Moving to Scranton, PA? Here Are the Local Rules You Should Know
Scranton, Pennsylvania may not be the biggest city in the state, but it has its own set of local rules that residents need to follow. With 100 tracked ordinances across 29 categories, there is more here than you might expect.
Noise Ordinances
Construction Hours: Scranton City Code Section 317-7(A)(13) bars operation of construction, drilling or demolition tools or equipment that creates a noise disturbance across a residential property line between 10:00 p.m. and 6:30 a.m.
Also covered: Barking Dogs (moderate), Leaf Blower Rules (moderate), Amplified Music & Events (moderate). See the full noise ordinances guide for Scranton for details.
Public Conduct
Outdoor Smoking Restrictions: Scranton has not codified a stand-alone outdoor-smoking ordinance for parks, sidewalks, or public spaces. Smoking restrictions in the city are governed primarily by the Pennsylvania Clean Indoor Air Act at 35 P.S.
Also covered: Loud Party Ordinance (strict). See the full public conduct guide for Scranton for details.
Soliciting & Door-to-Door
Solicitor Permits: The City of Scranton requires a Peddler License before any commercial door-to-door sales, street vending, or event peddling. Chapter 340 of the City Code was originally adopted in 1979 and updated by Ordinance No.
Property Maintenance
Property Blight: Scranton enforces property blight through Chapter 360 (Property Maintenance) of the Code of the City of Scranton, which identifies conditions that endanger health/safety/welfare or cause a blighting effect on neighborhoods (lack of maintenance, littering, improper trash storage, inoperable vehicles, high grass and weeds, graffiti, and snow/ice accumulation). The Bureau of Code Enforcement (570-348-4193, Director Thomas Oleski) enforces against the 2021 International Code Council Series adopted citywide (effective for all plans January 1, 2026).
Also covered: Trash Bin Storage (moderate), Vacant Lot Maintenance (strict), Snow & Sidewalk Clearing (strict). See the full property maintenance guide for Scranton for details.
Trash & Recycling
Recycling Requirements: Scranton's mandatory recycling program is codified at Chapter 400 Article V (Recycling) of the Code of the City of Scranton, the local implementation of PA Act 101 of 1988 (Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling and Waste Reduction Act, 53 P.S. §4000.101 et seq.), which requires every PA municipality of 10,000+ population (Scranton ~76,000) to operate curbside recycling.
Also covered: Pickup Rules & Schedules (moderate), Bin Placement Rules (moderate), Bulk Item Disposal (moderate). See the full trash & recycling guide for Scranton for details.
Short-Term Rentals
Taxes & Fees: Short-term rental operators in Scranton must collect the Lackawanna County 7% hotel tax authorized under 72 P.S. §1771-A et seq.
Also covered: Permit Requirements (moderate), Noise Rules (moderate), Parking Rules (moderate). See the full short-term rentals guide for Scranton for details.
Hotels & Lodging
Transient Occupancy Tax: Hotels and other transient lodging in Scranton must collect the Lackawanna County 7% hotel tax authorized under 72 P.S. §1771-A et seq., administered by the Lackawanna County Treasurer.
Business Licensing & Operations
Tobacco Retail License: Scranton tobacco retailers are licensed primarily at the state level. Pennsylvania Act 112 of 2020 (codified at 18 Pa.C.S.
Also covered: Secondhand Dealers (strict). See the full business licensing & operations guide for Scranton for details.
Fire Regulations
Outdoor Burning: Scranton restricts open burning through Chapter 243 (Fire Prevention) of the Codified Ordinances, which adopts the BOCA National Fire Prevention Code, supplemented by Pennsylvania DEP air-quality rules at 25 Pa. Code Section 129.14.
Also covered: Brush Clearance (moderate), Fire Pit Rules (moderate), Wildfire Zones (permissive). See the full fire regulations guide for Scranton for details.
Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors
Vending Zones: Scranton has not codified a citywide map of designated food-truck vending zones. Mobile-food operation in Scranton is governed by the city's peddler/vendor and itinerant-merchant licensing provisions in the Scranton City Code at ecode360.com/SC1148, by the Lackawanna County / Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture licensing framework under the Pennsylvania Food Code at 7 Pa.
Also covered: Food Truck Permits (moderate). See the full food trucks & mobile vendors guide for Scranton for details.
Rental Property Rules
Rental Inspection Programs: Scranton's Residential Rental Registration Program, codified in the Scranton City Code at ecode360.com/SC1148, authorizes the Department of Licensing, Inspections, and Permits (LIP) to conduct periodic interior and exterior inspections of every registered residential rental in the city. The substantive standard is the International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC), adopted by reference in the Scranton City Code.
Also covered: Rent Control (permissive), Just Cause Eviction (permissive), Rental Registration (strict). See the full rental property rules guide for Scranton for details.
Drone Rules
Recreational Drones: Recreational drone operation in Scranton is governed by the FAA federal framework: 14 CFR Part 107 for non-recreational flight and 49 U.S.C. §44809 for limited recreational flight (TRUST test, line-of-sight, under 400 feet AGL, registered above 0.55 lb at faa.gov/uas).
Curfew Laws
Juvenile Curfew: Scranton enforces a juvenile curfew under the Scranton City Code at ecode360.com/SC1148 (peace-and-good-order provisions), authorized by Scranton's home-rule charter and the general municipal police power recognized by Pennsylvania case law. Juveniles under age 18 are prohibited from being on public streets or in public places during overnight hours unless accompanied by a parent or guardian or covered by one of the statutory exceptions (employment, school or religious activity, emergency, exercise of First Amendment rights).
Sign Regulations
Political Signs: Scranton's sign regulation cannot impose content-based restrictions on political signs after the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Reed v.
Building Safety
Lead Paint: The City of Scranton does not have a stand-alone municipal lead ordinance. Lead hazards in Scranton are addressed through the federal Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act (42 U.S.C.
Also covered: Fire Sprinkler Requirements (moderate), Pest Control (moderate). See the full building safety guide for Scranton for details.
Permit Requirements
Renovation Permits: Renovation work in Scranton requires a building permit from the Department of Licensing, Inspections and Permits (LIPS) under Chapter 187 (Building Construction), Chapter 201 (Construction Codes, Uniform), and Chapter 203 (Contractors, Permits and Inspections) of the Codified Ordinances, plus the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code at 34 Pa. Code Section 403.42.
Parking Rules
RV & Boat Parking: RV, trailer and boat parking in Scranton is governed by the City of Scranton Code (codified on eCode360) and the separately adopted Scranton Zoning Ordinance, layered on top of the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code (75 Pa.C.S.). On-street storage of recreational vehicles, boat trailers and utility trailers is restricted by the City's vehicles-and-traffic provisions and by the statewide 75 Pa.C.S.
Also covered: Driveway Rules (moderate), Commercial Vehicle Restrictions (strict), Street Parking Limits (moderate). See the full parking rules guide for Scranton for details.
Animal Ordinances
Chickens & Livestock: Scranton's Code of Ordinances Chapter 169 (Animals) prohibits horses, cows, bulls, goats, sheep, hogs, mules, oxen and similar livestock from running at large in the City, and authorizes the Director of the Office of Public Health to order removal of chickens, ducks, geese, guinea fowl, turkeys, pigeons or other domestic fowl confined within 15 feet of any dwelling within 48 hours of notice. No person may keep a cow or bull without a written permit from the Director of the Office of Public Health.
Also covered: Breed Restrictions (permissive), Beekeeping (strict), Exotic Pets (strict). See the full animal ordinances guide for Scranton for details.
Building Setbacks & Zoning
Setback Rules: Building setbacks in Scranton are set by the Scranton Zoning Ordinance (referenced in the City Code on eCode360 portal SC1148, adopted as a separate document) and vary by zoning district. The City's principal residential districts (R-1A lowest density through R-3 highest density) each have their own front, side and rear yard requirements.
Also covered: Structure Height Limits (moderate), Lot Coverage Limits (moderate). See the full building setbacks & zoning guide for Scranton for details.
Garage & Yard Sales
Garage Sale Permits: Scranton's Code of Ordinances does not contain a dedicated garage-sale or yard-sale permit chapter, and no City of Scranton garage-sale permit is required for occasional residential sales of household items on private property. Sales that grow in frequency, volume, or commercial character can be reviewed as unlicensed business or secondhand-dealer activity under the Scranton Code.
Also covered: Frequency Limits (permissive). See the full garage & yard sales guide for Scranton for details.
Landscaping Rules
Tree Trimming: Tree trimming in the City of Scranton is governed by Chapter 434 (Trees and Weeds), Article I (Trees) (https://ecode360.com/11608793) and Chapter 358 (Shade Tree Commission, https://ecode360.com/11603607). The ordinance applies to street, highway, lane, alley, and avenue trees within the public right-of-way and to trees on public parks and other City-owned grounds.
Also covered: Weed Ordinances (moderate), Water Restrictions (moderate), Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (moderate). See the full landscaping rules guide for Scranton for details.
Tree Protection
Tree Removal Permits: Tree-removal permitting in the City of Scranton runs through the Shade Tree Commission and City Forester under Chapter 434 Article I (Trees) and Chapter 358 (Shade Tree Commission). Permission from the Commission and/or City Forester is required to remove any tree in the public right-of-way, on public parks, or on any City-owned grounds.
Also covered: Heritage & Protected Trees (moderate), Tree Replacement Requirements (moderate). See the full tree protection guide for Scranton for details.
Environmental Rules
Flood Zones: Scranton's Floodplain Management Requirements are codified at Section 445.51 of the Zoning Ordinance, last amended July 28, 2020 by Ordinance No. 16-2020.
Also covered: Stormwater Management (moderate). See the full environmental rules guide for Scranton for details.
Fence Regulations
Pool Barriers: Outdoor swimming pools in Scranton must be enclosed by a barrier at least 4 feet high with openings no wider than 2 inches and self-latching gates. The Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code (34 Pa.
Also covered: Permit Requirements (moderate), Neighbor Fence Rules (permissive), Approved Materials (permissive). See the full fence regulations guide for Scranton for details.
Swimming Pools & Spas
Fencing Requirements: Every outdoor pool in Scranton must be enclosed by a barrier at least 4 feet high with no opening wider than 2 inches and self-catching gate latches, under Chapter 445 Article V. The PA UCC layers on the 48-inch, self-closing, self-latching standard of IRC Appendix G and the 2018 ISPSC..
Also covered: Pool Permits (moderate), Safety Rules (strict). See the full swimming pools & spas guide for Scranton for details.
Accessory Structures
ADU Rules: Scranton is a Home Rule city in Lackawanna County (population approximately 76,000) operating under a Home Rule Charter adopted in 1976 pursuant to Pennsylvania Act 62 of 1972 (the PA Home Rule Charter and Optional Plans Law). The Scranton Zoning Ordinance is maintained as a separate document from the codified Scranton Code on eCode360 at https://ecode360.com/SC1148; the last comprehensive zoning amendment dates from approximately 2015.
Also covered: Shed Rules (moderate), Garage Conversions (moderate), ADU Permits (moderate). See the full accessory structures guide for Scranton for details.
Home Business
Zoning Restrictions: Scranton regulates home occupations through the Scranton Zoning Ordinance under authority of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code (53 P.S. §10603) and the city's Home Rule Charter (adopted 1976 under PA Act 62 of 1972).
Also covered: Signage Rules (moderate), Customer Traffic Restrictions (moderate). See the full home business guide for Scranton for details.
Outdoor Cooking
BBQ & Propane Rules: Pennsylvania has adopted the International Fire Code through the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code (34 Pa Code Ch. 403).
Solar Energy
Panel Permits: Solar panel installations on Scranton homes require permits under the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code (34 Pa Code §§401.1-405.42), specifically a building permit for roof-mount structural review and an electrical permit for the photovoltaic system interconnection. The Pennsylvania Solar Easement Act (68 P.S.
What to Do With This Information
This overview covers the big picture, but the details matter. Each ordinance page for Scranton includes the full text, violation penalties, and frequently asked questions. Use those pages when you need specifics.