Administrative overview · FIPS 42083
McKean 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
McKean County Planning Commission; municipalities and their local or contracted private UCC agencies administer building permits and inspections
For a project in or near McKean 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
McKean County Planning Commission: 814-887-2754; Assistant Director: 814-887-2348; local building-code agency varies
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
McKean County Planning Commission, 17137 Route 6, Smethport, PA 16749
Operating hours
County government general hours: approximately 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; local 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 local or private code-agency timing varies. County SALDO review timing depends on the plan type and completeness.
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 McKean 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 McKean County Planning Commission: 814-887-2754; Assistant Director: 814-887-2348; 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 local or private code-agency timing varies. County SALDO review timing depends on the plan type and completeness.
How are inspections scheduled?
Contact the municipality where the project is located to identify its Building Code Official or private certified third-party agency, submit the UCC application and plans, and schedule inspections. The county Planning Commission provides technical planning assistance and administers county SALDO review for 18 municipalities; its official contact is 814-887-2754. Private UCC providers may serve multiple McKean County communities and publish their own application and inspection instructions.
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. McKean County's official hazard mitigation plan states that all 22 municipalities adhere to the UCC and that local building-permit procedures are usually administered by private companies. The county Planning Commission administers the County Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance in 18 of 22 municipalities; Bradford City, Bradford Township, Foster Township, and Lafayette Township have their own SALDO. UCC exemptions are controlled by Pennsylvania law and the responsible 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. Minor repairs, accessory structures, agricultural work, floodplain, sewage, driveway, and occupancy requirements vary locally; some municipalities publish additional exemptions, but county planning review does not replace a municipal UCC permit.