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.

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, or improving a structure.

4. Demolishing, moving or removing a structure.

5. Making a change of occupancy.

6. Installing or altering any equipment which is regulated by the Building Code or Mechanical Code.

A-301.1.2 Fire prevention permits: A permit or license is required for those operations, facilities, trades and hazardous materials specified in the Fire Prevention 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 Prevention Code shall have a permit or license for each such activity, except 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-301.2 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.

A-301.2.1 Building permits: A building permit shall not be required for the following activities:

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.

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 work including, the replacement of broken 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 as described in subcode "E" Section E-2701.8.

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. Electrical work where the total cost of materials, equipment, labor, overhead and profit is less than $100.00. This exception does not include the installation or modification of an electric service.

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.

2. The clearance of stoppages.

3. The stopping of leaks without replacement of water, drainage or vent piping.

4. Other repairs designated as "minor repairs" by the Plumbing Code.

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 building, electrical and plumbing permits shall be accompanied by three sets of construction documents. Plans shall be drawn to scale and shall be of sufficient clarity to indicate the location, nature and extent of the work proposed and show in detail that it will conform to the provisions of the technical codes and all applicable standards, regulations and ordinances. The department is authorized to establish plan submission standards and to waive any or all of the requirements for filing construction documents when the scope of the work so dictates. When the quality of the materials is essential for conformity to the technical codes, specific information shall be given to establish such quality, and the code shall not be cited, nor shall the term "legal" or its equivalent be used as a substitute for specific information.

A-301.6.1 Engineering details: Construction documents shall include adequate details of structural, mechanical and electrical work, including computations, diagrams and other essential technical data as determined by the code official.

A-301.6.2 Documentation: Applications for fire prevention permits and zoning permits shall be accompanied by such documentation as the technical codes, regulations or departmental procedures require.

A-301.6.3 Site plan: In the case of new construction, additions and demolition, the zoning and building permit applications shall be accompanied by a site plan showing to scale the size and location of all new construction and all existing structures on the site, distances from lot lines, the established street grades and the proposed finished grades; and it shall be drawn in accordance with an accurate boundary line survey. In the case of demolition, the site plan shall show all construction to be demolished and the location and size of all existing structures and construction that are to remain on the site or plot.

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 filing, unless such application has been diligently prosecuted or a permit shall have been issued; except that 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.