L&I Newsletter
May 2024
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The Department of Licenses and Inspections is looking for qualified candidates to fill the following vacancies:
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Building Plan Engineers - The City is hiring Graduate Civil Engineers, which is the entry-level position for L&I Building Plan Engineers. Employees in this position examine plans for the construction, reconstruction or renovation of building structures to ensure conformance with sound engineering principles and with existing ordinances and regulations. Employees may progress to the full-performance position of Building Plans Examiner Engineer 1 within four years, through the Department’s training and mentoring program. For more information or to submit an application, click here.
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Code Enforcement Inspector – This position involves field inspections of various properties, including residential, commercial and industrial establishments, to ensure compliance with the property maintenance, zoning and fire codes. Inspectors identify violations, explain them to property owners, and may issue violation notices or enforcement actions. Responsibilities include interpreting relevant codes, conducting inspections, testifying in court, and maintaining electronic records. Candidates should have a knowledge of relevant regulations, inspection techniques and computer operations. Effective communication skills, the ability to work independently and proficiency with computer software are necessary. For more information or to submit an application, click here.
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Building Inspector - The position involves technical construction code inspection, ensuring compliance with construction and zoning codes through site visits and review of plans. Responsibilities include inspecting construction sites, reviewing plans and providing expert testimony. Candidates must have a knowledge of construction codes, building practices and regulations, as well as the ability to interpret blueprints and conduct inspections. Effective communication skills and proficiency with computer software are necessary. For more information or to submit an application, click here.
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Informational Training Sessions
The following informational webinars and training courses are being offered to the public to assist stakeholders in navigating city processes and keeping them informed of code changes. Some training courses, as noted below, are being offered with continuing education credits. Customers can also sign-up for this and future webinars under the “Events” section of the L&I homepage (www.phila.gov/li).
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L&I eCLIPSE Permitting Basics Webinar - L&I will be conducting a 2-hour public training session on the basics of filing permit applications through the online eCLIPSE system. This webinar is an introductory session intended for new users. This session will be held on Wednesday, June 5th from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. via Zoom. Please register if you are interested in attending this information session.
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Zoning and eCLIPSE Webinar (Part 4) - L&I will be conducting a webinar series focused on zoning. In this webinar, we will cover how to file a zoning application, including information on the application, prerequisite approvals and standard review times. This session will be held on Wednesday, June 12th from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. via Zoom. Please register if you are interested in attending this information session. **Attendees can receive 1 hour of continuing education credits for this course.**
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Administrative Code Webinar (Part 2) - This is the second in a two-part series to review the department’s administration of the technical codes. During this session we will review Chapters 4-11 of the Philadelphia Administrative Code, to include inspection requirements, fees and work site safety. This session will be held on Wednesday, June 26th from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. via Zoom. Please register if you are interested in attending this information session. ** Attendees can receive 2 hours of continuing education credits for this course. **
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Future Sessions – Thank you for your recommendations on additional webinar topics thus far. We want to know additional topics you would like us to cover in the future. If you have a suggestion, please complete this online form.
Note: Capacity is limited and to accommodate all stakeholders, we ask that you only register if you plan on attending the session and, if your circumstances change, please cancel your registration.
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Fee Adjustment Bill #240430
On May 9, 2024, Philadelphia City Council introduced Bill No. 240430. Currently, L&I is authorized to revise, by regulation, permit and license fees established on or before July 1, 2017, by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) Multiplier. If enacted, this legislation would authorize L&I to revise, by regulation, all permit and license fees by the CPI Multiplier, regardless of when they were established. Please note, if this legislation is enacted, no license or permit fee will be increased in the absence of a regulation and associated analysis.
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The Following Permit Resources Were Recently Updated/Added to the Website (www.phila.gov/li):
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When Does My Construction Permit Expire? FAQ - This document addresses the most frequently asked questions relating to construction permit expirations, including next steps when a permit expires and how to notify the department of ongoing work.
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Annual Plumbing and Electrical Permits Info Sheet - This information sheet provides the eligibility and process to obtain annual plumbing and electrical permits for routine maintenance and replacement of plumbing and electrical system components.
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Zoning Part 3 Training Webinar Slides
The Department presented a webinar on the detailed instructions for using tools available to the public to conduct research for determining the legal use of a property. The slides used during this webinar are posted on the website.
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Façade, Pier, Fire Escape Inspections and Certifications Webinar Slides
The Department presented a webinar on the requirements for maintenance certifications. This webinar covered the maintenance certification program, eCLIPSE, certification upload requirements and helped with troubleshooting some common issues. The slides used during the webinar are posted on the website.
Electrical Certification Form for a Temporary Certification of Occupancy (TCO)
A new form has been created to document the partial certification of an electrical system. The Electrical Inspection Agency (EIA) must complete this Electrical TCO certification form and the contractor on the project must upload the form as part of the TCO submission process.
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We Need Your Help in Improving the Business License Application
If you have used the online eCLIPSE portal to obtain a business license (rental, food, daycare, vending, high-rise, etc.), we’d love to hear your thoughts on how we can improve the application. You can help us better serve you by completing this short survey.
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Enforcement Priorities
AIU would like to call your attention to the following enforcement priorities:
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Contractors and Subcontractors Information - In accordance with the Philadelphia Code Title 9-1004, contractors who hire a subcontractor to perform work authorized by their permit, must list the subcontractor on the permit in eCLIPSE within 3 days of the commencement of any work authorized by that permit, unless that permit is for a residential building of two dwelling units or less. If the Department establishes that a contractor has failed to do this, the contractor will be cited with a violation of 9-1004(8). That citation is accompanied by a $2,000 fine.
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Subcontracting - Subcontractors must be licensed. They must carry a valid contractor or trade license (for trade work) whenever they are working. A subcontractor is any person or business hired to perform work authorized by a permit, who is not identified on that permit’s application as the prime (or responsible) contractor.
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Worker Certification - Every worker at a Philadelphia construction site must have OSHA-10 training and carry their card with them when they’re on the job. If a building more than 3 stories or 40 feet tall is being constructed or demolished, an OSHA-30 trained site safety supervisor must be on site whenever the site is active.
Violation Data Report
The Department issued $58,000 in license violation fines in April of 2024. Of that total, $38,000 in fines were issued for the use of unlicensed subcontractors or failure to adequately disclose subcontractor usage and $13,000 in fines were issued to contractors for using workers without the required OSHA training.
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2018 Philadelphia Plumbing Code Amendments
The Plumbing Code amendments adopted under Bill No. 230653 apply to all plumbing permit applications filed on or after April 1, 2024. Refer to Title 4 - Subcode P on the American Legal website for current laws and the 2024 Plumbing Code Changes FAQ for a summary of the recent changes. Updates to the 2018 IPC hosted on the ICC website are underway.
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Building Certification Update
Certain life safety systems, building components and structures are subject to periodic testing and inspection requirements, as outline in Code Bulletin A-2204 and on our website.
Beginning April 1, 2023, all certifications were to be submitted to the City by the licensed inspector through http://eclipse.phila.gov. Building owners and licensed inspectors may be subject to enforcement action if required certifications are not submitted by May 31, 2024.
You may verify that certifications have been successfully submitted to the City through atlas.phila.gov. Search for your property address and click on the “Licenses and Inspections” tab to find all Building Certifications submitted for the property.
Landlord Gateway Educational Series Training
The Landlord Gateway Program centralizes resources to help both current and prospective landlords navigate the City’s processes, requirements and guidance through a single location. To help educate landlords and renters through these processes, the city is providing a landlord gateway education training series each month.
For more information and to register for one or more of these sessions, click here.
Free OSHA Safety Consultation
Employers can receive no-cost safety, health and industrial hygiene evaluations by signing up for a program run by IUP’s Safety Sciences Department.
Through the PA OSHA Consultation Program, IUP consultants conduct occupational safety and health evaluations and work with business owners to address issues. The on-site visits are confidential since the program operates independently from OSHA's regulation enforcement.
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Back issues of the L&I Newsletters are available on the L&I website under Resources.
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