City Fees

Overview

The City of Altoona has adopted Fee Resolution 0004-26, effective January 12, 2026. This resolution amends and restates previous fee schedules to include charges for business licenses, land development, planning fees, sidewalk funds, zoning, and other municipal services.

Administrative Fees

These fees apply to general city clerical work and document requests.

• Clerical Services: $25. 00 for up to one-half hour of secretarial typing, deed research, or utility information.
• Photocopies: $0. 25 per page (black and white) or $0. 50 per page (color).
• Large Drawings: $5. 00 for 24x36 drawings (plus actual cost if exceeding copier limits).
• Certifications: $15. 00 for Real Estate Tax certification; $5. 00 per document for general certification.
• Birth Certificates: $2. 00 each (records from 1886–1905).
• City Maps: $5. 00 plus actual postage.
• No Lien Statement: $20. 00.
• Returned Checks: $20. 00 per check.
• Payment Processing: A minimum fee of $2. 00 applies to all credit card and online payments, scaling based on the transaction amount.

Right to Know / Open Records

Fees for public records requests follow the Commonwealth of PA Office of Open Records schedule.

• Photocopies: $0. 25 per page (B&W) or $0. 50 per page (Color).
• Specialized Documents: Charged at actual cost (includes non-standard documents and blueprints).
• Digital Media: $1. 00 per CD/DVD; Flash drives charged at actual cost.
• Faxing: Charged at actual cost.

Animal License Fees

Annual and lifetime license fees vary based on the animal's status (neutered/spayed) and owner eligibility.

Regular Licenses

• Annual: $12. 00 (Male/Female); $9. 00 (Neutered Male/Spayed Female).
• Lifetime: $72. 00 (Male/Female); $54. 00 (Neutered Male/Spayed Female).

Senior Citizen / Disabled Person Licenses

• Annual: $9. 00 (Male/Female); $6. 00 (Neutered Male/Spayed Female).
• Lifetime: $54. 00 (Male/Female); $36. 00 (Neutered Male/Spayed Female).
• Replacement Tags: $3. 00.

Building & Trade Permits

Permit fees are generally based on the project value or a flat rate for specific residential structures.

Residential Building Permits

• Additions/Accessory Structures: $50. 00.
• New Residence: $100. 00.
• Demolition: $40. 00.

Commercial Building Permits

Fees are tiered by project value:

• $0 – $1,000: $50. 00
• $1,001 – $5,000: $75. 00
• $5,001 – $10,000: $100. 00
• $10,001 – $25,000: $125. 00
• $25,001 – $50,000: $150. 00
• $50,001 – $100,000: $175. 00
• Over $100,000: $200. 00 + $5. 00 for each additional thousand dollars.

Plan Review Fees (Conducted by City)

• Residential: Ranges from $25. 00 (decks/porches) to $175. 00 (dwellings over 5,000 sq. ft. ).
• Commercial: Calculated as a percentage of project value (e. g. , 0. 13% for projects up to $1M) with a minimum fee of $75. 00.
• Electrical/Mechanical/Plumbing: Flat fees of $50. 00 (Residential) or $60. 00 (Commercial). Plan reviews are 25% of the building plan review fee, with a minimum of $75. 00.

Other Permit Fees

• Renewals: $50. 00.
• Annual Permits: $150. 00.
• PA DCED Fee: $4. 50 added to each permit.

Business & Mercantile Licenses

• Business Privilege License: $125. 00.
• Home-Based Business: $50. 00.
• Vendor License: $10. 00 (plus an additional $10. 00 for public eating/drinking establishments).
• Transient Retail (Peddling/Soliciting): $100. 00 initial application fee, plus $100. 00 per month or fraction thereof.

Code Appeals Board

• Application for Appeal: $500. 00 plus all actual costs incurred by the city.

Vehicles and Traffic

Parking violation fines are standardized at $25. 00 for most infractions, including:

• Parking in intersections, crosswalks, or safety zones.
• Blocking fire hydrants (within 15 feet) or fire station entrances (within 20 feet).
• Parking on sidewalks, in alleys, or in front of private driveways.
• Violating signs for snow emergency routes or handicapped spaces.

Other Traffic Fees:

• Booting Fee: $50. 00 plus fine and costs.
• Time Violations: $5. 00 for parking longer than posted signs in restricted areas.