Chester County Permits: 7 Projects You Can & Can’t Do

Permits feel like a waste of time until a stop-work notice arrives. Chester County follows the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code UCC, but local zoning adds most of the friction. Building permits cover structural safety. Zoning permits cover placement and land use. Skip either, and you risk a stop-work order, fines of $500–$1,000+, or forced removal. Rules vary by township and borough—West Whiteland might let a small shed slide, while East Bradford requires drawings and a survey.

The 7 common projects that trip people up are:

Decks, which almost always need a building permit for structural load and zoning checks.

Fences over 6 feet or masonry.

Sheds under 120 sq ft are usually exempt from building permits but still need zoning approval; if it’s over 120 sq ft requires both. Make sure you check with your township, because oversized loads need special permission to drive on certain roads, and you will get fined if you don’t get approval.

If you're finishing your basement, a building permit is required for electrical, plumbing, egress windows, smoke detectors, and zoning checks for bedrooms.

Generators need a building permit for permanent installation with a foundation and electrical tie-in.

Driveway work needs a zoning permit for new or widened driveways and impervious surface and a building permit if it has structural retaining walls.

kitchen remodeling needs a building permit if you're moving plumbing, electrical, or gas.

Before you call, sketch what you want to do, and pull your property survey so you can point to the setback lines, jot down where utilities run, and have your contractor’s info handy if you’re hiring it out.

Most permit fees range from $50 to $500, and many straightforward approvals take a couple of weeks to about a month.

Let’s move Pennsylvania forward.