Elevator and Lift Codes in NJ and PA: What Applies and Who Approves It

Which ASME standard covers which equipment?

ASME A17.1 covers elevators and LULAs, and ASME A18.1 covers platform lifts and stairway chairlifts, each in sections that vary by public or private use.

This page summarizes official code text and agency documents as of September 26, 2026. Interpretations are marked "in our reading". Where the official sources do not state a point, the page says so and names who confirms it.

Two ASME standards cover most residential and light commercial equipment: ASME A17.1, the safety code for elevators, and ASME A18.1, the "Safety Standard for Platform Lifts and Stairway Chairlifts". ASME describes A18.1 as covering devices intended to transport a mobility-impaired person only. Its current edition is A18.1-2023, published in 2024. ASME standards are paywalled; editions and sections below are named only where a code or manufacturer document names them.

Notes on the table:

• Section or part. Savaria and Bruno call the divisions of A18.1 "Sections". 34 Pa. Code calls the private residence divisions "Parts V, VI and VII". This page uses each source's own wording and does not convert one to the other.
• Edition check. Several manufacturer compliance lists end at A17.1-2016, A17.1-2019 or A18.1-2017, while New Jersey now references A17.1-2022 and A18.1-2023 (next section). In our reading, that does not mean a product fails; confirm with the manufacturer that the model meets the edition the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) enforces.
• Limits in the standard. A18.1 travel limits and platform sizes are in the paywalled standard and are not stated here. The U.S. Access Board's ADA guide, in a passage that names no A18.1 edition, says that for vertical platform lifts A18.1 limits the travel distance and that platform size cannot exceed 18 sq ft. It also says A18.1 addresses headroom clearance (80 in minimum). Confirm current limits with the manufacturer.

For product-level detail, see the home elevator, wheelchair lift and stairlift guides.

Which code editions are in force in New Jersey?

New Jersey's 2024 IBC, IRC and 2023 NEC editions, with ASME A17.1-2022 and A18.1-2023, took effect August 17, 2026, with a grace period.

New Jersey adopted the 2024 model codes by rule R.2026 d.086, adopted July 15, 2026 and effective August 17, 2026.

• Grace period. For six months after the operative date of a subcode revision, an applicant may submit a complete permit application, including all prior approvals, for review under the code in force just before the revision (N.J.A.C. 5:23-1.6(a)). The grace period applies only to subcode revisions. Unless the adoption notice says otherwise, the effective date is the operative date (5:23-1.4), and the 2024 notice sets no separate date. By our calculation the grace period runs to about February 17, 2027. DCA's Summer 2026 Construction Code Communicator adds that a partial permit application for footings and foundations submitted during the grace period keeps the project under the previous code.
• Projects already under review. A project that was under review on August 17, 2026, without a permit issued, continues to be reviewed and permitted under the prior code (N.J.A.C. 5:23-1.6(b)).
• Previous editions. Before August 17, 2026 the building subcode was IBC/2021. DCA letters from 2023 state that the 2021 IBC adoption "included the 2019 ASME A17.1". In our reading, a project reviewed under the grace period stays on those editions, including for the elevator subcode. Confirm with the elevator subcode official.
• Canadian provisions. Sections of A17.1/CSA B44 noted as applicable in Canada are not part of the referenced document (NJ amendment to IBC Chapter 35).

How New Jersey amends IBC Chapter 30 and the IRC

• Section 3001.1 makes N.J.A.C. 5:23-12 govern where applicable.
• Table 3001.3 covers "Elevator devices as defined in N.J.A.C. 5:23-12" under ASME A17.1/CSA B44, with the exception of Sections 1.1.3 and 1.2, 5.8, 5.9, 5.11 and 5.12, 7.4 through 7.7, and 7.9 and 7.10. A separate new row applies Sections 5.8, 5.9, 5.11, 5.12, 7.4 through 7.7, and 7.9 and 7.10 to marine and mine elevators, wind turbine tower elevators, outside emergency elevators and material lifts. New Jersey deletes ASME A17.7/CSA B44.7 from the table.
• Section 3009, Private residence elevators, is deleted. DCA's stated reason: these requirements are already addressed in Section 3001.3 and Subchapter 12 of the UCC.
• Section 3002.9 (plumbing and mechanical systems): New Jersey adds "without an oil-water separator" to the end of the exception and adds: "The discharge shall not be directly or indirectly connected to the sanitary drainage system."
• Section 3005.6 (plumbing systems) gains an exception: "Where machinery spaces and control spaces are located in the elevator pit, floor drains, sumps and sump pumps shall be permitted in the pits provided they are indirectly connected to the plumbing system without an oil-water separator. The discharge shall not be directly or indirectly connected to the sanitary system."
• In the IRC/2024, Section R322 (Accessibility) and Section R323 (Elevators and platform lifts) are deleted.

In our reading, private residence elevators and lifts in New Jersey are governed through Table 3001.3 and N.J.A.C. 5:23-12, not through IBC 3009 or IRC R323. A17.1 Section 5.3 is not among the sections Table 3001.3 lists as exceptions for elevator devices.

Does New Jersey accept ASME A17.7 residential devices?

In a May 11, 2023 letter, DCA's Division of Codes and Standards addressed residential devices "which comply with ASME A17.7 and cannot meet the requirements of A17.1". It stated that the 2021 IBC adoption did not include ASME A17.7 and that "devices which do not meet 2019 ASME A17.1 are not recognized as elevator devices in the State".

It said an earlier variation process "has been reassessed" and suggested that installers offer clients devices that comply with A17.1. A May 3, 2023 DCA letter reached the same conclusion for pneumatic residential devices.

Both letters predate the 2024 adoption, and the 2024 Table 3001.3 amendment still deletes ASME A17.7. Confirm the standard for any through-floor lift or compact home elevator with the manufacturer and the elevator subcode official before design. In our reading, the letters do not address whether such a device could be permitted as a wheelchair lift under ASME A18.1. That is the AHJ's decision.

How do permits and plan review work in New Jersey?

New Jersey requires a construction permit for every elevator device, reviewed by DCA or the local elevator subcode official under set decision deadlines.

Who has elevator subcode jurisdiction?

A New Jersey municipality may give elevator subcode jurisdiction to the State, hire its own elevator subcode official, or contract with a third-party agency. Check DCA's Elevator Subcode Jurisdiction list for the town.

Where the State has jurisdiction, DCA's Elevator Safety unit conducts the cyclical and acceptance inspections (except acceptance of private residence devices, covered under NJ inspections below) and reviews all elevator layouts at the State office.

DCA's Elevator Safety unit page says the unit reviews only paper layouts at this time. DCA's process document sends new construction in State-owned properties, health care facilities, K-12 public schools and municipalities under State review to the Bureau of Construction Project Review (BCPR) through the ePlans electronic system instead, and returns elevator submissions that belong there.

When is a permit required?

N.J.A.C. 5:23-12.1(e) defines an elevator device to include elevators, wheelchair lifts and any device within the scope of ASME A17.1 or A18.1. N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.14(a) makes it unlawful to install or alter regulated equipment without first obtaining the permit.

In our reading, no exemption in 2.14(b) or in the minor work rules (2.17A) covers installing a lift. Minor work on an elevator device (the work listed in 5:23-12.8(b), with no structural modification) still requires a permit, but may proceed on notice before the permit is issued.

The permit application must show the license number of the elevator mechanic who performs the work (5:23-2.15(b)11).

Who reviews the plans?

N.J.A.C. 5:23-3.11(b) makes DCA the sole plan review agency for elevators, escalators and moving walks. In our reading, its wording carves out two cases: devices wholly within dwelling units in Groups R-2, R-3, R-4 or R-5 that are not accessible to the public, and buildings in a municipality that has an elevator subcode official and that are otherwise within local plan review jurisdiction. Where DCA is the reviewer, no permit is issued until DCA releases the plans (3.11(c)).

Where the State is the elevator subcode official, DCA's residential policy (SLCI-Admin 001-2020, procedure step 1; see NJ inspections below) sends private residence plans to DCA. In our reading, the local or third-party elevator subcode official handles them elsewhere. Confirm with the construction office.

What does DCA ask for?

DCA's Elevator Safety Plan Review/Permit Process (Rev. 01/29/2025) applies where the State has elevator subcode jurisdiction and the project does not go to BCPR through ePlans. For a new installation it lists:

• UCC F150 Elevator Subcode Technical Section, plus the F155 supplement for multiple devices and the F160 Request for Variation where they apply.
• Elevator layout drawings with a raised seal, signed by a New Jersey licensed architect or engineer, showing the code year on every layout.
• 4 sets of layouts for commercial work; 3 sets for residential elevator devices in Groups R-3, R-4 and R-5.
• For a commercial elevator: DCA's 15-question architect questionnaire, completed by a licensed architect or engineer on letterhead, signed and sealed. The questionnaire states it is not required for an escalator or lift.
• The questionnaire's building items include waterproofing of the elevator pit and a "pump in the pit (minimum. 3000 gal/hr. per elevator) including discharge from the pump". It also asks for the equipment-room features NEC Article 620 requires, fire alarm initiating devices required by NFPA 72, and, where sprinklers are installed in the hoistway or equipment spaces, the means (such as a shunt trip) to disconnect elevator power before water is applied.
• For a commercial "Inclined vertical chair or inclined vertical platform lift": a Platform Lift Certification letter from the municipal construction office. DCA's process says the construction official completes it; the form itself is signed by the building subcode official.
• On the F150: the mechanic's license number and expiration date, the owner in fee (not the elevator company), and the true municipality of the work site. A mailing-address city is not accepted.

After review, DCA returns two stamped sets and the approved F150 to the elevator company. For a new installation DCA does not issue the permit: the drawings and F150 go to the local construction office with the permit application.

When work is complete, the contractor requests a final acceptance inspection, and the municipal office issues the certificate once all other parts of the permit are approved. This does not apply to private residence devices; see NJ inspections below. For alterations, DCA issues the permit and, after inspection, the Certificate of Acceptance.

What is the Platform Lift Certification letter?

On DCA's form, the building subcode official records whether the lift is in a dwelling unit or private residence, or elsewhere. For other locations, the official approves or disapproves the installation.

For a lift on a stair, the official records whether the stair is a required egress stair and whether the lift, in its open position, diminishes the stair's required egress capacity.

If it does, the form states that the lift shall interface with the building fire alarm system to maintain that capacity. The elevator subcode plan review is subject to the building subcode official's response.

What goes on the layout drawings?

DCA Bulletin 94-7 (revised July 2016) says elevator layout drawings must be signed and sealed by the architect or engineer for the project. Shop drawings are not required for the permit. For passenger and freight elevators and dumbwaiters, the bulletin lists what layouts must show: the specific codes and standards the device will comply with, specifications, reactions and loads, sizes, locations and clearances. It notes that the list is not all-inclusive and that not every project requires every item.

What decision deadlines does the code set?

The construction official or subcode official must approve or deny an application, in whole or in part, within 20 business days (5:23-2.16(a)). Failure to act is deemed a denial for purposes of an appeal to the Construction Board of Appeals, unless the applicant consents to an extension.

Revised plans get a written release or rejection within seven business days of resubmission. When DCA reviews plans under 3.11, it gives written notice of release or rejection within 20 business days, and within seven business days of a resubmission (5:23-2.15(f)4i).

Alterations, rehabilitation and DCA guidance

• Rehabilitation. When vertical access is part of the scope of work, a LULA or platform lift may be installed as permitted by Chapter 11 of the building subcode (N.J.A.C. 5:23-6.6(e)6 and 6.7(e)6).
• VPL and fire alarm. DCA's Spring 2025 Construction Code Communicator says a VPL should not be tied into the fire alarm control panel, because "ASME 18.1, Section 2, does not reference NFPA 72", and that no fire recall is required. It adds: "The NEC does not require a shunt trip breaker for VPLs."
• Single-family elevator shaft. DCA's Summer 2026 Communicator, answering under the 2021 codes, says the shaft does not need to be fire-rated: "An elevator in a single-family dwelling is no different from an open stairway connecting the floors of the home."

The Spring 2025 answer was issued while the 2021 codes were in force, and the Summer 2026 answer names the 2021 codes as the codes it uses. Confirm both with the AHJ.

What inspections, tests and registration does New Jersey require?

New Jersey requires acceptance inspection for every device, but private residence devices in Groups R-3, R-4 and R-5 are exempt from periodic inspection and registration.

Devices wholly within dwelling units in Group R-2 that are not accessible to the public are also exempt from periodic inspection and testing (12.2(a), 12.3(a)5) and, in existing structures, from registration (12.4(a)). For a new structure, the registration exception in 12.4(b)1 names only Groups R-3, R-4 and R-5, and no certificate of occupancy is issued unless all elevators are registered (5:23-2.24(f)). Confirm registration of in-unit R-2 devices with DCA before the certificate of occupancy. Other rules that affect planning:

• Edition for cyclical work. Cyclical (periodic) inspections and tests follow the most recent edition of ASME A17.1, A18.1 or A90.1 referenced in the building subcode (12.2(a)).
• Certificate of compliance. No device may operate without a valid certificate of compliance, except for the initial period after work under a permit is completed (12.9(a)).
• Test procedures. Inspection and test procedures for A17.1 devices follow the latest edition of ASME A17.2 (12.2(e)).
• Maintenance. Devices must be maintained to conform to the safety standard in effect when they were installed or altered. Maintenance itself follows the most recent referenced edition of A17.1, A18.1 or A90.1, and owners of A17.1 devices keep checklists of maintenance performed under the applicable six-month inspection section of A17.1 available to the AHJ (12.2(b), (c)).
• Unregistered devices. No permit is issued for work on an existing device that is not registered (12.4(f)). No certificate of occupancy is issued for a building with elevators unless all of them are registered (5:23-2.24(f)).
• Approved agencies. For private residence devices not accessible to the public, the construction official may accept signed statements and inspection and acceptance test reports from an approved qualified agent or agency, in place of inspections and witnessed tests by the enforcing agency (12.3(a)5).

How does acceptance work for a private residence device?

DCA's Elevator Safety Plan Review/Permit Process states that "the Department will no longer perform the final acceptance inspections of private residence elevator devices", citing 12.3(a)5 and DCA policy SLCI-Admin 001-2020 (effective October 18, 2020, revised January 10, 2025). The policy applies where DCA acts as the elevator subcode official. It covers devices in Groups R-3, R-4 and R-5 and devices wholly within dwelling units in Group R-2.

1. Step 01

   Plans to DCA

   Plans for the private residence device are sent to DCA for review.

2. Step 02

   Technical section released

   After a successful review, DCA's Elevator Safety unit releases the elevator technical section for the device.

3. Step 03

   Local permit stays open

   The local construction official issues the permit. It stays open until the construction official receives the sealed report.

4. Step 04

   Sealed report closes the elevator portion

   A New Jersey licensed engineer or registered architect submits a report to the construction official. Its receipt completes the elevator portion, and the construction official issues the appropriate certificate.

   • The report attests compliance with ASME A17.1 or A18.1, as appropriate, and documents all required testing.
   • It includes the ASME A17.2 checklist, or UCC Form F310 for vertical platform lifts, plus test data.
   • It includes proof of licensure for the mechanic who performed the inspection.
   • Its cover page is signed and sealed by an architect or engineer credentialed in New Jersey.

The policy says the report is submitted at the applicant's expense, and that testing and inspections are performed by entities licensed under N.J.S.A. 45:14H. DCA does not publish how Local or Third Party elevator subcode officials handle private residence acceptance. Ask the construction office.

Who may install elevators and lifts in New Jersey?

A licensed elevator mechanic, or someone under one's supervision, must install, service and maintain home elevators, LULAs and vertical and inclined platform lifts in New Jersey, including in private homes.

• License law. Under N.J.S.A. 45:14H (P.L. 2012, c. 71), a person may not install, construct, alter, service, repair, test or maintain elevator, escalator or moving walkway devices unless licensed as an elevator, escalator and moving walkway mechanic, or working under the supervision of a licensed person, such as an apprentice (45:14H-5a).
• Contractors. A contractor must subcontract all elevator, escalator and moving walkway installation work unless it holds the mechanic's license (45:14H-10).
• Board rules. The licensing board's rules, N.J.A.C. 13:44M, as published in the adoption notice at 50 N.J.R. 1287(a), list covered devices including wheelchair lifts, manlifts and any device within the scope of ASME A17.1, A18.1 or A90.1. In that notice the board stated that individuals who limit their business to lifts subject to ASME A18.1 must be licensed as elevator mechanics. DCA's Spring 2024 Construction Code Communicator cites N.J.A.C. 13:44M-5.2(f)1 as applying to equipment governed by ASME A17.1 Section 5.3 or A18.1. This page cites the 2018 adoption notice, not the current official text of 13:44M; confirm current requirements with the Elevator, Escalator, and Moving Walkway Mechanics Licensing Board.
• Municipal licensing. Contractors not subject to State licensing may be subject to municipal licensing (5:23-2.15(b)12).

In our reading, home elevators, LULAs, and vertical and inclined platform lifts need a licensed mechanic in New Jersey, including in private homes. Licensing for stairlifts depends on where the stairlift is installed; confirm with the licensing board.

What do New Jersey's accessibility rules say about elevators and lifts?

New Jersey's barrier free subcode, Chapter 11 of IBC/2024 with ICC A117.1-2017, sets when an elevator or LULA is required and where lifts may go.

New Jersey's barrier free subcode is Chapter 11 of IBC/2024, as amended in N.J.A.C. 5:23-3.14, together with N.J.A.C. 5:23-7. It references ICC A117.1-2017. The NJ amendments that most affect lift planning:

• Exempt buildings (1103.2.3). Chapter 11 does not apply to townhouses, except those for which low- and moderate-income housing credit is sought, or to "Buildings of Group R-2, R-3, R-4, or R-5 with one, two, or three dwelling units in a single structure". Townhouses or multistory dwelling units for which that housing credit is sought, and that are attached to at least one other dwelling unit, are not exempt (1103.2.3.2.2).
• When an elevator is required (1104.4). This applies to multilevel nonresidential buildings and multilevel Group R-1. Small buildings (total gross enclosed floor area less than 10,000 sq ft) of not more than two stories need no elevator. The exceptions, which must provide a vertical accessible route between floors, are buildings of two or more stories owned and occupied by public entities, or housing public transit stations or airport passenger terminals, professional offices of health care providers, or shopping centers or malls. Small buildings of three or more stories need an elevator. Large buildings (10,000 sq ft or more) need an elevator, including to occupiable roofs. Floors of less than 3,000 sq ft, and floors with only mechanical equipment, need not be served. In large buildings the same applies to occupiable roofs of less than 3,000 sq ft.
• LULA as the accessible route (1110.10, exception 2). A LULA that complies with ANSI/ASME A17.1 as adopted may provide a vertical accessible route, provided its travel does not exceed 25 feet, in: small buildings as defined in 1104.4.1; individual tenancies of less than 10,000 sq ft in buildings of 10,000 sq ft or more; floors or mezzanines of less than 3,000 sq ft; and "In Group A-3, places of religious worship, or Group E occupancies of any size". Section 1104.4.5 still points to "1110.8" for LULA use; the LULA exception now sits in 1110.10.
• Elevators inside a dwelling unit (1110.10, exception 1). An elevator that provides an accessible route within an individual dwelling unit need not meet the dimensional requirements of an accessible elevator.
• Lifts (1110.11). New Jersey deletes items 4, 6 and 10 of the IBC's list of permitted lift locations. Check the lift location against the NJ edition with the building subcode official.
• Affordable townhouses (1108.6.5). Multistory townhouses for which low- or moderate-income housing credit is sought need an adaptable entrance, among other features. A platform lift or LULA is acceptable to meet the entrance requirement.
• A18.1 reference (A117.1 106.2.9). New Jersey replaces the reference to "ASME/ANSI A18.1-2014" with the A18.1 edition adopted by reference in the subcode.
• IRC dwellings. IRC/2024 Sections R322 (Accessibility) and R323 (Elevators and platform lifts) are deleted.

What applies in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania's Department of Labor and Industry permits and inspects most elevators and lifts statewide, but not lifts serving only one dwelling unit in a solely residential building.

Which building code editions apply?

34 Pa. Code § 403.21, amended effective January 1, 2026 (55 Pa.B. 7701), adopts the International Building Code of 2021, Chapters 2 to 10, 12 to 29 and 31 to 35. Chapter 11 is not listed. From Chapter 30, only Sections 3002.1, 3002.2, 3002.4, 3002.7, 3004.2.1, 3004.3.1, 3005.4, 3006, 3007 and 3008 are adopted. The section also adopts the International Residential Code of 2021 with listed exclusions, and Appendix E of the IBC of 2018.

For the transition, buildings with a design or construction contract executed before a triennial update takes effect comply with the codes in effect when the contract was executed (§ 403.1(a)(2)). The Construction Code Act limits this.

Where a design or construction contract was signed before the new regulations took effect, the permit may be issued under the code in effect when the contract was signed, if the permit is applied for within six months of the regulation's effective date or the period set by municipal ordinance, whichever is less (Act 45 of 1999, § 304(c)(4)).

Which accessibility rules apply?

DLI states that on October 26, 2022 the Commonwealth Court permanently enjoined enforcement of the 2021 accessibility updates, so all structures must still comply with the 2018 accessibility requirements. Those are Chapter 11 and Appendix E of the IBC of 2018 and the other accessibility provisions of the 2018 I-codes, which took effect June 15, 2019. In the 2018 IBC, elevators are Section 1109.7 and lifts are Section 1109.8.

Philadelphia's Code Bulletin B-2501 names ICC A117.1-2009 as the referenced standard for those 2018 provisions. In our reading the same edition applies statewide, but 34 Pa. Code § 403.21 and DLI's UCC page do not name it; confirm the edition with the building code official.

Act 16 of 2026 directs the Accessibility Advisory Board to begin reviewing updated accessibility provisions 21 months after a new edition of the ICC codes is published, beginning with the 2024 codes. No adoption date is set. The Pennsylvania sources cited here state no LULA travel limit for accessible routes; confirm with the building code official.

How does 34 Pa. Code Chapter 405 treat elevators and lifts?

• Jurisdiction. DLI states that it "has sole jurisdiction to approve the construction and use of all elevators and other lifting devices ... no matter where they are located in Pennsylvania." The Construction Code Act does not disallow third-party elevator inspections (§ 105(c)). DLI states that third-party inspection agencies must be DLI-certified, and that any UCC-certified elevator inspector may conduct a periodic inspection.
• Private residences. "The Uniform Construction Code does not apply to: ... Elevators and lifting devices solely in residential buildings used by the occupants of a dwelling unit except where the lifting device is used or accessible by the occupants of more than 1 dwelling unit." (§ 405.1(b)(3)) Pennsylvania also does not adopt the private residence provisions of ASME A17.1 (Sections 5.3 and 5.4) or ASME A18.1 (Parts V, VI and VII). For the A18.1 parts, the Pennsylvania Bulletin explains that "the act excludes the department's authority to enforce these standards in private residences"; for the A17.1 sections, it says they "relate to devices that are outside of the scope of the act and the Code."
• Related work in a home. The IRC of 2021 is adopted without excluding Section R321 (Elevators and Platform Lifts), yet § 405.1(b)(3) excludes the lifting device itself. The Pennsylvania sources cited here give no official interpretation. Ask the municipal building code official or, in a municipality that has opted out of local UCC enforcement, the certified third-party agency the owner hires, whether a building permit is needed for the related construction, such as floor openings, structure and electrical. DLI states that in opt-out municipalities those agencies enforce the residential requirements of the UCC.

• ASME A17.7. From December 20, 2026, use of ASME A17.7/CSA B44.7 requires the approval of DLI and the Elevator Safety Board, sought by variance under § 405.13 (§ 405.2(a.1)(1)(i)(A)).
• Electrical. Elevator wiring must comply with the "ICC Electrical Code" (§ 405.2(a.1)(6), (a.5)(6)). The rule text names no edition. DLI's Elevators page lists the ICC Electrical Code 2003 for the standards now in force.
• Permits already issued. A permit issued before December 20, 2026 remains valid, and the device may be completed under it, if construction commences by December 20, 2028 (§ 405.1(c)(1)). Devices with a certificate of operation issued before December 20, 2026 may stay in use if maintained and compliant (§ 405.1(c)(3)).
• Permit. The owner or an authorized agent applies to DLI for a permit before the construction, alteration, replacement or repair of an elevator or lifting device (§ 405.3(a)), on DLI form LIBI-26, Application for Construction and Alteration Permit: Lifting Devices. DLI grants or denies a permit within 30 business days of the filing date of a complete application (§ 405.3(e)). When all work is complete, the permit holder emails DLI's Request for Inspection form to the inspector named in the approval letter.
• Copies and permit deadlines. Before December 20, 2026, follow DLI's current instructions for the number of copies and how long a permit lasts. From that date, the owner or agent submits three copies of the application and supporting documents (§ 405.3(b)). A permit issued from that date becomes invalid unless work starts within 180 days of issuance, or if work is suspended or abandoned for 180 days after it starts. DLI may grant written extensions of 180 days each, and a permit remains valid for no more than 2 years (§ 405.3(d)).
• Acceptance inspection. DLI conducts an acceptance inspection before a new device, or one under repair, alteration or modification, is put into service (§ 405.5). Alteration and modification are added from December 20, 2026.
• Certificate of operation. A device may not be operated unless DLI issues a certificate of operation (§ 405.6(a)). Under the amended text, it is valid 24 months for equipment on a 6-month periodic inspection cycle and 48 months for equipment on a 12-month cycle (§ 405.6(b)).
• Periodic inspections. LULAs, like electric and hydraulic elevators, are inspected at intervals not exceeding 6 months. All other lifting devices are inspected at intervals that do not exceed 12 months (§ 405.7). In our reading, platform lifts and stairway chairlifts fall in the 12-month group.
• Periodic testing from December 20, 2026. A18.1-2017 Section 10.3.1 tests run at 1-year intervals, 10.3.2 at 3-year intervals and 10.3.3 at 5-year intervals, each witnessed by a construction code official certified as a UCC Elevator Inspector (§ 405.8(c)). The Pennsylvania Bulletin says A17.1-2016 Category 1 testing becomes a stand-alone annual requirement. The Pennsylvania Code site shows only the amended text of § 405.8; for testing rules before December 20, 2026, ask DLI.
• Existing elevators. The Construction Code Act excludes ASME A17.3, the safety code for existing elevators and escalators (§ 302(a)(1)).

Who may install in Pennsylvania?

The Construction Code Act, 34 Pa. Code Chapters 403 and 405 and DLI's elevator pages set out no statewide elevator mechanic or elevator contractor license. That does not rule out other licensing rules; check local contractor licensing with the municipality. Separately, the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act (Act 132 of 2008) requires contractors above its annual volume threshold to register with the Office of Attorney General.

What is different in Philadelphia?

• Philadelphia Code Bulletin B-2501 (issued October 20, 2025) implements the 2021 International Codes with local amendments. Applications received on or after July 1, 2026 must comply with the 2021 editions. The 2018 accessibility provisions still apply, with ICC A117.1-2009 as the referenced standard. DLI's statewide elevator jurisdiction (above) applies in the city too.
• Referenced standards in B-2501 include the 2020 NFPA 70 (National Electrical Code) and the 2019 NFPA 72.
• A City contractor license is required for construction work. A business that works only on existing one- or two-family dwellings, and does no work that requires a special trade license, instead registers with the State as a home improvement contractor.
• Philadelphia's local elevator amendments in the Philadelphia Code are not summarized here; confirm them with the Department of Licenses and Inspections.

Where does the ADA allow platform lifts, LULAs and residential elevators?

The 2010 ADA Standards let platform lifts, LULAs and private residence elevators serve accessible routes only in specific listed locations; stairway chairlifts do not qualify.

The 2010 ADA Standards set minimum requirements for newly designed and constructed or altered State and local government facilities, public accommodations and commercial facilities. They apply where construction or the last permit application date is on or after March 15, 2012 (28 CFR 35.151 and 36.406). In our reading, a private single-family home is outside the ADA Standards unless another law applies.

• Referenced editions. ADA 105.2.2 references ASME A17.1-2000 with the A17.1a-2002 and A17.1b-2003 addenda, and ASME A18.1-1999 with its 2001 addenda or A18.1-2003. The Access Board's guide says compliance with a later edition may be possible under equivalent facilitation (§ 103) if it is comparable to, or stricter than, the referenced edition. New Jersey and Pennsylvania reference later editions (see above).
• Platform lift locations (206.7). A platform lift may be part of an accessible route in an existing building or facility. In new construction it is permitted only in these locations: performance areas and speakers' platforms; wheelchair spaces; incidental spaces that are not public use spaces and are occupied by five persons maximum; judicial spaces; where existing exterior site constraints make a ramp or elevator infeasible; guest rooms and residential dwelling units required to provide mobility features; amusement rides; play areas; team or player seating; and recreational boating facilities and fishing piers and platforms.
• Platform lift requirements (410). Lifts comply with ASME A18.1 (1999 or 2003 edition), are not attendant-operated, and provide unassisted entry and exit (410.1). The advisory to 410.1 says a lift without 80 in (2030 mm) vertical clearance cannot be part of an accessible route in new construction. Clearance between the platform sill and the edge of any runway landing is 1 1/4 in (32 mm) maximum (410.4). Doors and gates are low-energy power-operated (404.3) and remain open 20 seconds minimum. End doors and gates give 32 in (815 mm) minimum clear width; side doors and gates give 42 in (1065 mm). Lifts serving two landings maximum, with doors or gates on opposite sides, may use self-closing manual doors or gates (410.6).
• Standby power (207.2). Platform lifts permitted by the IBC editions cited in 207.2 to serve as part of an accessible means of egress need standby power.
• When stories need no accessible route (206.2.3). Under exception 1, private buildings or facilities of less than three stories, or with less than 3000 sq ft per story, need no accessible route between stories, unless the building is a shopping center, a shopping mall, the professional office of a health care provider, a terminal, depot or other station used for specified public transportation, an airport passenger terminal, or another type of facility as determined by the Attorney General. Exceptions 2 to 7 cover narrower cases, such as one story of a two-story public building that has an occupant load of five or fewer persons and no public use space.
• LULAs (408). Where a building may use the exceptions to 206.2.3, or 206.7 permits a platform lift, a LULA complying with 408 is permitted (206.6). The car is 42 in (1065 mm) wide by 54 in (1370 mm) deep minimum, with doors at the narrow ends giving 32 in (815 mm) minimum clear width. Exceptions allow a 51 in by 51 in (1295 mm) car with a 36 in (915 mm) door, and existing cars 36 in (915 mm) wide by 54 in (1370 mm) deep with 15 sq ft (1.4 m2) net platform area. The Access Board's guide says LULAs cannot substitute for elevators complying with 407 where those are required on an accessible route.
• Private residence elevators (409). Section 409 applies to private residence elevators in residential dwelling units required to provide mobility features (809.2 to 809.4). The car gives a clear floor space of 36 in (915 mm) by 48 in (1220 mm) minimum. Elevators complying with 408 or 409 are permitted in multi-story residential dwelling units (206.6). The Access Board's guide says private residence elevators are permitted only within a dwelling unit or, in a multiple dwelling unit facility, as a means of access to a single private residence.
• What does not count. The Access Board's guide says "stairway chairlifts cannot be used where platform lifts are permitted by the ADA Standards", because they require transfer to a fixed seat. Portable lifts do not satisfy the ADA Standards even when they comply with ASME A18.1. A lift that users must request a key to operate does not meet the independent operation requirement, though a lift may be locked while the facility is closed. Lifts without platforms are not permitted except at swimming pools and spas.

Who does what, and who decides, in New Jersey and Pennsylvania?

This page is a planning summary; the AHJ decides what applies to a project, and the architect or engineer of record is responsible for the design.

This page is a planning summary, not a code interpretation. The AHJ decides what applies to a specific project, and the architect or engineer of record is responsible for the design.

What goes in the submission, and what goes wrong?

New Jersey and Pennsylvania submissions follow set checklists, and common mistakes include wrong municipality names, paper submissions for ePlans projects, and unregistered devices.

New Jersey: DCA submission for a new installation

For a town where the State is the elevator subcode official and the project does not go to BCPR (DCA process, Rev. 01/29/2025):

• Confirm the town on DCA's Elevator Subcode Jurisdiction list, and confirm the project is not one that goes to BCPR through ePlans.
• F150 Section A: block and lot; the work site with the true municipality, not the mailing city; the owner in fee, not the elevator company; the contractor or installer and its Federal Employer ID number; the mechanic's license number and expiration date.
• F150 Section B: building use group and estimated cost of elevator work, plus the building registration number when a new device goes in an existing building.
• F150 Section C signed, and Section D with a detailed scope of work and the quantity and type of devices.
• F155 for multiple devices and F160 Request for Variation, where they apply.
• Layouts with a raised seal, signed by a New Jersey licensed architect or engineer, showing the code year: 4 sets for commercial work, 3 sets for residential devices in Groups R-3, R-4 and R-5.
• Commercial elevator: the 15-question architect questionnaire, signed and sealed on letterhead.
• Commercial inclined or vertical chair or platform lift: the Platform Lift Certification letter.

Pennsylvania: DLI submission

• Confirm the device is under DLI jurisdiction. Devices used only by the occupants of one dwelling unit in a solely residential building are outside the UCC (§ 405.1(b)(3)).
• Check the permit application date. It sets the ASME edition: A17.1-2000 and A18.1-1999 before December 20, 2026, and A17.1-2016 and A18.1-2017 on or after that date (§ 405.2).
• File LIBI-26 with the plans: three copies from December 20, 2026 (§ 405.3(b)); before that date, follow DLI's current instructions.
• For a permit issued on or after December 20, 2026, start work within 180 days of issuance and do not let it stop for 180 days, or ask DLI for a written 180-day extension. The permit lasts no more than 2 years (§ 405.3(d)).
• When all work, including all trades, is complete, email the Request for Inspection form to the inspector named in the approval letter.

Common mistakes

• Mailing-address city on the F150. DCA returns applications with an invalid municipality name (DCA process p. 2).
• Paper submission for an ePlans project. DCA returns submissions that must go through ePlans (DCA process p. 3).
• Unregistered existing device. No permit is issued for work on it (N.J.A.C. 5:23-12.4(f)).
• Unregistered elevators. No certificate of occupancy is issued for the building (5:23-2.24(f)).
• A device that meets only ASME A17.7 in New Jersey. DCA's 2023 letters say "devices which do not meet 2019 ASME A17.1 are not recognized as elevator devices in the State", and the 2024 Table 3001.3 still deletes A17.7.
• A lift on a required egress stair that diminishes its capacity in the open position. The lift must interface with the building fire alarm system (Platform Lift Certification letter form).
• A Pennsylvania permit issued before December 20, 2026, with no construction started by December 20, 2028. The permit is rescinded, and a new permit is needed before construction (§ 405.1(c)(2)).

Frequently asked questions

Sources and revision history