Bolthole Index

Chester County, Pennsylvania

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in London Grove Township, Pennsylvania

London Grove Township, in Chester County, Pennsylvania, has its own zoning ordinance with nine districts, administered by the township's planning and zoning department12. Building permits are required under Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code3. Septic systems and wells are permitted by the Chester County Health Department, not the township4.

At a glance

Zoning
Township ordinance (Chapter 27), nine districts5
Building permit
Required under the state Uniform Construction Code; the township publishes building permit applications36
Septic permit
Chester County Health Department4
Well permit
Required; issued by the Chester County Health Department7
Minimum lot (AR district)
1.5 acres, 150 feet wide at the building line8
Setbacks (AR district)
50 ft front, 75 ft rear, 25 ft side9
Owner-builder
No statewide general-contractor license for most construction10

Who to call

Building permits

London Grove Township Building

Township administration, front counter for permit applications and the codes and zoning staff

610-345-0100

[email protected]

372 Rose Hill Road, Suite 100, West Grove, PA 19390

Planning & zoning

London Grove Township Planning & Zoning Department

Zoning inquiries, zoning permits, zoning hearing board appeals, and subdivision and land development review

610-345-0100

Building permits

London Grove Township Codes and Life Safety (enforced codes)

Lists the building codes the township enforces under the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code; permit forms are on the township's permit applications page

Online permits →

Septic permits

Chester County Health Department

Permits for on-lot septic systems and wells anywhere in Chester County, including London Grove Township

610-344-6225

601 Westtown Road, Suite 295, West Chester, PA 19380

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

Off-grid gear

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

These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Bolthole Index earns from qualifying purchases.

Does London Grove Township have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Yes. London Grove Township, Chester County, adopted its own zoning chapter (Chapter 27) and divides the township into nine zoning districts15. The districts are Agricultural Preservation (AP), Agricultural Residential (AR), Residential Rural (RR), Residential Medium (RM), Mobile Home (MH), Residential High (RH), Commercial (C), Industrial Special Use (ISU) and Industrial (I)5.

Rules differ by district, so find your parcel's district on the township zoning map first. In the Agricultural Residential district, a single-family detached home needs a net lot area of at least 1.5 acres and a lot width of at least 150 feet at the building line8. Setbacks in AR are 50 feet at the front, 75 feet at the rear and 25 feet at the side9. Buildings may cover no more than 10% of the lot and total impervious surface no more than 15%11, and height is capped at 35 feet or three stories, whichever is less12. We did not review the other districts; ask the zoning officer for those.

Do you need a building permit in London Grove Township?

Yes, for most construction. Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code requires a building permit before construction begins3, and an owner or agent must apply to the building code official before building, enlarging, altering or moving a residential building13. London Grove Township publishes building permit application packages for residents6, and its enforced-codes page lists the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code and the 2021 International Residential Code6.

A certificate of occupancy is also required before a residential building is used or occupied14. We could not confirm the township's own permit fees or its inspection steps; ask the township building at 610-345-010015.

Who handles zoning and building permits in London Grove Township, and how do you reach them?

London Grove Township's own staff handle both. The planning and zoning department fields inquiries, issues zoning permits, enforces the ordinance, processes appeals to the zoning hearing board and reviews subdivision and land development plans2. The township building is at 372 Rose Hill Road, Suite 100, West Grove, PA 1939015, and the main number is 610-345-01002.

The Chester County Planning Commission does not administer municipal zoning or building permits; it handles countywide planning and mapping16. Sending a township property question to the county planning counter is the wrong call. For land outside the township, see the Chester County page.

How do septic permits and wells work in London Grove Township?

Septic and wells stay with Chester County, not the township. The Chester County Health Department issues permits for individual and small-community on-lot sewage systems and for well construction417. A permit is required for new systems and for repairs or modifications to existing ones18. The application needs at least one acceptable percolation test and at least two acceptable test pits18, and nothing may be covered before the health department's final inspection and written approval19.

In the AR district, individual on-site sewage systems and wells are required8. Wells need a permit in Chester County7. The Health Department is at 601 Westtown Road, Suite 295, West Chester, PA 19380, phone 610-344-622517.

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

We could not confirm a rule for RV living or tiny homes in London Grove Township. The Agricultural Residential district allows one mobile home for temporary use on a lot where a single-family home is being built20. That allowance runs for an initial two years, can be extended in one-year steps with progress reports to the building inspector every six months, requires a removal bond, and ends within 30 days after the occupancy permit for the permanent house20. Pennsylvania's rules on RV stays cover state park campgrounds, not private land21. Ask the township zoning officer at 610-345-0100 before parking an RV or placing a tiny home2.

Building a home in London Grove Township: the steps, in order

  1. Find your parcel's zoning district on the township zoning map and check lot size, setbacks and coverage5.
  2. If you are dividing land, expect township subdivision and land development review under Chapter 2222 and county health department forms23.
  3. Apply to the Chester County Health Department for a septic permit and a well permit187.
  4. Apply to the township for zoning and building permits using its permit application packages62.
  5. Request the septic final inspection before covering the system19.
  6. Obtain a certificate of occupancy before moving in14.

Pennsylvania has no statewide general-contractor license for most construction10.

What to check before you buy land in London Grove Township

Confirm the zoning district, since lot size and setbacks change by district5. Ask about floodplain: a floodplain development permit is issued by the municipality for work in a Special Flood Hazard Area24. A driveway onto a state highway needs a PennDOT permit25, and the township's permit list includes a road opening and driveway permit6. Soils matter too: across Chester County, about 24% of soils rate as not limited for a conventional septic drain field, so a site evaluation is a must26. Chester County's effective property tax rate is about 1.3%27.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm London Grove Township's building permit fees, inspection process or certificate-of-occupancy steps; call the township building at 610-345-010015.
  • Only the Agricultural Residential district's dimensional rules were reviewed; other districts differ, so confirm yours with the zoning officer8.
  • Septic and well permits come from the Chester County Health Department, not the township4.

Sources

  1. Chapter 27 Zoning, Part 1 General Provisions - Township of London Grove, PA (eCode360) (London Grove Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. London Grove Township Planning & Zoning Department (londongrove.org)
  3. PA Department of Labor & Industry - UCC Regulations & Statutes (2026 county census)
  4. Sewage & Water, quoted and re-checked
  5. Chapter 27 Zoning, Part 1 General Provisions - Township of London Grove, PA (eCode360) (London Grove Township), quoted and re-checked
  6. London Grove Township Codes and Life Safety (enforced codes) (londongrove.org)
  7. Chester County Health Department Rules and Regulations, quoted and re-checked
  8. Part 4 Agricultural Residential (AR) District - Township of London Grove, PA (eCode360) (London Grove Township), quoted and re-checked
  9. Part 4 Agricultural Residential (AR) District - Township of London Grove, PA (eCode360) (London Grove Township), quoted and re-checked
  10. Contractor Licensing (2026 county census)
  11. Part 4 Agricultural Residential (AR) District - Township of London Grove, PA (eCode360) (London Grove Township), quoted and re-checked
  12. Part 4 Agricultural Residential (AR) District - Township of London Grove, PA (eCode360) (London Grove Township), quoted and re-checked
  13. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  15. London Grove Township Building (londongrove.org)
  16. Chester County PA - Planning Commission (2026 county census)
  17. Chester County Health Department (chesco.org)
  18. Permits for On-Lot Sewage Disposal Systems, quoted and re-checked
  19. Application and Permit Procedure for On Lot Sewage Systems, quoted and re-checked
  20. Part 4 Agricultural Residential (AR) District - Township of London Grove, PA (eCode360) (London Grove Township), quoted and re-checked
  21. RV and Tent Campsites (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  22. Table of Contents - Township of London Grove, PA (eCode360) (London Grove Township), quoted and re-checked
  23. Subdivision Planning, quoted and re-checked
  24. PennsylvaniA Floodplain Development Guide (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  25. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  26. 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
  27. Effective property tax rate: 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.

Answers from the rulebook for London Grove Township

London Grove Township’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside London Grove township

    • Chapter 27 Zoning adopted 10/3/2018 by Ord. No. 213, amended through 2023 per section notes.
    “london grove township is hereby divided into nine types of zoning districts”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts in London Grove township

    • Nine districts: AP, AR, RR, RM, MH, RH, C, ISU, I.
    • Official zoning map is maintained at the township office and attached to Chapter 27.
    “london grove township is hereby divided into nine types of zoning districts, which shall be designated as follows: a. residential, agricultural preservation (ap). b. agricultural residential (ar). c. residential, rural (rr). d. residential, medium (rm). e. residential, mobile home (mh). f. residential, high (rh). g. commercial (c). h. industrial special use (isu). i. industrial (i).”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Single-family detached dwelling in the Agricultural Residential (AR) district, London Grove township

    • Individual on-site sewage systems and wells required in AR.
    • Other districts (AP, RR, RM, MH, RH) not reviewed.

    net lot area minimum: >= 1.5 acres · lot width at building line minimum: >= 150 feet

    “1. standards for single-family detached development in the ar district. a. net lot area (minimum)—1.5 acres.”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Single-family detached dwelling in the AR district, London Grove township

    • Other districts not reviewed.

    front yard minimum: >= 50 feet · rear yard minimum: >= 75 feet · side yard minimum: >= 25 feet

    “f. setbacks: (1) minimum front yard—50 feet. (2) minimum rear yard—75 feet. (3) minimum side yard—25 feet.”
  • Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Single-family detached dwelling in the AR district, London Grove township

    • Other districts not reviewed.

    building coverage maximum: <= 10 percent · total impervious coverage maximum: <= 15 percent

    “b. building coverage (maximum)—10%. c. total impervious coverage (maximum)—15%.”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Single-family detached dwelling in the AR district, London Grove township

    • Other districts not reviewed.

    building height maximum: <= 35 feet (or three stories, whichever is less)

    “g. building height (maximum)—35 feet or three stories, whichever is less.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Mobile homes in the AR district, London Grove township; a separate Residential, Mobile Home (MH) district exists but was not reviewed

    • Only one mobile home, for temporary use, on a lot where a single-family home is being built.
    • Initial two years, extendable in one-year increments with progress report to building inspector every six months.
    • Bond required for removal; removal within 30 days after occupancy permit for non-mobile home.
    “d. one mobile home for temporary use only on an individual lot, on which a single-family home is being built.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision and land development inside London Grove township

    • Provisions of Chapter 22 not reviewed in detail.
    “chapter 22 subdivision and land development”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — Building permits inside London Grove township
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside London Grove township
  • Building code adopted — Building code adoption inside London Grove township
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside London Grove township
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside London Grove township
17 more unanswered
  • Minimum dwelling size
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees
  • Permit process

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 London Grove Township publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Chester County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Chester County: county rules, score and offices