3 published records
Business licenses and permits in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, with its seat in the City of Harrisburg, is divided among 40 municipalities: the City of Harrisburg, 16 boroughs and 23 townships, as listed on the Dauphin County Planning Commission's Plan Application & Fees page. Each municipality runs its own zoning, building permits and local taxes, and those stack on top of the county records below; SALDO §204 states that the county Planning Commission's plan approval 'is in addition to, and does not supersede, local approvals'. At county level, the Dauphin County Conservation District reviews erosion and sediment pollution control plans and administers NPDES construction stormwater permits under responsibilities delegated to it for those programs, and the Dauphin County Planning Commission, staffed by the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission, approves subdivision and land development plans under the county SALDO (Ordinance No. 2-2011) in 7 municipalities and reviews and reports on plans in the other 33, where the municipality decides.
What are you opening in Dauphin County?
- RestaurantsFull-service restaurants carry the densest permit load of any small business: food, fire, occupancy, waste, and usually alcohol.See the full permit list
- Coffee shopsCafés are permitted as food service establishments even where no cooking happens, and the plan review step catches most operators by surprise.See the full permit list
- Retail storesRetail is the lightest common permit load, but the sales tax permit and the certificate of occupancy are non-negotiable in every jurisdiction.See the full permit list
- Salons and barbersPersonal care is licensed at state board level as well as locally, so the shop license and the practitioner licenses are separate obligations.See the full permit list
- Fitness studiosPrepaid memberships trigger state registration and often a surety bond, which catches operators who budgeted only for the fit-out.See the full permit list
- Childcare centresThe heaviest permit load of any small business: state agency licensing, per-person background checks, and a stricter fire standard than ordinary commercial use.See the full permit list
- Contractors and tradesLicensed at state board level rather than locally, and the only common category with no premises permits at all — the bond is usually the long pole.See the full permit list
- Auto repair shopsOrdinary commercial permitting plus an environmental layer: waste oil, solvents and stormwater are each registered separately.See the full permit list
- Veterinary clinicsA state facility permit, controlled substances registration at both state and federal level, and a medical waste manifest — none of which a general business license covers.See the full permit list
Permits that apply to every type of business in Dauphin County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erosion and Sediment Pollution Control (ESPC) Plan Review and NPDES Construction Stormwater Permitonly if it applies to you | Dauphin County Conservation District | District ESPC plan service fee, per the ESPC Plan Service Fee Schedule 'EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 9, 2022' in the district's Applicant Resources document (Rev. 1/7/2026), payable to Dauphin County Conservation District and charged under 25 Pa. Code §102.6(b)(3): industrial/commercial/residential/other projects, by disturbed acres rounded to the nearest whole acre, less than 1.00 acre $1,380.00; 1.00 to 5.00 acres $1,370.00 + $410.00 per acre; 6.00 to 25.00 acres $2,740.00 + $280.00 per acre; 26.00 to 100.00 acres $8,210.00 + $140.00 per acre; 101.00 acres or more $16,420.00 + $85.00 per acre. Single-family residence under one acre disturbed $500.00. Chapter 105 General Permit ESPC plan review $95.00. PNDI search conducted by the district $500.00. For a non-permitted ESPC plan, 'an additional fee of 25% of the original fee may be required, at the discretion of DCCD, on the third and subsequent reviews'. State-set NPDES fees under 25 Pa. Code §102.6(b)(1), separate from the district service fee: administrative filing fee $500 for a general permit or $1,500 for an individual permit, payable to 'Dauphin County Conservation District – Clean Water Fund', plus $100 per disturbed acre for projects of 1 acre or more, payable to 'Commonwealth of Pennsylvania – Clean Water Fund'. | per project; the district states that NPDES permit renewals 'should be submitted 180 days in advance of the expiration date' | 2026-10-21 |
| County Subdivision and Land Development Plan Approval (7 Municipalities Without Their Own SALDO)only if it applies to you | Dauphin County Planning Commission | DCPC 'Approval Fees Effective May 13, 2009', checks payable to the Dauphin County Planning Commission: subdivision by lots $220.00 base fee + $4.00 per lot; residential land development $220.00 + $4.00 per dwelling unit; non-residential land development $220.00 + $5.00 per each 1,000 sq. ft. of proposed building footprint (if no building is proposed, only the base fee applies); combined subdivision and residential land development $220.00 + $4.00 per lot + $4.00 per dwelling unit; combined subdivision and non-residential land development $220.00 + $5.00 per each 1,000 sq. ft. of proposed building footprint. Each has a $3,000 maximum. Sewer module $50.00 per module review. | per plan | 2026-10-21 |
| County Planning Commission Review and Report Fee (33 Municipalities With Their Own SALDO)only if it applies to you | Dauphin County Planning Commission | DCPC 'Review Fees Effective May 13, 2009', checks payable to the Dauphin County Planning Commission: subdivision by lots $175.00 base fee + $4.00 per lot; residential land development $175.00 + $4.00 per dwelling unit; non-residential land development $175.00 + $5.00 per each 1,000 sq. ft. of proposed building footprint (if no building is proposed, only the base fee applies); combined subdivision and residential land development $175.00 + $4.00 per lot + $4.00 per dwelling unit; combined subdivision and non-residential land development $175.00 + $5.00 per each 1,000 sq. ft. of proposed building footprint. Each has a $3,000 maximum. Sewer module $50.00 per module review. SALDO §203(1) requires separate fees for each application at each stage (preliminary and final). | per plan, charged at each stage (preliminary and final) under SALDO §203(1) | 2026-10-21 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
What do these permits involve in Dauphin County?
Erosion and Sediment Pollution Control (ESPC) Plan Review and NPDES Construction Stormwater Permit
A business building or expanding a site in Dauphin County deals with the Dauphin County Conservation District when its project disturbs earth. Per the district's Applicant Resources document (Rev. 1/7/2026), an NPDES permit is required for earth disturbance of 'one (1) or more acres', including any part of a larger common plan of that size; for 5,000 square feet up to one acre a written ESPC plan must be prepared and kept on site, and a formal review with the service fee applies where municipal or other regulations require it or on request. The document states that the district 'is delegated certain responsibilities' for the ESPC and NPDES construction stormwater programs. Per its ESPC Plan Service Fee Schedule effective September 9, 2022, the district service fee runs from $1,380 for a commercial or other project under one acre to $16,420 plus $85 per acre at 101 acres or more, with $500 for a single-family residence under one acre; 25 Pa. Code §102.6(b)(3) lets conservation districts charge these fees. The NPDES filing fee ($500 general, $1,500 individual) and the $100 per disturbed acre fee are set by 25 Pa. Code §102.6(b)(1), and the district's document states that 'DCCD has no authority to waive or adjust the permit filing fees or disturbed acreage fees.' For an expired permit the district may charge up to 100% of the then current service fee, and a new NPDES permit fee applies.
County Subdivision and Land Development Plan Approval (7 Municipalities Without Their Own SALDO)
This record applies only in the 7 municipalities the Dauphin County Planning Commission's Plan Application & Fees page lists under its Approval Fees: Berrysburg Borough, Elizabethville Borough, Jefferson Township, Millersburg Borough, Rush Township, Williams Township and Williamstown Borough. SALDO §204 of Ordinance No. 2-2011 (adopted by the Board of Commissioners April 27, 2011) states that in municipalities which have not adopted a subdivision and land development ordinance, plans 'must be approved by the Dauphin County Planning Commission as complying with all requirements of this Ordinance before recording', and that this approval is in addition to local approvals. A new commercial building or subdivided lot there goes through DCPC. Per the DCPC schedule 'Approval Fees Effective May 13, 2009', the fee is a $220 base plus $4 per lot or dwelling unit, or $5 per 1,000 sq ft of non-residential building footprint, to a $3,000 maximum, and $50 per sewer module review. SALDO §802 states that the schedule 'is posted in the Dauphin County Planning Commission's Office and on its webpage (tcrpc-pa.org; under Dauphin County)', where this schedule is linked. DCPC's page states that 'Plans will not be accepted without the required fees and a completed application, including signatures from the respective municipality.' Per the application form, the 'cut off date for plan submission for County Approval is nine (9) working days prior to the meeting'; the DCPC minutes page states that, starting in January 2026, meetings are normally held at 4 p.m. on the first Monday of each month at the TCRPC office in Strawberry Square.
County Planning Commission Review and Report Fee (33 Municipalities With Their Own SALDO)
This record applies in the 33 municipalities the Dauphin County Planning Commission's Plan Application & Fees page lists under its Review Fees: Conewago Township, Dauphin Borough, Derry Township, East Hanover Township, Gratz Borough, Halifax Borough, Halifax Township, City of Harrisburg, Highspire Borough, Hummelstown Borough, Jackson Township, Londonderry Township, Lower Paxton Township, Lower Swatara Township, Lykens Borough, Lykens Township, Middle Paxton Township, Middletown Borough, Mifflin Township, Paxtang Borough, Penbrook Borough, Pillow Borough, Reed Township, Royalton Borough, South Hanover Township, Steelton Borough, Susquehanna Township, Swatara Township, Upper Paxton Township, Washington Township, Wayne Township, West Hanover Township and Wiconisco Township (the DCPC page and schedule print the last as "Wiconsico Township"). These municipalities have their own subdivision and land development ordinances, and the municipality approves or denies the plan. Under SALDO §203 of Ordinance No. 2-2011, applications there are forwarded to DCPC for review and report together with a fee to cover its cost, and "The fee shall be paid by the applicant"; §803 limits DCPC to reviewing the plan and reporting its findings to the municipality. Per the DCPC schedule 'Review Fees Effective May 13, 2009', the fee is a $175 base plus $4 per lot or dwelling unit, or $5 per 1,000 sq ft of non-residential building footprint, to a $3,000 maximum, and $50 per sewer module review; §203(1) requires a separate fee at each stage. SALDO §802 names DCPC's webpage on tcrpc-pa.org as where the fee schedule is posted, and that page links this schedule. DCPC's page states that 'Plans will not be accepted without the required fees and a completed application, including signatures from the respective municipality.'
Sources
Every figure in the table above was read from one of these government pages on the date shown.
- DCCD ESPC and NPDES Applicant Resources (Rev. 1/7/2026), including the ESPC Plan Service Fee Schedule effective September 9, 2022Dauphin County Conservation District · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-21
- Erosion & Sediment ControlDauphin County Conservation District · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-21
- Conservation DistrictDauphin County · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-21
- 25 Pa. Code § 102.6. Permit applications and feesPennsylvania Code & Bulletin · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-16
- Dauphin County Subdivision and Land Development Plan Fee Schedule — Approval Fees Effective May 13, 2009Dauphin County Planning Commission · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-21
- Dauphin County Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance (Ordinance No. 2-2011, adopted April 27, 2011)Dauphin County Board of Commissioners · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-21
- DCPC Plan Application & FeesDauphin County Planning Commission (Tri-County Regional Planning Commission) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-21
- Dauphin County Planning Commission Plan Review or Approval ApplicationDauphin County Planning Commission · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-21
- DCPC Meetings, Minutes & Review LogDauphin County Planning Commission (Tri-County Regional Planning Commission) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-21
- Dauphin County Subdivision and Land Development Plan Fee Schedule — Review Fees Effective May 13, 2009Dauphin County Planning Commission · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-21
Who issues business permits in Dauphin County?
Permitting in Dauphin County is split across 2 agencies we hold records for, with tax registration handled at state level. No single office issues everything, which is why an opening usually means filing in several places rather than one.
Dauphin County issuing agencies
- Dauphin County Planning CommissionApproves subdivision and land development plans under the Dauphin County SALDO (Ordinance No. 2-2011) in the 7 municipalities it lists as having no SALDO of their own, and reviews and reports on plans in the other 33 municipalities, where the municipality decides2 permits
- Dauphin County Conservation DistrictReviews erosion and sediment pollution control (ESPC) plans and administers NPDES construction stormwater permits in Dauphin County under responsibilities delegated for the ESPC and NPDES programs, and collects the district's ESPC plan service fees1 permit
Other Pennsylvania jurisdictions we cover
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.