Pennsylvania to now offer refunds on permit application fees

[Jake]

Found an interesting article here, and felt I should share it. It's in regards to a new option in Pennsylvania. If you ever file a permit with the state, you now have the option to request a refund on the permit itself including the license or certification application fee if it wasn't processed in the timeframe stated.

It's called The PAyback system, and it gives Pennsylvania workers and businesses the option if needed. More on the Payback system can be found here.

The CODE PA (Commonwealth Office of Digital Experience) is responsible for the creation of the PAyback System, as it was helped by as it was part of the digital service work started by Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration. The intention is to modernize the state’s permitting processes.

Here's what the team had to say about this new digital refund option.

“Making government more efficient and effective for the people of Pennsylvania means that our online and digital services must work faster and be easy to access and navigate,” CODE PA Executive Director Bry Pardoe said in the news release. “CODE PA is working to transform how Pennsylvanians interact with the Commonwealth online – and the launch of PAyback today is the latest step in the Shapiro Administration’s commitment to transparency and accountability in delivering services that will make Pennsylvanians’ lives better.”

 

[Winny]

That's actually more than I was expecting from California. I've always assumed most of the time a permit is non-refundable or the process is non-refundable, but it's good that there is a system in place to give people refunds if they change their mind or it takes too long for the permit to come through. Hopefully more cities and states follow this.

 

[Honey]

Wow, that's great! It means residents of Pennsylvania can now request a refund if they don't get their permits within the given timeframe. This decision shows the commitment of Pennsylvania to make the permitting process transparent. It also demonstrates their efforts to make the lives of people living in Pennsylvania easier.