Philadelphia sidewalk rules: notices, permits & who pays

1. The owner is responsible

In Philadelphia the property owner is. The Streets Department says sidewalks, alleys, driveways and retaining walls “are private property” and that the City “does not own or maintain them.” Philadelphia Code § 11-505 puts it in law: sidewalks along public streets “shall be graded, curbed, paved and kept in repair at the expense of the owners of the land fronting thereon.” Under the same section, the owner of a corner property keeps the curb in repair.

The same goes for alleys, driveways and retaining walls. The Streets Department says owners who have deed rights to an alley, driveway or retaining wall must share the cost of repairs.

2. How sidewalk notices happen

Code § 11-505 lets the Streets Department decide that a sidewalk or curb needs to be graded, paved, repaired or reset, and give the owner written notice that it intends to have the work done. If nobody can be found to serve, the notice can be posted on the property. Opposite a shared alley or driveway, notice goes to all the owners who use it.

In practice, many notices start with a complaint. Billy Penn reported in 2019 that residents filed about 3,100 sidewalk complaints through Philly311 in 2018, that about a dozen Streets inspectors handled them, and that more than half led to repair notices. At that time, Billy Penn reported, the notices carried no penalty on their own. Read your notice carefully and call the number on it if anything is unclear.

3. If the City has the work done

If the owner doesn’t act, § 11-505 authorizes the City to contract the work to Streets Department specifications and then bill the abutting owners. The Code says:

• The district surveyor computes the cost and assesses the sidewalk and curb cost against the abutting properties
• The total of those assessments may not exceed 30% of the total cost of the work, and each owner pays in proportion to their property’s width
• If a bill isn’t paid within 30 days, a lien for the amount plus a 6% penalty may be filed against the property

Separately, when the City repaves a street and decides that replacing curb or sidewalk is a necessary part of that street project, § 11-505 puts that replacement at the City’s expense. That covers restoring what was there, not routine maintenance.

4. The permit and the license

• Curb and Footway Permit. The City’s Development Checklist says it is required for “any alteration, reconstruction, or repair of sidewalks in the City of Philadelphia.” It is issued by the Streets Department Highway District where the work is.
• Licensed applicant. The application must be made by a contractor with a valid Curb Setter License from L&I, and must include a plot plan. Projects with 30 feet of curb or more also need the district survey office.
• Curb Setter License. L&I requires it to do work on curbs and sidewalks in the right-of-way. It doesn’t apply to work entirely on private property. The license is renewed every year, and § 11-505 requires an annual $1,000 bond to protect the City and owners against defective work.
• Lines and grades. The contractor must get lines and grades from the district surveyor before starting.
• Utilities. Before digging below the slab, contractors must call PA One Call (811).

5. What a City-standard sidewalk looks like

The Streets Department’s Right-of-Way Improvement Standards set these defaults. Replacement is expected to be “in-kind,” and where an existing condition is better than today’s standard, restoring it to that condition takes priority.

6. Street trees

Parks & Recreation (PPR) says there are no exceptions to the owner’s sidewalk duty for damage caused by tree roots. You may repair a sidewalk block without removing the tree as long as the roots aren’t damaged. Major pruning or removal needs a PPR permit, and PPR doesn’t remove healthy trees. Request a PPR inspection through Philly311 or by calling (215) 685-4363. More on tree-root damage.

7. Historic districts

If your property is on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places, either on its own or in a historic district such as Society Hill, Old City, Rittenhouse–Fitler or Spring Garden, you need Historical Commission approval for exterior work. The City’s page lists “steps, stoops,” “sidewalks, driveways” and “site work such as … sidewalk replacement” among the work that requires a project review. The review is part of getting a building permit and is free. The City suggests contacting Commission staff at preservation@phila.gov early in planning. The Streets Department’s standards also expect replacement materials to be “in-kind.”

8. Snow and ice

Code § 10-720 requires owners, agents and tenants to clear a path at least 36 inches wide on the abutting sidewalk within 6 hours after snow stops falling. Where the sidewalk is less than 3 feet wide, the path may be 12 inches. Snow may not be piled in the street. Heaved and broken slabs make clearing harder and riskier.

9. Paying for it: Restore, Repair, Renew

The City’s Restore, Repair, Renew (RRR) program, run with PHDC, connects Philadelphia homeowners with low-interest loans. According to PHDC:

• Loans of $2,500 to $50,000 over 10 years at a 3% fixed APR, with a required 10% contingency in the loan amount
• Eligible repairs include “sidewalk and driveway resurfacing/replacement and outside stair repair”
• For homeowners whose primary residence needs repairs, with a credit score above 580, homeowners insurance, current taxes and utilities (or a City payment plan), and household income under the program limit (for example $147,250 for a family of four)
• Apply through Clarifi: clarifi.org/rrr or (215) 866-5200

Program terms can change. Check PHDC’s page for current rules.

Next steps

If you have a notice, note what it asks for and when, then get a quote from a licensed curb setter who will pull the Curb and Footway Permit. Request a quote