============================================================ TITLE: Getting in The Zone - Land Zoning - Nochumson P.C. TYPE: article VERSION: 1 VERSION_ID: ca990259-1ba9-4b7c-b970-e791495e1c9f GENERATED_AT: 2026-05-12T20:07:41.001Z SUMMARY: In Philadelphia, land zoning types require one of two permits: zoning permits and use registration permits. AUTHOR: Alex Goldberg DATE PUBLISHED: January 15, 2021 DATE MODIFIED: October 28, 2025 READING TIME: 5 min WORD COUNT: 861 KEYWORDS: Nochumson P.C. SOURCE URL: https://nochumson.com/resources/getting-in-the-zone-land-zoning-types ============================================================ KEY TAKEAWAYS: * What are the Zoning Categories? * Land Zoning Permit Types 2 min read # Getting in the Zone – Land Zoning Types in Philadelphia Alan Nochumson : Updated on October 28, 2025 Legal Alerts Getting in The Zone - Land Zoning - Nochumson P.C. AI-generated audio Simply put, zoning is what regulates land and development in the city of Philadelphia. The land zoning types in Philadelphia are set by the Philadelphia Zoning Code, and they are enforced by the Department of Licenses and Inspections. The Philadelphia Zoning Code’s purpose, as it is written, is “to guide the land use and development of the City and in so doing, promote the public health, safety, and general welfare of its citizens and visitors.” In layman’s terms, the Philadelphia Zoning Code sets rules to ensure you are not building something you should not be building. It makes sure your buildings are safe. Either as a homeowner or developer, having a working knowledge of these governmental requirements will help ensure your project is legal and safe. ## What are the Zoning Categories? Zoning categories vary among counties, cities, and communities. In Philadelphia, there are 10 zoning categories: * Residential * Parks and open space * Public, civic, and institutional * Commercial * Vehicle and vehicular equipment sales and services * Wholesale, distribution, and storage * Industrial * Urban architecture Within those categories, there are many subcategories. For example, under the residential category, there are subcategories for single-family, two-family, and multi-family dwellings, or, under the commercial category, there are subcategories for office buildings, shopping centers, nightclubs, hotels, warehouses, etc. ## Land Zoning Permit Types The Philadelphia Zoning Code covers 2 types of permits: * Zoning Permits authorize construction or an addition to a building. A zoning permit is required for the following: All new construction Building an extension to an existing structure Creating or subdividing a lot Demolition or partial demolition of a structure Billboards and certain signs Construction of masonry fences above two (2) feet Construction of fences above legal height limits allowed by Zoning Code in the specific zoning classification ruling that property. Creation of off-street parking or reconfiguration of existing parking Installation of some signs in addition to the actual sign permit * All new construction * Building an extension to an existing structure * Creating or subdividing a lot * Demolition or partial demolition of a structure * Billboards and certain signs * Construction of masonry fences above two (2) feet * Construction of fences above legal height limits allowed by Zoning Code in the specific zoning classification ruling that property. * Creation of off-street parking or reconfiguration of existing parking * Installation of some signs in addition to the actual sign permit * Use Registration Permits authorize a particular use of the building or ground. A use registration permit is required for the following situations: Changes in any activity in an existing building New business use for a property Increases or decreases in the number of dwelling units Elimination of existing use of a property Billboards and most signs * Changes in any activity in an existing building * New business use for a property * Increases or decreases in the number of dwelling units * Elimination of existing use of a property * Billboards and most signs While these lists may seem straightforward enough, as with anything legal, the farther along you get in the process, the more complicated it becomes. Recently, realizing the real estate structures in Philadelphia continue to rise, we have leveraged Philadelphia’s open-source data and developed an interactive Land Use and Zoning Analysis Tool. With this tool in place, real estate developers and investors in the city will now have the ability to better determine the feasibility of a project by obtaining valuable and helpful information specific to their project and development. At Nochumson P.C., we are more than legal counsel. We are people serving our neighbors and community in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Knowing that real communication between real people can help lead to real positive results, our team of attorneys are available 24/7 to help answer your legal questions and to fight for you with skill and fortitude, whatever the case may be. When you hire us, you can expect a sensible and cost-effective approach to legal counsel. We think fast, think ahead, and get things done. Contact us today or call us at (215) 399-1346 to see how we can represent you. 1 min read Administrative Adjustment: A Guide to Amending Zoning Variance Permits Post-Approval Alex Goldberg : Apr 29, 2024 9:00:00 AM It often happens that a client’s vision for a zoning variance project evolves from their original proposal, even after they have already been... Cracking The Code Read More 1 min read Real Matters | Episode 1: Permit after Zoning Alan Nochumson : Jul 1, 2020 9:00:00 AM Brett founded Permit Philly, a full-service permit acquisition company, after working as the operations coordinator for a zoning... Videos Read More 1 min read In the Zone with Clementa Amazan Clementa Amazan : Apr 12, 2021 9:00:00 AM Videos Legal Alerts Read More 1 min read #### Administrative Adjustment: A Guide to Amending Zoning Variance Permits Post-Approval Alex Goldberg : Apr 29, 2024 9:00:00 AM It often happens that a client’s vision for a zoning variance project evolves from their original proposal, even after they have already been... Cracking The Code #### Real Matters | Episode 1: Permit after Zoning Alan Nochumson : Jul 1, 2020 9:00:00 AM Brett founded Permit Philly, a full-service permit acquisition company, after working as the operations coordinator for a zoning... #### In the Zone with Clementa Amazan Clementa Amazan : Apr 12, 2021 9:00:00 AM Videos Legal Alerts ------------------------------------------------------------ ABOUT THIS CONTENT ------------------------------------------------------------ Source: https://nochumson.com/resources/getting-in-the-zone-land-zoning-types Author: Alex Goldberg Published: January 15, 2021 This content is provided for informational purposes. Please visit the original source for the most up-to-date information.