HARRISBURG, Pa. — Editor's note: The above video is from April 11.
Harrisburg city officials on Monday announced that new permit fees affecting commercial and residential builders will go into effect on May 1.
The new fees "will elevate the city to industry standards," Harrisburg's communications office said in a press release. They effect residential buildings -- single-family homes or apartments encompassing no more than two units -- and commercial properties, which include all other buildings.
Beginning May 1, all residential application fees will cost $75, and all commercial applications will cost $100, the city said. This includes applications for building, plumbing, electrical, and low voltage work.
In addition, the city said, for every $1,000 spent on residential building material and labor, and every $1,000 spent on plumbing, there will be an extra $8 fee, plus and additional $4.50 application fee required by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. (For example, $1,000 in material and labor will cost a builder $87.50 to the city, $2,000 costs $95.50, and so on.)
Residential electrical and low voltage work will cost the builder $3 for every $1,000 spent, plus the $4.50 service fee, the city said. Zoning permit fees will remain $3 across the board.
For commercial building and plumbing, the cost to the city will be $10 for every $1,000 spent, plus the $4.50 service fee, and $3 for every $1,000 spent on electrical and low voltage work, plus the additional $4.50 state fee.
The change was designed to make the permitting process more organized, according to Bureau of Codes Director Anne Montgomery. The Harrisburg City Council approved a motion to elevate the permitting fees to industry standards.
It is the first fee increase since 2013, the city said.
"We noticed the fees had not been adjusted in quite a while," Deputy Codes Administrator Bruce Henry told the city council last November. "The industry standards are the commercial rates are slightly higher than residential and we're currently charging the same rate."
The city currently has a flat $25 application fee for all residential and commercial building permits, with an additional $50 cost for the first $1,000 spent on parts and labor, and $9 for every $1,000 spent thereafter.
Electric, low voltage and plumbing permits do not carry an application fee, but will under the new policy that goes into effect on May 1, the city said.
For more information, visit harrisburgpa.gov/codes.