Upper Moreland Township, Pennsylvania Building Permit Guide

In Upper Moreland Township the Code Enforcement Department issues permits for all construction, demolition and signs, reviews the plans and carries out the inspections. Its staff work from the Willowood Building, 2510 Maryland Road, Suite 250, Willow Grove, while the township building at 117 Park Avenue is renovated (215-659-3100, ext. 1032). Since August 1, 2026 permit applications are filed only through the township’s Self-Service Online Portal, and every electrical application needs a review by a registered third-party agency.

What requires a building permit in Upper Moreland Township?

The township’s guidelines say a permit is needed for all repairs, additions and alterations to a property. The page names roofs, siding, windows, fences, sheds, above-ground and in-ground pools, driveways, driveway aprons and curbs, and interior projects in kitchens, bathrooms and garages, plus any work on heating, air conditioning and electrical systems. The township warns that fines can be issued for work begun before the required permits are issued.

The residential zoning guideline adds the size rules that decide many shed and garage permits: sheds may be up to 10 feet tall and must sit 3 feet from property lines; larger accessory buildings are capped at 300, 600 or 900 square feet depending on lot size, and at 16 feet in height. An accessory building of 264 square feet or more needs a grading plan from a civil engineer or professional land surveyor, and nothing may be built under or within a PECO utility easement.

What Upper Moreland decides and what the state holds

The township opted in to enforce the Uniform Construction Code itself from July 8, 2004, and L&I’s list shows it kept local amendments. Since January 1, 2026 it enforces the 2021 International Building, Residential, Mechanical, Plumbing, Fuel Gas, Energy Conservation, Existing Building, Fire and Wildland-Urban Interface codes and the 2020 National Electrical Code. The Board of Commissioners sets local fees, licensing, the zoning ordinance (Chapter 350) and property maintenance rules; on March 2, 2026 it adopted Ordinance 1772, replacing the 2015 property maintenance code with the 2021 edition, although the guidelines page still cites 2015.

Upper Moreland Township building department: who handles permitting

The Code Enforcement Department handles everything from intake to final inspection: it issues permits for all construction, demolition and signs, issues licenses for businesses, reviews plans for code compliance, inspects on site and sends variance, special exception and land development requests to the right board. Alex Pientka is Director of Code Enforcement, Building Code Official and Zoning Officer; the Board of Commissioners confirmed him as director, zoning officer, floodplain administrator and stormwater (MS4) coordinator on September 14, 2026, with Gilmore & Associates as assistant zoning officer.

Upper Moreland permit types

The township posts a separate application for each kind of work: new building, existing building (additions and alterations), electrical, HVAC and exhaust hood, plumbing, pool, grading, signs, public works (curbs, sidewalks, aprons and street openings), fire alarm, sprinkler and wet or dry chemical extinguishing systems, liquor license transfer and permit extension. The online portal also takes zoning use registrations, bulk-item permits and payments.

Residential permits

A house project needs a plot plan and two sets of construction plans. Most front-yard setbacks must add 10 feet for the township right-of-way, and corner lots have two front yards. Home occupations need an annual use registration permit before the business starts. A pool needs a building permit under the township’s pool requirements, and a portable storage unit costs $40 for the first 60 days.

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

Commercial permits

Commercial work needs three sets of sealed construction and specification plans. Every business moving into the township files a Zoning Use Registration Permit, even when no construction is planned; fire alarm, sprinkler and hood suppression work each has its own application, and fire code permits are handled separately from building permits.

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 are filed in person with Code Enforcement and heard by the board; its November 12, 2026 hearing is set for the Upper Moreland Public Library, 109 Park Avenue. The fee is $400 for a single-family house, $500 for a two-family dwelling and $750 for other uses.
• Land development. Subdivision and land development plans go through the township’s submission packet and the Advisory Planning Agency, and every proposal is also sent to the Montgomery County Planning Commission for its advisory Act 247 review.
• Grading. Moving 20 cubic yards or more needs a grading permit with a topographic plan, and adjacent owners must be notified at least 14 days before excavation or fill begins.
• Floodplain and stormwater. The Director of Code Enforcement is also the floodplain administrator and MS4 coordinator, so floodplain questions start at the same office.
• Sewer or septic. A new public sewer connection is a $100 plumbing item; on-lot septic systems and private wells are permitted by the Montgomery County Office of Public Health.
• Driveways and the street. Curbs, sidewalks, aprons and street openings need a township public works permit; access onto a state road needs a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit.
• Data centers. On May 4, 2026 the Board adopted Resolution R-2026-7, declaring part of the zoning ordinance invalid because it made no provision for data centers. Ordinance 1780, allowing them by conditional use in the Limited Industrial district, was heard on October 5, 2026; the draft minutes of that meeting, posted with the November 9 agenda, record it approved 7-0, and a committee discussed amendments on October 19.

Upper Moreland permit costs and fees

Fees come from the Code Enforcement fee schedule on the township’s forms page, which prints no resolution number or adoption date. The $4.50 UCC state fee is added to every building, plumbing, electrical, HVAC and fire permit, but not to sign permits.

Worked examples from the schedule: a $12,000 deck costs $50 for the first $1,000 plus 11 × $15, or $215, and an $8,000 electrical job costs $200; each adds the $4.50 state fee. The grading application form still prints $20 for 50–250 cubic yards, while the schedule says $25. Grading, land development and other work reviewed by township consultants can add engineering charges billed by invoice.

Trade permits and who may pull them

Upper Moreland licenses contractors and trades locally. Contractors working in the township register with Code Enforcement and file a certificate of insurance; the $75 contractor’s license needs liability and workers’ compensation certificates naming the township, or a notarized affidavit for a contractor with no employees. Home improvement contractors must also give the office a copy of their state HICPA registration under Ordinance 1578 of November 9, 2009. A journeyman license ($25) asks where and when the trade test was passed, and apprentice plumbers pay $10.

• Plumbing: all plumbing work must be done by a registered master plumber, and only the master plumber may submit the plumbing application, with a riser diagram showing old work in black and new work in red.
• Electrical: homeowners may do their own electrical work, but a permit is required, and every electrical application needs a third-party review. The form lists seven agencies registered with the township, among them Bureau Veritas, Code Inspections, Middle Department and United Inspection; sending plans straight to the chosen agency speeds up issuance.
• HVAC and hoods: heating and cooling permits need equipment specifications; commercial exhaust hood systems need three sealed plan sets.
• Fire protection: sprinkler, fire alarm and chemical extinguishing systems use separate applications and pay a review fee on top of the permit fee.

How to apply for an Upper Moreland building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

The township says reviews generally take 15 working days for residential work and 30 for commercial work, the same limits state rules set. Applicants who cannot use the portal can book an in-person appointment, and staff will walk them through the online form. Variances, special exceptions, applications needing notarized signatures or original stamped plans that cannot be uploaded, and complex jobs needing a pre-submission review are still taken in person. A permit nearing its end can be extended with the township’s extension request; one more than 5 years from issue needs a full resubmission.

Inspections in Upper Moreland Township

Township code enforcement officers, certified by the International Code Council and the state, inspect building, plumbing and HVAC work; electrical inspections are done by the third-party agency named on the electrical permit. The township’s pages send questions and appointments to the Code Enforcement Office at 215-659-3100. New buildings close with a certificate of occupancy ($50 for a house, $125 for commercial), and additions and alterations with a $25 residential or $75 non-residential certificate.

There is no point-of-sale program: the township requires no inspection and no use and occupancy certificate when a house or commercial property is sold. A new business tenant still files the Zoning Use Registration Permit.

Pennsylvania building code in Upper Moreland Township

Upper Moreland enforces the UCC with its own staff under its July 8, 2004 opt-in. FEMA’s Community Status Book lists the township (community 421909) as participating in the National Flood Insurance Program, with flood maps effective March 2, 2016. The guidelines page links the township code on eCode360, where Chapter 350 (zoning) and the fee chapter sit.

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

Upper Moreland permit search and official resources

Applicants follow their own permits and payments in the Self-Service Online Portal. Code Enforcement keeps the files for every building permit and the records of property maintenance cases, the Zoning Hearing Board and the Advisory Planning Agency; ask the office whether original house plans exist for an address, and petitions before the Zoning Hearing Board can be inspected there during business hours. Board of Commissioners agendas and minutes are posted in the township’s Agenda Center. Upper Moreland borders Abington Township, which runs its own permit office (see the Abington guide).

• Upper Moreland Code Enforcement Department
• Code Enforcement documents, forms and permits
• Self-Service Online Portal instructions
• Guidelines and regulations (codes, permits, contractor rules)
• Code Enforcement fee schedule
• Electrical permit application and third-party agency list
• Contractor license application
• Residential zoning guidelines and setbacks
• Township FAQs
• Agendas and minutes
• Montgomery County Office of Public Health permits
• Pennsylvania L&I municipal UCC elections list
• FEMA Community Status Book, Pennsylvania

Upper Moreland building permit FAQs

Can I still file a paper permit application in Upper Moreland?

Not as a rule. Since August 1, 2026 permits are filed through the Self-Service Online Portal; if you cannot use it, call 215-659-3100 for an appointment and staff will help you file. Variances, special exceptions and filings with notarized documents are still taken in person.

Do I need a permit to replace my roof or siding?

Yes. The township lists roofs, siding and windows among the repairs that need a permit, priced at $25 for the first $500 of cost, $25 for the next $500 and $15 per $1,000 after that.

Do I need a permit for a shed?

Yes, for any shed. One of 120 square feet or less pays no fee; larger ones are treated as accessory buildings with size, height and setback limits.

Can a homeowner do their own plumbing or electrical work?

Electrical, yes, with a permit and a third-party review. Plumbing, no: a registered master plumber must do the work and file the application.

Does Upper Moreland license contractors?

Yes. Contractors register for a $75 township license with insurance certificates, journeymen pay $25, and home improvement contractors also file their state HICPA registration.

Is a resale inspection required when I sell my house?

No. The township requires no resale inspection and no use and occupancy certificate for the sale of residential or commercial property.

How long does plan review take?

Generally 15 working days for residential permits and 30 for commercial permits.

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