Selling a House With L&I Code Violations in Philadelphia

An open L&I violation can make a Philadelphia house feel unsellable: fines that keep growing, short appeal windows, and notices that say “unsafe” or “imminently dangerous.” Open violations don’t block a sale by themselves, but they do have to be disclosed, and the most serious ones come with tight deadlines. This guide explains what L&I violation notices mean, how to look them up, what transfers to a buyer, and how an as-is cash sale works when you don’t want to make the repairs yourself.

I’m Nick Maccini, a local Philadelphia investor and the founder of Nick Buys Houses. We’ve done 400+ deals since 2020, and we buy houses with open L&I violations, including ones marked unsafe or imminently dangerous. I’m not an attorney, so the details below come from the official City and Pennsylvania sources linked in the text. If you’d rather talk it through, call (215) 792-3189.

What an L&I violation notice means

Philadelphia’s Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I) enforces the Philadelphia Code. If an inspector finds a problem, L&I may issue a Warning Notice, a Violation Notice and Order to Correct (also called a Notice of Violation), a Site Violation Notice, or in more urgent cases a stop-work or cease-operations order (L&I violation and order types).

For a standard Violation Notice and Order to Correct, you must either fix the violation and pay the fee, or file an appeal. Fees accrue until the case is closed. You can appeal to the Board of License and Inspections Review within 30 days of the initial notice, or within six days if the violation is for unsafe or imminently dangerous conditions. Final violation notices can’t be appealed. If you don’t pay or appeal, L&I may file in Municipal Court, the Court of Common Pleas, or with a collection agency (L&I).

You can check what’s open on a property for free. The City’s Atlas tool and the L&I Property History lookup list licenses, permits, violations, and zoning history by address. Full Notice of Violation reports are available for download from Atlas under the Licenses and Inspections tab (L&I announcement; get a copy of a violation).

Unsafe and imminently dangerous designations

These are L&I’s most serious property-maintenance designations. Per Section PM-108.1, a structure is unsafe when it’s dangerous to the life, health, property, or safety of the public or the occupants, for example because it doesn’t provide minimum fire safeguards, contains unsafe equipment, or is so damaged, decayed, or structurally unsound that partial or complete collapse is possible. Per Section PM-110.1, a structure is imminently dangerous when there is imminent danger of failure or collapse that endangers life, or when part of the structure has fallen and life is endangered. The code official can order occupants to vacate, and it is unlawful to enter except to make the required repairs or demolish the structure (L&I).

L&I gives owners two ways to correct these notices: get a Make Safe permit to repair the dangerous condition, or get a demolition permit. A building permit to remediate a structurally unsafe condition must be obtained within ten days of receiving the violation. Failure to address it can lead to fines or demolition by the City, and permit fees are doubled when you’re resolving this violation (Make Safe permit).

After the Make Safe permit is issued, work on an imminently dangerous condition must begin within 10 days; work on an unsafe condition must begin within 30 days; and work must continue until the structure is safe. A Make Safe permit only covers the dangerous condition, not renovations or additions. In most cases a licensed contractor must perform the work, with an exception for an owner who lives in a one- or two-family home and does the work themselves (Make Safe permit).

When the defects aren’t easily corrected, L&I’s Code Bulletin PM-1801 says the notice can require a Pennsylvania-licensed professional engineer as the design professional in responsible charge. The engineer assesses the defects, designs temporary protections for the public way and adjacent properties, prepares a remediation plan with the building permit application, observes the work, and submits a sealed statement that the structure has been made safe.

What still has to be disclosed when you sell

Selling as-is means you won’t make the repairs. It doesn’t mean you can stay quiet about known problems. Under Pennsylvania’s Real Estate Seller Disclosure Law (68 Pa.C.S. § 7301 et seq.), a seller of a residential property with one to four units must disclose known material defects on a property disclosure statement before the agreement of sale is signed. A material defect is a problem with a significant adverse impact on value, or an unreasonable risk to people on the property (68 Pa.C.S. § 7102). You don’t have to hire inspectors to fill out the form, but you can’t make false statements or leave out a known material defect. If something you disclosed becomes inaccurate before settlement, you must tell the buyer.

Pennsylvania State Law also requires a Property Sales Certification to sell real estate in Philadelphia. The certification shows the property’s zoning classification, its last established use in the zoning record, and uncorrected violations of the housing, building, safety, and fire ordinances. So even if a buyer is willing to take the house as-is, open L&I items show up on that City certificate.

Fix it, appeal it, or sell as-is

Those are the three paths most owners weigh:

• Correct the violation. Hire the right contractor (and engineer, if required), get the permits, schedule the L&I reinspection, and pay the fees. City repair programs for owner-occupants are covered in our guide to selling a house that needs major repairs.
• Appeal on time. 30 days for most notices; six days for unsafe or imminently dangerous. Missing the window leaves the violation standing.
• Sell as-is. A cash buyer who understands Philly L&I can take the property with the open cases and handle the Make Safe, demolition, or other work after settlement.

If the house also has fire damage, see our guide to selling a fire-damaged house in Philadelphia. For City repair programs like BSRP and Restore, Repair, Renew, and for more on seller disclosure, see selling a house that needs major repairs.

How a cash as-is sale works with us

Here’s the short version (full details on How We Buy Houses):

1. You tell us about the house by phone at (215) 792-3189 or through our cash offer form.
2. We look at the property as it is, open L&I violations included, including unsafe or imminently dangerous designations.
3. We make a cash offer. There’s no obligation.
4. If you accept, we can close within 7 days of clear title. Most sales close within 30 days from start to finish.

We buy as-is with no repairs required from you, we pay the settlement costs, and we can help with moving costs when needed. You still complete the seller disclosure. We also buy rentals with tenants in place. We buy throughout Philadelphia and in nearby Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware counties.

Selling a house with L&I code violations: FAQ

Can I sell a Philadelphia house with open L&I violations?

Yes. Open violations don’t stop a sale by themselves, but they have to be disclosed. Philadelphia’s Property Sales Certification lists uncorrected housing, building, safety, and fire ordinance violations, and Pennsylvania’s Seller Disclosure Law requires disclosure of known material defects. We buy houses with open L&I violations.

What does “imminently dangerous” mean?

Per L&I and Philadelphia Code PM-110.1, it means there is imminent danger of failure or collapse that endangers life, or part of the structure has fallen and life is endangered. Occupants can be ordered to leave, and you generally have only six days to appeal.

Do I have to get a Make Safe permit before I sell?

L&I says a building permit to remediate a structurally unsafe condition must be obtained within ten days of the violation, whether or not you plan to sell. A buyer who closes quickly can take over the make-safe or demolition work, but the notice and deadlines still matter. Talk to L&I and an attorney about your timeline.

How do I look up my open violations?

Use the City’s Atlas tool or the L&I Property History lookup, search by address, and open the Licenses and Inspections section. Full Notice of Violation reports are available for download from Atlas.

Who pays the settlement costs if I sell to you?

We do. We pay the settlement costs, buy as-is (violations included), and can close within 7 days of clear title.

This article is general information, not legal or tax advice. For advice about your property, talk to an attorney. Details were checked on November 6, 2026, from the official sources linked above, and they can change.

Get an as-is cash offer

Call (215) 792-3189 or request a no-obligation cash offer online. You can also learn more about me or read our FAQ.

Related pages

• How we buy houses · Get a cash offer · FAQ
• We buy houses in Philadelphia · All areas we serve
• Selling a fire-damaged house · Selling a house that needs repairs