Allentown, PA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Structure Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- GX-C zone
- 2-2.5 stories (3 w/ basement+half story)
- GX-N, NX, N2
- 1.5-2.5 stories max
- N3, N4
- 2-2.5 stories max
- Story height
- 9 ft min, 11-12 ft max floor-to-floor
- Height to eaves
- 20 ft max, § 660-131M
- Enforcing agency
- Zoning Officer, Bureau of Building Standards
Summary
Allentown limits the City's standard detached house type, House A, to 2.5 stories (three with a visible basement and a half-story roof) in the GX-C, GX-N, NX and N2 zones, and two to 2.5 stories in N3 and N4, under Zoning Ordinance § 660-29.G. Story height is capped at 11-12 feet floor-to-floor, and height to the roof eaves may not exceed 20 feet.
Height. [See Figure 660-29(5).]
Zones GX-C GX-N, NX, N2 N3, N4 Additional/References 13 Height
2 stories min. 2.5 stories max.; 3 stories max with both visible basement and half story in roof 1.5 stories min. 2.5 stories max.; 3 stories max with both visible basement and half story in roof 2 stories min. 2.5 stories max. See § 660-29J for half story regulations. See § 660-131M for measuring height. 14 Story Height 9 ft. min. 12 ft. max. 9 ft. min. 11 ft. max. 9 ft. min. 11 ft. max. Measured floor-to-floor. 15 Height to Eaves 20 ft. max. 20 ft. max. 20 ft. max. Height to eaves is measured from the first floor to the bottom of the eave.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4995055; v49 updated 2026-06-26; through 06-26-2026).
Full Breakdown
Under the City's 2026 form-based zoning code (Ord. No. 16166), height is regulated per building type rather than with a single citywide figure. G. 5 stories, or three stories where the design includes both a visible basement and a half story tucked into the roof. 5 stories with no basement-and-roof exception listed. Individual story height is capped at 12 feet floor-to-floor in GX-C and 11 feet in the other zones, with a nine-foot minimum everywhere, and height measured to the roof eaves may not exceed 20 feet in any of the House A zones, per the measuring rules of § 660-131M.
J. Because these limits attach to the building type rather than a zone alone, a lot that instead uses a different building type, such as a Twin House or Town Rowhouse, is subject to that type's own height table, not the House A figures above. A zoning permit under § 660-114 is required before construction, and the Zoning Officer verifies compliance with the applicable table before issuing it.
Violations & Fines
Building above the applicable story or eave-height maximum without zoning approval violates Chapter 660. The City enforces through a civil action under § 660-123.D, with a judgment of up to $500 per violation plus court costs and the City's attorney fees, and each day the oversized structure stands counts as a separate offense. The Zoning Officer can withhold a certificate of occupancy, and an owner who cannot meet the table may seek a variance from the Zoning Hearing Board under § 660-116.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can a house be in Allentown?
Is height measured in feet or stories in Allentown?
Do all Allentown building types share the same height limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Allentown
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