Building permits, zoning and septic in Borough of Troy, Pennsylvania

At a glance

Building permit

Required for UCC-regulated residential work¹

Zoning

Borough zoning; confirm the parcel’s district²⁵

Septic

Local agency approval for applicable on-lot systems⁴

R-A lot coverage

Building area cannot exceed 33.33% of lot area⁶

R-A setbacks

Detached homes: front 30 feet; each side 6 feet, combined 16 feet; rear 15 feet, with exceptions⁷

Occupancy

Certificate of occupancy required for UCC-regulated residential buildings⁸

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 Borough of Troy, PA?

A new home in Borough of Troy needs a building permit when the work is governed by Pennsylvania’s Uniform Construction Code; the residential rule also covers regulated alterations and building systems.¹ Troy Borough’s application page lists a Zoning Review Application for building permits and directs readers to Code Inspections for building-permit information.³ Return completed borough applications to borough hall with any applicable fees for final approval.³ Ask the Borough Office to confirm the current building-code official and fee schedule for your project.³

Does Borough of Troy have zoning and residential setbacks?

Borough of Troy has local zoning, enforced by the borough zoning officer, with appeals to the zoning hearing board.² Troy’s districts are R-A residence, R-B residence, C business and I manufacturing and industrial; establish the parcel’s district before designing a home.⁵ In R-A, building area cannot exceed 33.33% of lot area.⁶ For an R-A detached dwelling, the front yard is at least 30 feet, each side yard at least 6 feet with both totaling at least 16 feet, and the rear yard at least 15 feet, subject to the stated exceptions.⁷ A rear yard may be 12 feet on a lot less than 150 feet deep; narrow lots and taller buildings also have special provisions.⁷

How do septic permits work inside Borough of Troy?

For an applicable on-lot sewage system in Borough of Troy, the responsible local or joint local agency issues the septic permit; the state framework does not make the county planning office the septic permit counter.⁴ Pennsylvania requires local-agency approval before installing or contracting for construction of an on-lot system, subject to statutory exceptions.⁹ Troy Borough provides a Water/Sewer Account Application; ask borough hall whether the parcel must use public sewer and, if not, which sewage enforcement officer handles it.³ A composting toilet for a new residence does not remove the need for approved washwater or excess-liquid disposal.¹⁰

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Borough of Troy?

We could not confirm permission for residential RV use, temporary camping while building, or tiny-home occupancy in Borough of Troy; ask the borough zoning officer about the proposed use and parcel before buying.² Troy’s published zoning districts distinguish residential, business and industrial land, so an RV or tiny-home proposal needs a district-specific answer.⁵ A small residential building governed by the UCC still needs a certificate of occupancy before use.⁸ For an off-grid dwelling, Pennsylvania’s sanitation rules require approved disposal of washwater and excess liquid as well as the toilet arrangement.¹⁰

Building a home in Borough of Troy: what are the steps?

1. Ask the borough zoning officer to confirm the district and whether the proposed dwelling fits Troy’s zoning requirements.²⁵
2. Obtain the borough’s zoning-review application and return completed borough applications to borough hall with applicable fees.³
3. Resolve public-sewer service with borough hall, or obtain the required local-agency on-lot sewage approval before contracting for septic construction.³⁹
4. Obtain the UCC building permit before beginning regulated construction and arrange the required inspections.¹¹
5. Keep permitted work accessible for inspections and obtain the residential certificate of occupancy before moving in.¹²⁸

What should you check before buying in Borough of Troy?

Ask Troy Borough to determine whether proposed development is in a Special Flood Hazard Area: Pennsylvania municipalities review and issue or deny permits for development in those areas.¹³ A driveway built or changed on state highway land, or connected to a PennDOT drainage facility, needs a PennDOT highway occupancy permit.¹⁴ Subdivision review depends on the applicable municipal ordinance and county review provisions, so ask borough hall about Troy’s subdivision application before dividing land.¹⁵³ For land outside borough limits, use the Bradford County guide and confirm the actual municipality’s zoning rather than applying Troy’s borough rules.¹⁶

Watch-outs

• Troy’s R-A setbacks and lot-coverage limits are district-specific; do not apply them to R-B, C or I parcels.⁷⁶
• We could not confirm borough minimum dwelling size, RV occupancy or tiny-home permission; ask the Troy zoning officer before committing to a design.²
• Confirm public water and sewer availability and connection requirements with the Borough Office before assuming a private well or septic system is an option.³

Sources

1. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
2. Troy Borough Code Chapter 27 Zoning, Parts 1-3 (districts, R-A residence districts) (Borough of Troy), quoted and re-checked
3. Troy Borough Office (troyborough.com)
4. Municipal On Lot Sewage Service Areas | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, quoted and re-checked
5. Troy Borough Code Chapter 27 Zoning, Parts 1-3 (districts, R-A residence districts) (Borough of Troy), quoted and re-checked
6. Troy Borough Code Chapter 27 Zoning, Parts 1-3 (districts, R-A residence districts) (Borough of Troy), quoted and re-checked
7. Troy Borough Code Chapter 27 Zoning, Parts 1-3 (districts, R-A residence districts) (Borough of Troy), quoted and re-checked
8. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
9. 25 Pa. Code § 72.22. Permit issuance (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
10. 25 Pa. Code § 73.65. Recycling toilet, incinerating toilet or composting toilet (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
11. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
12. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
13. PennsylvaniA Floodplain Development Guide (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
14. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
15. Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
16. Local Registrations, Permits, Zoning (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked

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.