recent building permits…
Pennsylvania has 13,108 building permits on file right now. In just the last 30 days, contractors filed 4,474 new permits across the state. That's solid construction activity if you know where to look. Philadelphia dominates the market with 11,017 permits, followed by Pittsburgh at 2,091. Most of the work breaks down into plumbing (3,355 permits), electrical (2,491 permits), renovation (2,389 permits), HVAC (1,541 permits), and other trades (1,778 permits). If you work in any of these areas, there's real demand happening. The contractors winning right now use permit data to find jobs before competitors do. When a permit gets filed, it means a property owner already committed to work. That's a qualified lead. Dig into Pennsylvania's permit database, filter by your trade and the cities you service, and contact property owners while the project is still fresh.
Search the Pennsylvania permit database by your trade (plumbing, electrical, HVAC, roofing, etc.) and filter by the cities where you work. Each permit record shows the property address, owner contact info, and project type. Sort by filing date to find the newest permits. Focus on permits filed in the last 30 days since those represent active projects. Many contractors contact property owners within 48 hours of permit filing, before other bidders call.
Philadelphia leads by a wide margin with 11,017 permits on file. Pittsburgh is second with 2,091 permits. These two cities represent the bulk of construction activity in the state. If you service Philadelphia or Pittsburgh, you have access to the most opportunities. Smaller cities and suburban areas also have steady permit activity, so check your local market to identify secondary opportunities in your service area.
Plumbing is the most common permit type with 3,355 filings, followed by electrical with 2,491. Renovation permits total 2,389, HVAC comes in at 1,541, and other trades account for 1,778 permits. If you're a plumber or electrician, you're in high-demand categories. If you do HVAC, roofing, or general contracting, filter the database for those specific permit types to find jobs that match your services.
11,656 recent building permits filed in Pennsylvania.
11,656 permits
New Construction - Electrical Permit for combo RP-2025-012522
EZ Roof Covering Replacement - EZ PERMIT RE-ROOFING- For the Installation of New Roof Coverings on Existing Roofs as per attached standard. Deviations from these standards require…
Addition and/or Alteration - Interior wiring and telecommunications wiring of a T-Mobile store All work per approved plans, NEC 2017 ***No fire alarm on this permit***
New Construction - Mechanical / Fuel Gas Permit for combo RP-2025-012511
New Construction - Electrical Permit for combo RP-2025-012520
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Alterations - replace 40 gallon gas water heater.
Addition and/or alteration - for level i alterations with no change in occupancy. separate permits required for mechanical, electrical and plumbing work.
Addition and/or Alteration - Service upgrade. The Service cable, meter can, and panel will be removed and upgraded to handle 200 amps. 4/0 seu and ser will be used for the service…
New construction - for installation of four-inch fire service line, four-inch backflow preventer, fire pump, fire sprinkler system and standpipes in accordance with approved plans,…
Relocate heating piping relocating duct work relocating condenser
Existing (alteration/addition)
Minor alteration
Temporarily remove and reinstall roof mounted solar panels to enable roof repair to be performed by others
Reconstsruct 1st floor framing/sheathing interior at fire damage, clean interior, replace finishes as required.
Alteration to the existing electrical system in relation to bda-2025-10873. work includes new circuits, lighting, and low voltage system.
100A panel swap
12'-0" x 16'-0" storage shed for use as agricultural storage shed to store horticultural products - no habitable space
Replacement of existing ballasted roof (+/- 5,650 sf) with a new epdm roof system & insulation. parapet walls will be raised to meet the code required height for guardrails. guardr…
Replacement of existing AC System to include replacement of existing exterior AC Unit. Standalone Work
150A upgrade