Who has to fix the sidewalk and curb in front of your house in Pennsylvania?

Updated November 11, 2026 · KeystoneProGuide editorial team

Who is responsible for the sidewalk?

In most of the places whose rules were read for this guide, the owner of the property next to it. Philadelphia says so plainly, and the suburban township codes read say the same. The details, such as what counts as a defect, how long you have to fix it and whether you need a permit, are set city by city and township by township.

What are the rules in Philadelphia?

The Streets Department says sidewalks, alleys, driveways and retaining walls are private property that belong to the owner. The city does not own or maintain them, and owners must keep them in safe and sanitary condition. Shared alleys, driveways and retaining walls come with a shared bill: everyone with deed rights to use them must share the cost of repairs, even if only part needs fixing.

Three more city rules matter:

• Who may do the work. A Curb Setter License is needed to work on curbs and sidewalks in the public right-of-way. It is not needed for curbs and paving on private property. The license requires a $1,000 annual performance bond.
• Permits. The building permit page says sidewalks and driveways that do not go into the public right-of-way or include parking often need no building permit, provided the property is not on the historic register.
• Historic properties. On a listed property, the Historical Commission reviews sidewalk replacement, driveways and walls.

What if a street tree is breaking the sidewalk?

The tree does not shift the duty. Parks & Recreation says the Philadelphia Code makes owners responsible for safe sidewalks and that there are no exceptions for damage caused by tree roots. It will inspect a tree that is lifting the paving and decide case by case: a healthy tree stays, an unhealthy one may be listed for removal or replacement. The department says the solution is often for the owner to replace the paving, and that an owner may repair a sidewalk block without removing the tree as long as the roots are not damaged. Most of a street tree's roots, it says, sit in the top 12 to 24 inches of soil right under the sidewalk, so digging out an old slab can easily reach them. Major pruning or removal of a street tree needs a permit.

How do suburban townships handle it?

Through their own codes. Two examples from the counties around Philadelphia:

• Lower Merion (Montgomery County) makes the abutting owner keep the sidewalk and curb in good repair and free of obstructions. Its code counts as an obstruction any block more than 1/4 inch higher than the next, any crack 1/2 inch or wider, and any surface spalling or flaking enough to cause slips or trips. If an owner ignores written notice for 30 days, the township may do the repair and bill the cost plus 10 percent, or place a lien on the property.
• Falls Township (Bucks County) puts the same duty on owners for curbs, sidewalks and driveway aprons. Its code enforcement officer sends notice, and the owner has 30 days. The ordinance says the responsibility for deciding when a sidewalk has become dangerous lies solely with the owner, not the township, and it bars planting trees in the strip between curb and sidewalk.

Other municipalities set their own rules; your township or borough office can tell you which apply.

Do you need a permit to replace a sidewalk?

Under the state's building code regulation, a sidewalk or driveway no more than 30 inches above the adjacent ground and not built over a basement needs no building permit, unless another law or ordinance requires one. Street and highway rules can be that other ordinance.

Lower Merion shows what that looks like. It requires a Highway Permit before an existing sidewalk is replaced, costing a $37 administrative fee plus $28 for the first 10 feet and $8 for each further 10 feet. The new sidewalk must be at least 36 inches wide, and corners across from another sidewalk must meet ADA standards where feasible. Before any concrete goes in, the township's inspector checks the forms, and a final inspection closes the permit.

Do you need to call 811 for a sidewalk?

Yes, if the old slab comes out and the ground is dug. Pennsylvania 811 says a locate request is due three to ten business days before digging, and that utilities may not mark customer-owned lines such as lighting cables, which private locators can find.

What does sidewalk repair cost?

Angi's national figures put a new 100-square-foot sidewalk at $800 to $1,200 at 4 inches thick and $900 to $1,300 at 6 inches, and a walkway or sidewalk generally at $1,200 to $3,200. It budgets $200 to $1,000 for permits and site preparation such as demolition and grading. No source read gives a Pennsylvania figure.

What should you do if you get a notice?

Read the deadline first: 30 days in both township codes above. Get a contractor who holds whatever license the work requires, such as a Curb Setter License in Philadelphia, and who will pull any permit. Ask whether the repair will lift or cut tree roots. Keep copies of the notice, the permit and the final inspection.

For prices on other concrete work, see the cost guide. Driveways and patios have their own guide, concrete driveways, patios and salt. Contractors who do sidewalk work are on the masonry contractors page.

Sources

1. Maintenance, City of Philadelphia, Department of Streets
2. Street tree frequently asked questions, City of Philadelphia, Parks & Recreation
3. Get a Curb Setter License, City of Philadelphia
4. Get a Building Permit, City of Philadelphia
5. Get approval for work to a historic property, City of Philadelphia
6. Streets and Sidewalks, Article IV: Defective Sidewalks and Curbs, Lower Merion Township
7. Sidewalk Installation and Replacement Guide, Lower Merion Township
8. Streets and Sidewalks, Article V: Sidewalks and Curbs, Township of Falls
9. 34 Pa. Code § 403.62. Permit requirements and exemptions., Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania Code)
10. 2026 Concrete Walkway and Sidewalk Cost, Angi
11. Homeowners, Pennsylvania One Call System (Pennsylvania 811)