Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Bridgeville, Pennsylvania

At a glance

Building permit

Required; issued by the borough under the state Uniform Construction Code²¹

Zoning

Borough zoning with residential, conservation, industrial and mixed-use business districts³⁵

Zoning permit

Separate permit for fences, sheds and other accessory structures under 1,000 sq ft²

Building permit fee

From $64.50, depending on project size and scope⁶

Septic

Allegheny County Health Department Sewage Enforcement Officers⁴

Inspections

Handled by a third-party inspection firm hired by the borough⁷

Owner-builder

Pennsylvania has no statewide contractor license for most construction⁸

Who to call

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 14, 2026.

Do you need a building permit in Bridgeville, PA?

Yes. Bridgeville requires a building permit to verify compliance with the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code for construction inside the borough². Bridgeville elected in 2004 to administer and enforce the state code itself, so the borough, not Allegheny County, is the permit authority¹.

Maintenance work such as replacing doors or windows of the same size, gutters, fixtures and roof shingles does not need a building permit². Fences, sheds and accessory structures under 1,000 sq ft need a separate zoning permit instead².

A UCC certificate of occupancy must be issued before a new building can be used⁹. We could not confirm the borough's own residential certificate of occupancy procedure, so ask the borough office when you apply.

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

The Borough of Bridgeville issues building permits, and applications are available at the borough office or on the borough website¹⁰. The borough office is at 425 Bower Hill Road, Bridgeville, PA 15017, phone (412) 221-6012¹⁰.

Building permit fees range from $64.50 and up depending on the size and scope of the project, and drawings must be submitted with the application⁶¹¹. Inspections for building permits are done by the borough's third-party inspection firm⁷.

Allegheny County does not issue building permits for Bridgeville: property owners must file permits in the municipality where the work is performed¹².

Does Bridgeville have zoning, and what does it mean for your lot?

Yes. Bridgeville is zoned and governed by Chapter 27 of the Bridgeville code of ordinances³. The borough has residential 1 and 2, conservation, industrial and mixed-use business districts, and each district has its own rules for uses, structure sizes and setbacks⁵.

A zoning permit is needed for fences, sheds, accessory structures and similar items, with a $20 application fee⁶. Because zoning is set district by district, check the borough zoning map for your parcel before you plan anything.

We could not confirm minimum lot size, setbacks, RV rules or tiny-home rules for the residential districts. Call the borough's building and zoning office at (412) 221-6012 with your address¹⁰. Subdivision and land development are separately regulated by Chapter 22 of the borough code¹³.

How do septic permits work inside Bridgeville?

On-lot sewage permitting in Allegheny County is carried out by the Allegheny County Health Department's Sewage Enforcement Officers under Pennsylvania Act 537⁴. A permit from the Department is required before any construction where on-lot disposal is proposed¹⁴.

Buildings within 150 feet of an available public sewer may not keep using an individual system¹⁵. Many lots inside a borough like Bridgeville are likely served by public sewer, but we could not confirm sewer availability or the borough's own sewage rules. Ask the borough office before assuming a septic system is an option¹⁰.

The county's Plumbing Program office is at 2121 Noblestown Road, Suite 207, Pittsburgh, PA 15205, phone 412-578-8036¹⁶.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Bridgeville?

We could not confirm what Bridgeville's zoning chapter says about living in an RV, camping on a lot, or tiny homes. Do not assume they are allowed or banned; ask the borough building and zoning office at (412) 221-6012¹⁰.

Pennsylvania's RV stay limits apply only to state park campgrounds and say nothing about living in an RV on private land inside a borough¹⁷.

A manufactured home is a separate question: the state code applies to additions, utility connections and grading for labeled manufactured housing, but local zoning decides where one may be sited¹⁸.

Building a home in Bridgeville: the steps, in order

1. Confirm the zoning district and its setbacks and use rules with the borough's building and zoning office⁵¹⁰.
2. Confirm sewer availability, or apply for an on-lot sewage permit from the Allegheny County Health Department¹⁴.
3. Prepare drawings and apply for a building permit at the borough office or on the borough website¹¹.
4. If the lot needs access to a state highway, a PennDOT highway occupancy permit is required before driveway access is permitted¹⁹.
5. If the lot is in a floodplain, the application needs documentation sealed by a registered design professional²⁰.
6. Get inspections during construction and a final inspection report²¹.
7. Obtain a certificate of occupancy before you move in²².

What stays with Allegheny County, and what to check before you buy in Bridgeville

Septic permits and plumbing permits stay with the Allegheny County Health Department, not the borough⁴²³. Highway occupancy permits for work in a county right-of-way come from Allegheny County Public Works²⁴. Land outside Bridgeville falls under other municipalities' rules; see the Allegheny County page for the county-wide picture.

Before you buy, ask the borough about floodplain status and zoning for your parcel, and ask about sewer connection requirements. Countywide, Allegheny County's effective property tax rate is 1.6%²⁵, and the median property tax bill is $3,399 per year²⁶.

Watch-outs

• Zoning permits for fences, sheds, detached garages and similar accessory structures are separate from building permits, and a shed under 1,000 sq ft still needs one².
• File building permits with the borough, not with Allegheny County¹².
• We could not confirm Bridgeville's rules on septic, wells, RVs, tiny homes, accessory dwellings, lot sizes or setbacks; call the borough office at (412) 221-6012 before you commit to a plan¹⁰.

Sources

1. Building and Zoning - Borough of Bridgeville (Borough of Bridgeville), quoted and re-checked
2. Building and Zoning - Borough of Bridgeville (Borough of Bridgeville), quoted and re-checked
3. Building and Zoning - Borough of Bridgeville (Borough of Bridgeville), quoted and re-checked
4. Water Pollution Control, quoted and re-checked
5. Building and Zoning - Borough of Bridgeville (Borough of Bridgeville), quoted and re-checked
6. Building and Zoning - Borough of Bridgeville (Borough of Bridgeville), quoted and re-checked
7. Building and Zoning - Borough of Bridgeville (Borough of Bridgeville), quoted and re-checked
8. Contractor Licensing (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
9. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
10. Borough of Bridgeville, Building and Zoning (bridgevilleboro.com)
11. Building and Zoning - Borough of Bridgeville (Borough of Bridgeville), quoted and re-checked
12. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
13. Borough of Bridgeville, PA Code of Ordinances (eCode360) table of contents (Borough of Bridgeville), quoted and re-checked
14. Water Pollution Control, quoted and re-checked
15. Article XIV Sewage Management, quoted and re-checked
16. Allegheny County Health Department, Plumbing Program (alleghenycounty.us)
17. RV and Tent Campsites (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
18. Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
19. Uniform Construction Code Chapter 403, quoted and re-checked
20. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
21. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
22. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
23. Project Plans and Permitting, quoted and re-checked
24. Permits and Licenses, quoted and re-checked
25. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
26. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 14, 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.