West Whiteland Township, Pennsylvania Building Permit Guide

In West Whiteland Township the Codes Administration Department (610-363-9525) issues construction, zoning, stormwater, rental, fire prevention and use and occupancy permits, and all construction applications are filed online. Resolution 2026-34, adopted August 26, 2026, sets most residential building permits at 1% of the project cost, with a $250 minimum for new buildings and additions. Contractors do not register with the township, but each must send a certificate of insurance naming it.

What requires a building permit in West Whiteland Township?

The township publishes a Residential Permit Chart, updated January 29, 2025, that sets out which permit each job needs and which work is exempt. It warns the list is not complete, so the Codes Department answers anything missing.

Low decks under 30 inches, new patios, new or larger driveways and sheds need a zoning permit only; sheds may not exceed 12 feet in height, and a patio higher than 30 inches or with four or more risers also needs a building permit. Site-built fire pits, outdoor fireplaces and stationary pizza ovens or outdoor stoves need permits, while portable grills and smokers do not.

What West Whiteland decides and what the state holds

West Whiteland opted in to enforce the Uniform Construction Code on May 30, 2004, and L&I lists it with local amendments; the township’s codes FAQ says the state now requires the 2021 International Codes, with local changes set out in its adopting ordinances. The Board of Supervisors sets zoning, the stormwater management ordinance (Chapter 270), the home sprinkler rule and the fee resolution. Code appeals go to the West Chester Area Council of Governments UCC Board of Appeals.

West Whiteland Township building department: who handles permitting

The Codes Administration Department runs construction permits, zoning reviews, use and occupancy permits, fire and life safety inspections of commercial buildings and rental homes, and enforcement of the township’s other non-police codes. Todd Greenawalt is the Codes Administrative & Enforcement Manager. Its staff include a fire marshal and life safety inspector and a part-time building inspector, and electrical work is reviewed and inspected by the township’s third-party agency, whose contact details appear on the permit.

West Whiteland Township permit types

The online application has a drop-down list of permit types: residential, commercial, Exton Mall fire code, fire operational, re-roof, shed, fence, temporary zoning, and commercial resale, change in owner or change in use. The applicant types a description, enters the address on the map so the parcel details fill in, ticks the types of work, lists every contractor and attaches the documents. The form saves progress and does not time out.

Residential permits

A new house, addition or renovation needs the application with every trade section that applies, a certificate of workers’ compensation and liability insurance for each contractor naming the township as certificate holder, a plot plan showing all existing structures, impervious coverage, lot size and setbacks to each line, a REScheck energy report, and one electronic set of drawings covering the foundation, floor, walls, roof and the plumbing, electrical and mechanical systems. Plans may need a Pennsylvania design professional’s seal, and covered or enclosed decks and solar plans must carry one. New single-family homes and townhomes must have fire sprinklers under section 129-22 K of the township code.

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

Commercial permits

Commercial building permits are priced at 2% of the project cost, and a new tenant, a change of owner or a change in use needs a commercial use and occupancy permit for $175, inspection included. Commercial and rental buildings also get fire and life safety inspections priced by floor area, from $75 up to $300, and temporary business events need a fire operational permit.

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. Fences, sheds, dumpsters, storage trailers and temporary signs take a stand-alone zoning permit ($90 residential); larger projects get their zoning review inside the building permit. Zoning hearings cost $800 for an owner-occupied home and $1,000 otherwise.
• Stormwater and grading. A stormwater/grading permit is needed when new impervious surface exceeds 1,000 square feet or disturbance exceeds 5,000 square feet; projects between 1,000 and 2,000 square feet may use the simplified small-project approach in section 270-6.D. Application fees start at $750, and the township bills consultant review above that before approving the permit.
• Driveways and roads. A new driveway or wider entrance needs a Public Works street occupancy permit ($50 residential); cutting a township street needs a street opening permit, and a PennDOT road needs proof of a Highway Occupancy Permit.
• Floodplain. A floodplain or elevation certificate from the township costs $200.

West Whiteland Township permit costs and fees

Fees come from Resolution 2026-34, Setting Township Fees and Consultant Rates for 2026, adopted by the Board of Supervisors on August 26, 2026. Most construction permits are a percentage of the total project cost with a minimum, and each permit carries the $4.50 state fee.

Worked from the resolution: a $60,000 home addition costs 1% = $600, above the $250 minimum, plus the $4.50 state fee, for $604.50. An $8,000 bathroom renovation works out to $80 at 1%, so the $125 minimum applies. The resolution notes that building permits include zoning, occupancy and all trades except fire protection, while also listing electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits on their own lines, so ask the department which separate trade fees a job will carry.

Other residential lines use the same 1% formula with their own minimums: demolition $125, earth disturbance and grading $175, a fire sprinkler system $90 and an underground or above-ground tank $75. Commercial signs are 2% of cost with a $100 minimum, and an electric sign is $100 plus the agency’s electrical inspection. Land use applications carry their own fees, such as $1,500 for a conditional use and $500 for a subdivision or land development plan, plus the township’s consultant review costs, and a new business registers for $25.

Trade permits and who may pull them

• Electrical: new circuits, panel changes, EV chargers and solar need an electrical permit; the township’s third-party agency reviews and inspects, and its contact details are printed on the permit.
• Plumbing: water heaters and new or relocated plumbing need a plumbing permit, and sewer and water line repairs or replacements also need permits.
• Mechanical: furnace, air conditioner and oil tank work needs a mechanical permit, and HVAC changes also need an electrical permit; stand-by generators are on the township’s permit list too.
• Fire protection: sprinkler and alarm permits are priced separately, from a $90 minimum for a residential sprinkler system.

West Whiteland does not license or register contractors; the fee resolution lists a contractor’s license as not required. What it does require is a certificate of insurance from every contractor on the job, listing West Whiteland Township, 101 Commerce Drive, Exton, PA 19341 as certificate holder. Home improvement contractors still register with the state Attorney General.

How to apply for a West Whiteland Township building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

The township allows up to 15 business days for a residential decision and up to 30 for commercial, and its FAQ adds that a complex commercial job may be extended to 60 days. An application that fails review is returned or denied with the code problems listed, and the applicant can correct and resubmit or appeal. Work may not start until the approved permit is issued and paid, and stormwater permits wait until all consultant review fees are paid.

Inspections in West Whiteland Township

The required inspections are printed on each approved permit. Request township inspections by email to permits@westwhiteland.org at least 24 hours ahead, giving the address, inspection type and permit number; electrical inspections are booked directly with the third-party agency named on the permit. If an inspector finds work that does not match the approved plans, a stop work order is possible for serious problems, and a failed building inspection costs $75 to repeat on a home.

A finished commercial project receives a certificate of occupancy; residential projects receive a final inspection approval certificate. The township does not require a use and occupancy permit when a single-family home is sold, and the fee resolution says the same, although it also still lists a $100 residential dwelling resale inspection, so sellers should confirm with the department. Rental homes are inspected for $100 per house or townhouse and $75 per apartment, which includes the use and occupancy certificate.

Pennsylvania building code in West Whiteland Township

West Whiteland has enforced the Uniform Construction Code itself since May 30, 2004. FEMA’s Community Status Book lists West Whiteland Township (community 420295) as participating in the National Flood Insurance Program, with flood maps effective September 29, 2017.

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 Whiteland Township permit search and official resources

The township posts no public permit search; applicants receive approved permits by email, and the Codes Department answers status questions. Copies of records are charged under the open records section of the fee resolution, including $5 to certify a record, and a zoning certification letter is $100. For county septic, well and land development review, see the Chester County guide.

• Construction permit applications (online filing)
• Codes, permits and inspections
• Permitting process and inspection requests
• Residential permit chart (PDF)
• Permits and inspections FAQs
• Resolution 2026-34, 2026 fee schedule (PDF)
• Stormwater/grading permit
• Driveway and street occupancy permits
• Home sprinkler systems
• Chester County Health Department sewage and water
• L&I municipal UCC elections list
• FEMA Community Status Book, Pennsylvania

West Whiteland Township building permit FAQs

How much does a building permit cost in West Whiteland?

Most residential permits are 1% of the project cost, with a $250 minimum for new buildings and additions and $125 for renovations. A $60,000 addition comes to $604.50 with the state fee.

Can I file a paper application?

No. All construction permit applications are filed online, and the approved permit is emailed with the fee.

Do contractors have to register with the township?

No, but every contractor must provide a certificate of insurance listing West Whiteland Township as certificate holder.

Do I need a permit for a deck?

A deck 30 inches or higher, or with four or more risers, needs a building permit; a lower deck needs a zoning permit only. Covered or enclosed decks need sealed plans.

How do I schedule an inspection?

Email permits@westwhiteland.org at least 24 hours ahead with the address, inspection type and permit number. Electrical inspections go to the agency named on the permit.

Do I need a use and occupancy permit to sell my house?

The township says no use and occupancy permit is required to buy or sell a single-family home; ask the department about the resale inspection line in the fee resolution.

Do new houses need fire sprinklers?

Yes. Township ordinance section 129-22 K requires automatic sprinklers in newly built single-family homes and townhomes, and they may not be shut off in townhomes, condos or multi-unit buildings.

How long does review take?

Up to 15 business days for residential permits and up to 30 for commercial.

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