Pittsburgh has opened a fast lane for simple, low-risk permits. Mayor Corey O’Connor announced the first phase of permitting reform on September 23, 2026. The city’s EZ Permits pilot aims to issue eligible permits within one business day, with no plan review. The city also added virtual inspections and an online permit tracker.
What Phase 1 includes
The mayor’s office says the first phase comes less than nine months after Executive Order 2026-01, signed on his first day in office. It covers four things:
- EZ Permits: a pilot fast lane for 15 routine residential and commercial permit types that don’t need design review.
- Virtual inspections: video inspections for 13 eligible residential permit types, with appointments possible as soon as two days out.
- Permit tracker: the OneStopPGH tracker, launched in July, shows where an application stands.
- Pre-application meetings: standardized for complex projects.
Later phases target review (Phase 2) and inspections (Phase 3). The city also plans a public dashboard of permitting performance data and a rewrite of the zoning code.
How an EZ Permit moves through the city
- Check that the job is eligible. The city’s EZ Permits page lists residential work such as window and door replacement in the same openings, non-load-bearing interior wall changes, roofing (sheathing replacement up to 10% of the roof area), and nonstructural siding. It also lists certain residential electrical and mechanical work.
- Apply, and attest that your information is accurate and complete. Applicants are property owners or their authorized agents.
- Application technicians verify the license holder, insurance, and ownership within one business day. They don’t review plans.
- Schedule your inspection through OneStopPGH. Some eligible work can use a virtual inspection.
| Standard permit | EZ Permit | |
|---|---|---|
| Plans required | Yes | No |
| Typical review time | 15 to 30 business days | 1 business day after verification |
| Who is responsible for accuracy | Shared with reviewer | The applicant, by attestation |
| Fee | Varies by scope | Varies by scope; no added EZ fee; non-refundable |
Source: City of Pittsburgh, EZ Permits (Pilot) page. Projects in a floodplain, in a historic district, or on condemned properties aren’t eligible. Each EZ permit covers one scope of work. Combining scopes sends the project to the standard process.
Why It Matters to You
- If you own a Pittsburgh home and need a simple job done, such as new siding or a window swap in the same opening, the city aims to approve the permit in about a day instead of waiting weeks.
- Virtual inspections can save you a site visit for 13 eligible residential permit types.
- It’s a pilot, so the one-day target isn’t guaranteed, and bigger or more complex jobs still go through standard review.
The housing backdrop
Smart Cities Dive reports Pittsburgh lacks about 11,000 affordable homes for its lowest-income residents, according to estimates, and has about 20,000 vacant homes, more than 15% of its housing stock. Those figures frame the policy goal. The city hasn’t claimed that EZ Permits will put vacant homes back on the market.
What the pilot hasn’t shown yet
One business day is the city’s target, not a published average, and we found no data on how many EZ permits have been issued or how fast. The wait it replaces is described two ways: the mayor said routine applicants “used to have to wait over a week,” while the city’s EZ page lists 15 to 30 business days for standard review. The gap likely reflects which permit types and which part of the process each figure covers. EZ Permits is labeled a pilot, and the city gives no end date or evaluation plan on its page. Because there’s no plan review, the applicant carries the risk: the city warns that errors found at inspection may mean an amendment, or a revoked permit and a new application. Smart Cities Dive described one-day approval as a goal, not a guarantee.
Quick answers
- Which jobs qualify? Examples include window and door replacement in existing openings, roofing, siding, and non-load-bearing interior wall work. Load-bearing changes, new openings, and engineered designs go to standard review.
- Does an EZ Permit cost more? The city says there is no additional EZ fee. Fees follow the permit type and are non-refundable.
- Is there still an inspection? Yes. Applicants schedule inspections through OneStopPGH, and some eligible work can use virtual inspections.
- Who can apply? Property owners or their authorized agents. Residential work may be done by the owner of a primary residence or by a licensed city contractor or registered Pennsylvania home improvement contractor.
Sources
- City of Pittsburgh: EZ Permits (Pilot) (accessed Oct 13, 2026)
- City of Pittsburgh: Mayor O’Connor Announces Updates for Phase 1 of Comprehensive Permitting Reforms (Sep 23, 2026)
- Smart Cities Dive: Pittsburgh eyes quicker permitting with virtual inspections and a ‘fast lane’ for low-risk projects (Sep 25, 2026)