Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Westtown Township, Pennsylvania

At a glance

Building permit

Required for most residential work; issued through the township²⁴

Zoning

Yes, township zoning ordinance (Chapter 170) with its own districts¹⁵

Septic

Chester County Health Department³

Wells

Permit required from the Chester County Health Department⁶

Owner-builder

Pennsylvania has no statewide contractor license for most construction⁷

Who to call

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

Does Westtown Township have zoning?

Yes. Westtown Township zones its own land: Chapter 170 of the township code divides the township into base zoning districts and keeps a zoning map on file with the township secretary¹. The base districts are A/C agricultural/cluster residential, POC, R-1, R-2, R-3, M-U, C-1, C-2 and T, and a Steep Slope Conservation overlay also applies⁵.

The district decides what you can build, so find the parcel's district on the township zoning map before anything else. Lot size, setbacks, minimum home size, RV use and tiny-home rules all depend on it. We could not confirm those district standards, or whether living in an RV or tiny home is allowed during construction; ask the township zoning officer at the Building, Zoning, and Code Enforcement Department². Chester County does not zone for its municipalities; each one adopts its own ordinance⁸.

Do you need a building permit in Westtown Township, and who issues it?

Yes for most work. Permits are required in Westtown Township for most residential work and all commercial additions and alterations, plus electrical, HVAC, plumbing, decks, pools, sheds and fences². Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code requires the owner to apply and obtain the permit before covered construction begins⁴.

The township's Building, Zoning, and Code Enforcement Department takes the application, and permits are reviewed and inspected by the township or its third-party inspection agency². Plan on 15 business days of review, and fees are paid when the permit is issued, not at application². New buildings and major renovations are reviewed under the 2018 I-codes². A certificate of occupancy is needed before a residential building can be used⁹.

How do septic permits work in Westtown Township?

Septic permits for Westtown Township come from the Chester County Health Department, not the township³. A permit is required for new systems and for repairs or modifications to existing ones¹⁰. The application needs at least one acceptable percolation test and at least two acceptable test pits for soil profile examination¹⁰.

Soils matter here: USDA rates only about 24% of Chester County soils as not limited for a conventional drain field, a strict rating, so many lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system¹¹. The county's own inspection rule is that no system may be covered before final inspection and written approval¹².

We could not confirm whether the township adds its own on-lot sewer rules or requires a public sewer connection at a given address. Ask the township office before you buy.

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

1. Find the parcel's zoning district and the district's lot, setback and use standards with the township's zoning officer².
2. If the lot is not on public sewer, apply to the Chester County Health Department for a sewage permit, with percolation test and test pits¹⁰. A well needs its own permit from the same department⁶.
3. If the driveway meets a state road, get a PennDOT highway occupancy permit¹³.
4. Apply for the building permit with the township, then schedule inspections with the building inspector².
5. Keep the work open for the required inspections: foundations, plumbing, mechanical and electrical systems, frame and masonry, and wallboard, plus a final¹⁴.
6. Get the certificate of occupancy before anyone moves in⁹.

What stays with Chester County, and what to check before you buy

Chester County, not the township, handles septic permits and well permits³⁶. For land outside the township, see the Chester County page.

Before buying, check three things. First, if any part of the parcel is in a Special Flood Hazard Area, the municipality must issue a floodplain development permit before work starts¹⁵. Second, any subdivision of the land is regulated, and the township code has a chapter on subdivision of land¹⁶; the county health department also reviews sewage on subdivisions¹⁷. Third, a typical home in the county is valued at about $587,747 and the median property tax bill is about $6,191 a year, both county-level figures¹⁸¹⁹.

Watch-outs

• Several of Westtown Township's district standards (lot size, setbacks, minimum home size, accessory dwellings) and its RV and tiny-home rules were not confirmed; call the township zoning officer before you rely on any of them².
• A driveway onto a state highway needs a separate PennDOT highway occupancy permit, and review usually takes about 30 days when the application is complete¹³.
• A permit-exempt septic system is possible only on a tract of 10 acres or more under narrow state conditions, so do not assume it applies inside a township of this size²⁰.

Sources

1. Westtown Code Ch. 170 Art. III Establishment of Districts (Westtown Township), quoted and re-checked
2. Westtown Township Building, Zoning, and Code Enforcement Department (westtownpa.org)
3. Sewage & Water, quoted and re-checked
4. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
5. Westtown Code Ch. 170 Art. III Establishment of Districts (Westtown Township), quoted and re-checked
6. Chester County Health Department Rules and Regulations, quoted and re-checked
7. Contractor Licensing (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
8. Planning in Pennsylvania, quoted and re-checked
9. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
10. Permits for On-Lot Sewage Disposal Systems, quoted and re-checked
11. 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
12. Application and Permit Procedure for On Lot Sewage Systems, quoted and re-checked
13. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
14. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
15. PennsylvaniA Floodplain Development Guide (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
16. Township of Westtown, PA code of ordinances (eCode360) table of contents (Westtown Township), quoted and re-checked
17. Subdivision Planning, quoted and re-checked
18. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data
19. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
20. 25 Pa. Code § 72.22. Permit issuance (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.