Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania Building Permit Guide

Whitehall Township’s Bureau of Planning, Zoning and Development, headed by Bureau Chief and Building Code Official Lee Rackus, accepts and issues building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits, but since 2012 all plan review and inspection has been contracted to Keycodes Inspection Agency, and no permit issues without its approval. Applications are filed on paper by whoever does the work, with a $60 non-refundable application fee each, and the township says permits can take 15 to 30 business days. Selling or leasing a home also needs a new certificate of occupancy.

What requires a building permit in Whitehall Township?

Whitehall’s rule is broad: a permit is needed any time alterations or additions are made to a property and any time electrical or plumbing work is done, and also for any change of use or occupancy of a building, including selling a home or renting an apartment. The township’s project guides spell out the common cases.

Driveways must be paved with concrete, asphalt or pavers, since loose stone is not allowed, sit at least 35 feet from an intersection and be no wider than 40 feet at the curb. Fences go at least 12 inches inside the owner’s line and never in a township utility or drainage easement without Board of Commissioners approval.

What Whitehall decides and what the state holds

Whitehall opted in to enforce the UCC on May 12, 2004, with local amendments recorded by L&I. The Board of Commissioners keeps its fees in Chapter A29 of the code and sets the contracted agency’s fees by its own action, licenses plumbers through a township examining board, and writes the zoning ordinance. At its August 10, 2026 meeting the Board held a first hearing on Bill 19-2026, a zoning amendment setting standards for data center uses; the September 14 minutes record no further action.

Whitehall Township building department: who handles permitting

The permit is the township’s, but the technical work is not done in house. Keycodes Inspection Agency reviews the plans, carries out every inspection and answers questions about codes, plan review and permit status; the township takes in the paperwork, collects the fees and issues the permit once Keycodes approves. The township’s own codes officers handle property maintenance and most resale and rental certificate inspections. This Lehigh County township is a separate municipality from the Borough of Whitehall in Allegheny County.

Whitehall permit types

The township does not take online submissions. Hard copies go to 3219 MacArthur Road, faxed or emailed applications are refused, and each building, electrical, plumbing or mechanical application carries its own $60 non-refundable fee at submission, with the rest due when the permit issues.

Residential permits

The September 2026 checklist asks for the signed application with a working email address, a workers’ compensation certificate naming the township as holder or a notarized exemption (none are kept on file), a site plan showing setbacks, existing structures, easements and what surrounds the lot, and construction drawings: three sets at quarter-inch scale for a new house or addition and two for decks, pools, patios, roofs or kitchen and bath work. The application’s floodplain section must be filled in, and work must start within 180 days of issuance. Incomplete packages are denied.

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

Commercial permits

Commercial work follows the commercial checklist and submission guide on the Forms & Documents page, and plan review is charged by area (12 cents a square foot, $250 minimum, for building, energy and accessibility). Opening a business also needs a use permit ($250 for commercial uses) and a certificate of occupancy before the doors open; signs need their own 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 permit. Items outside the UCC, such as fences up to 6 feet, sheds and carports, take a zoning permit at $5 per $500 of cost ($20 minimum) for a house.
• Zoning Hearing Board. A single-family appeal costs $150, up to five units $500 and other cases $1,000, plus $250 where the township engineer must review floodplain or impervious calculations.
• Stormwater. An Act 167 drainage plan review for a single residential lot not tied to a subdivision is $100 plus any engineering beyond it.
• Septic. On-lot systems go through the township’s designated engineer acting as Sewage Enforcement Officer, with the owner paying every fee.
• Curbs, sidewalks and streets. New curb needs a permit and stake-out ($50 for 40 feet plus $1 a foot), sidewalk permits are free, and any street opening needs a township permit priced on issuance, inspection, degradation and restoration.
• Land development. New residential lots or units pay a $2,000 recreation fee, and traffic impact fees are $811.81 per peak p.m. trip under Ordinance 2749.

Whitehall permit costs and fees

Chapter A29 of the township code (current to its January 2025 supplement) charges each permit the contracted agency’s fee plus a township administrative fee of $10 for one- and two-family work or $20 for everything else. The agency fees are in the Keycodes schedule the township posts, Exhibit 2 dated March 24, 2025, which also adds the $4.50 state fee and says plan review is charged on top unless noted. Starting work first adds 100% of the permit fee.

Worked example, as the township’s February 2026 deck guide prices it: a deck more than 48 inches above grade is $200, plus one hour of residential plan review at $90, the $10 township fee and the $4.50 state fee, or $304.50 at issuance; the $60 application fee is paid separately at submission. A deck with any part under 48 inches is $404.50 the same way. The April 2026 pool guide prices an above-ground pool at $194.50 for the building permit and $194.50 for the electrical permit.

Trade permits and who may pull them

All permits must be taken out by the person doing the work, whatever the contract between owner and contractor says, so an electrician or plumber pulls the trade permit; owners apply only when no contractor is involved. Plumbing must be done by a plumber licensed by Whitehall Township: Chapter A29 sets a yearly master license at $75 and journeyman at $50, a calendar-year temporary license at $110, and examination fees of $100 (master) and $50 (journeyman) that include the first year. The township’s pages show no local electrician license, and home improvement contractors also carry their state HICPA registration.

• Electrical: Chapter A29 requires a permit for all electrical installations in new or existing buildings; inspected by Keycodes, $120 minimum for a house.
• Plumbing: fixtures, water lines from the curb box, sanitary and storm sewer connections ($110 each per lateral for a house) and residential sprinklers ($240).
• Mechanical: HVAC and exhaust units; replacing a single residential HVAC unit is a $180 flat rate covering both the mechanical and electrical permits.
• Fire: commercial sprinklers ($625 including the first 200 heads) and fire alarm systems are reviewed by Keycodes.

How to apply for a Whitehall building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

The township warns that permits can take 15 to 30 business days depending on the work and the number of applications, so plan ahead. Applications missing any checklist item are denied rather than held, and Keycodes, the zoning officer or the permit clerk contact the applicant by email when they need more. Where the township asks for it, a residential plan review deposit of $100 is due; it is non-refundable but applied to the permit fee.

Inspections in Whitehall Township

Every construction inspection is booked with Keycodes Inspection Agency (610-866-9663), which needs at least 48 hours’ notice; the township schedules none itself. A deck needs at least three visits: post holes before concrete (footings 36 inches deep, ledger flashed), framing, and final. Re-inspections for incomplete work or no access cost $110 a visit and must be paid before final approval. A certificate of occupancy is required before a new structure is occupied or a business opens; a temporary or conditional certificate for a single-family house costs $50 plus a $100 deposit, which the township keeps if the conditions are not met within 18 months.

Resale and rental inspections are Whitehall’s own: every time a property is offered for sale or lease, an inspection and a new certificate of occupancy are required, even with several tenants in one year. File the request form with the fee; an inspector calls within 1 to 3 business days and inspects within 5 to 10. Violations must be fixed within 30 days before the transfer, or the parties sign a notarized acceptance form for a conditional certificate that allows the sale but not occupancy until repairs pass. Chapter A29 prices a single-family sale or lease inspection at $50 per unit while the Keycodes exhibit lists $100, so confirm the fee at ext. 1138. Owners who do not live in their rental property must name a local responsible agent within 10 miles of the township.

Pennsylvania building code in Whitehall Township

FEMA’s Community Status Book lists Whitehall Township (community 420595) as participating in the National Flood Insurance Program, with flood maps effective July 16, 2004. Every building permit application asks whether the site is in flood zone A, AE or X and for the fair market value of existing structures.

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

Whitehall permit search and official resources

Ask about the status of a permit or approval at Keycodes; for township files use the open records request form on the Forms & Documents page. Copies cost 25 cents a page, certified copies $5, duplicate certificates of occupancy $5 and inspection lists $15. Board of Commissioners minutes for 2026 are posted by meeting. The county offices are summarized in the Lehigh County permit guide.

• Whitehall permitting and codes enforcement
• Bureau contacts and staff
• Forms and documents
• Chapter A29 fee schedule
• Keycodes fee schedule (Exhibit 2, March 24, 2025)
• Residential submission checklist (September 2026)
• Building permit application
• Deck guide
• Swimming pool, spa and hot tub guide
• Shed guidelines
• Fence guidelines
• Residential driveway guidelines
• Certificate of occupancy application and guide
• Board of Commissioners minutes
• Pennsylvania L&I municipal UCC elections list
• FEMA Community Status Book, Pennsylvania

Whitehall building permit FAQs

Can I apply for a Whitehall permit online?

No. The township takes hard copies only at 3219 MacArthur Road and does not accept faxed or emailed applications.

Can I pay by credit card?

The permits page says the township does not take credit cards and fees are paid by cash or check, but Chapter A29 (Ordinance 3344 of 2024) adds 3% to card payments and the certificate of occupancy request form has a card box, so ask the office.

Who has to pull the permit?

The person doing the work. If a contractor, electrician or plumber is involved, they must take out the permit.

Do I need a permit to replace a fence or shed?

Yes. Every new or replacement fence and shed needs a permit; fences are limited to 6 feet.

How much does a deck permit cost?

The deck guide gives $304.50 for a deck over 48 inches high and $404.50 if any part is under 48 inches, plus the $60 application fee.

Do I need an inspection to sell my house?

Yes. Each sale or lease needs a township inspection and a new certificate of occupancy before the transfer.

How long does a permit take?

The township says 15 to 30 business days, depending on the work and how many applications are in line.

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