Lehigh County has twenty five municipalities, and building permits are issued by each municipality, not the county. By the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimates the most populous are Allentown (126044), Lower Macungie Township (33507), Upper Macungie Township (29600) and Whitehall Township (29405).
This guide covers Allentown, Lower Macungie and Whitehall, and the county planning, conservation and PennDOT offices. Upper Macungie Township’s website could not be checked, so contact the township directly.
What requires a building permit in Lehigh County?
Lehigh County issues no building permits: under Pennsylvania’s Construction Code Act counties are not municipalities. Each municipality administers the statewide Uniform Construction Code itself or through a certified third-party agency, so what needs a permit, what it costs and how it is filed depend on the municipality.
Any earth disturbance of 1 acre or greater needs an NPDES permit through the Lehigh County Conservation District, and stream and wetland encroachment permits are handled by DEP’s Northeast Regional office.
Pennsylvania enforces one statewide Uniform Construction Code under Act 45 of 1999, based since January 1, 2026 on the 2021 ICC codes and administered by most municipalities themselves or through certified third-party agencies; counties issue no building permits. Building codes in Pennsylvania
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Get a free quote →Who handles permitting in Lehigh County?
Each municipality issues its own building permits. The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission (615 Waterfront Drive, Suite 201, Allentown; 610-264-4544) is the county planning commission and reviews every subdivision and land development plan for the 62 municipalities of Lehigh and Northampton counties. Slatington Borough has no local subdivision ordinance, so plans there follow the Lehigh County ordinance with a separate application.
| Municipality | Office | Contact and hours |
|---|---|---|
| Allentown | Bureau of Building Standards and Safety, City Hall, 435 Hamilton St, 4th Floor | (610) 437-7592; Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. |
| Lower Macungie Township | Permit Department, 3400 Brookside Road, Macungie | 610-966-4343; Monday Thru Friday 8 am to 4:15 pm |
| Whitehall Township | Township office, 3219 MacArthur Road, Whitehall | 610-437-5524; Mon-Fri 8am-4pm |
Local rules in the largest Lehigh County municipalities
Allentown
All permits can be applied for online through the Citizen Self Service Portal (css.allentownpa.gov). Expedited plan review takes 10 working days for an extra fee.
Lower Macungie Township
The Permit Department handles applications; the 2026 fee schedule (Resolution 2025-60, updated by Resolution 2026-12) requires 48 hour notice for inspections.
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Permit paperwork is filed with and issued by the Township, but all plan review and inspections are contracted to Keycodes Inspection Agency, 610-866-9663. The Township does not accept online submissions or credit cards; fees are paid by cash or check. Permits must be taken out by the contractor doing the work and can take 15 to 30 business days to issue.
Lehigh County permit costs and fees
Each municipality sets its own fees:
- Allentown: a nonrefundable application fee of $50 residential / $100 commercial; residential permits are the greater of $50 or 1% of the total cost of work, commercial the greater of $75 or 1.5%; expedited plan review is an extra $0.05 per square foot; starting work without a permit doubles the permit fee.
- Lower Macungie Township: a new single-family, twin or townhome dwelling is $.70 per SF of gross floor area with an $850.00 minimum; a re-inspection is $80.00.
- Whitehall Township: cash or check only.
Fees are set by the municipality or its third-party agency, plus the flat $4.50 state Uniform Construction Code fee on each permit. Permit fees in Pennsylvania
Trade permits in Lehigh County
In Whitehall Township plumbing must be done by a plumber licensed by Whitehall Township, and the permit must be taken out by the contractor doing the work.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Trade work follows the Uniform Construction Code; electrical, plumbing and HVAC licences are issued locally where they exist, not by the state. Trade permits in Pennsylvania
How to get a building permit in Lehigh County
The city, township or borough where the parcel is issues the permit.
Allentown online through the Citizen Self Service Portal; Whitehall on paper, with no online submissions.
In Whitehall the contractor doing the work takes out the permit.
Driveways and other work in a state highway right-of-way need a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit, applied for through the Electronic Permitting System.
1 acre or greater needs an NPDES permit; the Conservation District issues General Permits itself.
A Pennsylvania permit lapses if work does not start within 180 days or stops for 180 days, and lasts no more than 5 years; residential applications must be decided within 15 business days. Permit validity in Pennsylvania
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Get a free quote →Inspections in Lehigh County
Lower Macungie Township inspections run Monday, Wednesday, Friday 8 am to 4:15 pm and Tuesday & Thursday 7:30 am to 4:15 pm, with 48 hour notice. Whitehall Township inspections are done by Keycodes Inspection Agency (610-866-9663).
Erosion control and state offices for Lehigh County
The Lehigh County Conservation District (4184 Dorney Park Rd, Suite 105, Allentown, PA 18104; 610-391-9583; Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30 pm) reviews E&S plans and NPDES permits. The county is in PennDOT Engineering District 5 (1002 Hamilton Street, Allentown, PA 18101; 610-871-4106; 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Monday - Friday).
Official Lehigh County permitting resources
These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →- About Lehigh County
- Lehigh Valley Planning Commission subdivision and land development
- Lehigh County Conservation District
- Allentown Building Standards and Safety
- Lower Macungie permit information
- Whitehall Township permits
- PennDOT District 5
- PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit
Frequently asked questions
Does Lehigh County issue building permits?
No. Each of its twenty five municipalities issues building permits.
How are Allentown permit fees calculated?
Residential permits are the greater of $50 or 1% of the total cost of work, plus a nonrefundable $50 residential application fee.
Can I pay Whitehall Township permit fees by card?
No. Whitehall does not accept credit cards; fees are paid by cash or check.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
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- Confirm which municipality, and which code official or third-party agency, handles the parcel
- Prepare the municipal application plus any county, conservation district or PennDOT filing the project needs
- Schedule the required inspections and close out the permit
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.
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More Pennsylvania permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Lehigh County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.