Bolthole Index

Adams County, Pennsylvania

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Germany Township, Pennsylvania

Germany Township, Adams County, Pennsylvania requires an approved building permit from the township's Building Code Official before you construct, enlarge, alter or relocate a building or structure1. Zoning is run by Adams County, whose zoning ordinance is applied in Germany Township and requires a county zoning permit for new structures2. Septic permits come from the township's Sewage Enforcement Officer3.

At a glance

Building permit
Required from the township's Building Code Official for construction, enlargement, alteration or relocation1
Building code
Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, adopted by the township4
Zoning
Adams County zoning ordinance, administered by the county planning office2
Septic
Permit required in every instance; issued through the township's Sewage Enforcement Officer53
Driveways
Count as structures under the township's building permit chapter6
Floodplain
Floodplain management permit required before development in the identified floodplain7
RV and tiny-home living
Not confirmed; ask the Adams County zoning officer, who administers land use here2
Permit fees
Set by the Board of Supervisors by resolution8

Who to call

Building permits

Germany Township municipal office

Township office for building permits and ordinances in Germany Township; Adams County lists its planning office as the township's permit officer

(717) 359-7537

[email protected]

136 Ulricktown Rd Littlestown, PA 17340

Zoning

Adams County Office of Planning & Development (zoning officer for Germany Township)

County zoning permits and zoning determinations in Germany Township

717-337-9824

Septic permits

Germany Township Sewage Enforcement Officer (contracted engineering firms)

On-lot sewage permits and site testing in Germany Township

(717) 334-4016

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Germany Township means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in Germany Township, PA?

Yes. Germany Township requires an approved building permit from the Building Code Official before anyone builds, rebuilds, enlarges, alters or relocates a building or structure1. The township's definition of a structure includes sheds, cabins, mobile homes, carports, porches and driveways, so a driveway needs the same permit6. Repairs that involve no structural change do not need one1. The township has adopted the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code as its municipal building code4. Qualifying agricultural buildings are excluded from the state construction code, but they remain subject to local zoning and other rules9.

Who issues building permits in Germany Township, and how do you reach them?

The township writes and enforces its building permit rules; applications are written, on township-supplied forms, with a site plan, and the permit is issued only after the Building Code Official finds the work conforms10. Inspection during construction is discretionary under the township's chapter11. Fees are set by the Board of Supervisors by resolution, so ask the township office for the current schedule8. Adams County does not issue building permits12. The county's municipal directory lists the township office on Ulricktown Road in Littlestown13, and lists the Adams County planning office as the township's permit officer13. Call the township office first to confirm who takes building permit applications.

Does Germany Township have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, setbacks and lot size?

Yes, through the county. Adams County's zoning ordinance is applied in only two municipalities, Germany and Menallen Townships, and a county zoning permit is required for any new structure, addition, sign or change of use in Germany Township14. The Adams County Office of Planning & Development acts as the zoning officer2. Dimensions depend on the district. In the ordinance's Rural Residential District the minimum lot is one acre and 150 feet wide15, with minimum setbacks of 35 feet front and 20 feet side and rear16. Look up your parcel's district on the county's Germany Township zoning map before you buy17. We could not confirm rules on RV living, tiny homes, camping or accessory dwellings in the township's own code18; ask the zoning officer before you plan on them.

How do septic permits work in Germany Township?

Germany Township requires a sewage permit in every instance, on every tract size and location, including rural residences on tracts of 10 acres or more5. The permit comes through the Germany Township Sewage Enforcement Officer3, not the county, which has no septic office19. Holding tanks need an annual inspection report20. A privy is allowed only on a lot that passes site and soil testing by the Sewage Enforcement Officer, and it must be replaced with an approved on-lot system if pressurized water becomes available21. Adams County soils are a caution: only about 14% rate as not limited for a conventional drain field, so budget for a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system22.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in Germany Township?

We could not confirm an answer. The township's recreational-vehicle chapter covers operating off-road vehicles, and no township rule on living in an RV, camping on private land or tiny homes turned up in the sources we reviewed. Pennsylvania's published RV limits cover state park campgrounds, not your own land23. Because the county zoning ordinance governs land use here2, ask the Adams County zoning officer whether a given use is allowed on your parcel's district, and ask the township office whether any other ordinance applies14.

Building a home in Germany Township: the steps, in order

  • Ask the Adams County zoning officer which district your parcel is in and whether your use is allowed14.
  • Get a county zoning permit for the new structure2.
  • Arrange site and soil testing and a sewage permit through the township's Sewage Enforcement Officer5.
  • If the lot is being divided, check the township's subdivision and land development rules, where final approval rests with the municipality2425.
  • Apply in writing for the township building permit10.
  • If the driveway meets a state road, a PennDOT highway occupancy permit applies26.
  • Before moving in, ask the Building Code Official about a certificate of occupancy; the township's own rule is unconfirmed, though the state code requires one27.

What to check before you buy land in Germany Township

Floodplain comes first: the township requires a floodplain management permit before any construction or development in its identified floodplain7. Ask the township office for the floodplain map. Next, septic soils, as above22. Adams County's effective property tax rate is 1.4%28, and its median bill is $3,569 a year29; these are county-level figures. Wells: we could not confirm a township well permit rule, so ask the township office, and note Pennsylvania's well rules distinguish commercial drillers from homeowners drilling on their own land30.

Watch-outs

  • Zoning for Germany Township is handled by the Adams County planning office, not the township; sending zoning questions to the township office wastes a trip2.
  • Township fees are set by resolution and not published in the ordinance, so ask the township office for the current fee schedule before budgeting8.
  • Septic rules in the township apply regardless of acreage or zoning, including on tracts of 10 acres or more5.
  • We could not confirm the township's rules on RV living, camping, tiny homes, accessory dwellings or minimum home size; ask the county zoning officer14.

Sources

  1. Chapter 60: Building Permits (Germany Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. Adams County - Zoning, quoted and re-checked
  3. ecode360.com (Germany Township), quoted and re-checked
  4. Chapter 81: Construction Codes, Uniform (Germany Township), quoted and re-checked
  5. ecode360.com (Germany Township), quoted and re-checked
  6. Chapter 60: Building Permits (Germany Township), quoted and re-checked
  7. Chapter 95: Floodplain Management (Germany Township), quoted and re-checked
  8. Chapter 60: Building Permits (Germany Township), quoted and re-checked
  9. Pennsylvania Construction Code Act — Chapter 1 (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  10. Chapter 60: Building Permits (Germany Township), quoted and re-checked
  11. Chapter 60: Building Permits (Germany Township), quoted and re-checked
  12. Adams County Office of Planning & Development - FAQs (2026 county census)
  13. Germany Township municipal office (adamscountypa.gov)
  14. Adams County Office of Planning & Development (zoning officer for Germany Township) (adamscountypa.gov)
  15. Adams County Zoning Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
  16. Adams County Zoning Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
  17. Adams County - Zoning, quoted and re-checked
  18. Adams County Zoning Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
  19. PA DEP - Act 537 Sewage Facilities Program (2026 county census)
  20. ecode360.com (Germany Township), quoted and re-checked
  21. Chapter 138: Sewers (Germany Township), quoted and re-checked
  22. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  23. RV and Tent Campsites (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  24. Chapter 160: Subdivision and Land Development (Germany Township), quoted and re-checked
  25. Adams County - Planning FAQs, quoted and re-checked
  26. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  27. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  28. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  29. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  30. Apply for a Water Well Drillers License and Rig Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked

Written October 24, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Germany Township

Germany Township’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction, reconstruction, enlargement, alteration, or relocation of buildings or structures inside Germany Township.

    • Repairs to existing buildings or structures do not require a permit if no structural changes or modifications are involved.
    • The permit must be approved by the Building Code Official.
    “It shall be unlawful for any person, partnership, business or corporation to undertake, or cause to be undertaken, the construction, reconstruction, enlargement, alteration, or relocation of any building or structure unless an approved building permit has been obtained from the Building Code Official.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction regulated inside Germany Township.

    • The adopted Uniform Construction Code is amended from time to time.
    “is hereby adopted and incorporated herein by reference as the municipal building code of Germany Township.”
  • InspectionsLimited

    Work under a Germany Township building permit during construction.

    • Inspection is discretionary under Chapter 60.
    • The inspection checks compliance with the permit application and applicable municipal laws and ordinances.
    “During the construction period, the Building Code Official or other authorized official may inspect the premises to determine that the work is progressing in compliance with the information provided on the permit application and with all applicable municipal laws and ordinances.”
  • Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

    Individual and community sewage systems inside Germany Township.

    • Permits are subject to conditions required by Township, Adams County, and Commonwealth rules and regulations.
    “Germany Township Sewage Enforcement Officer”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Any installation, construction, alteration, or change of an individual or community sewage system in Germany Township.

    • Applies to every tract size and location regardless of actual use or zoning.
    • Expressly includes rural residences on tracts of 10 acres or more.
    • The permit must indicate site and plan/specification compliance.

    rural-residence tract size expressly covered: >= 10 acres

    “A sewage permit shall be required in every instance”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    Each permitted holding tank in Germany Township.

    • This claim is limited to permitted holding tanks, not all on-lot sewage systems.

    inspection frequency: per annual (each permitted holding tank)

    “annual inspection reports for each permitted tank”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Privy use on improved properties inside Germany Township.

    • The lot must undergo site and soil suitability testing by the Sewage Enforcement Officer and meet Title 25, Chapter 73 standards for eventual on-lot disposal if pressurized water or piped wastewater becomes available.
    • A privy must be removed and replaced with an approved on-lot system when water under pressure becomes available.
    • The site/soil condition does not apply to an isolated lot of at least one acre not expected to receive pressurized water, or temporary portable retention tanks at construction sites or public gatherings.
    • Privy-use conditions must be in the permit; the governing body may inspect.

    isolated-lot exception size: >= 1 acre (lot is not and will not be served by water under pressure)

    “The property owner must show that site and soil suitability testing of the lot has been conducted by the Sewage Enforcement Officer and that the site meets the Title 25, Chapter 73 (Standards for Onlot Sewage Treatment Facilities) requirements as they may from time to time be amended for the ultimate sewage disposal by an approved on-lot system if water under pressure or piped wastewater becomes available to the lot.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision and land development inside Germany Township.

    • Detailed application, plan, review, design, fee, waiver, enforcement, and mobile-home provisions are contained in Chapter 160.
    “Chapter 160 Subdivision and Land Development”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    Driveway construction inside Germany Township.

    • Chapter 60 defines a structure to include driveways; construction of a structure requires an approved building permit.
    • This does not establish separate highway-access permit requirements.
    “A combination of materials to form anything constructed or erected on the ground or attached to the ground, including, but not limited to, buildings, factories, sheds, cabins, mobile homes, carports, porches, driveways, swimming pools and other similar items.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Development subject to Germany Township's floodplain-management ordinance.

    • The detailed floodplain applicability and permit provisions require section-level confirmation before relying on this claim.
    “a floodplain management permit shall be required before any construction or development is undertaken within said identified floodplain area.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Germany Township building-code and building-permit administration and enforcement.

    • Fees are established by the Board of Supervisors by resolution from time to time; no amount is specified in Chapter 60.
    “Fees assessable by Germany Township for the administration and enforcement undertaken pursuant to this chapter and the Code shall be established by the Board of Supervisors by resolution from time to time.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Germany Township building-permit applications.

    • The application is written, on Township-supplied forms, and includes applicant, owner, contractor, site, work/cost description, and site plan.
    • The Building Code Official issues a permit only after determining conformance with all applicable requirements and regulations.
    “Application [...] shall be made, in writing”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Germany Township or Adams County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built construction inside Germany Township.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of buildings inside Germany Township.
  • Local zoning — Land inside Germany Township.
  • Zoning districts — Zoning districts in Germany Township.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Residential dwellings inside Germany Township.
13 more unanswered
  • Minimum lot size
  • Setbacks
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Short-term rentals

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Germany Township publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Adams County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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