Property owners, builders, and developers in Philadelphia may now have their valid building and zoning/use registration permits and Board decisions of approval extended for three years or more. An amendment recently passed by the Pennsylvania General Assembly extends until July 1, 2016 all valid permits and Board decisions that were originally set to expire between January 1, 2009 and July 1, 2013.
The amendment was passed in part to provide additional time for projects throughout Pennsylvania that had been affected by the difficult economic climate. In the City of Philadelphia, the Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I) is responsible for processing applications for the extensions of permits and decisions.
L&I Commissioner Carlton Williams stated, “The Department is ready to process applications according to the Permit Extension Act. Property owners, builders, and developers holding valid permits will now have additional relief as they work towards completing their projects and realizing their investments here in our great city of Philadelphia.”
To apply for a permit extension, an owner or permit holder should submit a completed permit application to the Department of Licenses and Inspections indicating their intent to exercise their right to a permit extension. Requests must include the address of the permit and the original permit number along with a check in the amount of ½ the permit fee (maximum $5,000). Any permit revoked by the Department is not eligible for an automatic extension. Applicants should take note that prior approvals from the Water Department for water distribution and sanitary sewer connections are not automatically extended under Act 46.
Similarly, for extensions of Board decisions of approval, an owner or Board decision holder should submit a request to the Department to exercise their right to a Board approval identifying the associated property address, along with a check in amount of ½ the appeal application fee. Any Board approval scheduled to expire after July 1, 2016 is subject to local code requirements for expiration. Extensions of Board approvals will extend the time period for obtaining a permit. Such permits associated with a board approval must be issued before July 2, 2016.
Important information for applicants, including mailing instructions, can be found in the accompanying Bulletin. L&I will respond to valid applications by issuing a document confirming that the original permit or Board approval will not expire until July 2, 2016.
The Department of Licenses and Inspections is Philadelphia’s chief regulatory agency providing a wide range of services to advance development and public safety. The Department is responsible for ensuring that construction activities are performed in compliance with the codes and ordinances of the City of Philadelphia and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
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