Which permit fits a renovation
Three city permits sound alike, and only one is usually right for a remodel.
- The permanent Dumpster License from L&I is for dumpsters that stay put year-round, like behind a business. The city's dumpster license page says a temporary construction dumpster in the street needs a Temporary Construction Dumpster Permit from the Department of Streets instead.
- The Temporary No Parking (TNP) permit lists a $40 temporary dumpster permit for up to seven days, with four business days' notice. But the city's street closure request site says the residential TNP application is only for residential moving, and sends construction requests to the commercial street closure process.
- The street closure permit for construction covers roll-off dumpsters, scaffolding, fencing and lifts. Dumpster-only placement is $40 per dumpster per week, for up to a year. Applicants must hold a Contractor License or Commercial Activity License, so in practice your contractor or the hauler applies, not you.
Those are two published price lines, not two charges to pay. If you're unsure which applies to your block and dates, call the Streets Department Right-of-Way Unit at (215) 686-5500 before the dumpster is booked.
Lead time and what can add cost
Construction closure applications must go in online at least 10 business days before the start date, and the city warns processing can take longer. Entering a dumpster under the wrong permit type adds another 10 business days. So if a contractor says the dumpster arrives Monday and nobody has applied yet, expect the date to slip.
The price goes up when the dumpster isn't the only thing in the street. Parking lane closures are charged per foot per week ($1.50 a foot outside Center City and University City, $2.50 inside), with a $50 weekly minimum per closure type per block. If the work zone reaches a travel lane, police assistance is required, and inspections or police support cost extra.
Where the dumpster can go
The city's Right-of-Way Improvement Standard says construction dumpsters can't sit on a public sidewalk; they go in the parking lane. Plywood has to go down on any paved surface before delivery, and the dumpster must be covered with a tarp when it's not in use. Ask the hauler to confirm both before delivery.
If the sidewalk itself has to close for more than a week, the application needs a signed and sealed pedestrian detour plan from an engineer. That's a sign the job has outgrown a simple dumpster permit, and your contractor should be handling it.
Getting the curb space actually cleared
Under the TNP process, the permit holder takes the printed permit to a police district headquarters for no-parking signs and posts them at least 24 hours before the space is needed. If a car is still parked there during the permit dates, call the local police district to have it ticketed and towed. Don't arrange a tow yourself.
What to ask your contractor before delivery
- Who is applying for the street permit, under which permit type, and for which dates?
- Can I see the issued permit, not just proof that someone applied?
- Who handles an extension if the job runs long? The portal lets approved permits be extended if the request goes in at least 5 days before expiration.
- Where is the debris going? L&I requires construction debris to go through a private hauler, not city trash pickup, and contractors must keep tipping receipts for at least three years.
These questions fit alongside the rest of our contractor hiring checklist. A rowhome roof replacement is a common reason for a street dumpster, and our guide on when a Philadelphia roof replacement needs a permit covers the L&I side. To see what permits a past owner pulled on your house, see how to look up a home's permit history.