What's Required in Philadelphia
- No building permit for cabinets, countertops, painting, papering, wallboard over existing surfaces or floor coverings; no plumbing permit for faucet, valve or part replacement
- Plumbing permit pulled by a licensed master plumber for fixture replacement ($31), new fixtures with branch piping, gas piping or ductwork ($50 for the first 7 fixtures in a 1-2 family home) plus $3 city and $4.50 state surcharges
- Electrical permit pulled by a licensed electrical contractor for any new wiring: $25 per $1,000 of electrical cost, $63 minimum, plus surcharges; a licensed electrical inspection agency inspects
- EZ Bathroom and Kitchen Alterations permit (no plans, no separate building permit) only in a one-family dwelling, within the existing kitchen footprint, with no structural work
- Building permit ($76 first 500 sq ft plus $56 per 100 sq ft) for a new or extended kitchen, a kitchen in a two-family or larger building, or any structural change
- Kitchen glazing of 8% of floor area with 4% openable, or a local exhaust system; 7 ft minimum ceiling; 3 ft clear passageway between counters and appliances or walls
- Type X 5/8 in gypsum board on non-masonry exterior walls; select the EZ Bathroom and Kitchen Remodel work type when filing in eCLIPSE
- Historic Registry properties need Philadelphia Historical Commission approval before the EZ process applies
Do You Need a Permit to Remodel a Kitchen in Philadelphia?
It depends on what is behind the cabinets. L&I's building-permit page lists cabinets and countertops, painting and papering, and gypsum board over existing walls among the work that needs no building permit, and the plumbing page exempts replacing faucets, valves and parts. So a cosmetic kitchen refresh is permit-free. The moment the job replaces a sink or dishwasher, runs new branch piping, extends the gas line to a range, adds or moves a circuit, or takes out a partition, permits attach: a plumbing permit pulled by a licensed master plumber and an electrical permit pulled by a licensed electrical contractor. Philadelphia makes the common case easy. The EZ Bathroom and Kitchen Alterations standard (PB_026, revised July 2026 for the 2021 IRC) lets a same-footprint kitchen remodel in a one-family home proceed on a plumbing permit alone, without plans and without a separate building permit, and that single permit covers new fixtures with branch piping, ductwork for the exhaust hood, gas-pipe extensions, and removing or building non-bearing partitions.
Philadelphia Kitchen Permit Rules by Scenario
| What you are doing | City filing | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| New cabinets, countertops, backsplash, flooring, paint | None | Building permit page: interior finish work |
| Swapping a faucet or valve; re-setting the same sink | None | Plumbing permit page: minor repairs |
| Replacing the sink or dishwasher in the same spot, no new piping | Plumbing permit, $31 + $7.50 | Fee summary: fixture replacement, no piping |
| Same-footprint remodel with new branch piping, hood duct, gas line, non-bearing walls (one-family home) | EZ plumbing permit, $50 + $7.50, no building permit | EZ Bathroom and Kitchen standard; fee summary |
| New circuits, outlets or lighting for the remodel | Electrical permit, $25 per $1,000, $63 minimum, + $7.50 | Electrical permit page |
| Moving or enlarging the kitchen, or a kitchen in a two-family home | Building permit ($76 first 500 sq ft) plus plumbing and electrical | EZ standard limits; fee summary alterations |
| Removing a load-bearing wall to open the kitchen | Building permit with plans and structural design | EZ standards prohibit structural work |
How Much Does a Kitchen Permit Cost in Philadelphia?
L&I's construction fee summary prices plumbing alterations in a one- or two-family home at $50 for the first 7 fixtures and $22.50 for each fixture above that; replacing a fixture with no piping work is $31. Every permit adds the $3 city and $4.50 state surcharges, so the EZ kitchen plumbing permit is $57.50. The electrical permit is $25 per $1,000 of estimated electrical construction cost, minimum $63: a $3,000 wiring job pays $75 + $7.50 = $82.50, and the electrical page notes the $100 filing fee is counted toward the final permit fee. A typical same-footprint remodel therefore costs about $140 in city permits. If the kitchen grows, moves, or sits in a two-family house, a building permit is added at $76 for the first 500 square feet plus $56 per additional 100 ($83.50 with surcharges), and with a $6,000 electrical job ($157.50) the stack is about $298.50. The July 2026 fee summary, effective October 1, 2026, keeps the same rows as the January 2025 schedule.
What the EZ Standard Requires
The standard applies only to buildings used solely as a one-family dwelling, and only inside the existing kitchen footprint; creating a new kitchen or extending one is excluded. Structural alteration is prohibited except for sistering and leveling sagging floor joists. The work must be performed by a Philadelphia licensed plumbing contractor, who lists the fixtures on the form, and separate permits are required for any electrical work. Code points the inspector checks: a kitchen needs glazed window area of 8% of the floor area with 4% openable, or a local exhaust system instead; a 7-foot ceiling; and a clear passageway of at least 3 feet between counter fronts and appliances or walls. Drywall on a non-masonry exterior wall must be 5/8-inch Type X. When filing online, choose the "EZ Bathroom and Kitchen Remodel" work type. Historic Registry buildings need Historical Commission approval first.
Who Can Do the Work and How Long It Takes
Plumbing and electrical are never homeowner permits in Philadelphia: a licensed master plumber must oversee plumbing, a licensed electrical contractor must perform all electrical work, and the owner hires a licensed electrical inspection agency. Because the EZ kitchen permit is a plumbing permit, the plumber is the applicant. L&I's plumbing processing sheet lists new fixtures with piping at 3 business days, or same-day at the Permit and License Center for up to three applications; single-family interior wiring is also 3 business days, and a plan-based alteration permit takes 15 business days.
How to Get a Kitchen Remodel Permit in Philadelphia
Sort the scope into cosmetic and permitted work
Cabinets, counters and finishes need nothing. List every fixture, gas line, duct and circuit that changes; those set the permits.
Confirm EZ eligibility
One-family home, same footprint, no structural change, not on the Historic Registry. Otherwise plan on a building permit with plans and a 15-business-day review.
Have the master plumber file the EZ plumbing permit
The plumber files in eCLIPSE under the EZ Bathroom and Kitchen Remodel work type, lists the fixtures on the signed standard, and pays the fee; processing is about 3 business days.
Have the electrical contractor file the electrical permit
The contractor applies with the executed contract; the fee is $25 per $1,000 of electrical cost with a $63 minimum. You hire a licensed electrical inspection agency.
Schedule inspections before closing walls
Request rough and final inspections through eCLIPSE or (215) 255-4040; the plumbing Certificate of Approval and the electrical agency's certification close the permits.