Pittsburgh, PA

Pittsburgh bans parking in the front yard citywide except inside a City Planning Commission-designated Front Yard Parking District, where a Special Exception allows one paved stall for…

Pittsburgh bars parking in front of driveways, at hydrants, and against traffic direction, with the Parking Authority ticketing violations citywide.

Once the Mayor declares a snow emergency, parking is banned on designated snow emergency routes starting one hour later. Cars left on those routes get towed to the City pound and the…

Pittsburgh's property maintenance code bans keeping any inoperative, uninspected, or unlicensed motor vehicle on a premises, and prohibits stripping, dismantling, or spray-painting…

Pittsburgh caps commercial loading-zone stops at 30 minutes for merchandise pickup or delivery, while passenger zones are limited to only the time needed to drop off or pick up riders.

Oversized vehicles and unhitched trailers can't park on residential streets for more than two hours between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. in Pittsburgh, with exceptions for permitted loading and…

Commercial vehicles, campers, unhitched trailers, and boats can't stay parked on any Pittsburgh street for more than two hours between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.; oversized vehicles face the…

New structured or integral parking garages with six or more spaces in Pittsburgh's Mixed-Use districts must make at least 10% of spaces EV Ready or 20% EV Capable, unless the building…

City Council designates residential parking permit areas by resolution after a parking study and public hearing, letting certified residents buy an annual permit that exempts them from…

Pittsburgh splits towing and impound rights across two chapters of its City Code. Chapter 525 governs what may be charged when a vehicle is taken from a parking area without the…

Pittsburgh limits commercial vehicles, campers, trailers unconnected to a vehicle, and boats to two hours of street parking between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. under City Code §…

Pittsburgh's noise ordinance tightens at night. Unamplified sound reaching a neighbor's residential property is capped at 55 dB(A) between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., down from the 65…

Leaf blowers and other lawn care equipment are exempt from Pittsburgh's noise limits only between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.; use outside those hours must meet the city's decibel limits.

Pittsburgh caps loudspeaker and amplified sound reaching residential property at 75 dB(A) day and night, or audibility from 75 feet, under the City's noise control ordinance.

Pittsburgh caps general construction hours and further restricts loud impact equipment like jackhammers and pile drivers to a tighter daytime window under the zoning code's operational…

Pittsburgh bans un-muffled compression ("Jake" or engine) braking anywhere in the city, with an exception only when the brakes were applied in a genuine emergency to protect people or…

Pittsburgh caps unamplified noise crossing into residential property at 65 dB(A) daytime and 55 dB(A) at night, while amplified noise from loudspeakers is capped at 75 dB(A) around the…

Pittsburgh declares a dog, cat, or other animal a nuisance when frequent, habitual barking, howling, or yelping disturbs the quiet of any person or the community, and bars owners from…

Pittsburgh zoning requires helistop applicants to submit a helicopter noise study measured in Ldn; if the analysis shows a 3 dB increase pushing residential noise above 75 dBLdn, the…

Pittsburgh caps accessory dwelling units at 800 square feet and allows only one per lot inside the mapped ADU Overlay District, requiring owner-occupancy and a 30-day minimum lease…

Carports are permitted by-right as residential accessory structures in Pittsburgh, but must meet the same front and side setbacks as the main house, keep at least 5 feet off the rear…

Accessory Dwelling Units built under Pittsburgh's ADU Overlay District can't be leased for stays shorter than 30 days, which rules out nightly or weekly short-term rentals like Airbnb…

Pittsburgh's Accessory Dwelling Unit Overlay District requires the property owner to live on-site whenever an ADU is present on the lot, per Zoning Code Section 912.08.E.4, alongside…

Pittsburgh caps fences at 6 feet in rear and interior side yards, but limits front-yard and street-facing side-yard fences to 4 feet and requires an open, ornamental design in that…

Backyard fences up to six feet tall need no permit in Pittsburgh; anything taller requires a building permit from the Bureau of Building Inspection under the city's amended residential…

Pittsburgh exempts retaining walls up to four feet tall, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, from a building permit. Taller walls, or any wall holding back…

Pittsburgh requires fences and walls to use compatible, durable materials like iron grating, wood, stone, or brick, bans barbed and razor wire citywide, and limits chain-link with slat…

Under Pennsylvania's 1905 Line Fence Act (29 P.S. § 41), adjoining owners of improved and occupied land must build and maintain equal halves of any boundary or division fence, and…

Pittsburgh regulates propane and LP-gas storage through the International Fire Code 2009, adopted citywide by the Bureau of Fire Prevention; under the Bureau's own fee schedule, LP-gas…

Any open burning in Pittsburgh, including a backyard fire pit or bonfire, needs a $71 Fire Bureau permit under the adopted International Fire Code, plus a separate permit from the…

Pittsburgh's Fire Code bans the manufacture, assembly, and testing of explosives and fireworks citywide, with narrow exceptions for personal ammunition reloading and licensed blasting…

Pittsburgh requires a Fire Bureau permit for any open burning, plus a separate permit from the Allegheny County Health Department, under the city's amended International Fire Code.

Pennsylvania's Forest Fire Protection Law makes it a crime to set fire to any woodlot, forest, or wild land anywhere in the Commonwealth. Accidental ignition is a misdemeanor…

Pittsburgh requires property owners to cut noxious weeds and mow grass to no more than six inches, or face a nuisance citation and cleanup lien from the City.

Pittsburgh classifies composting as urban agriculture under its zoning code and requires compost structures to sit at least one foot from property lines, contained in a bin or defined…

Pittsburgh property owners may install and maintain native-plant landscaping, rain gardens, and pollinator gardens under a 2025 ordinance, but must register the planting with the City.

Pittsburgh requires a Department of Public Works permit before removing, cutting down, or trimming any tree or shrub located in a public street, parkway, or other public place.

Pittsburgh property owners must trim trees whose limbs extend into a public street, block free passage, obstruct a streetlight, or interfere with fire alarm wires once Public Works…

Pittsburgh has no standing outdoor watering ban. PA Code Chapter 119 authorizes restrictions only during declared drought emergencies. Pgh2O may impose temporary limits during supply…

Pittsburgh law limits who may capture or trap a wild or non-domesticated bird, including pigeons, to the city's Animal Care and Control Bureau, licensed vets, licensed wildlife…

Pittsburgh doesn't license cats, but any cat allowed to roam freely must wear a collar or tag with the owner's name, address and phone number under City Code § 633.03.

Pittsburgh pet shops and other commercial establishments may sell dogs, cats, or rabbits only if the animal came from an animal care facility or rescue organization: sourcing from…

Pittsburgh bars anyone from harming a wild or non-domesticated bird, including pigeons, and limits capture or trapping to trained Bureau staff, vets, and permitted wildlife…

City parks ban hunting, molesting, or feeding wild animals and birds, but Pittsburgh runs an official Deer Management Program letting Public Safety-authorized bow hunters cull…

Pittsburgh caps households at five dogs and cats combined under City Code Section 633.12, though licensed kennels and catteries can exceed that limit with a permit from the Bureau of…

Pittsburgh allows chickens, ducks, goats, and honeybees by right in any residential yard, but caps counts by lot size, bans roosters outright, and requires coops sized six square feet…

Pittsburgh allows residents to keep honeybees by right as an accessory use, with hive counts tied to lot size and a mandatory flyway barrier near property lines.

Pittsburgh bans dogs running at large on streets, sidewalks, or private property; owners must restrain dogs with a leash or a chain no longer than six feet in all public places.

Pittsburgh has no breed ban. Under Code § 633.20, a dog is declared dangerous individually under Pennsylvania's Dangerous Dog Law, then the City Treasurer issues a registration…

Pittsburgh outlaws purchasing, displaying, selling, or possessing wildlife anywhere in the city unless a Pennsylvania Game Law permit authorizes it, which bars ordinary residents from…

Pennsylvania Game Commission regulations prohibit intentionally feeding bears and elk statewide, with deer feeding restricted in chronic wasting disease zones.

Pittsburgh's Building Code requires public and commercial hot tubs and spas to meet the ANSI/NSPI-2 1999 national spa standard, but expressly exempts hot tubs and spas accessory to a…

Pittsburgh's building code exempts prefabricated above-ground pools less than 24 inches deep from a building permit, but pools that reach or exceed that depth require a permit from the…

Pittsburgh requires a home occupation permit from the Division of Zoning and Development Review. Applicants must waive expansion rights under Chapter 912.

Pittsburgh caps home occupations at six one-way vehicle trips per twenty-four-hour day, limiting customer and delivery traffic to preserve residential character under the zoning code's…

Home-based businesses in Pittsburgh can display only the sign required by their occupancy license: capped at 4 square feet, one per entrance, wall- or pole-mounted, and never…

Pittsburgh exempts in-home child care for 3 or fewer children from home occupation rules. Larger operations need a PA DHS license and local Certificate of Occupancy.

Pennsylvania never enacted a cottage food law, so there is no sales ceiling to stay under and no exemption to claim. Instead 3 Pa.C.S. § 5734(a) makes it the duty of every person…

Pittsburgh lets short-term rental owners without off-street parking apply for an annual residential parking permit, plus limited daily guest passes for guests' vehicles in RPP zones.

Pittsburgh treats short-term homestays as rental units, requiring a valid rental permit from the License Officer before renting the unit, plus registration and inspection under the…

Pittsburgh treats Airbnb-style short-term homestays as rental units under its Residential Housing Rental Permit Program, so hosts pay the same annual registration fee landlords pay…

Pittsburgh zoning treats smoke, vape, and CBD shops as a 'Retail: Tobacco, Inhalant, and Cannabinoids' use, barring them within 1,000 feet of any school, restricting hours, and banning…

Pittsburgh zones adult entertainment businesses at least 1,000 feet apart from each other and 500 feet from schools, churches, libraries, and residential uses, and requires a license…

Pittsburgh requires anyone lending on pledged goods to hold a pawnbroker license, keep a daily transaction log, and report to police every business day.

Pittsburgh requires a License Officer permit before buying and selling secondhand goods or antiques, with mandatory purchase records, weekly police reports, and a waiting period before…

Pittsburgh's zoning code specifically bans auto and other vehicle repair as a home occupation, so residents cannot legally run a repair shop out of a house or garage in any residential…

Pittsburgh's zoning code classifies massage establishments as an Adult Entertainment use, requiring a license from the Bureau of Building Inspections plus strict distance separations…

Any tow business or operator doing non-consensual (trespass) tows in Pittsburgh must hold a City Tow Business License and Tow Truck Operator badge from the Director of Public Safety…

Pittsburgh requires every rental unit to register and pass a Permits, Licenses and Inspections Department inspection before occupancy, then re-inspection every three years under the…

Pittsburgh renters and owners of pre-1978 rental dwellings can request a free lead hazard inspection from the Department of Permits, Licenses and Inspections, and landlords cannot…

Pittsburgh requires an outdoor dining and retail license from the Department of Mobility and Infrastructure before any restaurant can place tables, chairs, or seating for sidewalk café…

Street fairs, festivals, and carnivals in Pittsburgh need a Special Event Permit filed with the Mayor's Office 14 to 180 business days ahead.

Pittsburgh requires a permit from Parks and Recreation, Public Works, or the Mayor's Office before reserving a shelter, ballfield, court, or other park facility for a meeting, class…

Parades, public assemblies, and other special events on Pittsburgh streets or City property need an Event Permit from the Mayor's Office before they can proceed, under Chapter 470 of…

Neighborhood block parties in Pittsburgh require a right-of-way closure permit from the Director of Mobility and Infrastructure, who sets affordable fees not tied to the city's actual…

In Pittsburgh, an outdoor event covered by a Chapter 470 special events permit doesn't need a separate film permit, unless organizers staged the event solely to be filmed, which…

Electronic advertising signs need a Zoning Board Special Exception, are confined to AS-O Subdistrict A, and face strict brightness and dwell-time limits.

In Pittsburgh's East Carson Street Neighborhood Business Sign District, street-level shops get two window signs capped at 20% of window glazing, up to eight square feet each.

Pittsburgh's zoning code lets homeowners put up inflatable Santas, snowmen and other holiday decorations in any zoning district without a permit, but caps the display at 90 consecutive…

Pittsburgh's zoning code lets temporary political campaign signs go up under Chapter 919, capped at 12 or 32 square feet depending on zoning district, and requires removal within 30…

Advertising signs (billboards) facing Pittsburgh's restricted-access highways must sit at least 350 feet from the highway's center line and be spaced at least 1,500 feet apart along…

Every food truck in Pittsburgh needs a vending license from the License Officer under Chapter 719 before operating, plus a Health Department permit and, for public right-of-way sites…

Pittsburgh requires a License Officer permit for street-vending carts and vending units, capping their selling area, barring add-on tables or racks, and setting siting, size, and…

Pittsburgh restricts food trucks and street vendors to License Officer-authorized locations in the right-of-way and city parks, sited next to property zoned for Outdoor Retail Sales &…

In AE flood zones, Pittsburgh requires new construction and substantial improvements to sit at least 1.5 feet above base flood elevation, per the FP-O Floodplain Overlay District.

Private pleasure boats may dock free at City-owned wharves and riverbanks except the Allegheny and Monongahela Wharves, but no boat can stay docked longer than 24 hours under rules set…

Pittsburgh requires a City-approved SWM Site Plan before any project disturbs 10,000+ sq ft of earth or adds 5,000+ sq ft of impervious area.

Pittsburgh participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and enforces floodplain development regulations for properties in FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard Areas. The three…

Pittsburgh requires erosion and sediment control BMPs on every earth-disturbance activity under its Stormwater Management Title, following state Erosion and Sediment Pollution Control…

Allegheny County bans heavy-duty diesel trucks from idling longer than reasonably needed to reach normal operating temperature, enforced by the Health Department with escalating fines.

Pittsburgh adopted the 2021 International Property Maintenance Code as its citywide property maintenance law, setting minimum habitability standards every rental unit and structure…

Pittsburgh landlords must obtain a rental permit from the Department of Permits, Licenses and Inspections before renting out a unit, registering annually and passing a habitability…

Under 68 P.S. Section 250.501, a Pennsylvania landlord must serve a written notice to quit before eviction: 10 days for nonpayment of rent, and 15 days (term of one year or less) or 30…

Pennsylvania Landlord-Tenant Act establishes uniform eviction notice and procedure requirements applicable statewide, governing all residential tenancy terminations universally.

Pennsylvania's Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 caps a residential security deposit at two months' rent during the first year and one month's rent in the second and later years…

Pennsylvania's general adverse possession period is 21 years under 42 Pa.C.S. Section 5530. A shorter 10-year period applies under 42 Pa.C.S. Section 5527.1 to a parcel of one-half…

Pittsburgh bans operating drones and motorized model aircraft in or above any city park unless the flight complies with the Film Permit chapter and FAA regulations.

Commercial drone operators in Pennsylvania must hold an FAA Part 107 certificate and comply with state crimes under Act 78 of 2018 (18 Pa.C.S. Section 3505). That law preempts local…

Pennsylvania Act 78 of 2018 (18 Pa.C.S. Section 3505) criminalizes drone surveillance of a private place, menacing operation, and contraband delivery, and preempts most local drone…

Pittsburgh's Bureau of Building Inspection requires a Building Permit for any work covered by the International Building, Energy Conservation, Existing Building, and Residential Codes…

Pittsburgh requires a separate Electrical Permit from the Bureau of Building Inspection for work covered by the adopted ICC Electrical Code and the International Residential Code Part…

Pittsburgh requires owners of buildings other than one- and two-family homes and townhouses to hire a Pennsylvania-licensed engineer for a structural inspection every five years and…

Pittsburgh's Property Maintenance Code requires every elevator, dumbwaiter, and escalator in the city to be kept in compliance with Pennsylvania's own elevator safety regulations…

Pittsburgh requires lead hazard inspections for rental housing built before 1978, covering bare soil, deteriorated paint, and certified dust-wipe sampling, with mandatory remediation…

Pittsburgh adopts the International Plumbing Code as part of its Uniform Construction Code, but plumbing permits aren't issued by the Bureau of Building Inspection: the Allegheny…

Renovating a Pittsburgh apartment, hotel, or institutional building triggers mandatory sprinklers under Code § 1002.02 (IEBC § 604.2.2) when the work area has shared exits or a 30+…

Pittsburgh lets non-residential developers earn up to a 20 percent floor-area-ratio and height bonus by committing to LEED certification, under City Code Section 915.04, backed by a…

Large nonresidential buildings in Pittsburgh must set aside on-site child day care space once they exceed set floor-area thresholds, with location, size, and floor-area-bonus rules…

Pittsburgh zoning bars 'Retail: Tobacco, Inhalant, and Cannabinoids' shops - vape, CBD, and Delta-8/Delta-10/HHC retailers - from locating within 1,000 feet of any elementary or…

Pittsburgh's zoning code lets medical marijuana dispensaries locate by right in most commercial, mixed-use, and industrial districts, by special exception in Local Neighborhood…

Pennsylvania prohibits home cultivation of cannabis by patients, caregivers, and recreational users. The Medical Marijuana Act limits production to state-permitted growers, and…

Pittsburgh's zoning code allows farming as "Agriculture (General)" only on lots of two acres or more, with a 50-foot setback for animal structures and limits on which animals qualify.

Pennsylvania's Right to Farm Act (Act 133 of 1982, 3 P.S. §951 et seq.) protects established agricultural operations from local nuisance lawsuits and overly restrictive municipal…

Pittsburgh bars its Department of Public Safety from acquiring, retaining, accessing, or using facial recognition or predictive policing technology without a City Council resolution…

Pittsburgh's public-camera privacy ordinance governs only City-owned and government-funded cameras aimed at the public right-of-way. The code says outright it does not intend to…

Pittsburgh's public security camera ordinance bars automatic tracking, identification, and data-appending on city cameras, but expressly exempts license plate readers (ALPR/ANPR) from…

Property owners must repair a leaking private water service line within five business days of notice from the Department of Water, or face a daily penalty charge until the leak is…

Pittsburgh bans stopping, standing, or parking in a bicycle lane, with a narrow curbside pickup/drop-off exception for drivers assisting a person with a disability.

Pittsburgh runs automated red-light cameras under Chapter 625 of the City Code, issuing civil fines (not moving violations) to vehicle owners caught on camera running red lights at…

Pittsburgh limits electric scooters to bike lanes, streets posted 25 mph or under, and shared-use paths: sidewalks are off-limits except where a path is specifically designated. Riders…

Pennsylvania draws a hard line between a golf cart and a neighborhood electric vehicle. Chapter 77A of the Vehicle Code makes it unlawful to operate a golf cart on any highway at all…

Pittsburgh bans aggressive panhandling outright, defining it as intimidating approaches, following, unwanted touching, or threatening gestures made while soliciting money.

Pittsburgh bans riding skateboards, roller skates, scooters and bicycles on sidewalks within any business district, backed by a $25 fine plus costs under a 1988 ordinance still on the…

Smoking marijuana in any public space in Pittsburgh is a summary violation carrying a $100 fine per offense, issued by police under Chapter 627 of the city code.

Pittsburgh bans smoking and all tobacco use, including vaping, in every city park, playground and pool under City Code § 473.05(h).

Pittsburgh bans urinating or defecating in public places or on private property without consent, unless it's in an enclosed sanitary facility. Each violation carries a flat $500 fine.

Pittsburgh holds hosts liable for gatherings where anyone under 21 drinks, whether the host knew or should have known: fines run to $500 with jail time in default of payment.

Pittsburgh bans drinking or carrying an open alcohol container in the public right-of-way and on private property without the owner's consent, with a limited exception for permitted…

Pittsburgh's Lighting Code requires new and majorly renovated outdoor lighting to use permanently installed shielding and, above 3,500 lumens, cutoff or full cutoff optics: enforced by…

Pittsburgh caps electronic billboards at 2,500 nits during the day and 250 nits at night, with automatic dimmers and annual certification required under the zoning code's advertising…

New construction and major renovations in Pittsburgh must use shielded, full-cutoff outdoor light fixtures to cut glare and light pollution under the city's Lighting Code.

Pittsburgh allows temporary holiday displays and lawn decorations in every zoning district, but caps them at 90 consecutive days and 90 days total per year under the sign code's…

Planting a tree or shrub in a Pittsburgh street, parkway, or other public place requires a Department of Public Works permit before you dig.

Allegheny County flatly bars approval of any subdivision or land development plan that would destroy a tree listed on its official Register of Bicentennial Trees.

Street closures for filming in Pittsburgh require a high-impact film permit filed at least seven business days ahead, plus a Traffic Control Plan and City Film Permit Office review…

Student filmmakers in Pittsburgh still need a City Film Permit for public property, but school-backed insurance replaces the $500,000/$1 million commercial policy otherwise required…

Commercial still photography in Pittsburgh is exempt from the film permit requirement if it's off City property or uses two or fewer parked vehicles on a public way.

Pittsburgh caps unamplified noise, including AC compressors and HVAC condensers, that crosses onto a neighbor's residential property at 65 dB(A) by day and 55 dB(A) at night, or noise…

Pittsburgh zoning requires developments near residential zones to commit to daytime-only generator testing and keeps generator noise under the Chapter 916 lot-line decibel limits.

Pittsburgh caps amplified noise from bars and nightclubs at 75 dB(A) where it crosses into a residential property, day or night, under the city's Amplified Noise standard in the…

Pittsburgh's zoning code caps noise from delivery and pick-up trucks serving a development at 65 dBA by day and 60 dBA at night, measured at the property line, under the citywide…

Pittsburgh taxes every paid nonresidential parking transaction at 37.5 percent of the fee, among the highest parking taxes in the country.

Pittsburgh doesn't sort businesses by industry for tax purposes: it applies a five-factor test under Code § 258.01 to decide who owes the 0.55% Payroll Expense Tax, the levy that…

After a Quality-of-Life ticket is issued for a code violation, the violator gets 72 hours to fix it before the city can step in and abate it themselves, or immediately, if the…

Pittsburgh issues Quality-of-Life tickets for four common code violations: excess exterior garbage, improperly stored trash or recycling cans, early or late curbside setout, and mixing…

The Pittsburgh Code puts the 311 Response Line under the Department of Innovation and Performance; call 311 (412-255-2621 from outside the city) to report code violations, and staff…

Permanent structures built into Pittsburgh's public right-of-way, like steps or stairs integral to a property, need approval from both the Department of Mobility and Infrastructure and…

Pittsburgh property owners must maintain, repair, and replace the sidewalk and curb abutting their property, and must get a permit from the Department of Mobility and Infrastructure…

Pittsburgh bars depositing material or merchandise on sidewalks except goods staged for delivery, which must leave at least 5 feet of clear width and be cleared within one hour.

Downtown building projects in the Golden Triangle involving more than $250,000 of exterior work must pass Planning Commission design review under fixed architectural criteria covering…

Non-residential projects pursuing LEED certification can get up to a 20% floor-area-ratio and height bonus over the base zoning district, approved as an Administrator's Exception or…

Pittsburgh bans DCNR-listed invasive plant species from registered Managed Natural Landscapes citywide, and the city can order violators to cut and destroy prohibited growth under its…

Pittsburgh allows front-yard native, rain, and pollinator gardens under Code § 609.08, but registration is required and invasive or state-noxious plant species are banned from any…

Pittsburgh requires recycling under Pennsylvania Act 101: recyclables must be separated from trash, kept residue-free, and never placed in blue containers meant for recycling.

Pittsburgh bans willfully dumping debris on public or private property, sewers, or waterways, with a minimum $500 fine and each day the dumped debris remains counted as a separate…

Pittsburgh residents may set municipal waste and recyclables curbside starting 6 p.m. the evening before collection, with empty containers back off the curb by 10 p.m. on collection…

Commercial and institutional properties not serviced by the City must place dumpsters and waste containers at least 30 feet from any land zoned R1D, R1A, R2, R3, RM, or H.

Pittsburgh requires trash and recycling containers to be stored in the rear of the property, out of view of the street where feasible, and set out no earlier than 6 p.m. the night…

Pittsburgh residents must set trash and recycling out no earlier than 6 p.m. the night before collection, no later than 6 a.m. collection day, and pull empty containers back in by 10…

Pittsburgh requires curbside recycling under Chapter 619, separating recyclables from municipal waste in blue containers, with fees up to $500 for households and $5,000 for businesses…

The City of Pittsburgh collects yard waste curbside on two special days a year, and both 2026 mailers print November 7th as the fall day. Leaves go out in paper bags weighing less than…

Pittsburgh's curbside crews skip demolition debris, unbundled brush, tires, batteries, and appliances: residents must arrange their own disposal for these.

Pittsburgh's Public Art & Civic Design Commission must review and approve in writing any addition, modification, relocation, or removal of monuments, memorials, and historic objects…

Pittsburgh's Zoning Code lists solar energy systems as a by-right accessory use in every zoning district, and rooftop-mounted panels are exempt from setback requirements, so no special…

Pittsburgh bars city agencies and employees from detaining anyone based solely on an ICE detainer, administrative warrant, or suspected immigration status, and blocks staff from aiding…

Before PLI issues a demolition permit, Pittsburgh requires the property owner or agent to treat the site for pests and rodents and submit proof of that treatment with the permit…

Pittsburgh city parks and playgrounds close to the public between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. under the Parks and Recreation code, with limited exceptions.

Minors under 17 must be off Pittsburgh streets by 10 p.m. on school nights and midnight on weekends, with earlier limits lifted in summer.

Any charity or religious group sending representatives door-to-door in Pittsburgh must register with the Police Department first, list every solicitor's name and address, and file…

Pittsburgh's zoning code sets minimum yard setbacks by density subdistrict, not one citywide number, with front, rear, and interior sideyard minimums spelled out for R1D, R1A, R2, R3…

Single- and two-unit homes in Pittsburgh's R1D, R1A, R2 and R3 residential subdistricts are capped at 40 feet and 3 stories under the zoning code's development-subdistrict standards.

Pittsburgh sets no maximum lot coverage percentage for its residential zoning districts, R1D, R1A, R2, R3, and RM, controlling building bulk instead through minimum lot size, setback…

Pittsburgh requires every owner or occupant to keep grass and weeds under six inches on their real estate, including vacant lots, or face notice, city abatement, and fines up to $500…

Pittsburgh's Property Maintenance Code lets the Department of Permits, Licenses and Inspections condemn, placard, and order repair or demolition of any structure that is damaged…

Pittsburgh property owners and tenants must clear snow and ice from sidewalks within 24 hours of a snowfall or freezing rain, or face fines up to $300 per day under the city's general…

HOA disputes in Allegheny County resolved under 68 Pa.C.S. §5311 allowing unit owners to bring actions for declaratory/injunctive relief, damages, and attorney's fees for HOA…

HOA CC&R (Declaration of Covenants) enforcement in PA authorized under 68 Pa.C.S. §5302(a)(11) and §5303. HOAs may impose fines (if authorized by declaration), suspend common area…

HOA assessments in Allegheny County governed by 68 Pa.C.S. §5314 (UPCA). Assessments are automatic liens on units from due date under §5315 without recording. HOAs may foreclose liens…

Architectural review in PA HOAs is governed by declaration/CC&Rs authority delegated under 68 Pa.C.S. §5302(a)(11). UPCA permits HOAs to regulate exterior appearance, additions, and…

A Pennsylvania association's bylaws must call at least one owners' meeting a year, and notice has to go out not less than ten and not more than 60 days before it, stating the time, the…

Pennsylvania's American, Commonwealth and Military Flag Act overrides any HOA covenant that bans flags. Whatever the declaration says, an association may not stop a unit owner from…

Pennsylvania sets no dollar ceiling on a homeowners association fine. Under the Uniform Planned Community Act, 68 Pa.C.S. § 5302(a)(11), an association may levy "reasonable fines" for…

A Pennsylvania planned community association gets a lien on a lot the moment an assessment or fine falls due, and 68 Pa.C.S. § 5315(a) lets it foreclose that lien in a like manner as a…

Allegheny County exempts outdoor cooking fires from its open burning permit requirement, as long as the fire uses approved fuel and follows the size and setback rules for recreational…

Allegheny County restricts backyard smokers, grills, and outdoor fireplaces to clean wood, propane, natural gas, charcoal, and a few approved fire-starting materials.

Allegheny County imposes a hotel room rental tax of up to 5% on the consideration paid to hotel operators for renting rooms to transients, collected by the operator.

Pennsylvania is a shall-issue state requiring a License to Carry Firearms (LTCF) issued by the county sheriff for concealed carry or carry in a vehicle, with statewide rules under 18…

Pennsylvania law comprehensively preempts local regulation of firearms under 18 Pa.C.S. §6120. Cities and counties cannot regulate lawful ownership, possession, transfer, or…

Open carry of firearms is generally legal in Pennsylvania for adults 18 or older without a permit outside Philadelphia, but a License to Carry Firearms is required statewide for…

Under 18 Pa.C.S. Section 6106, carrying a firearm in a vehicle anywhere in Pennsylvania generally requires a valid License to Carry Firearms, with limited exceptions for unloaded…

Pennsylvania caps mini-casinos at ten Category 4 slot machine licenses statewide under 4 Pa.C.S. § 1305.1, each barred from sitting within 25 linear miles of an existing Category 1, 2…

Pennsylvania nonprofits can't run raffles, punchboards, or 50/50 drawings for charity until their own municipality's voters approve it in a referendum. Once approved, the county…

Pennsylvania's gambling code has no social-game or private-residence exception. 18 Pa.C.S. § 5513 makes it a first-degree misdemeanor to let people 'collect and assemble for the…

Pennsylvania channels all sports wagering through Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board certificates, and only an existing slot machine licensee can hold one under 4 Pa.C.S. § 13C11…

Sobriety checkpoints are lawful in Pennsylvania, and the authority is a single clause in 75 Pa.C.S. § 6308(b) permitting an officer to stop a vehicle whenever he is engaged in a…

Pennsylvania is an all-party consent state, and 18 Pa.C.S. § 5703 grades an intentional interception of an oral communication as a felony of the third degree, one of the harshest…

Pennsylvania has never enacted a general stop-and-identify statute, so a person stopped on the street in this Commonwealth has no statutory duty to state a name or produce…

Pennsylvania does not require an officer to obtain written consent before searching a car, and it does not require a warning that you may refuse. Since 5 December 2025 it does require…

Pennsylvania Act 112 of 2019 raised the minimum age to purchase tobacco and e-cigarettes to 21, aligning with the federal Tobacco 21 law (Dec 2019). The state law covers all tobacco…

Pennsylvania does not currently impose a statewide ban on flavored tobacco or menthol cigarettes, though federal FDA marketing rules restrict which flavored vape products and…

Pennsylvania allows a passenger vehicle or light truck exactly one pair of approved auxiliary driving lamps and fog lamps, mounted at least 20 inches apart from center to center and no…

Pennsylvania has never written a dash cam allowance into the Vehicle Code. 75 Pa.C.S. § 4524(a) bars nontransparent material on the front windshield that materially obstructs the…

Lane splitting is expressly illegal in Pennsylvania. Section 3523(c) of the Vehicle Code says no person shall operate a motorcycle between lanes of traffic or between adjacent lines or…

Pennsylvania flatly prohibits a tinted registration plate cover. Section 1332(b)(5) of the Vehicle Code makes it unlawful to display a plate that "has a tinted plate cover," with no…

A radar detector is legal in a private passenger vehicle in Pennsylvania. The full text of Title 75, the Vehicle Code, contains no occurrence of the word "detector" at all, and the…

Studded snow tires are legal in Pennsylvania only between November 1 and April 15 of the following year, and the studs may project no more than two thirty-seconds of an inch beyond the…

Pennsylvania sets no separate front-and-rear tint percentages the way most states do. 75 Pa.C.S. § 4524(e)(1) simply bars driving with any sun screening device that does not permit a…