How to Apply for a Pittsburgh Building Permit Today

Deciding to renovate, add on, or demolish part of your home is an exciting time. Visions of the completed project can bolster your enthusiasm and have you ready to hit the ground running. However, before you even hit the building supply store, there is one crucial step you must take before making changes to your Pittsburgh home.

You may think that homeownership means you are free to do whatever you want with your home and property, and that is true in most regards, as long as those changes comply with local building permit standards. Whether you decide to go alone in obtaining your Pittsburgh building permit or want to simplify the process with a little help, DoNotPay is here to guide you through

When Is a Building Permit Needed in Pittsburgh?

You may be thinking, "But what about just painting my kitchen cabinets?" or other minor renovation projects? It can get a little confusing as to when you do or do not need a building permit in Pittsburgh. The following are general guidelines for when you will definitely need a building permit for work involving a single to two-family dwelling in Pittsburgh:

Renovating or repairing an existing dwelling
Constructing an addition
Building a new dwelling
Site work for new construction
Creating a new accessory structure

To simplify, any work that creates a new structure, addition of square footage to an existing structure, or any other work that either increases or changes the area or volume of a building or structure. Additional reasons you may likely need a building permit include:

Adding or removing walls
Changing the use of a room (ex. converting a garage to a bedroom)
Re-roofing your house

What Is the Purpose of a Pittsburgh Building Permit?

A building permit ensures that your project plans comply with all local standards for construction, land use, and zoning. This prevents unsafe building practices that could affect you and others, such as your neighbors. A building permit can be a hassle, but so that the process is more straightforward and you and your family remain safe throughout the building process and beyond.

How to Get a Building Permit in Pittsburgh

You've resigned yourself to the need for a building permit, but where do you begin? Here are the steps to obtaining a building permit in Pittsburgh on your own. If the multiple steps seem overwhelming, skip down the page to how DoNotPay can help.

Locate your HOA requirements regarding addition, renovations, and demolitions.
Follow the steps needed to obtain HOA permission.
Locate the City of Pittsburgh Building Permits Applications page.
Follow the link to the OneStopPGH portal to identify and submit any drawings needed.
Complete the application through OneStopPGH in its entirety.
Pay fees.
Wait for application approval or revision requests.
Submit revision requests.
Once the application is approved, identify the license holders (through OneStopPGH) selected to do the work.
License holders must confirm that they will do the work (through OneStopPGH).
Pay fees.
The permit is issued.
Follow up with any inspection requirements.

Yes, the process is lengthy, but you can do it with enough time and dedication to the process. That doesn't mean you have to do it alone. There is an easier way. DoNotPay can help.

What Are the Fees Associated with Getting a Pittsburgh Permit?

Determining your permit fees in Pittsburgh may require an advanced math degree. However, we've got you started with your basic fees below:

Base fee	$5.00 per every $1,000 of construction value
Minimum cost	$100.00
Digital record retention fee	$5.00
Statue education and training fund fee	$4.50

Additional case-specific fees:

Document Retention fee (Paper over 8'x14"): $3.00
Amended permit filing fee: 20% of the new base fee, determined by the revised total cost of construction value.
Unpermitted Work Penalty fee: 20% of base fee, $100 minimum
Multiple Plan Review Penalty fee: $150.00
Multiple Re-Inspection Penalty fee: $150.00

Don't Want to Go it Alone? DoNotPay Can Help

If all of the steps and numbers have you wanting to abandon your home improvement project, don't give up hope. There is an easier way! With DoNotPay, you can quickly and easily be on your way to the renovation or addition you've been dreaming of, without the hassle and time constraints of doing it on your own.

How to Apply for a Building Permit Fast and Without a Hassle in Pittsburgh Using DoNotPay:

If you want to apply for a building permit without a hassle in Pittsburgh but don't know where to start, DoNotPay has you covered with 6 easy steps:

Go to the Planning Permissions product on DoNotPay.
Choose one of the following options:
1. Check whether your project needs a building permit or if it's exempt
2. Generate a permission request letter to send to your HOA
3. Generate a guide on how to complete the building permit application
Choose the focus of your project (new ADU, pool, shed, fence, etc.) and answer a few questions about your plans, including the size of the structure and estimated cost.
Indicate whether you're hiring a contractor and include the estimated start date and timeline for the project.
Indicate whether any public sidewalk/street space will be used during construction.
And that's it! DoNotPay will help guide you through the building permit process by checking if your project needs a building permit, contacting any HOAs you're a part of to request building permission, or generating detailed instructions on how to start and complete your building permit application process.

Why Use DoNotPay to Get Your Pittsburgh Building Permit?

Unless you enjoy tracking down endless paperwork and going from redirect to redirect with each list of instructions more confusing than the last, then DoNotPay simply makes sense.

Fast - You have other things to do.

Easy - Why struggle unnecessarily?

Successful - We do the work, and you get the reward. It's that simple.

You've got renovations to enjoy - not paperwork. We'll help you get back to the exciting part of your home improvement project.

DoNotPay Works Across All Companies/Entities/Groups With a Simple Click

Although we love helping Pittsburgh homeowners, if you have a property in other cities or family members who do, DoNotPay can help them too! Here's just a few other cities where we can help with building permits.

In addition, we can help recover your Spotify account password just as easily as your Amazon, eBay, or Steam passwords. We can also help you locate a Kentucky birth certificate as quickly as one in California. If there's a task to be simplified, DoNotPay is likely your answer.

What Else Can DoNotPay Do?

Before you go through countless steps and headaches, check with DoNotPay. Here are just a few of the many ways DoNotPay can help make your life easier.