Philadelphia Site Plan Services: Permit-Ready Plans for Residential Projects

A Philadelphia site plan—also called a plot plan—is an overhead drawing showing how buildings and exterior improvements fit within a property.

It can help reviewers understand:

• Which legal property is involved
• What buildings and improvements already exist
• What work is proposed
• The size and location of the proposed project
• Distances to property boundaries
• The dimensions of yards and open areas
• How the property connects to streets, alleys and driveways
• Whether parking or a curb cut is proposed
• Whether easements, historic status or floodplain conditions apply
• Whether the site plan agrees with the remaining permit drawings

A drafted site plan cannot guarantee permit approval. It provides measurable property and project information for review by the Department of Licenses and Inspections and any other participating City departments.

What Is a Philadelphia Residential Site Plan?

A site plan is a scaled drawing of the property as viewed from above.

Depending on the application, it may identify:

• Legal property address
• Existing lot lines
• Lot-line dimensions recorded in the deed
• Existing house
• Garages, sheds and other accessory structures
• Decks, roof decks, balconies and access structures
• Driveways, parking and loading spaces
• Existing and proposed curb cuts
• Streets, alleys and rights-of-way
• Existing and proposed construction
• Exterior dimensions of structures
• Building heights and number of stories
• Front, side and rear yards
• Other open areas
• Easements affecting the property
• Landscaping, screening and street trees
• Heritage trees when applicable
• North arrow or cardinal directions
• Drawing scale

The site plan is only one part of the permit package.

A project may also require:

• Floor plans
• Exterior elevations
• Foundation plans
• Framing plans
• Structural calculations
• Energy-code documentation
• Electrical, plumbing or mechanical permits
• Protection-of-adjacent-property documents
• Flood-protection forms
• Professionally signed and sealed plans

For a broader explanation, read our Plot Plan for Permit guide .

When Philadelphia Requires a Site Plan

Philadelphia’s general zoning-permit guidance requires a site plan for:

• New construction
• Building additions
• Lot-line adjustments
• New off-street parking
• Signs that do not qualify for an EZ standard

Plans submitted for zoning review must be drawn to scale. The City’s general plan standards call for a sheet measuring at least 11 by 17 inches and the use of an accepted architectural or engineering scale.

Some projects may qualify for an EZ permit or a permit exemption. An EZ permit does not require plans, but the work must follow every condition of the applicable EZ standard.

A permit exemption also does not waive:

• Zoning requirements
• Historic-property requirements
• Floodplain requirements
• Private easements or deed restrictions
• Right-of-way permits
• Trade permits
• Professional-design requirements

Official sources: Philadelphia — Get a Zoning Permit and Philadelphia — EZ Permits .

What a Philadelphia Site Plan Should Show

Legal property address

Philadelphia requires permit applications to use the legal address established by the Office of Property Assessment.

The address on the site plan should agree with:

• eCLIPSE application
• OPA property record
• Deed or settlement documents
• Construction plans
• Other permit applications

Property lines and deed dimensions

Show the complete lot rather than only the immediate project area.

Identify:

• Front property line
• Left-side property line
• Right-side property line
• Rear property line
• Street-side line on a corner property
• Curved or irregular segments
• Dimensions recorded in the deed

Do not automatically treat a fence, party wall, alley edge, pavement edge or online parcel line as the legal property boundary.

Existing buildings and improvements

Show relevant existing conditions, including:

• Main house
• Existing additions
• Attached or detached garage
• Carport
• Shed or accessory building
• Deck or roof deck
• Balcony or exterior access structure
• Patio and walkways
• Swimming pool or spa
• Driveway and parking area
• Fences and gates when relevant

An omitted feature can affect yard dimensions, open-space calculations, parking, access and the available location for new construction.

Proposed construction

Clearly distinguish proposed work from existing conditions.

Use:

• A clear “PROPOSED” label
• A distinct hatch pattern
• A heavier outline
• A different line type
• An existing-and-proposed legend

Show the complete project footprint and relevant:

• Exterior dimensions
• Building height
• Number of stories
• Roof projections
• Posts and supports
• Stairs and landings
• Decks or balconies
• New paving or parking
• Structures proposed for removal

Yards and open areas

Philadelphia’s general site-plan requirements call for the dimensions of all yards and other open areas.

Depending on the lot, identify:

• Front yard
• Left-side yard
• Right-side yard
• Rear yard
• Required open area
• Courts or light wells
• Side access passages
• Open space remaining after construction

The drawing should show actual proposed dimensions rather than expecting the reviewer to calculate them from scale.

Streets, alleys, curb lines and rights-of-way

Show relevant:

• Street names
• Public alleys
• Curb lines
• Existing and proposed curb cuts
• Right-of-way widths
• Sidewalks
• Driveways and vehicle entrances
• Other bordering public ways

A project affecting parking, a curb cut, the sidewalk or another public-way feature may require Department of Streets review before L&I can complete the permit.

Parking and vehicle access

Show:

• Existing and proposed off-street parking
• Parking-space dimensions
• Driveway or drive-aisle width
• Travel direction when relevant
• Garage doors
• Rear-alley access
• Existing and proposed curb cuts

New off-street parking requires zoning approval. The Department of Streets must review parking applications, and some corner-property or landscaped parking proposals also require Philadelphia City Planning Commission review.

Easements and shared access

Show known:

• Utility easements
• Drainage easements
• Access easements
• Shared-driveway agreements
• Shared alleys or passageways
• Other recorded restrictions

A project can satisfy its zoning dimensions and still conflict with a private easement or shared-access agreement.

Landscaping, screening and trees

The City’s general zoning site-plan requirements include:

• New landscaping
• Required screening
• Street trees
• Existing heritage trees
• Heritage trees proposed for removal

Tree and landscape information may be especially important for larger developments, parking applications and projects involving substantial site disturbance.

Drainage and grading

Site information may be needed when the project:

• Adds substantial paving
• Changes existing grades
• Creates a patio or pool deck
• Includes a retaining wall
• Changes roof runoff
• Affects a slope, swale or drainage path
• Involves site work or utility construction

A drawing may show supported drainage arrows, existing conditions and basic grading information.

A standard drafted site plan does not replace a professionally designed grading, stormwater, utility or civil-engineering plan when one is required.

Site Plan vs Survey vs Construction Plans

A drafted site plan does not independently establish or certify legal property boundaries.

A Pennsylvania-licensed land surveyor may be needed when:

• The property boundaries are uncertain
• The project is close to a lot line
• Deed dimensions conflict with existing conditions
• A lot-line adjustment is proposed
• A new legal description is required
• A boundary or shared-access dispute exists
• L&I or another reviewing department requests a survey

For lot-line adjustments, Philadelphia City Planning Commission requires a survey plan prepared by a licensed surveyor or engineer, along with new legal descriptions and other supporting documents.

Philadelphia Site Plans by Project Type

Garage and carport site plans

A garage or carport site plan may show:

• Proposed building footprint
• Exterior dimensions and height
• Number of stories
• Roof projection
• Garage-door direction
• Off-street parking
• Driveway or rear-alley access
• Existing house
• Remaining yards and open areas
• Existing and proposed curb cuts

A roofed vehicle structure can involve both zoning and building review. Creating new off-street parking or changing a curb cut can also require Department of Streets approval.

Read our Philadelphia Garage Site Plan Guide and Philadelphia Carport Site Plan Guide .

Deck, porch and pergola site plans

A deck, porch or pergola plan may identify:

• Platform or roof footprint
• Outside dimensions
• Height
• Supporting posts
• Stairs and landings
• Connection to the existing house
• Rear or side yard dimensions
• Nearby garages, fences and alleys
• Remaining open area

A pergola’s permit path can depend on whether it is attached or freestanding, roofed or open, structurally connected to a deck, or equipped with electrical or other systems.

Read our Philadelphia Deck Site Plan Guide and Philadelphia Pergola Site Plan Guide .

Fence site plans

Philadelphia states that permits are likely to be required when a fence is:

• Taller than six feet
• Made from heavy material such as masonry or concrete
• Located directly along a street frontage

A building permit is required for fencing at a property on the Philadelphia Historic Registry or in the 100-year floodplain.

A fence plan may show:

• Complete fence route
• Fence height and material
• Opacity when relevant
• Pedestrian and vehicle gates
• Property boundaries
• Street and alley relationships
• Driveways and curb cuts
• Pool location when the fence is a safety barrier

Read our Philadelphia Fence Site Plan Guide .

Shed site plans and the two size thresholds

Philadelphia has separate zoning and building-permit rules for small accessory structures.

A shed or similar structure at an existing one- or two-family dwelling may avoid a zoning permit when it:

• Has an area of less than 130 square feet
• Is less than 15 feet high
• Is located in the rear yard
• Is not used to store a motor vehicle

Separately, Philadelphia’s building-permit guidance lists detached structures of 200 square feet or less at one- or two-family dwellings among projects that often do not need a building permit.

This means a structure between 130 and 200 square feet might be exempt from the building permit but still require zoning approval.

Historic-property, floodplain, electrical, plumbing and other requirements can still change the permit path.

Read our Philadelphia Shed Site Plan Guide .

Home addition site plans

New additions require zoning approval before the building permit can be issued. For smaller additions to single-family homes, Philadelphia may review zoning and building-code requirements together when both applications are filed.

An addition plan may show:

• Complete existing house footprint
• Proposed addition footprint
• Exterior dimensions
• Building height and stories
• Remaining yards and open area
• Roof and bay-window projections
• Decks, stairs and landings
• Party walls and adjoining structures when relevant
• Parking, alley and sidewalk relationships

Separate protection-of-adjacent-property documents can be required for certain excavation, party-wall and construction conditions.

Read our Philadelphia Addition Site Plan Guide .

Patio and paving site plans

Some sidewalks, driveways and similar exterior projects may not require a building permit when they remain outside the right-of-way and do not create parking.

A patio or paving plan may still be useful for showing:

• Existing and proposed hardscape
• Material
• Property boundaries
• Remaining yards and open areas
• Steps and walkways
• Drainage direction when supported
• Relationship to the house, alley and neighboring property

Site work involving grading, utilities, extensive earth disturbance or professionally designed drainage may require additional plans.

Read our Philadelphia Patio Site Plan Guide .

Driveway and parking site plans

Creating new off-street parking requires a zoning permit.

The application may need to show:

• Parking-space dimensions
• Driveway and drive-aisle width
• Travel direction
• Existing and proposed curb cuts
• Sidewalk and street relationship
• Rear-alley access
• Garage entrance
• Landscaping and screening when required

The Department of Streets must review parking applications. Some corner-property parking proposals and landscaped parking areas also require Planning Commission review.

Read our Philadelphia Driveway Site Plan Guide .

Pool and spa site plans

Philadelphia lists certain prefabricated swimming pools or spas that are less than 24 inches deep and hold less than 5,000 gallons among projects that may not require a building permit.

Other pools may require a standard permit or may qualify under the City’s current EZ permit standard.

A pool plan may show:

• Pool or spa footprint
• Dimensions
• Pool deck and surrounding paving
• Pump, filter and equipment area
• Fence, barrier and gates
• Property boundaries and remaining yards
• Existing buildings
• Electrical and plumbing locations when relevant
• Supported drainage information

Read our Philadelphia Pool Site Plan Guide .

Historic Properties and Floodplain Review

Permit exemptions may not apply in the same way when a property is:

• Listed on the Philadelphia Historic Registry
• Located within a designated historic district
• Located in a flood-hazard area

For historic properties, Historical Commission approval is required before L&I will approve the applicable building permit. When the application is filed online, the Historical Commission performs its review through the eCLIPSE process.

A property in the floodplain may require:

• Flood-protection forms
• Special plans
• Elevation information
• A review meeting
• Professionally signed and sealed documents

Check the address through Philadelphia Atlas and the City’s historic and floodplain resources before assuming that a normally exempt project requires no approval.

Planning Commission and Streets Reviews

A standard residential project does not automatically require a separate Philadelphia City Planning Commission site-plan review.

Planning Commission review can apply to matters such as:

• Lot-line changes
• Open-air parking and landscaping
• Wissahickon watershed properties
• Steep-slope overlays
• Primary-street determinations
• Neighborhood or design overlays

Department of Streets review can apply to:

• New parking
• New or altered curb cuts
• Driveways affecting the right-of-way
• Sidewalk work
• Other public-way improvements or encroachments

A Streets site-plan approval does not automatically grant utility or encroachment approval. Separate permits or agreements may still be required.

Current Philadelphia Online Permit Process

Philadelphia uses eCLIPSE for online zoning, building and related permit applications.

Before uploading the drawings, confirm that the site plan agrees with:

• Permit description
• Project dimensions
• Floor plans
• Exterior elevations
• Structural plans
• Parking or curb-cut information
• Any approved zoning plan

Official source: Philadelphia — Get a Building Permit .

What to Send With Your Philadelphia Site Plan Order

Complete source information helps reduce uncertainty while the drawing is being prepared.

How Our Philadelphia Site Plan Drafting Service Works

1. Place your order. Select the site-plan option matching the requested level of detail.
2. Provide the legal property address. Confirm that the City of Philadelphia is the reviewing jurisdiction.
3. Upload property documents. Send any survey, deed plan, previous approval or permit comments.
4. Describe the project. Include its dimensions, height, use and basic scope.
5. Mark the intended location. Send a marked survey, sketch, photographs or construction drawing.
6. Review the completed draft. Check the project location, dimensions, labels, yards and access relationships.
7. Confirm the complete application. Obtain any separate surveying, architecture, engineering, floodplain or City pre-approval documents required for the project.

The usefulness and accuracy of the drawing depend on the property records, surveys, measurements, photographs and project information supplied.

USA Site Plans provides drafting services. Standard drawings are not signed or sealed by a Pennsylvania-licensed land surveyor, architect or engineer.

Common Philadelphia Site Plan Problems

• The wrong legal OPA address is used
• Only the immediate project area is shown
• Deed lot dimensions are missing
• A fence or online parcel line is treated as a surveyed boundary
• An existing garage, shed, deck or patio is omitted
• The proposed project is not clearly labeled
• Exterior dimensions are incomplete
• Building height or number of stories is missing
• Yards and open areas are not dimensioned
• A deck, balcony, stair or access structure is omitted
• The street or rear alley is not shown
• Curb lines or curb cuts are missing
• Parking dimensions are incomplete
• An easement or shared-access area is overlooked
• Historic status is not checked
• Floodplain conditions are overlooked
• Streets or Planning Commission pre-approval is missing
• The site plan conflicts with the floor plans
• A drafted site plan is submitted where a licensed survey is required
• An EZ permit is used for work that does not meet the EZ standard

A complete drawing cannot eliminate every review comment, but it can help avoid corrections caused solely by missing, unclear or inconsistent site information.

Read Why Site Plans Get Rejected for Permits and What Permit Reviewers Check First .

Philadelphia Residential Site Plan Checklist

Philadelphia Project-Specific Site Plan Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

Does every Philadelphia residential project require a site plan?

No. Interior-only work, certain minor projects, permit exemptions and qualifying EZ permits may not require a site plan. New construction, additions, lot-line changes and new off-street parking generally require one.

What must a Philadelphia zoning site plan show?

The City’s general requirements include cardinal directions, deed lot lines and dimensions, structures and their exterior dimensions, building heights and stories, decks and balconies, yards, curb lines, curb cuts, rights-of-way, streets, alleys, driveways, easements, parking, landscaping and applicable trees.

Does a small Philadelphia shed require zoning approval?

A shed or similar structure may avoid zoning approval when it is under 130 square feet, under 15 feet high, in the rear yard and not used to store a motor vehicle.

Does a 200-square-foot shed require a building permit?

Philadelphia lists detached structures of 200 square feet or less at one- or two-family dwellings among projects that often do not require a building permit. Zoning, historic, floodplain and other requirements still apply.

Does a fence require a Philadelphia permit?

It depends on its height, material, location, zoning, historic status and floodplain status. Fences taller than six feet, heavy masonry or concrete fences and fences directly along a street frontage are more likely to require permits.

Does new off-street parking require zoning approval?

Yes. New off-street parking requires a zoning permit and Department of Streets review. Additional Planning Commission review may apply to certain parking proposals.

Can an online parcel map establish the property lines?

No. Philadelphia Atlas is useful for zoning, permits and preliminary property research, but it does not independently locate or certify legal property boundaries.

When is a licensed survey needed?

A survey may be needed when boundaries are uncertain, the project is close to a lot line, deed information conflicts with existing conditions, lot lines are being changed or a reviewing department requests professionally verified information.

Do historic properties require extra approval?

Yes. Historical Commission approval is required for applicable work at properties on the Philadelphia Historic Registry before L&I will approve the building permit.

How are Philadelphia permit applications submitted?

Applications can be submitted online through eCLIPSE. Applicants upload the required documents, pay the filing fee and receive review comments and status updates through the system.

Can a drafted site plan establish legal property boundaries?

No. A drafted plan uses supplied property documents, records and measurements but does not independently locate or legally certify boundaries.

Are USA Site Plans drawings signed or sealed?

No. USA Site Plans provides drafting services. Licensed surveying, architecture, engineering and professional seals must be obtained separately when required.

Will a Philadelphia site plan guarantee permit approval?

No. L&I and any participating City departments control the review and may request revisions, a survey, professional design, pre-approvals or additional supporting documents.

Official Philadelphia Resources

1. Get a Zoning Permit and General Site Plan Requirements
2. Zoning Permit for New Construction or Additions
3. Get a Building Permit
4. L&I Plan Requirements
5. L&I Plan Review Checklists
6. EZ Permit Standards
7. Zoning Permit for Parking
8. Get a Fence Permit
9. Philadelphia City Planning Commission Site Plan Review
10. Philadelphia Atlas and Zoning Information
11. Department of Licenses and Inspections
12. eCLIPSE Online Permit System

Disclaimer: This article provides general educational information and is not legal, surveying, architectural, engineering, zoning, historic-preservation, floodplain or permitting advice. Philadelphia requirements vary according to the property, zoning district, project, deed dimensions, historic status, flood conditions, right-of-way impacts and current codes. USA Site Plans is an independent drafting service and is not affiliated with the City of Philadelphia. A drafted site plan does not establish legal property boundaries or replace a licensed survey, architecture, engineering or another professionally certified document when required. Confirm current requirements with the departments and licensed professionals reviewing the application.