Bethlehem, PA Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Code adopted
- PA Uniform Construction Code, in full
- Permit trigger lowered to
- 200 sq ft accessory structures
- Enforcing office
- Bureau of Code Enforcement Chief Code Official
- Related permit track
- Zoning building permit, Art. 1324
- Latest amendment
- Ord. 2026-02 (passed 2/3/2026)
Summary
Bethlehem requires a permit under the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code for erecting, altering, repairing, moving, demolishing or converting any building or structure in the city. Article 1701.01 adopts the statewide UCC in its entirety as the city's building code, with local amendments layered on top, most recently updated by Ordinance 2026-02.
1701.01 ADOPTION. That certain documents, viz, the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code (PA UCC), Act No. 45-1999, 35 P.S. §§ 7210.101 – 7210.1103, as amended, and the Uniform Construction Code, 34 Pa. Code, Chapters 401 – 405, as amended, be adopted as the official Codes of the City of Bethlehem, in accordance with the provisions of the Third Class City Code, 11 Pa.C.S. §§ 141A01 - 141A05, with the changes and amendments noted hereinafter, for the erection, construction, enlargement, alteration, repair, moving, removal, demolition, conversion, occupancy and maintenance of all buildings and structures of the City of Bethlehem providing for the issuance of permits and each and all of the regulations, provisions, conditions, and terms of the PA UCC, as amended, are hereby referred to, adopted, and made a part hereof as is fully set forth in this ordinance, with the changes and amendments noted hereinafter.
Full Breakdown
01 formally adopts the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, Act No. 45-1999, and its implementing regulations at 34 Pa. §§ 141A01 to 141A05. The adoption language covers "the erection, construction, enlargement, alteration, repair, moving, removal, demolition, conversion, occupancy and maintenance of all buildings and structures," and it is this section that requires a permit before that work happens. 02 layers Bethlehem-specific modifications onto the state code: it lowers the accessory-structure size that triggers a UCC permit from 1,000 square feet to 200 square feet, and it names the Director of the department housing the Bureau of Code Enforcement as the appointing authority for the Chief Code Official, who must hold an ICC "Building Code Official" certification.
Article 1701 cross-references Article 1324 of the zoning code for zoning-related building permits and Article 119 for the city's real estate registration and transfer program, meaning a project can touch more than one permit track at once. The current version of Article 1701 was most recently amended by Ordinance 2026-02, passed February 3, 2026, replacing an earlier, separately numbered International Building Code article.
Violations & Fines
Article 1701 does not print its own stand-alone penalty schedule; instead, building-code violations fall under the same fire-and-building-ordinance penalty structure Bethlehem applies citywide under § 110.4, which reaches $1,000 for a first or second continual, uncorrected violation on a property and up to $5,000 for the third and later violations, or $500 to $10,000 and up to 90 days' imprisonment where the violation threatens health, safety or property.
Frequently Asked Questions
What building code does Bethlehem use for permits?
Do I need a permit for a small shed?
Is the building permit the same as a zoning permit?
Who reviews and issues building permits in Bethlehem?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bethlehem
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