This is the City of Philadelphia; suburbs in Bucks, Montgomery and Delaware counties have their own permit offices.
The rule
L&I's Get a mechanical permit page (read 24 October 2026) covers heating, venting and air conditioning, ductwork and natural gas equipment and piping. No permit is needed for small appliances or for ordinary repairs and maintenance of mechanical systems and portable equipment. Boilers are regulated by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry.
| Question | Philadelphia answer |
|---|---|
| Furnace, AC or heat pump replacement | Mechanical permit; EZ (no plans) for replacing appliances in a one- or two-family home |
| New system or ductwork in a one- or two-family home | Mechanical permit, EZ eligible |
| Who can apply | Any property owner or authorized agent |
| Who does the work | A licensed contractor; sheet metal by a registered sheet metal technician or apprentice employed by the contractor |
| Other approvals | Historical Commission first for a historic property; a building permit first if the job includes an addition or alteration |
What it costs
From the mechanical permit page, for a one- or two-family home:
| Fee item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Filing fee (nonrefundable, credited to the permit fee) | $100 |
| Each appliance, if submitted separately | $69 |
| Direct vent or warm air heating connected to a flue or chimney | $69 per apparatus |
| Ductwork | $15.10 per register or diffuser; $189 flat minimum for new ductwork |
| Fuel gas work | 2% of contract cost, $189 minimum |
| City and State surcharges | $3 and $4.50 per permit |
A straight furnace swap is one appliance at $69, so the $100 filing fee covers it before surcharges. Adding a gas line or new ducts brings in the $189 minimums.
How to apply and pass inspection
- The contractor applies in eCLIPSE and uploads the documents, or by appointment at the Permit and License Center, 1401 John F. Kennedy Blvd.
- Without plans, L&I reviews in person while you wait, or within 5 business days online. With plans, 20 business days.
- When the contractor is ready to start, request inspections through eCLIPSE or at (215) 255-4040.
- Give the field inspector the residential energy documents L&I names, the Duct and Envelope Testing Certificate and the HVAC Equipment Certificate.
- L&I issues a Certificate of Approval when all required inspections pass. A gas job may also need a plumbing permit; electrical work needs its own electrical permit.
What 6,884 Philadelphia HVAC permits show
From Philadelphia HVAC permits, residential permits issued October 2024 to September 2026:
| Measure | Philadelphia HVAC (mechanical) |
|---|---|
| Issued | 6,884 (12% of all residential permits) |
| Last 12 months / 12 months before | 3,510 / 3,374 (+4%) |
| Filed as Addition and/or Alterations / New Construction | 5,383 / 1,501 |
| Busiest / quietest month (index) | January (127) / September (74) |
| Completed, permits issued Oct 2024 to Sep 2025 | 65.8% (21.0% expired) |
| Usual days, issue to completed | 162 (middle half 83 to 253) |
| ZIPs with the most | 19146 (480), 19143 (420), 19125 (400) |
Philadelphia files for heat: January to April run 9% to 27% above an average month and June to September 17% to 26% below it, so a fall changeout lands in the quiet stretch. HVAC permits take longest to close of the city's trade permits, 162 days against 41 for plumbing and 80 for electrical, and one in five expired. Counts for every kind of work are on Philadelphia permit statistics and the rows on browse Philadelphia permits.
Before you hire
Look up the address's permit history with the Philadelphia building permit search guide and check the firm with how to check a contractor's license in Pennsylvania. Rules elsewhere: HVAC replacement and a gas line. Costs: HVAC replacement cost.
What this does not tell you
The open file has no job value, so no costs, and contractor names are not matched to licence records, so no firm lists. A new house gets its own mechanical permit, so 1,501 of these are new construction, not replacements. Residential permits only.
How we know this
The rule, exemptions, who may apply and perform the work, fees, review times and inspection steps are from L&I's Get a mechanical permit page, read 24 October 2026. Our counts are L&I's Building and Zoning Permits file on OpenDataPhilly, read 19 October 2026: residential mechanical permits issued October 2024 to September 2026.
Numbers come from public permit records in 57 cities, data through October 19, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- Do I need a permit to replace my furnace or AC in Philadelphia?
Yes. L&I requires a mechanical permit to install devices regulated by the Philadelphia Mechanical and Fuel Gas Codes, which covers heating, venting and air conditioning. Replacing appliances in a one- or two-family home qualifies for an EZ permit with no plans.
- Can a homeowner do their own HVAC work in Philadelphia?
L&I's mechanical permit page says a licensed contractor must perform all work, and sheet metal work must be done by a registered sheet metal technician or apprentice employed by the contractor. Any owner can apply, but the work is a contractor's.
- How much is an HVAC permit in Philadelphia?
For a one- or two-family home, $69 per appliance when filed separately, new ductwork at $15.10 per register with a $189 flat minimum, and fuel gas work at 2% of contract cost with a $189 minimum, plus a $100 filing fee credited to the permit fee and $7.50 in surcharges.
- Does a boiler replacement need a Philadelphia mechanical permit?
The mechanical permit page notes that boilers are regulated by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. Ask L&I through 311 which permit your boiler needs before work starts.
- Why do so many Philadelphia HVAC permits expire?
Of residential HVAC permits issued October 2024 to September 2025, 21.0% expired and 65.8% were marked completed, the lowest completed share of the city's trade permits. Ask the contractor to schedule the final inspection and send you the Certificate of Approval.
Build your own list
Pick your city and the kind of work. Every firm with a permit on record, sorted by what you value.
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