Permit Guide · Updated July 2026
Deck permits in Montgomery County, PA
The single most useful thing to know: in Pennsylvania, your municipality issues your deck permit—not Montgomery County. Which borough or township your home sits in decides your forms, fees, and process. Here is how it works, plus where each town applies.
How Pennsylvania deck permitting works
Pennsylvania has a statewide building code—the Uniform Construction Code (UCC)—based on the International Residential Code. But the state does not enforce it directly for your deck. Each of Montgomery County's boroughs and townships administers the UCC locally, through its own code office or a third-party inspection agency.
That is why there is no single "Montgomery County deck permit." A deck in Lansdale Borough follows the borough's process; a deck a mile away in Towamencin Township follows the township's. The first step in any deck project is confirming which municipality your parcel is actually in—which is not always the same as your mailing address.
Typical deck code requirements
Exact requirements are set locally, but under the UCC most Montgomery County municipalities apply the same core rules. Treat these as typical, and confirm the specifics with your code office:
- Permit threshold. Attached decks, and decks above a low height off the ground, generally require a building permit.
- Guards (railings). Decks more than 30 inches above grade typically require a guard, commonly at least 36 inches high for a home.
- Baluster spacing. Openings usually must be small enough that a 4-inch sphere cannot pass through.
- Stairs and handrails. Stairs generally need a graspable handrail and consistent riser heights.
- Footings.Posts must sit on footings below the frost line—important given Pennsylvania's freeze-thaw winters.
A reputable builder handles all of this as a matter of course. Knowing the basics just helps you ask good questions.
Which municipality issues your permit
Below are the boroughs and townships covering the towns we serve. If your parcel is near a boundary, verify with the municipality or the county parcel viewer before assuming.
| Municipality | Covers | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lansdale Borough | Lansdale (inside borough limits) | Borough code office issues permits. Homes just outside the line may fall under Towamencin, Montgomery, or Upper Gwynedd Township. |
| Upper Merion Township | King of Prussia and surrounding areas | King of Prussia is part of Upper Merion, not its own borough. Township issues all deck permits. |
| Whitpain Township | Blue Bell | Blue Bell is unincorporated and sits within Whitpain, which handles its permits. |
| Collegeville Borough | Collegeville (inside borough limits) | Many 'Collegeville' addresses are actually in Lower Providence, Upper Providence, or Perkiomen Township—confirm your parcel. |
| Ambler Borough | Ambler (inside borough limits) | Surrounded by Upper Dublin and Whitpain townships; many Ambler-addressed homes are in those townships. |
| North Wales Borough | North Wales (inside borough limits) | Small borough surrounded by Upper Gwynedd and Montgomery townships, where many North Wales addresses actually sit. |
| Lower Salford Township | Harleysville (most addresses) | Harleysville is unincorporated; some addresses fall in Franconia or Towamencin Township instead. |
| Conshohocken Borough | Conshohocken (inside borough limits) | Neighboring Plymouth and Whitemarsh townships cover nearby areas that share the Conshohocken mailing address. |
Directory verified July 2026. Permit processes and fees change—confirm current requirements with your municipality's code office before applying. To find yours, search "[your municipality] PA building permit" or contact the township or borough office directly.
Before you apply: know what you're building
A permit application goes smoother when you can describe the deck clearly—size, height, railing, and stairs. Previewing the deck on your own house first helps you settle those details, so you and your builder are working from the same picture when the permit and site plan get drawn up.
Planning a deck in your town?
Start with a preview on your own house, then meet a local builder who knows your township's process.
See deck builders by town →