Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania

Yes, covered residential construction in Clearfield County requires a building permit under Pennsylvania's statewide Uniform Construction Code, but county government does not issue it^1,2. The township, borough or city administers the UCC itself or through a certified third-party agency; in an opt-out municipality, a certified third party handles residential building permits and inspections, while the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry handles commercial enforcement^2,3. A residential building cannot be occupied until a building code official issues a certificate of occupancy¹⁰. A qualifying recreational cabin may be excluded if it meets Act 92's definition and filing and safety-equipment conditions⁶. Qualifying agricultural buildings are excluded from the Construction Code Act, but habitable space and places occupied by the public do not qualify⁷.

There is no single Clearfield County building department because the township, borough or city—or its certified third-party agency—issues residential building permits and performs UCC inspections^1,3. The Clearfield County Planning Department is at 212 East Locust Street, Clearfield, PA 16830, and its department line is 814-765-5149¹¹. County Planning can help identify the parcel's municipality; ask that municipality who administers its residential UCC building permits. Covered construction and specified electrical, gas, mechanical and plumbing work require inspections, with responsibility following the same opt-in or opt-out arrangement as building permits³. County Planning does not become the building-permit office: it reviews subdivision and land-development plans in the 31 municipalities under the county SALDO, while the other 19 municipalities administer their own SALDOs¹¹. Septic permits remain with the applicable Act 537 local agency, not the building-permit issuer⁵.

Zoning varies among Clearfield County's townships, boroughs and city, so zoning approval depends on the municipality governing the parcel⁴. Clearfield Borough, for example, has a zoning ordinance, but that borough rule does not answer zoning questions elsewhere in the county¹². The county subdivision and land-development ordinance is a separate control: it governs subdivision and land development in the 31 municipalities without their own SALDO, but it does not itself control land or building use¹¹. Before relying on a parcel for an RV, tiny home, manufactured home, accessory dwelling or a particular footprint, ask the municipality about allowed uses, zoning approval, setbacks, lot size and height. We could not confirm a complete current inventory of municipal zoning ordinances. Septic permits do not shift to a borough or city merely because it administers zoning; the applicable Act 537 local agency remains responsible⁵.

Local agencies issue permits for retaining tanks and individual or community on-lot sewage systems in Clearfield County, except for large-volume systems; the responsible agency depends on the municipality or service area⁵. For many townships, the multimunicipal Clearfield County Sewage Committee is the local agency, but we could not confirm a direct committee contact or a complete service-area list¹³. Ask the Clearfield County Planning Department which local agency and Sewage Enforcement Officer serves the parcel before designing the system¹¹. Pennsylvania has a narrow permit exemption for certain owner or immediate-family residences on a contiguous tract of at least 10 acres, subject to siting, notification, and ownership conditions; acreage alone does not establish the exemption¹⁴. Composting, incinerating, or recycling toilets generally still need an approved on-lot system or other approved washwater method¹⁵.

We could not confirm a countywide rule allowing full-time RV or tiny-home occupancy on private land in Clearfield County, so ask the township, borough or city governing the parcel. Zoning varies by municipality, and the county SALDO does not control the use of land or buildings⁴. Pennsylvania's RV rules for state park campgrounds do not answer whether someone may occupy an RV on private land¹⁶. Manufactured homes follow a separate approval track: Pennsylvania regulates building permits and certificates of occupancy for installation, while utility connections, grading, additions, resale and relocation can bring work under the UCC⁶. Local zoning and septic approval still must be resolved for the parcel^4,5. Ask the municipality about residential use, temporary camping, setbacks and minimum dwelling size; County Planning can identify the relevant municipality¹¹.

1. Call the Clearfield County Planning Department to identify the parcel's municipality and the correct zoning, SALDO and UCC contacts¹¹.
2. Get municipal zoning approval where zoning applies; Clearfield Borough is one confirmed municipality with zoning^4,12.
3. If the project creates lots or is land development, determine whether County Planning or the municipality reviews the plan⁸. County-reviewed final plans may require local-engineer approval of water and sewer service, sewage-planning documents and a utility service letter¹⁷.
4. Obtain the septic permit from the applicable Act 537 local agency⁵.
5. Apply to the municipality's UCC administrator or residential third-party agency for the building permit before covered work begins^2,3.
6. Complete building inspections and obtain the certificate of occupancy before moving in^3,10.
7. Obtain a municipal floodplain permit for work in a special flood hazard area and a PennDOT driveway permit for access on state-highway land^18,19.

Soils are the biggest surprise here: only 1.3% of Clearfield County's land is free of severe limitations for a conventional septic drain field, so budget for a site evaluation and the possibility of an engineered or alternative system²⁰. Terrain and cover are more forgiving: 60.5% of the county is at 15% slope or less, though 84% is wooded, so clearing can add cost even on buildable ground²⁰. Building-permit administration and zoning depend on the municipality governing the parcel^1,4. For a new lot, confirm whether the county SALDO or a municipal SALDO governs review; county subdivision review is meant to secure legally enforceable access to a public right-of-way⁸. A driveway on state-highway land requires a PennDOT permit¹⁹. Septic authority remains with the applicable local agency, and Pennsylvania does not require a state permit for a homeowner drilling a private well, though municipal requirements may apply^5,9.