There is hereby established in the city the following schedule of fees and charges for services rendered or materials supplied that are deemed expedient or necessary for proper management, care and control of the city and its finances and for the maintenance of peace, good government, safety and the general welfare of the city. A building permit is not required for items that are exempt under § 105.2 of the International Building Code and § 105.2 of the International Residential Code. Note, a zoning permit may be required for some of the items listed.
(a) Williamsport Bureau of Codes permit fees and costs.
Cost of Construction | Permit Fees |
$0 to $999.99 | $30 |
$1,000 to $1,499.99 | $36 |
$1,500 to $2,499.99 | $46 |
$2,500 to $4,999.99 | $71 |
$5,000 to $9,999.99 | $141 |
(1) Over $10,000, an additional fee of $15 will be charged for each additional $1,000 of cost of construction or part thereof.
(2) An additional fee in the amount determined by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry known as the “Act 45 Fee”, will be added to every building permit.
(3) A permit fee will be doubled when work is being done without first obtaining a zoning or building permit.
(b) Contractor license fees.
Type of Contractor | Fee |
Type of Contractor | Fee |
2-year contractor registration | $120 |
3-year contractor registration | $175 |
Apprentice plumber | $30 |
Building contractor | $80 |
Electrical contractor | $80 |
Journeyman plumber | $60 |
Master plumber | $100 |
Plumbing contractor | $80 |
Sewage contractor | $80 |
Tree arborist contractor | $80 |
(c) Planning and zoning fees.
Type | Fee |
Type | Fee |
Certificate of non-conformance | $100 |
Certification of zoning and building, each request | $50 |
Easement | $100 |
Land development | $300 |
Liquor transfer license, plus legal ads | $250 |
Lot consolidation | $150 |
Reclassification of amendment | $500 |
Storm water review | $200 |
Street vacation, plus legal ads | $200 |
Subdivision | $250, plus $50 per lot |
Zoning book | $100 |
Zoning map | $50 |
Zoning occupancy permit | $50 |
Zoning permit for special exception or variance | $250 |
Zoning permit for uses not requiring a building permit or Zoning Hearing Board action | $60 |
Zoning permit requiring conditional use approval | $200 |
(d) Other permits.
Type of Permit | Fee |
Type of Permit | Fee |
Banner permit | $15 |
Bonfire permit | $200, includes fire inspection |
Curb cut | $75 |
Driveway permit | $60 |
Mall permit | $20 |
Pole permit (per pole or guidewire) | $20 |
Pyrotechnics permit | $200, includes fire inspection |
Sidewalk permit | $50 |
Special event permit | $50, unless event is city co-sponsored |
Special event permit which consists of multi events throughout the year (minimum of 6 events in that calendar year) | $250 |
Street cut (Street cut w/ 1 day street closure) | $100 $100 |
Street tree permit | $10 |
Tent permit | $30, includes fire inspection |
Zoning, building and fire occupancy permit | $90 |
(e) Other licenses.
Type of License | Fee |
Type of License | Fee |
Food vendor license | $50 |
Mobile food truck | $250 |
Peddlers or solicitors license | $30 per month |
Restaurant license | $80 |
Rooming house ($500 cap) | $60, plus $15 for each room |
Sobriety house ($500 cap) | $60, plus $15 for each room |
Student residence ($500 cap) | $60, plus $15 for each room |
(f) Other fees.
Type | Fee |
Type | Fee |
Administrative costs | $25 per hour, when applicable |
Building Code Board of appeal | $200 |
College letter inspection | $60 per each inspection, address |
Copies | $1 per page |
Copies, Right to Know Act (City Clerk) | $0.25 per page |
Duplicate bill fee | $5 |
Failure to acquire MBP license3 | $25 |
Fraudulent tax return5 | $50 |
ICC Property Maintenance Code appeal | $200 |
Incomplete filing fee4 | $20 (waiver given if extension filed) |
Letter notices2 | $5 for every letter after initial notice |
MBP license fee | $10 |
Missing payment fee | $20 |
NSF fee | $15 |
Rental property inspections | $85 per building, plus $15 each additional unit in that building |
Replacement building permit | $10 |
Replacement license (contractor/plumber) | $10 |
Sprinkler plan review | per subsection (a) of this section |
Tax certifications1 | $10 for each tax certification |
1 Annual unlimited subscription available for $300, free for property owners. 2 Applies to all notices sent with the exception of check refunds, credit notices, and annual filing notices. 3 Applies every past year a license has not been procured; current year payments will not be penalized. 4 Applies to missing documentation requested by Line 4 of the MBP tax instructions. 5 Intentional falsification of documentation or forms due to negligence or intentional disregard of rules. | |
(g) Street closure permits. Permit includes closure of the street or a portion of the street.
Up to and including 7 days | $75 |
Up to and including 14 days | $125 |
Up to and including 30 days | $225 |
Up to and including 45 days | $300 |
Each additional day after 45 days | $75 per day |
(h) Dumpster permits.
(1) Needed for dumpsters in the public right-of-way.
Up to and including 7 days | $15 |
Up to and including 14 days | $25 |
Up to and including 30 days | $75 |
Up to and including 45 days | $125 |
Each additional day after 45 days | $30 per day |
(2) After the 45 days are completed a new permit can be issued for an additional 45 days at a cost of $200. Once the additional 45 days has expired the dumpster must be removed and cannot be placed at that location again for 90 days.
(3) Please note: when a dumpster and/or street closure permit requires parking meters/spaces per day to be out of service, copy of the written approval from the Parking Authority must be given to the Codes Department prior to the permit being issued.
(i) Brush/mulch recycling collection area access fees.
User Type | Registration Fee | Annual Renewal Fee |
Residents | $10.00 | $5.00 |
Residential Rental Property Owner | $10.00 | $5.00 |
Commercial Property Owner — less than 20 combined deeded acres | $10.00 | $5.00 |
Commercial or Institutional Property Owner — greater than 20 combined deeded acres | $1000.00 | $1000.00 |
Landscape Contractor — with a business address within the City of Williamsport | $2000.00 | $2000.00 |
Landscape Contractor — with a business address outside the City of Williamsport | $5000.00 | $5000.00 |
(1) ACCEPTED BRUSH shall be defined as vegetative material, including leaf waste, trees or parts thereof (less than 20" in diameter, cut to less than 6 feet in length), shrubs, bushes, garden plantings.
(2) PROHIBITED ITEMS include stumps, grass clippings, rocks, stones, large amounts of dirt, lumber and construction debris, and any other solid waste, agricultural waste, food waste or hazardous waste.
(3) RESIDENTS shall be defined as persons with a primary domicile within the City of Williamsport.
(4) RESIDENTIAL RENTAL PROPERTY OWNER shall be defined as an individual or entity owning residential rental property(s) within the City of Williamsport.
(5) COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OWNER shall be defined as an individual or entity owning a property(s) within the City of Williamsport with combined deeded acreage of less than 20 acres.
(6) COMMERCIAL OR INSTITUTIONAL PROPERTY OWNER shall be defined as person or entity owning a property(s) within the City of Williamsport with combined Deeded Acreage of greater than 20 acres.
(7) LANDSCAPE CONTRACTOR WITH A BUSINESS ADDRESS WITHIN THE CITY OF WILLIAMSPORT shall be defined as an individual or entity in the business of performing landscape planning, construction, management, maintenance, and gardening services, with a registered business address within the limits of the City of Williamsport.
(8) LANDSCAPE CONTRACTOR WITH A BUSINESS ADDRESS OUTSIDE THE CITY OF WILLIAMSPORT shall be defined as an individual or entity in the business of performing landscape planning, construction, management, maintenance, and gardening services, with a registered business address outside the limits of the City of Williamsport.
(9) Registration/renewal period shall be valid for one (1) year, running from January 1 through December 31 of the year the registration/renewal takes place. Fees will not be pro-rated.
(10) Rules and procedures for issuance of key cards shall be set by administrative policy approved by the Mayor of the City of Williamsport.
(Ord. 4593, approved 8-23-1973; Ord. 5200, approved 5-26-1983; Ord. 5458, approved 12-14-1989; Ord. 5586, approved 6-10-1993; Ord. 5713, approved 4-3-1997; Ord. 5755, approved 8-20-1998; Ord. 5808, approved 4-6-2000; Ord. 5907, approved 12-12-2002; Ord. 5934, approved 8-7-2003; Ord. 5949, approved 4-29-2004; Ord. 6088, approved 11-29-2007; Ord. 6107, approved 5-29-2008; Ord. 6125, approved 2-19-2009; Ord. 6226, approved 3-7-2013; Ord. 6254, approved 2-6-2014; Ord. 6268, approved 12-18-2014; Ord. 6288, approved 9-24-2015; Ord. 6290, approved 12-17-2015; Ord. 6345, approved 4-26- 2018; Ord. 6356, approved 1-31-2019; Ord. 6383, approved 2-20-2020; Ord. 6403, approved 4-15-2021; Ord. 6450, approved 2-2-2023)