West Goshen Township, Pennsylvania Building Permit Guide

In West Goshen Township the Code Enforcement office, 1025 Paoli Pike, West Chester (610-696-5266), issues building, plumbing, mechanical, zoning and grading permits; John Beswick is a building code official and the township’s contact on L&I’s UCC list. Building permits cost 1.5% of the actual construction cost with a minimum fee, plus $4.50, under the 2026 fee schedule effective January 5, 2026, and an approved third-party agency reviews and inspects all electrical work. The office is open Monday to Thursday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Fridays by appointment.

What requires a building permit in West Goshen Township?

West Goshen’s residential package lists the work that counts as ordinary repair; everything else needs the appropriate permit, and some small structures need only a zoning permit.

Cutting a wall, removing a beam or support, changing an exit route, or adding or relocating piping, wiring or ductwork is never an ordinary repair. The zoning permit ($100) also applies to additions, fences, patios and walkways, pools and hot tubs, solar panels, standby generators, signs, tents and tenant changes, alongside any building permit. A tent always needs a permit. Fences over 6 feet, structural roof changes and freestanding commercial signs over 6 feet need engineered plans and a building permit as well.

What West Goshen decides and what the state holds

West Goshen opted in to enforce the UCC on May 26, 2004, with local amendments on file at L&I. The Board of Supervisors approved the current fee schedule on January 5, 2026, and keeps the township’s own zoning, grading and erosion control, sewer and rental inspection rules. Building code appeals do not go to a township board: they are heard by the West Chester Area Council of Governments UCC Board of Appeals ($750 filing fee).

West Goshen Township building department: who handles permitting

The township’s Code Enforcement office reviews plans and issues permits with its own building officials, who also serve as fire marshal and stormwater inspector; the January 5, 2026 appointments name John Beswick as building code official and deputy zoning officer. Planning and zoning are handled by the Director of Planning & Zoning, who is the Zoning Officer, Carroll Engineering Corp. is the Township Engineer, and Code Inspections, Inc. carries out rental property inspections. Electrical plans and inspections go to an approved third-party agency chosen from the township’s list.

West Goshen permit types

The township publishes separate residential and commercial building permit packages, a zoning permit application, a grading, drainage and erosion control package, a road occupancy permit application, and a use and occupancy permit form. A complete building submission includes the building, mechanical, plumbing, use and occupancy and electrical applications that apply, the construction contract and the plans; packages missing any of these are rejected at the counter or on review. Faxed material is not accepted.

Residential permits

• Plans: two sets of complete plans with original seals from the architect or engineer, plus a full digital copy emailed to permits@westgoshen.org; every structural plan must be sealed. One stamped set comes back with the permit and stays on site.
• Site and stormwater: a scaled site plan of all new and existing structures and paving with distances to the lot lines, and drawings of the stormwater quality controls for new impervious and building coverage; projects that do not meet the exemption criteria apply for a soil erosion and sediment control permit.
• Other items: energy code information, manufacturer instructions for installed equipment, a soils report if the building official asks for one, and proof of workers’ compensation.
• Sheds: one shed per house lot (two on lots over an acre), at least 6 feet from every property line in the side or rear yard, 40 feet back on the street side of a corner lot, and no larger than 250 square feet.

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

Commercial permits

The commercial package also requires two sealed sets, with architectural, structural, mechanical, plumbing, electrical and fire protection drawings sealed by the responsible design professional. Commercial plan review takes up to 30 working days from a complete submission. A new commercial use and occupancy permit costs $200, and a change of use or tenant in an existing building $100.

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

What comes before the building permit

• Zoning and land development. The residential package says land development and zoning approvals must be in hand before plans are submitted. The zoning application asks for setbacks, height, building and impervious coverage, homeowners’ association approval and whether the lot is in the floodplain.
• Zoning Hearing Board. The board meets on the fourth Monday of each month at 7 p.m.; variances, special exceptions and appeals cost $800 for a residential case or $2,000 for commercial work. Conditional uses before the Board of Supervisors cost $2,000.
• Grading and erosion control. $150 to apply plus a review fee of $250 for residential additions such as pools, patios and decks, $550 for a new house, $750 for non-residential work and $2,000 more where an NPDES permit is needed. An in-ground pool always needs this permit.
• Sewer or septic. A new public sewer connection costs $200 plus a $3,871 tapping fee per dwelling unit; confirm with the Wastewater Treatment Plant. On-lot septic systems are permitted by the Chester County Health Department, and the township’s on-site program requires proof of a pump-out every three years ($20 fee).
• Driveways and roads. A driveway needs a $100 zoning permit and a $50 grading permit; township road openings need a road occupancy permit, and a PennDOT highway occupancy permit goes in with the building submission where a state road is involved.

West Goshen permit costs and fees

The 2026 fee schedule took effect on January 5, 2026, when the Board of Supervisors approved its revisions 5 to 0. Building and trade permits cost 1.5% of the actual construction cost, subject to the minimums below; a fee with no minimum is flat. Submit the contract or estimate with the application, and expect the $4.50 state fee on each permit.

Worked example: a $40,000 addition is 1.5% of $40,000, or $600, above the $150 minimum, plus the $100 zoning permit and $4.50. A $6,000 water heater and furnace replacement is $90 at 1.5%, so the $150 minimum applies. Work started before a permit is approved doubles every permit fee. A use and occupancy permit needed on three days’ notice or less costs double, and renewing an expiring residential permit with no plan changes is $50 ($100 for non-residential work). Utility road openings in township streets start with a $50 application fee, plus $40 for each 100 feet of opening in the pavement or $20 in the shoulder.

Trade permits and who may pull them

West Goshen’s pages show no township contractor license or registration; the building permit FAQ asks for proof of workers’ compensation, and home improvement contractors need their state HICPA registration. Trade permits are part of the complete submission and are priced at 1.5% of cost with their own minimums.

• Electrical: reviewed and inspected by an approved third-party agency for houses and commercial work; service, rough wiring and final inspections all go through that agency, and roof-mounted solar is reviewed the same way.
• Plumbing: rough and final plumbing inspections are required stages; sewer laterals and connections also involve the Wastewater Treatment Plant.
• HVAC, alarms and sprinklers: one permit line covers new and replacement systems; the township’s building officials double as fire marshals.

How to apply for a West Goshen building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

Residential plan review takes 15 working days and commercial review up to 30, counted from a complete submission. The package is blunt about missing pieces: a trade application, contract or plan left out means the file is rejected at the counter or on review. Payment counts too: the township gives no change, so bring a check or the exact cash amount.

Inspections in West Goshen Township

The Code Enforcement FAQ asks for 24 hours’ notice for any inspection; the residential package asks for at least 48 hours, so book early. Required residential stages are footings, walls and slabs before concrete, framing once all mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection work is in, fire stopping and wallboard, rough and final plumbing, and a final or use and occupancy inspection before anyone moves in. Electrical service, rough wiring and final inspections are done by the approved third-party agency, and special inspections of concrete or other work may be required, with a final report before the certificate of occupancy. Re-inspections cost $150.

West Goshen does not require a new use and occupancy permit when an existing house is sold, so there is no resale inspection; new homes need a $150 certificate and additions a $75 one. Rental properties are inspected under the township’s rental inspection program by Code Inspections, Inc.

Pennsylvania building code in West Goshen Township

The residential package’s code list still names the 2018 editions; the UCC edition in force is set by the state, as the note below explains. FEMA’s Community Status Book lists West Goshen Township (community 420293) as participating in the National Flood Insurance Program, with flood maps effective September 29, 2017, and the zoning application asks whether each property is in the floodplain.

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

West Goshen permit search and official resources

The township has no online permit lookup; call Code Enforcement at 610-696-5266 about a property’s permits, or file a written Right-to-Know request with the township office. Ordinances and resolutions are posted on the township site, and Board of Supervisors agendas and minutes are in the Agenda Center. The Chester County permit guide covers county health, planning and conservation district permits.

• West Goshen Code Enforcement
• West Goshen 2026 fee schedule
• Residential building permit package
• Commercial building permit package
• Zoning permit application
• Grading, drainage and erosion control permit package
• Road occupancy permit application
• Use and occupancy permit
• Zoning Hearing Board
• Wastewater treatment
• Ordinances and resolutions
• Chester County Health Department sewage and wells
• Pennsylvania L&I municipal UCC elections list
• FEMA Community Status Book, Pennsylvania

West Goshen building permit FAQs

How much does a building permit cost in West Goshen?

1.5% of the actual cost of construction, with minimums such as $150 for a residential addition or alteration and $250 for a new house, plus $4.50.

Do I need a permit for a shed?

Yes. A shed under 500 square feet needs a $100 zoning permit; sheds must stay at least 6 feet from property lines and no larger than 250 square feet.

Is a use and occupancy inspection needed when I sell my house?

No. West Goshen does not require a new use and occupancy permit for the sale of an existing home.

Who inspects electrical work?

An approved third-party electrical inspection agency from the township’s list reviews and inspects all electrical permits.

How much notice do inspections need?

The FAQ says 24 hours; the residential package asks for 48 hours.

When is the township office open?

Monday to Thursday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.; on Fridays by appointment, booked by email to twp@westgoshen.org.

Do I need a permit to replace my roof?

Replacing more than 25% of the roof in 12 months needs a permit, which costs $100 for non-structural re-roofing of a house.

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