Administrative overview · FIPS 42095
Northampton 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
Northampton County planning coordination through the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission; municipalities or designated UCC agencies issue building permits and conduct inspections
For a project in or near Northampton 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
Northampton County: 610-829-6500; local building-code agency varies by municipality
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Northampton County, 669 Washington Street, Easton, PA 18042
Operating hours
Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; holiday schedules may vary; 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 municipal or third-party review timing varies.
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 Northampton 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 Northampton County: 610-829-6500; local building-code agency varies by municipality.
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 municipal or third-party review timing varies.
How are inspections scheduled?
Contact the municipality where construction will occur to identify its Building Code Official or certified third-party agency, submit the UCC application and plans, and schedule required inspections. Northampton County can be contacted at 610-829-6500 for county planning/GIS or land-use coordination; the local code agency handles inspection appointments.
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. Northampton County planning and the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission coordinate regional and land-use planning, but municipal officials or certified third-party agencies administer building permits and inspections. No countywide building-permit exemption list was identified because Northampton County does not issue countywide building permits. UCC exemptions and permit thresholds are administered by the municipality or designated code agency; minor maintenance or cosmetic work may be exempt under the applicable local/UCC rules, but zoning, floodplain, sewage, stormwater, driveway, and other approvals may still apply.