Administrative overview · FIPS 42021
Cambria County permit authority
The first compliance decision is jurisdictional: identify the office with statutory authority over your parcel, then use its filing and inspection sequence to keep the project moving.
Jurisdictional status
Municipal Fallback
This profile identifies a handoff outside the county’s ordinary structural permitting lane.
Required jurisdiction check
Confirm the controlling local or state authority before filing.
The record is marked Municipal Fallback. That means the county profile should be treated as a routing brief: incorporated municipalities, a state building department, or a state fire marshal may control plan review, permits, and inspections. Contact the named agency below and verify the parcel’s jurisdiction before paying a fee or scheduling field work.
Responsible agency
Cambria County Planning Commission and Cambria County Building Code Enforcement Agency for participating municipalities; other municipalities use their own or contracted code agencies
For a project in or near Cambria County, this office is the identified point of contact for permit intake, statutory code enforcement, plan review coordination, and inspection release conditions. Confirm the parcel’s boundary and project type before relying on the county lane.
Direct contact
Cambria County Planning Commission: 814-472-2106; participating code-agency contact varies (Laurel Municipal Inspection Agency: 814-471-0424)
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Cambria County Planning Commission, 401 Candlelight Drive, Suite 213, Ebensburg, PA 15931
Operating hours
Cambria County Planning Commission: Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.; participating municipal/code-agency hours vary
Review expectation
Pennsylvania UCC generally requires a building code official to grant or deny a complete permit application within 30 business days of the filing date; actual timing depends on completeness, project type, and the municipality or agency.
Compliance workbench
Choose the next project decision.
Apply online
Open the verified digital gateway, application form, and review timeline.
Open guide →Fees & penalties
Understand fee schedules, enforcement exposure, and stop-work liabilities.
Open guide →Codes & exemptions
Read the code framework, minor-work exemptions, and inspection lane.
Open guide →Agency website
Visit the primary public source for current notices and contact changes.
Open guide →Source trail
Official sources for this profile
Use these direct agency or licensing links to confirm current instructions before you file, pay, or schedule work. External pages control if their information differs from this directory.
Project questions
Frequently asked questions for Cambria County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
This record is marked Municipal Fallback. Confirm whether a city, state agency, or other local authority controls the parcel before filing.
How should I begin an application?
Begin with the online permit gateway listed in the application guide. If the portal does not recognize the address or project type, contact Cambria County Planning Commission: 814-472-2106; participating code-agency contact varies (Laurel Municipal Inspection Agency: 814-471-0424).
How long might review take?
Pennsylvania UCC generally requires a building code official to grant or deny a complete permit application within 30 business days of the filing date; actual timing depends on completeness, project type, and the municipality or agency.
How are inspections scheduled?
The contractor or permit holder must schedule required inspections with the designated building permit officer or participating code agency. Contact the applicable municipality first; agency contacts vary, including Laurel Municipal Inspection Agency at 814-471-0424 for municipalities it serves.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code (UCC), 34 Pa. Code Chapters 401-405 and referenced current ICC codes as adopted by Pennsylvania. The Cambria County Building Code Enforcement Agency is a multi-municipal local agency authorized by participating municipalities to administer and enforce the UCC; the county Planning Commission separately conducts advisory subdivision and land-development reviews. Exemptions are controlled by the UCC and the participating municipality or code agency. Emergency repairs or equipment replacements may proceed without a prior permit only when the application is submitted to the building code official within three business days. Other minor-work exemptions and zoning, occupancy, floodplain, or sewage approvals must be confirmed locally.