance. Side and rear fences may be up to 6 feet on a house lot (8 feet elsewhere, 10 feet around a tennis court), while front-yard fences are limited to 4 feet and must be at least half open. On a lot of an acre or more, two sheds of up to 120 square feet or one of up to 240 square feet may stand in the side or rear yard setbacks; smaller lots get one 120-square-foot shed, and any shed in a setback is capped at 12 feet tall.

What East Goshen decides and what the state holds

East Goshen opted in to enforce the UCC on May 9, 2004, with no local amendments, so its building rules are the state code’s. What the township sets for itself is the zoning ordinance (Chapter 240), the stormwater ordinance, the sewer rules in Chapter 188, its fees, and the resale inspection program. The Planning Commission approved a draft data center ordinance in July 2026; the Board of Supervisors’ posted minutes and agendas through October 20, 2026 show no adoption hearing yet.

East Goshen Township building department: who handles permitting

The township’s Code Department, also called the Department of Code Enforcement, reviews plans, issues building and zoning permits and inspects residential and commercial work; it also runs planning, zoning, stormwater review and the resale program. Pennoni is the Township Engineer, and commercial electrical plans must be reviewed and approved by a licensed third-party electrical inspector before they are filed.

East Goshen permit types

The April 2026 Building & Zoning Permit Application is the main form, with a submission checklist on its first page. Separate forms cover demolition, stormwater management, road occupancy on township streets, signs, home occupations, rentals, and property transfers.

Residential permits

• Paperwork: the application, a stormwater management application if the work adds impervious cover, and a contract signed by the owner and contractor that names every trade doing work.
• Plans: two copies of residential plans with all specifications, materials and sizes; HVAC units need product specifications. A marked set comes back on approval.
• Site plan: two copies whenever the footprint grows, a structure is added or stormwater review is needed, showing distances to every property line; a boundary survey may be required. The building and impervious coverage worksheet must be completed.
• Contractors: an insurance certificate naming East Goshen Township as holder, workers’ compensation proof or affidavit, and the state home improvement (HIC) number for the general contractor and each trade.

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

Commercial permits

Non-residential projects file three sealed plan sets. Where the work includes electrical, three sets of electrical plans already approved by a licensed third-party electrical inspector go in with the application. Commercial fees run 1.5% to 2% of cost with higher minimums, and a business moving into existing space files the transfer application, priced by floor area.

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. The combined application doubles as the zoning permit; zoning-only items such as a shed up to 120 square feet ($150), a fence ($150) or new paving ($150) are priced in the zoning part of the schedule. The application asks whether the property is a historic resource, has easements, or lies in the floodplain.
• Zoning Hearing Board and conditional use. The board meets as needed; a hearing deposit of $550 covers notices, posting and half the court reporter. Conditional uses carry a $2,000 consultant escrow. Appeals of a building code decision go to the township’s ICC Board of Appeals and stormwater disputes to its Stormwater Appeals Board, each for a $100 filing fee plus a $400 deposit.
• Stormwater. Under Ordinance 129-F-2013, small projects may use the Simplified Approach ($300 plus engineering). The application package allows it for about 1,000 to under 2,000 square feet of regulated impervious surface with under 5,000 square feet of disturbance, while the fee schedule labels it for 1,000 square feet or less; larger projects need a full submission ($100 plus a $2,000 escrow).
• Sewer and septic. New sewer laterals cost $750, and tap-in fees depend on the sewer district. On-lot systems are permitted by the Chester County Health Department and must be pumped every three years under the township program.
• Driveways and roads. New or widened driveways cost $100 plus engineering; work in a township road needs a road occupancy permit.

East Goshen permit costs and fees

The Board of Supervisors adopted the 2026 fee schedule, Resolution 2026-03, on January 5, 2026, by a 5 to 0 vote. Percentage fees are taken on the job cost, and the $4.50 state UCC fee is added to every building permit.

Worked example: a $40,000 kitchen renovation in a house is 1% of cost, or $400, plus $4.50. A $9,000 new deck works out to $90 at 1%, so the $150 minimum applies. Work done without a permit pays double the fee, with a $250 minimum for a house, and the annual permit renewal fee is $150. On commercial lots, zoning fees run $200 to $300 for accessory buildings and 1.5% of cost, at least $300, for projects the schedule does not list.

Trade permits and who may pull them

East Goshen’s pages show no local electrician or plumber license. It registers contractors ($50 a year) and, on every application, asks for the electrician’s, plumber’s and HVAC contractor’s insurance, workers’ compensation proof and state HICPA number alongside the general contractor’s. Whatever the permit status, every contractor working in the township must give the township proof of insurance and contact details.

• Electrical: a $100 flat residential permit ($150 commercial); commercial electrical plans need third-party inspector approval first.
• Plumbing and mechanical: $200 on their own or $100 when added to another residential permit.
• Fire protection: residential sprinkler systems at 1% of cost ($250 minimum), monitored alarms $150; commercial systems at 1.5% with a $500 minimum, plus Knox boxes ($50).
• Solar: $100 flat for a house.

How to apply for an East Goshen building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

The checklist warns that incomplete applications delay review, and it lists the signed contract, insurance certificates and coverage calculations among the required items. State rules give the township 15 business days to decide a residential application and 30 for commercial work. Once issued, the permit must be displayed in a window visible from the street entrance.

Inspections in East Goshen Township

Inspections are scheduled through the Permit Coordinator at ext. 3202, who also answers permit status questions. Missed inspections, where the work is not ready or there is no access, cost $100 each on a house, and a required inspection the owner or contractor never schedules costs $200; failed inspections may be charged $100 at the building code official’s discretion.

Resale and refinance use and occupancy

Before a house is sold or rented, or a business space changes hands or use, the owner files the Residential Property Transfer Application. Since February 1, 2025 every transfer application requires an inspection before the use and occupancy certificate issues; the township reviews the property for open permits, open violations and any change of use. Three checks go to East Goshen Township: $150 for the inspection and $15 each for the sewer and trash certificates. Processing takes 15 business days, incomplete applications are returned, and an application filed 15 days or less before settlement pays a $100 expedite fee. Owners of the township’s 520 on-lot septic systems must show a pumping every three years and pay a $10 administrative fee.

Pennsylvania building code in East Goshen Township

FEMA’s Community Status Book lists East Goshen Township (community 420277) as participating in the National Flood Insurance Program, with flood maps effective September 29, 2017; the permit application asks whether the structure is in a Special Flood Hazard Area.

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

East Goshen permit search and official resources

East Goshen posts building permit reports by month on its Building Permit Reports page, which is the quickest way to see what has been issued. For copies of a specific permit or file, use the township’s Right to Know Request Application. Board of Supervisors agendas and minutes, including the January 2026 fee vote, are on the board’s page. County planning, health and conservation district offices are covered in the Chester County permit guide.

• East Goshen permits and inspections
• Forms and applications
• Building and zoning permit application (April 2026)
• 2026 fee schedule, Resolution 2026-03
• Construction activities which require a permit
• Shed and accessory structure requirements
• Fence regulations
• Stormwater management application (Simplified Approach)
• Use and occupancy for property transfers
• Building permit reports
• Right to Know request application
• Chester County Health Department sewage and wells
• Pennsylvania L&I municipal UCC elections list
• FEMA Community Status Book, Pennsylvania

East Goshen building permit FAQs

How much is a building permit in East Goshen?

For a house, renovations and additions cost 1% of the job cost with a $200 minimum, and new homes 1.5% with a $300 minimum, plus $4.50.

Do I need a permit for a new roof or siding?

Yes. Re-roofing and re-siding are on the township’s permit list, at 1% of cost with a $200 minimum.

Is an inspection required when I sell my house?

Yes. Since February 1, 2025 every transfer application needs a $150 inspection, plus $15 each for sewer and trash certificates; allow 15 business days.

How big can my shed be?

On a lot under an acre, one shed of up to 120 square feet in the side or rear yard setback; larger lots may have two of 120 or one of 240, each no taller than 12 feet in the setback.

How high can my fence be?

Up to 6 feet in side and rear yards on a residential lot, and 4 feet in a front yard with at least half the fence open.

Who permits septic systems and wells?

The Chester County Health Department; the township then requires on-lot systems to be pumped every three years.

How do I schedule an inspection?

Call the Permit Coordinator at 610-692-7171, ext. 3202.

Simplify East Goshen Township 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 East Goshen Township permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.