West Goshen Township, PA: building permits, zoning and septic rules

At a glance

Building permits

Required for covered residential construction; apply through township Code Enforcement¹²

Zoning

Township zoning applies³

Septic permits

Chester County Health Department; new systems, repairs and modifications, with limited repair exceptions⁶⁴

Minimum dwelling size

One-story: 1,100 sq ft first-floor living area; one-and-one-half-story: 950 sq ft first-floor living area; two-story: 700 sq ft projected living area⁵

Wells

County Health Department permit required; licensed contractor applies⁷

Owner-builder

Pennsylvania has no general contractor license requirement for most construction; municipal requirements may apply⁸

Who to call

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 15, 2026.

Do you need a building permit in West Goshen Township, PA?

West Goshen Township home construction and other residential work covered by Pennsylvania’s Uniform Construction Code require a building permit before work begins.¹ Township Code Enforcement publishes the residential building application package and use and occupancy application.² Ordinary repairs have limited exemptions, but structural changes and changes to required escape routes are outside the ordinary-repair exemption.¹ A residential building governed by the UCC also needs a certificate of occupancy before use or occupancy.⁹

Who handles West Goshen Township building and zoning applications?

Start with West Goshen Township Code Enforcement for building and zoning application forms, including the township’s residential building package, zoning application and use and occupancy application.² The residential package directs applicants to obtain land-development and zoning approvals before submitting building plans.¹⁰ The township requires structural plans signed and sealed by an architect or engineer, and its application instructions call for original complete plans plus a digital copy emailed to [email protected].¹⁰ Septic and well construction permits remain with Chester County Health Department.⁴

Does West Goshen Township have zoning, and can you build a tiny home?

West Goshen Township has a zoning ordinance, so a building-code decision alone does not settle the proposed land use.³¹⁰ The township’s dwelling-size provision specifies at least 1,100 square feet of first-floor living area for a one-story dwelling, 950 for a one-and-one-half-story dwelling, and 700 square feet of projected living area for a two-story dwelling.⁵ Porches, garages, breezeways, utility rooms and similar areas do not count toward living area.⁵ Ask Code Enforcement to confirm the parcel’s district, setbacks, lot coverage and how the dwelling-size provision applies to your design; we could not confirm the district-specific dimensions or a separate tiny-home occupancy rule.³²

How do septic permits and wells work in West Goshen Township?

Chester County Health Department issues permits for individual and small-community on-lot sewage systems and well construction inside West Goshen Township.⁴ New sewage systems, repairs and modifications require a septic permit, with an exception for repairs completed without digging equipment; major new permits require soil testing.⁶ Do not cover a sewage system before final inspection and written approval from the county Sewage Enforcement Officer.¹¹ A licensed contractor must apply for a well permit, and new construction must have public sewerage or a valid sewage permit.⁷

Can you live in an RV while building in West Goshen Township?

We could not confirm permission to occupy an RV on a private lot in West Goshen Township, including temporary occupancy during home construction; ask township Code Enforcement about the proposed use before making an RV part of your building plan.²³ The township has zoning, and its residential application instructions require zoning approval ahead of building-plan submission.³¹⁰ For occupancy of a residential building governed by the UCC, a certificate of occupancy is required; Pennsylvania allows a temporary certificate only where the covered portion can be occupied safely and the official sets its validity period.⁹

Building a home in West Goshen Township: what comes first?

Begin with township Code Enforcement to resolve zoning and any land-development approval before submitting building plans.¹⁰ For a site using on-lot sewage, arrange county soil testing and the sewage permit; for a new well, have the licensed contractor apply after the property has public sewerage or a valid sewage permit.⁶⁷ Submit the township’s required building documents and obtain the building permit before covered construction.¹⁰¹ Keep permitted work accessible for inspections and obtain the residential certificate of occupancy before moving in.¹²⁹ For land outside the township, consult the Chester County guide for county sewage and well requirements.⁴

Watch-outs

• West Goshen Township’s minimum dwelling-size rule excludes garages and porches from living area; do not count them toward a small-home design.⁵
• A new well application depends on public sewerage or a valid sewage permit for new construction, so resolve wastewater disposal early.⁷
• Building or changing a driveway on state highway land requires a PennDOT highway occupancy permit.¹³

Sources

1. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
2. West Goshen Township Code Enforcement (westgoshen.org)
3. Township of West Goshen, PA eCode360 table of contents (West Goshen Township), quoted and re-checked
4. Chester County Health Department — Sewage & Water (chesco.org)
5. West Goshen Township Chapter 28 Building Code (West Goshen Township), quoted and re-checked
6. Permits for On-Lot Sewage Disposal Systems, quoted and re-checked
7. Chester County Health Department Rules and Regulations, quoted and re-checked
8. Contractor Licensing (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
9. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
10. West Goshen Township residential building application instructions (westgoshen.org)
11. Application and Permit Procedure for On Lot Sewage Systems, quoted and re-checked
12. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
13. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked

Written October 15, 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.