Philadelphia does not charge development impact fees on residential ADUs. The city charges only standard permit and plan-review fees through L+I. Philadelphia Water Department charges connection fees only where new service is installed. PA does not authorize municipal school impact fees.
Pennsylvania MPC Section 503-A authorizes impact fees only for transportation, and Philadelphia has not adopted any. Unlike California or Arizona, Philadelphia charges no school, park, fire, or library impact fees. Standard fees: zoning permit ($178-$300), building permit scaled to construction value ($200-$1,500), trade permits for electrical/plumbing/mechanical, and plan review fees. Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) charges connection fees only if a new meter or sewer connection is installed. Shared utilities with the primary dwelling avoid PWD capacity charges. Use and Occupancy Tax does not apply to residential construction. Historic district review fees add $150-$500. Stormwater fees apply if exceeding impervious surface thresholds.
Failure to pay permit fees prevents permit issuance and inspection scheduling. Bypassing fees through unpermitted construction triggers fines under Title 14-303 (zoning) and Title 4 (PM code). Liens may be filed for unpaid fees. L+I may revoke certificates of occupancy.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Philadelphia, PA
Philadelphia caps amplified music and other sound by decibels above background at the property boundary: 3 dB near hospitals/schools/houses of worship, 5 dB ...
Philadelphia, PA
On-street parking in Philadelphia is governed by Title 12 of The Philadelphia Code and enforced by the Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA), with restriction...
Philadelphia, PA
No zoning permit is needed for a fence at or below the Zoning Code limits; exceeding them requires a permit and a ZBA appeal. A building permit is required f...
Philadelphia, PA
Philadelphia generally prohibits keeping chickens, poultry, and livestock; farm animals (other than pigs) are allowed only on parcels of three or more acres,...
Philadelphia, PA
No Philadelphia-specific ordinance directly imposes wildland-style defensible-space or brush-clearance requirements; the dense urban setting means there is n...
Philadelphia, PA
True backyard ground fires (recreational fires and bonfires) are not freely allowed in Philadelphia. The Air Management Code Section 3-202 prohibits open fir...
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