How many building permits are filed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania?
As of June 3, 2026, 2,288 building permits are on file in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The most common type is renovation (1,099 permits). Records are pulled from the Pennsylvania public feed and refreshed daily.
2,288 permits
Replacement of 7ft retaining wall at rear of existing single-family dwelling
New certificate of occupancy, window infill, and finishes
Pittsburgh is seeing steady construction activity with 770 new permits filed in the last 30 days. That's solid lead flow for contractors actively monitoring the market. The city has 2,131 total permits on file, with renovation work dominating at 941 permits, followed by electrical work at 590 permits. This tells you where the money is moving right now. The most active areas are concentrated in specific zip codes. 15212 leads with 253 permits, followed by 15206 with 221 permits, 15222 with 176 permits, 15217 with 159 permits, and 15219 with 152 permits. If you're looking to focus your prospecting, these five zip codes account for a significant portion of Pittsburgh's building activity. Each has its own mix of work types, but renovation and electrical work show up consistently across all of them. For contractors bidding on work, the average permit value in Pittsburgh sits at $162,413. That's substantial enough to justify serious sales effort. Renovation jobs make up the largest category, but HVAC permits (262 on file) and roofing permits (118 on file) represent solid specialty niches. The key to winning bids is getting to job owners early, before they've committed to another contractor. That means checking permits daily, not weekly. DigPermit pulls permit data directly from public records every day, so you're always working with current information. Getting ahead of permit filings gives you a 2-3 week window to contact GCs and property owners before they've already sent out bids. Most contractors check permits sporadically. The ones making consistent money check them daily and respond within 48 hours.
Monitor new permit filings in Pittsburgh daily. When a permit is filed, it goes public before most contractors are actively looking. DigPermit tracks all new permits filed in Pittsburgh, updated daily from public records. Set up alerts for your target zip codes and permit types. When a new permit matching your criteria appears, contact the GC or permit holder within 24-48 hours. You'll be competing against far fewer bidders if you move quickly. Most contractors miss the early window because they check permits irregularly. Daily monitoring is what separates leads from actual bid opportunities.
Renovation work dominates Pittsburgh's permit activity with 941 permits on file. Electrical work is second with 590 permits. HVAC comes in at 262 permits, roofing at 118 permits, and demolition at 69 permits. If you're a general contractor, renovation is your largest opportunity. If you're a trade contractor, electrical and HVAC work offer the most volume, while roofing is more selective but still represents a steady stream of work. Demolition is smaller but often indicates larger projects coming next.
The top five zip codes for building permits in Pittsburgh are: 15212 with 253 permits, 15206 with 221 permits, 15222 with 176 permits, 15217 with 159 permits, and 15219 with 152 permits. These five areas represent significant activity. If you want to concentrate your prospecting effort, focusing on these zip codes will give you better return on your sales time. Each zip code has a different project profile, so analyze which ones align with your trade and service area.
The average permit value in Pittsburgh is $162,413. This is a meaningful project size that justifies direct outreach to GCs and property owners. It's large enough that property owners typically solicit multiple bids. Getting in front of them during the permit phase, before they've already contacted their preferred contractors, is your advantage. Smaller jobs might go to repeat contractors, but projects at this value level are often put out for competitive bidding.
Existing (alteration/addition)
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DigPermit updates Pittsburgh permit data daily, pulled directly from public records. New permits appear in the database the same day they're filed with the city. This means you're always working with current information. Checking permit data every morning gives you a competitive edge over contractors who check once or twice a week. By the time you see a new permit, you typically have a 2-3 week window before the GC or owner has already contacted other bidders. Daily checks make this window actionable.