Tredyffrin Township, Pennsylvania Building Permit Guide

Tredyffrin Township’s Permits and Inspections office at 1100 DuPortail Road, Berwyn, issues building, trade, stormwater and tree removal permits; its staff list is headed by Erin McPherson, Director of Planning and Zoning and Zoning Officer. Every application now goes through the township’s Clariti portal; nothing is paid at filing, because the applicant is invoiced once the plans are reviewed. Barry Isett & Associates is the appointed plan review and inspection agency for 2026, and the fee schedule, Resolution 2026-06, prices a house addition under 500 square feet at $104.50 plus 75 cents a square foot.

What requires a building permit in Tredyffrin Township?

Tredyffrin’s rule covers building, enlarging, altering, repairing, moving or demolishing a building, changing its occupancy, and installing or replacing any regulated electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system. The township also prints the ordinary repairs that need no permit.

Detached decks and garages under 1,000 square feet take a zoning permit application instead of the building application. Any project disturbing more than 500 square feet needs a stormwater and grading permit, and smaller ones file a stormwater exemption.

What Tredyffrin decides and what the state holds

Tredyffrin opted in to enforce the UCC on May 3, 2004, with local amendments recorded by L&I. The Board of Supervisors sets fees by resolution, appointed the 2026 inspection agency in January, and adopts local ordinances the state code does not cover: the zoning code (Chapter 208), the stormwater ordinance, the Woodland Conservation Ordinance of August 28, 2023, and Chapter 151 property registration for student homes, which the Board replaced in full with Ordinance HR-499 on September 21, 2026. Data centers are under discussion but not regulated yet: on that date the supervisors said they were considering the issue, and a presentation on municipal controls for data centers is posted with the November 4, 2026 meeting materials; no data-center ordinance appears in the posted minutes.

Tredyffrin Township building department: who handles permitting

The township issues the permits; plan review and inspections are contracted. At the January 5, 2026 organization meeting the Board appointed Barry Isett & Associates for plan review and inspection services for 2026, and the department lists United Inspection Agency as its electrical inspectors. Zoning reviews, zoning certificates and Zoning Hearing Board filings run through the Planning and Zoning side of the same department.

The township is moving its website and email from tredyffrin.org to tredyffrin.gov through 2026, aiming to finish by the start of 2027.

Tredyffrin permit types

Clariti carries residential and commercial building permits, stormwater and grading permits, tree removal permits, contractor registration and student housing registration. Mailed and emailed applications are no longer accepted, so drawings and forms are uploaded with the application.

Residential permits

• Additions and structural work: a site diagram of the whole lot with property lines, setbacks and streets, and plans sealed by a Pennsylvania-licensed professional for structural changes. New homes also file a use and occupancy application.
• Decks: a site diagram, construction drawings and the deck’s square footage.
• Demolition: letters showing each utility, including the township sewer authority, has been disconnected when a whole building comes down, plus the age of the home and a map of the adjoining properties.
• Pools and hot tubs: a zoning table listing setbacks, impervious and building coverage, steep slopes and any wetlands or streams; a separate fence permit; and an electrical permit showing the bonding grid within 3 feet of the water. A pool must sit at least 15 feet from the nearest foundation.
• Generators: an electrical permit, a site diagram with distances to windows, doors and lot lines, and a plumbing permit too for a natural gas connection.

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

Commercial permits

Commercial work follows the township’s commercial requirements sheet. A use and occupancy permit is needed before occupying a new building or altered tenant space, for a new occupant, a change of use, or extending a nonconforming use; with construction it is filed alongside the building application, and a change of occupant with no construction needs an architect’s seal on the application. A commercial certificate also waits on sign-off from the Township Engineer, the Municipal Authority for sewer connections, L&I state registration, PennDOT or the township for highway occupancy, and the Chester County Health Department for wells, septic systems or food service.

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

What comes before the building permit

• Zoning Hearing Board. Variances, special exceptions and appeals from the Zoning Officer; applications are due by the first day of the month of the hearing, usually on the fourth Thursday at 7 p.m., with November and December set apart in the 2026 schedule. A single-family case costs $1,000.
• Conditional use and land development. Conditional uses go through the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors ($2,000). New homes in a subdivision pay a recreation and open space contribution of $2,449 per single-family detached unit.
• Stormwater and grading. A permit for more than 500 square feet of disturbance ($1,000 for a single-family house, including two reviews and two inspections) or an exemption for 499 square feet or less ($50); a $3,500 escrow applies where the work misses the stormwater ordinance’s standards or needs a flood study.
• Trees. Removing more than five trees of 6 inches or more in diameter in a rolling 12 months needs a tree removal permit ($250) and compensatory planting; dead or hazardous trees are exempt.
• Sewer, wells and septic. Public sewer connections go through the Municipal Authority; on-lot septic systems and wells are permitted by the Chester County Health Department (610-344-6225).

Tredyffrin permit costs and fees

The Board of Supervisors adopted the 2026 fee schedule as Resolution 2026-06 at its January 5, 2026 organization meeting, 7 to 0. Building fees include two plan reviews and two inspections. Cost-based permits use the township’s own formula, (project cost ÷ $85) × $2.50 plus the base fee, and the fee calculator worksheet on the permits page applies it.

Worked examples: a 400-square-foot deck is $104.50 plus 400 × $0.75, or $404.50. An $8,500 furnace and air conditioning job is ($8,500 ÷ $85) × $2.50, or $250, plus $104.50, for $354.50. A new house connecting to public sewer is allocated 275 gallons a day, so its tapping fee is 275 × $34.79, or $9,567.25. The square-foot bands do not chain, so a 499-square-foot job costs more than a 500-square-foot one. Starting work without a permit doubles the fee.

Trade permits and who may pull them

Every contractor must register with the township ($75) through Clariti, as the requirements sheet puts it: “All Contractors must be Registered with the Township.” Tredyffrin’s pages show no separate local electrician or plumber license; home improvement firms also need their state HICPA registration.

• Electrical: permits priced by cost; inspections by United Inspection Agency (215-542-9977). Solar needs only an electrical permit, with a structural statement if panels sit on a building.
• Plumbing: including natural gas lines to generators; pool water discharge is billed at $6.51 per 1,000 gallons.
• HVAC and mechanical: heating and cooling equipment, and fuel storage tank installations, which need a plot plan and a copy of the contract.
• Fire alarm and sprinkler systems: priced on the electrical line, which covers sprinklers, fire alarms, low-voltage and security systems.

How to apply for a Tredyffrin building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

The township commits to a maximum plan review of 15 business days for residential plans and 30 days for commercial plans. A third or later review costs $200 each, so complete first submissions save money as well as time. The building inspector may check the stated cost of work against the executed contract, and fees based on floor area are measured from the plans in ten-foot story increments.

Inspections in Tredyffrin Township

Schedule inspections by calling 610-644-1400 and pressing #4, or by emailing permits@tredyffrin.gov; electrical inspections are booked with United Inspection Agency. The permit fee covers two inspections and each additional visit costs $120. Final inspections must pass before a use and occupancy permit is issued. Before demolishing most buildings, the owner or demolition contractor must also send the asbestos notification form to DEP and the EPA at least 10 working days ahead; a single house that is not part of a larger project is the exception.

Residential use and occupancy permits are required for all new homes, but not for a change of ownership or tenancy, so Tredyffrin has no resale inspection for houses. Student homes and short-term rentals register instead ($104.50 and $50 per unit).

Pennsylvania building code in Tredyffrin Township

The building permits page cites the 2021 International Building Code, while the older residential use and occupancy text still refers to the 2006 ICC codes. FEMA’s Community Status Book lists Tredyffrin (community 420291) as participating in the National Flood Insurance Program, with flood maps effective September 29, 2017; projects that need a flood study pay a $3,500 review escrow.

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

Tredyffrin permit search and official resources

Applicants follow their own permits in Clariti. For other records, file a Right-to-Know request with the township (records request line 610-408-3602); black-and-white copies cost 25 cents a page. Zoning certificates for a property are requested by letter to the Zoning Officer ($100 for a single-family home). Board of Supervisors agendas, packets and minutes are posted by meeting. The county offices are summarized in the Chester County permit guide.

• Tredyffrin building and construction permits
• Permits and Inspections department
• 2026 fee schedule
• Residential permit application requirements
• Commercial permit application requirements
• Use and occupancy application
• Tree removal application (2026)
• Stormwater and grading permits
• Zoning and Zoning Hearing Board
• Township contacts and hours
• Board of Supervisors meetings
• Chester County Health Department sewage and wells
• Pennsylvania L&I municipal UCC elections list
• FEMA Community Status Book, Pennsylvania

Tredyffrin building permit FAQs

Can I file a Tredyffrin permit on paper?

No. All building, stormwater, tree removal and contractor registration applications go through the Clariti portal; mailed and emailed applications are not accepted.

When do I pay for the permit?

After plan review. The township invoices the applicant, and the permit is ready 24 to 48 hours after payment.

How much is a permit for a deck?

For a house, decks under 500 square feet cost $104.50 plus 75 cents a square foot, so a 400-square-foot deck is $404.50.

Do I need a permit to replace my roof?

Not if the replacement covers no more than 25% of the roof in 12 months. A larger reroof is $54.50 plus $2.50 per $85 of cost.

Is there a resale inspection when I sell my house?

No. Tredyffrin requires residential use and occupancy permits only for new construction, not for a change in ownership or tenancy.

Who does inspections?

Barry Isett & Associates is the appointed plan review and inspection agency for 2026; United Inspection Agency handles electrical inspections.

Do I need a permit to cut down trees?

Yes, if you remove more than five trees of 6 inches or more in diameter within 12 months; the permit is $250 and replacement planting is required.

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