Bolthole Index

Cumberland County, Pennsylvania

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Lower Allen Township, Pennsylvania

Lower Allen Township, Pennsylvania (Cumberland County) adopts and enforces its own zoning ordinance1 and administers the state Uniform Construction Code as its municipal building code2. A building permit is required before construction work starts3. Septic permits come from a local sewage agency under Act 5374; we could not confirm which agency covers the township, so ask the township office.

At a glance

Building permit
Required; the township adopts the state Uniform Construction Code23
Zoning
Township zoning ordinance of 2009 applies inside the township1
Septic
Local agency with a Sewage Enforcement Officer issues permits; confirm which one with the township4
R-1 setbacks
30 ft front, 15 ft total side (5 ft minimum on one side), 25 ft rear5
R-1 coverage and height
50% impervious coverage; 35 ft principal building, 25 ft accessory67
Driveway on a state road
PennDOT highway occupancy permit required8

Who to call

Building permits

Lower Allen Township Community & Economic Development

Township building, zoning and right-of-way permit applications; general permit application and checklists

(717) 975-7575

2233 Gettysburg Road, Camp Hill, PA 17011

Online permits →

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 Lower Allen Township means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Lower Allen Township have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Yes. Lower Allen Township, Pennsylvania adopted its own zoning ordinance under the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code1. Cumberland County does not administer zoning for the township: the county says zoning regulations are established and administered by the municipalities9.

Rules depend on the district. In the R-1 Single-Family Established Residential District, a lot with public water and sewer needs at least 7,200 square feet and 50 feet of width at the right-of-way line, and density tops out at four dwelling units per gross acre10. Side yards must total at least 15 feet with no side yard under 5 feet5. Impervious coverage in R-1 may not exceed 50%6. Principal buildings in R-1 top out at 35 feet and accessory structures at 25 feet7.

With on-lot water or sewage, R-1 sets no minimum lot area; density is one dwelling per gross acre and setbacks drive the size10.

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

Yes. Lower Allen Township adopts the Uniform Construction Code as its municipal building code2, and the state requires a permit before construction or building work starts3. Residential new builds, additions and changes to electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing systems are covered11.

The township's Community & Economic Development office takes the general permit application, which covers building, zoning and right-of-way work12. Inspections follow, and a certificate of occupancy must be issued before a building is used13.

Some small work is exempt, such as fences no more than 6 feet high14. Confirm with the township office before skipping a permit, because the exemption applies only when the work violates no ordinance.

How do septic permits work in Lower Allen Township?

Pennsylvania requires a permit from the local agency before an on-lot sewage system is installed or a building served by one is occupied15. Local agencies, each with a Sewage Enforcement Officer, may be a municipality, a group of municipalities or a county health department4.

We could not confirm which agency or officer handles septic permits inside Lower Allen Township, or whether the township requires public sewer connection. Ask the township's Community & Economic Development office at (717) 975-757512 before you plan a well or septic system.

A permit exemption can apply to a system serving an owner's own residence on a contiguous tract of at least 10 acres, under specific conditions15. Few township lots will qualify.

Building a home in Lower Allen Township: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the zoning district and what it allows with the township office12; the county itself tells owners to contact the municipality to confirm a classification16.
  2. Settle sewage: ask which agency issues septic permits for your lot, or whether public sewer serves it4.
  3. If the driveway meets a state highway, apply for a PennDOT highway occupancy permit8.
  4. Submit the township's general permit application with the required forms; the township charges a processing fee that we could not confirm, so ask the office12.
  5. Pass the inspections the building code official requires: foundation, systems, frame, wallboard and final17.
  6. Obtain the certificate of occupancy before moving in13.

What stays with Cumberland County and the state?

Subdivision and land-development plans are reviewed by the Cumberland County Planning Department for consistency with municipal plans18.

County rules for unincorporated land do not apply inside the township; see the Cumberland County page for land outside municipal limits. Driveways onto state highways go through PennDOT8, and private water wells are not state-permitted, though well drillers are licensed19. Cumberland County's effective property tax rate is 1.2%20.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm the township's rules on RVs, tiny homes, accessory dwellings or manufactured homes; ask the township office before buying land for any of these12.
  • Setback, lot-size and height figures above are for the single-family established residential district only; other districts differ, so check the zoning classification of your parcel with the township16.
  • Floodplain construction needs a municipal floodplain permit in addition to the building permit21.

Sources

  1. Lower Allen Township Code Ch. 220 Zoning, Art. I General Provisions (Lower Allen Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. Lower Allen Township Code Ch. 70 Building Construction and Safety Standards (Lower Allen Township), quoted and re-checked
  3. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
  4. Act 537 Sewage Facilities (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  5. Lower Allen Township Code Ch. 220 Art. IV R-1 Single-Family Established Residential District (Lower Allen Township), quoted and re-checked
  6. Lower Allen Township Code Ch. 220 Art. IV R-1 Single-Family Established Residential District (Lower Allen Township), quoted and re-checked
  7. Lower Allen Township Code Ch. 220 Art. IV R-1 Single-Family Established Residential District (Lower Allen Township), quoted and re-checked
  8. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. Municipal Information, quoted and re-checked
  10. Lower Allen Township Code Ch. 220 Art. IV R-1 Single-Family Established Residential District (Lower Allen Township), quoted and re-checked
  11. Uniform Construction Code (UCC), quoted and re-checked
  12. Lower Allen Township Community & Economic Development (latwp.org)
  13. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
  14. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  15. 25 Pa. Code § 72.22. Permit issuance (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. Municipal Information, quoted and re-checked
  17. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. Subdivision & Land Development, quoted and re-checked
  19. Apply for a Water Well Drillers License and Rig Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  20. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  21. PennsylvaniA Floodplain Development Guide (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.

Answers from the rulebook for Lower Allen Township

Lower Allen Township’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Construction inside Lower Allen township

    • Township elects to administer and enforce the PA Construction Code Act (Act 45 of 1999)
    • Adopted as amended from time to time
    • Chapter amended 1-23-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-01
    “the uniform construction code (ucc), contained in 34 pa. code, chapters 401 through 405, as amended from time to time, is hereby adopted and incorporated herein by reference as the municipal building code of the township.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Lower Allen township

    • Adopted under the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code
    “this chapter shall be known as the "lower allen township zoning ordinance of 2009."”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    R-1 Single-Family Established Residential District, inside Lower Allen township

    • With on-lot water supply and/or sewage disposal there is no minimum lot area; density is one dwelling unit per gross acre and lot area is driven by setbacks, impervious coverage and other criteria
    • Minimum lot width not less than 50 feet at the dedicated right-of-way line
    • With public water and sewer maximum density is four dwelling units per gross acre

    minimum lot area with public water and sewer: >= 7200 sq ft · minimum lot width: >= 50 ft

    “a. with public water and public sewer (public or private utility): (1) the maximum permitted residential density shall be four dwelling units per gross acre, excluding existing dedicated rights-of-way. (2) the minimum lot area shall be 7,200 square feet. (3) the minimum lot width shall be not less than 50 feet at the dedicated right-of-way line.”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Residential uses in the R-1 Single-Family Established Residential District, inside Lower Allen township

    • Corner lot: two front yards and two side yards; no rear yard required
    • Averaging of front setbacks allowed where existing buildings are nonconforming per § 220-212b
    • Nonresidential principal buildings have different yards

    front yard: >= 30 ft · side yards total: >= 15 ft (no one side yard less than 5 feet) · rear yard: >= 25 ft (not required on corner lot)

    “(2) minimum side yards shall total no less than 15 feet, with no one side yard less than five feet in width.”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    R-1 Single-Family Established Residential District, inside Lower Allen township

    maximum impervious coverage: <= 50 percent

    “§ 220-14 impervious coverage. impervious coverage shall not exceed 50%.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    R-1 Single-Family Established Residential District, inside Lower Allen township

    principal building height: <= 35 ft · accessory structure height: <= 25 ft

    “a. no principal building shall be erected to a height in excess of 35 feet. b. no accessory structure shall be erected to a height in excess of 25 feet.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Lower Allen Township or Cumberland County directly.

  • Building permit — Building permits inside Lower Allen township
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemptions inside Lower Allen township
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Lower Allen township
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Lower Allen township
  • Living in an RV — RV occupancy inside Lower Allen township
17 more unanswered
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • 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 Lower Allen Township publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Cumberland County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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