A-301.1 Permits required: An application shall be submitted to the department for the activities listed in Sections A-301.1.1 through A-301.1.5 and these activities shall not commence without a permit being issued in accordance with Section A-302.0. Where the scope of work includes more than one lot, a separate permit shall be required for each lot.

A-301.1.1 Building permits: A building permit is required for the following activities:

1. Construction or erection of a structure.

2. Construction of an addition to a structure.

3. Altering, modifying, repairing, or improving a structure.

4. Demolishing, moving or removing a structure.

5. Making a change of occupancy.

6. Installing, erecting, enlarging, removing, replacing, converting, repairing or altering any equipment which is regulated by the Building Code, Fuel Gas Code, Mechanical Code or Chapters 3 through 24 of the Residential Code.

7. Installing any trailer, regardless of the method of support, including support on wheels or blocks. The provisions of this Title shall apply to a trailer in the same manner as if the trailer were a site-built structure

Exceptions:

a. Recreational trailers.

b. Vacant trailers parked on a site.

c. Trailers used in conjunction with construction operations.

d. Buildings and structures subject to the Pennsylvania Industrialized Housing Act, Act 70 of 1972, P.L. 286, or the Pennsylvania Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Authorization Act, Act 192 of 1982, P.L. 676.

A-301.1.2 Fire permits: A permit or license is required for those operations, facilities, trades and hazardous materials specified in the Fire Code.

A-301.1.2.1 Multiple permits or licenses: Any person carrying on two or more activities for which permits or licenses are required by the Fire Code shall have a permit or license for each such activity, provided that, where multiple permits are required for activities conducted at the same location, the code official is authorized to consolidate all required operational permits on a single document and all required construction permits on a single document, provided that each operation or construction activity is listed on the document.

Exception: Where facilities store, use, dispense or handle two or more hazardous materials on the premises at any one time, only one permit shall be required which lists each such hazardous material.

A-301.1.3 Electrical permits: An electrical permit is required for the installation, alteration, replacement or repair of electrical and communication wiring and equipment within or on any structure or premises and for the alteration of any such existing installation.

A-301.1.4 Plumbing permits: A plumbing permit is required for the installation, alteration, renewal, replacement and repair of plumbing.

A-301.1.5 Zoning and use registration permits: A zoning permit is required for the construction, erection, removal, demolition, or change in exterior dimension of any structure. A use registration permit is required for every new use commenced on any land or in any structure except for use as a single-family dwelling or place of worship.

A-301.1.6 Emergency repairs: Where equipment replacements and repairs that require a permit must be performed in an emergency situation, the permit application shall be submitted within the next three business days to the Department.

A-301.2 Permits not required: Permits shall not be required for the activities listed in Sections A-301.2.1 through A-301.2.5 and the regulations promulgated pursuant thereto. Exemptions from permit requirements of this code or the technical codes shall not be deemed to grant authorization for any work to be done in any manner in violation of the provisions of The Philadelphia Code.

A-301.2.1 Building permits: A building permit shall not be required for the following activities. This subsection does not exempt any activity from any other applicable permit requirements under The Philadelphia Code, including Section 14-2007 relating to historic designations.

1. Ordinary repairs to structures. Such repairs shall not include the cutting away of any wall, partition or portion thereof, the removal or cutting of any structural beam or loadbearing support, or the removal or change of any required means of egress, or rearrangement of parts of a structure affecting the egress requirements; nor shall ordinary repairs include addition to, alteration of, replacement or relocation of any standpipe, water supply sewer, drainage, drain leader, gas, soil, waste, vent or similar piping, electric wiring or mechanical or other work affecting public health or general safety.

2. Demolitions and stucco wall treatments performed under contract with the department and in compliance with the current Procurement Department Specifications.

3. Non-masonry fences that do not exceed six feet high.

4. Masonry fence walls that do not exceed two feet high.

5. Retaining walls that do not exceed two feet in height measured from the lowest level of grade to the top of the wall where no surcharge is supported and that do not impound Class I, II or III-A liquids.

6. Pointing of masonry.

7. Water tanks supported directly on grade where the tank capacity does not exceed 5,000 gallons and the ratio of height to diameter or width does not exceed 2-to-1.

8. Painting, papering and similar wall and ceiling finishes that do not exceed 0.036 inches (0.9 mm) in thickness.

9. Paneling or gypsum wallboard installed over existing wall surfaces and ceiling material applied directly to existing ceilings in Group R-3 and U occupancies.

10. Insulation installed in Group R-3 and U occupancies without removal of wall or ceiling surfaces.

11. Traditional floor coverings such as wood, vinyl, linoleum, terrazzo and resilient floor coverings that are not comprised of fibers.

12. Carpeting and similar floor coverings that are not installed in exit access corridors, exit passageways or vertical exits.

13. Cabinets, counter tops and similar finishing work.

14. Movable cases, counters and partitions that are not over 5 feet 9 inches in height.

15. Temporary motion picture, television, and theater stage sets and scenery.

16. One-story detached structures accessory to R-3 occupancies, provided the floor area does not exceed 200 square feet (18.58 m²).

17. Prefabricated swimming pools accessory to Group R-3 occupancies where the pool is less than 24 inches deep, does not exceed 5,000 gallons and is installed entirely above ground.

18. Window awnings that are supported solely by, and do not project more than 54 inches from, the exterior wall of buildings containing Group R-3 or Group U occupancies.

19. Shade cloth structures constructed for nursery or agricultural purposes that do not include service systems.

20. Swings, playground equipment and structures limited to the use of a household pet, accessory to Group R-3 occupancies.

21. Sidewalks, driveways, patios, and similar concrete or other hard surface materials constructed on grade where they are not part of an accessible route. This exception includes decks of any material, accessory to Group R-3 occupancies where the deck is located not more than 12 inches above the ground surface below and is not over a story or basement.

22. Replacement of non-fire-resistance rated windows and doors without structural change (no change in shape or size of existing openings).

23. Portable units including: ventilation equipment, heating appliances, cooling units, evaporative coolers, clothes drying appliances, fuel cell appliances that are not connected to a fixed piping system and are not interconnected to a power grid.

24. Steam, hot or chilled water piping within any heating or cooling equipment regulated by the Building Construction and Occupancy Code.

25. Replacement of any component part or assembly of an appliance or equipment that does not alter its original approval and does not render the appliance or equipment unsafe.

26. Self-contained refrigeration systems that contain 10 pounds (4.5 kg) or less of refrigerant, or that are actuated by motors of 1 horsepower (0.75 kW) or less.

27. Bridge structures for rail, vehicular and/or footway traffic only, that are within street or rail rights-of-way.

28. Replacement of exterior stairs, ramps, platform lifts, steps and landings accessory to a one and two family dwelling provided that they do not exceed 6 feet in vertical height; do not encroach upon the public right-of-way; and the landing does not have a surface area greater than 36 square feet with no individual dimension greater than 6 feet. This exclusion does not provide for vertical enclosure of the covered element(s) except guards required by the Building Code.

A-301.2.2 Fire prevention permits: A permit or license shall not be required for those quantities of materials or conditions exempted by the applicable provisions of the Fire Prevention Code.

A-301.2.3 Electrical permits: An electrical permit shall not be required for the following activities:

1. Minor repair and maintenance work including, the replacement of lamps, circuit breakers and fuses; repairing or replacement of switches, lamp sockets, ballasts, drop cords, receptacles, bulbs; taping bare joints; and replacing lighting fixtures to existing connections.

2. The connection of approved portable electrical equipment to approved permanently installed receptacles.

3. The installation, alteration or repair of electrical equipment of a regulated public utility for its use in the generation, transmission, distribution or metering of electricity.

4. The installation of a temporary system required for the testing or servicing of electrical equipment or apparatus.

5. Removal of electrical wiring in the total demolition of a structure.

6. The installation of electrical componentry used in connection with the installation or reinstallation of partition systems listed in published reports of inspected electrical equipment by the Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. (UL).

7. The installation of low voltage wiring in Group R-3 and U occupancies.

8. Installations in railway cars or automotive equipment.

A-301.2.4 Plumbing permits: A plumbing permit shall not be required for the following activities:

1. Minor repairs including the replacement of faucets or valves or parts thereof with like material or material serving the same purpose; or the removal and reinstallation of water closets, provided the work does not include the replacement or rearrangement of valves, pipes or fixtures.

2. The sealing of sewer laterals for building demolitions contracted by the Department.

3. Stopping leaks in a drain, water, soil, waste, or vent pipe provided that no piping is replaced with new material.

4. Clearing stoppages or repairing leaks in pipes, valves or fixtures, provided that valves, pipes or fixtures are not replaced or rearranged.

A-301.2.5 Zoning and use registration permits: A zoning or use registration permit shall not be required for the following activities:

1. Construction and use of structures totally outside of district boundaries.

2. A use registration permit is not required for single-family dwellings or places of worship.

3. An application which is filed for alterations to an existing structure which does not change the area, height, floor area or bulk of the structure and the existing use is legal and unchanged, shall be approved by a designation of "Permit Not Required".

A-301.3 Form of application: The application for a permit shall be submitted in such written form as the department prescribes and shall be accompanied by the required fee as prescribed in Chapter 9.

A-301.4 By whom application is made: Application for a permit shall be made by the owner or lessee of the building or structure, or agent of either, by the registered design professional employed in connection with the proposed work; or other licensed person authorized or required to apply by the technical codes. If the application is made by a person other than the owner in fee, it shall be accompanied by an affidavit of the owner or the qualified applicant or a signed statement of the qualified applicant to the effect that the proposed work is authorized by the owner in fee and that the applicant is authorized to make such application. The full names and addresses of the owner, lessee, applicant and the responsible officers, if the owner or lessee is a corporate body, shall be stated in the application.

A-301.5 Contents of application: Every permit application shall, to the extent applicable:

1. Contain a general description of the proposed work.

2. Provide the specific street address of the proposed work.

3. Further identify the location of the proposed work if in a portion of a structure.

4. State the occupancy of the structure and for which the proposed work is intended.

5. State the total valuation of the work for which application is made.

6. Be signed by the applicant or when required, by the licensed holders.

7. State the name, address and license number of licensed contractor(s) who will perform work under the permit.

8. Provide the Business Privilege License numbers of contractors, design professionals, agents, owners, lessors, etc. as appropriate to the application.

9. Give such additional information as required by the department.

A-301.6 Construction documents: Applications for permits shall be accompanied by three sets of construction documents that include the information required by Section A-305.0, the technical codes, regulations, plan submission standards, and any other information that the code official determines is necessary to issue the permit.

A-301.7 Amendments to application: Subject to the limitations of Section A-301.8, amendments to a plan, application or other records accompanying the same shall be filed at any time before completion of the work for which the permit is sought or issued. Such amendments shall be deemed part of the original application and shall be filed therewith and requisite fees paid.

A-301.8 Time limitation of application: An application for a permit for any proposed work shall be deemed to have been abandoned six months after the date of any request by the Department for information from the applicant or 60 days after notification by the Department that the application is approved and available for pick-up, whichever is sooner, unless the applicant provides any requested information to the Department and has taken the necessary steps to pick up the permit from the Department. The code official may grant one or more extensions of time for additional periods not exceeding 90 days each if there is reasonable cause.

A-301.9 Waste material notification: Where the estimated cost of construction/alteration is in excess of $10,000.00, the applicant for a building permit shall immediately notify the City of Philadelphia Recycling Office of every hauler who will be handling the waste material generated by such activity. The information required for compliance with this section shall be determined by the City of Philadelphia Recycling Office and shall include Waste Collection and/or Recyclable Material License number(s). Failure to comply with this requirement shall result in the immediate revocation of the building permit.