Administrative overview · FIPS 42079
Luzerne 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
Luzerne County Department of Planning and Zoning; Luzerne County does not issue building permits, which are handled by the municipality or its designated UCC code agency
For a project in or near Luzerne 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
Luzerne County Planning and Zoning: 570-825-1560; zoning analysts: 570-825-1567 or 570-825-1589; local building-code agency varies
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Luzerne County Department of Planning and Zoning, 20 North Pennsylvania Avenue, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711
Operating hours
Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; applications accepted until 4:00 p.m.; municipal/code-agency hours vary
Review expectation
N/A countywide for building permits; Pennsylvania UCC generally requires a code official to grant or deny a complete application within 30 business days, while county zoning and local code-agency review timing varies. County advisory subdivision/land-development reviews are generally returned within 30 days.
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 Luzerne 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 Luzerne County Planning and Zoning: 570-825-1560; zoning analysts: 570-825-1567 or 570-825-1589; local building-code agency varies.
How long might review take?
N/A countywide for building permits; Pennsylvania UCC generally requires a code official to grant or deny a complete application within 30 business days, while county zoning and local code-agency review timing varies. County advisory subdivision/land-development reviews are generally returned within 30 days.
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. Luzerne County Planning and Zoning starts county zoning applications by email at zoning@luzernecounty.org or by phone at 570-825-1567/570-825-1589. For county SALDO or land-development review, contact subdivision@luzernecounty.org or 570-825-1565; the county states that advisory reviews for municipalities with their own SALDO are provided within 30 days.
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. All Luzerne County municipalities are covered by the UCC, but the county itself does not issue building permits; municipalities, certified third-party agencies, or the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry provide code administration as applicable. The county administers zoning for 19 municipalities and SALDO for 28 municipalities only. UCC exemptions are controlled by Pennsylvania law and the responsible municipality or 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. Minor repairs, accessory structures, agricultural work, zoning, floodplain, sewage, driveway, and occupancy requirements vary by municipality; the county zoning application itself states that it applies to zoning only and does not replace other required permits.