Administrative overview · FIPS 42077
Lehigh 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
Lehigh County Government and Lehigh Valley Planning Commission; municipal governments and their Building Code Officials administer building permits, zoning, and inspections
For a project in or near Lehigh 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
Lehigh County general information: 610-782-3000; Lehigh Valley Planning Commission: 610-264-4544; local building-code agency varies
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Lehigh County Government Center, 17 South 7th Street, Allentown, PA 18101
Operating hours
Monday-Friday, approximately 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.; municipal/code-agency hours vary
Review expectation
N/A countywide; Pennsylvania UCC generally requires a code official to grant or deny a complete permit application within 30 business days, with municipal and regional land-development review timing varying.
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 Lehigh 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 Lehigh County general information: 610-782-3000; Lehigh Valley Planning Commission: 610-264-4544; local building-code agency varies.
How long might review take?
N/A countywide; Pennsylvania UCC generally requires a code official to grant or deny a complete permit application within 30 business days, with municipal and regional land-development review timing varying.
How are inspections scheduled?
Contact the municipality where the work is located to identify its Building Code Official or certified third-party agency, submit the UCC application and plans, and schedule inspections. For subdivision or land-development projects, the municipality and Lehigh Valley Planning Commission may require regional/county review; the regional commission can be reached at 610-264-4544.
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, including applicable 2021 ICC editions for 2026 permits. Lehigh County does not operate a countywide building-permit counter; municipal governments designate the Building Code Official and administer local zoning and UCC enforcement. The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission performs regional and county-planning reviews, and county/SALDO requirements apply only where applicable to land-development review. Exemptions are controlled by Pennsylvania UCC and the applicable municipality or Building Code Official. Emergency repairs or equipment replacements may proceed without a permit only when the application is submitted to the BCO within three business days. Municipal zoning may still require permits for work that is exempt from a UCC building permit; minor repairs, accessory structures, agricultural work, floodplain, sewage, driveway, and occupancy rules vary locally.