Hazleton, Pennsylvania Building Permit Guide

In the City of Hazleton, building and zoning permits are issued by the city’s Office of Code Enforcement, Licenses and Permits at City Hall, 40 North Church Street (570-459-4960), and a city PAUCC building inspector inspects the work; commercial projects of three or more units that need third-party inspection are priced separately. The zoning permit ($75 per residential unit, $125 commercial) must be filed before the building permit, every property tax, garbage, water and sewer balance must be paid first, and the city runs occupancy inspections for property sales and rentals.

What requires a building permit in Hazleton?

The city’s list is broad and reaches work that many towns exempt. A building permit is required for any interior renovation, including plumbing, electrical and general repair, and for exterior renovations such as new siding, a new roof or a new sidewalk. Sheds, fences, paving, blacktop and concrete work need one too. Many of the same projects also need a zoning permit.

The zoning ordinance exempts only ordinary repairs and maintenance that do not change the use or the outside dimensions of a building. Residential fences may be 3 feet high in a front yard and 6 feet in side and rear yards (4 and 8 feet for non-residential property), with posts and supports inside the property line; fences need no setback, but discarded materials may not be used.

What Hazleton decides and what the state holds

Hazleton opted in to enforce the Uniform Construction Code itself from June 22, 2004, with no local amendments to the code. The city controls the permit list above, the zoning ordinance of 2021 and its amendments, the subdivision and land development ordinance, stormwater rules (Ordinance 2022-1), excavation permits, rental registration, occupancy inspections, contractor licensing and every fee in its fee schedule.

Hazleton building department: who handles permitting

Permits are handled by the city’s Code Enforcement department, whose Licenses and Permits office takes applications and fees. The city employs its own PAUCC building inspector, Tino Nocchi, who is also the city’s contact on L&I’s UCC list, and the Building Code Official issues certificates of occupancy for commercial property after the final inspection. Zoning enforcement officers handle zoning permits, and a team of code inspectors handles property maintenance and occupancy inspections. For commercial projects, including buildings of three or more units, that need third-party inspections, the city asks applicants to call the Licenses and Permits office for requirements and rates.

The city has warned that criminals are sending phishing emails that impersonate city and county officials over planning and zoning permits; deal with the office directly at the numbers above.

Hazleton permit types

Hazleton’s process runs in a fixed order: zoning first, then the building permit, then inspections and, for businesses, occupancy. The city posts the zoning permit application, zoning appeal application, occupancy inspection requests and its plan requirements online; the building permit application itself is handled at the Licenses and Permits office.

Residential permits

Homeowners file the residential zoning application ($75 per unit) for additions, decks, sheds, garages, fences, pools and driveways, then the building permit for the construction. The zoning form records whether the applicant is the record owner, a buyer under agreement, a tenant or an option holder, whether the property is a rental and whether its rental registration is current, and asks for a copy of the applicant’s driver’s license and a sketch plan. Demolition permits are priced by building type, from $40 for a shed to $500 for a double dwelling.

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

Commercial permits

Every new business needs a commercial zoning permit ($125), whether it builds new or moves into an existing building, followed by an occupancy inspection. Commercial plans go in as three sets signed and sealed by a registered design professional. The building set must show elevations, construction types, use groups and occupant loads, the means of egress, rated assemblies, schedules, design loads, structural sections and accessibility features; separate electrical, plumbing and mechanical sets must show items such as panel schedules and load calculations, water and drain-waste-vent isometrics with fixture units, and equipment, duct and ventilation layouts.

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 permit. Required before the building permit application. The permits page asks for 15 days; the application form cites Zoning Ordinance 2021-9, Chapter 11, Section 1103 C, which gives the Zoning Officer 30 days to decide.
• Zoning Hearing Board. Appeals and variances ($600 residential, $900 commercial) are heard at 6:30 p.m. in Council Chambers, usually on the third Thursday, on the dates the city posts.
• Land development and stormwater. Subdivision and land development filings follow the SALDO fee schedule, with a $3,000 escrow for commercial and industrial land development; stormwater site plans cost $100 to $300 for review depending on level.
• Street work. Excavation in a city street needs an excavation permit; a downtown overlay district adds its own rules.
• Paid-up accounts. No permit issues while property taxes, garbage, water or sewer charges or fines are outstanding.

Hazleton permit costs and fees

The city’s home page links a “Chapter 1 Article 1 Fee Schedule” as its fee schedule; the document prints no adoption date. It does not give the building permit fee: its Section 180-6 line says only “See UCC Fee Schedule”, and that schedule is not posted. The permits page answers the cost question the same way, by sending applicants to the Licenses and Permits office at 570-459-4960, so ask the office for the figure on a specific job.

Worked from the posted rates: selling a duplex with 15 days’ notice costs $150 in occupancy inspections ($75 for each dwelling unit), but $300 if booked with less than 15 days’ notice and $600 if it must happen within 72 hours. A demolition permit for a residential garage costs $100, and for a single home $350.

Trade permits and who may pull them

Plumbing and electrical work is covered by the building permit: the city lists interior renovations “including plumbing, electrical and general repair” as building permit work, and its commercial plan rules call for separate signed and sealed electrical, plumbing and mechanical plan sets.

• Contractor license. Contractors need a Hazleton City Contractors Business License to work on a commercial structure or build a new dwelling. The license requires a copy of the insurance policy with at least $500,000 of liability coverage, and proof of workers’ compensation if anyone else works for the contractor. The fee schedule prices licenses for electrical, general, plumbing, HVAC and snow-plowing contractors at $150 each.
• Estimates. Every contractor applying for a permit must show the written estimate given to the client and a description of the job.
• Home improvement registration. Home improvement contractors must be registered with the Attorney General’s office.

Plan sets for commercial work must be prepared by a registered design professional licensed in the state where the construction takes place.

How to apply for a Hazleton building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

The city says applications can take up to 15 days for a residential property and 30 days for a commercial property, in line with the state UCC’s 15 and 30 business days unless extended by agreement. The most common Hazleton-specific stall is an unpaid city bill: the office will not issue any permit until all taxes, garbage, water and sewer charges and fines are paid. Others are filing the building application before the zoning permit, missing seals on commercial plan sets, and a contractor without a current city license on a commercial or new-house job.

Inspections in Hazleton

The city’s PAUCC building inspector carries out the required UCC inspections; reach the inspector at 570-459-4961 ext. 616. For commercial property, the Building Code Official issues the certificate of occupancy once the final inspection is complete, after checking items such as fire extinguishers, exit signs and any defects to fix before occupancy.

Occupancy inspections at sale and for rentals

Hazleton’s occupancy inspection request covers three cases: a purchase or sale (“buy/sell”), rental registration and condemned buildings, and an occupancy permit is issued after the inspection. The request form names the buyer, seller, real estate agency, abstract company or attorney and the closing date, and the city needs at least 15 working days’ notice; shorter notice triggers the rush fees. The inspection checks the property against the 2018 International Property Maintenance Code and city Ordinance 2024-13, including handrails on steps with more than four risers, guards on surfaces more than 30 inches above grade, working exterior lights, sound roofs and foundations, paint free of peeling and visible address numbers. The city stresses that its inspection does not replace a private home inspection.

Rental properties are inspected by code enforcement, the Building Code Official or the fire chief under the rental registration and inspection ordinance before a certificate of compliance is issued; the fee schedule also lists a $25 building registration fee per building and a $25 residential inspection per unit under the business license chapter.

Pennsylvania building code in Hazleton

Hazleton enforces the Uniform Construction Code with its own building inspector under its June 22, 2004 opt-in, with no local amendments. FEMA’s Community Status Book lists the City of Hazleton (community 421203) as participating in the National Flood Insurance Program, with no special flood hazard area mapped in the city; its initial flood map dates from November 2, 2012.

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

Hazleton permit search and official resources

There is no online permit search. For permit and occupancy records on a property, contact the Licenses and Permits office. Formal requests go to the Right-to-Know Officer on the city’s request form (PDF or Word), at City Hall’s second floor; the office is open 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The city answers requests for records only, not questions, and anyone with an unpaid invoice for earlier records will be denied future requests until it is paid. Council minutes and agendas, including zoning ordinance amendments, are posted on the city site.

• Hazleton permits and licenses
• Building inspections and plan requirements
• Zoning Department and Zoning Hearing Board
• Zoning permit application (2026)
• Hazleton City Zoning Ordinance of 2021
• City of Hazleton fee schedule
• Residential occupancy inspection request (2026)
• Commercial occupancy inspection request (2026)
• City notice on permit phishing emails
• Open records and Right-to-Know
• City Council minutes
• Pennsylvania L&I municipal UCC elections list
• FEMA Community Status Book, Pennsylvania

Hazleton building permit FAQs

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

Yes. The city requires a building permit for exterior renovations including a new roof, new siding or a new sidewalk.

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

Yes, both a building permit and a residential zoning permit. Residential fences may be 3 feet high in the front yard and 6 feet at the sides and rear.

Is there a city inspection when a house in Hazleton is sold?

Yes. The city’s occupancy inspection request has a buy/sell option, with the closing date and an occupancy permit issued after inspection; it costs $75 per dwelling unit with 15 working days’ notice, more for rush bookings.

How much is a zoning permit in Hazleton?

$75 per unit for residential use and $125 for a commercial zoning permit. File it before the building permit application.

How long does a Hazleton permit take?

Up to 15 days for a residential property and 30 days for a commercial property, once all city bills are paid.

Do contractors need a Hazleton license?

Yes, to work on a commercial structure or build a new dwelling: a city contractors business license with $500,000 liability insurance. Trade licenses cost $150 each, or $400 for all trades.

Why was my permit held even though the plans were fine?

Hazleton will not issue a permit while property taxes, garbage, water or sewer charges or city fines on the property are unpaid.

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