Bolthole Index

Cumberland County, Pennsylvania

Building permits, zoning and septic in South Middleton Township, PA

South Middleton Township, Pennsylvania requires a building permit for new homes and regulated building work, and the township administers its own zoning.12 In Cumberland County, start with South Middleton Community Development for building and zoning applications; on-lot sewage permits go through the township’s certified Sewage Enforcement Officer.34 Approved access and waste-disposal and water/well permits are prerequisites to a township building permit.5

At a glance

Building permits
Required for new construction and regulated building work1
Zoning
Township zoning applies; confirm the parcel’s district2
Septic permits
Township-certified Sewage Enforcement Officer4
Access and water
Approved access, waste disposal and water/well permits before building approval5
Occupancy
Certificate of use and occupancy required before the proposed building or use is occupied or established6
Owner-builder
State licensing relief does not establish a township permit exemption71

Who to call

Building permits

South Middleton Township Community Development

Building and zoning applications, plan review and inspection coordination

717-258-5324

520 Park Drive Boiling Springs PA 17007

Planning & zoning

South Middleton Township Community Development and Planning

Zoning, land development, floodplain management and road occupancy inquiries

717-258-5324

520 Park Drive Boiling Springs PA 17007

Septic permits

South Middleton Township Sewage Enforcement Officer

On-lot sewage applications and septic-system questions

717-263-6120

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 11, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Do you need a building permit in South Middleton Township, PA?

South Middleton Township requires a building permit before a building is erected, reconstructed, restored or altered.1 A new home therefore needs township building approval, even when the owner performs the construction.1 Pennsylvania’s lack of statewide licensing requirements for most contractors concerns licensing, rather than permission to build.71

Qualifying agricultural buildings are excluded from Pennsylvania’s Construction Code Act, but the exclusion does not cover habitable space and other municipal land-use requirements may still apply.8 Ask Community Development to classify a proposed barn and confirm township zoning approval before treating an agricultural project as exempt.98

Who issues building permits in South Middleton Township?

South Middleton Township Community Development coordinates building applications, permitting and inspections through a single point of contact.3 Building permit applications are available through the township’s applications page, at the township office or by calling 717-258-5324.3 Visit Community Development at 520 Park Drive Boiling Springs PA 17007 for township building and zoning questions.3

A South Middleton Township submission must include the appropriate application, fee, site plan, building plans when applicable and supporting documentation.10 The permit technician’s completeness review is scheduled within 3 days; that is a completeness check, not a promise of final building approval.10 Use the township’s current fee schedule when budgeting the application.11

Does South Middleton Township have zoning?

South Middleton Township has a zoning ordinance, and its Zoning Officer issues zoning permits for new construction and changes or expansions of property use.23 Township Community Development also handles land-use standards, building height limits and floodplain management.9 Ask the township to confirm the parcel’s zoning district and the standards for the proposed home, accessory buildings and uses before choosing a house plan.9

We could not confirm district-specific minimum lot sizes, setbacks or a numeric minimum dwelling size for South Middleton Township; ask the Zoning Officer for the requirements applicable to the actual parcel.2 A township zoning approval does not replace the certificate of use and occupancy required before a proposed building or use is occupied or established.6

How do septic permits work in South Middleton Township?

South Middleton Township’s certified Sewage Enforcement Officer reviews and issues on-lot sewage permits and conducts investigations and inspections under Pennsylvania’s sewage program.4 The On-Lot Sewage Permit Application is available at the township office and must be filled out there; call the Sewage Enforcement Officer at 717-263-6120 with septic questions.12 Township sewage systems require a final inspection, and the township may schedule additional inspections.13

For a new South Middleton Township residence using a composting or incinerating toilet, Pennsylvania still requires an on-lot system or another approved method to treat washwater or excess liquid, subject to the retaining-tank exception.14 Choosing a water-saving toilet therefore does not resolve the whole sewage-disposal question; discuss both toilet waste and washwater with the township SEO.1412

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in South Middleton Township?

We could not confirm a general South Middleton Township rule allowing residential RV occupancy or temporary camping on private land; ask the township Zoning Officer about the proposed duration, location and use before buying an RV as a construction-stage residence.29 We also could not confirm a separate tiny-home occupancy rule or minimum dwelling size in South Middleton Township; ask Community Development how the intended structure would be classified.9

South Middleton Township requires a certificate of use and occupancy before a proposed building or use is occupied or established, with compliance required under zoning, the Uniform Construction Code and other applicable ordinances.6 For a tiny home intended as a dwelling, resolve township land-use approval and occupancy requirements before relying on the structure’s small size.26

Building a home in South Middleton Township: what comes first?

Follow the approval dependencies when planning a South Middleton Township home.5

  1. Ask township Community Development to confirm the zoning district, proposed residential use and floodplain requirements.9
  2. Resolve approved street or highway access, waste-disposal approval and the water/well permit before building-permit issuance.5
  3. Submit the building application, application fee, site plan, applicable building plans and supporting documents to the township.10
  4. Arrange inspections and keep permitted construction accessible to the building code official.15
  5. Obtain the required certificate of use and occupancy before occupying the home.6

South Middleton Township publishes permit fees, and fees for work begun without required approval may be doubled.11

What should you check before buying South Middleton Township land?

South Middleton Township will not issue a building permit for construction or alteration without approved access, waste disposal and water/well permits, so resolve those feasibility questions before committing to a parcel.5 For a driveway on state highway land, Pennsylvania also requires a PennDOT highway occupancy permit.16 Ask township Community Development about township road occupancy and floodplain management.9

We could not confirm South Middleton Township’s complete private-well exemptions or mandatory public water and sewer connection rules; ask Community Development what the particular address requires.9 For land outside South Middleton Township, use the Cumberland County guide and confirm the municipality: zoning regulations are established and administered by municipalities, and county map information may not be the officially adopted municipal map.17

Watch-outs

  • South Middleton Township building approval depends on approved access, waste disposal and water/well permits; settle those before relying on a building site.5
  • We could not confirm permission to live in an RV while building in South Middleton Township; ask the township Zoning Officer before committing to that plan.9
  • South Middleton Township may double permit fees for work started without required building or zoning approval.11

Sources

  1. Permitting (South Middleton Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. Zoning Ordinance (South Middleton Township), quoted and re-checked
  3. South Middleton Township Community Development (smiddleton.com)
  4. 2000-02 On-Lot Sewage Disposal Ordinance (South Middleton Township), quoted and re-checked
  5. South Middleton Township Zoning Ordinance Article XXII (South Middleton Township), quoted and re-checked
  6. South Middleton Township Zoning Ordinance Article XXII (South Middleton Township), quoted and re-checked
  7. Contractor Licensing (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  8. Pennsylvania Construction Code Act — Chapter 1 (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. South Middleton Township Community Development and Planning (smiddleton.com)
  10. Building Permit Review Policy & Procedure (South Middleton Township), quoted and re-checked
  11. Consolidated Fee Schedule (South Middleton Township), quoted and re-checked
  12. South Middleton Township Sewage Enforcement Officer (smiddleton.com)
  13. 2000-02 On-Lot Sewage Disposal Ordinance (South Middleton Township), quoted and re-checked
  14. 25 Pa. Code § 73.65. Recycling toilet, incinerating toilet or composting toilet (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  15. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. Municipal Information, quoted and re-checked

Written October 11, 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 South Middleton Township

South Middleton Township’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Alterations, repairs, additions, reconstructions, new construction, demolitions, new driveways, pools, new sewage systems, and repairs to existing sewage systems inside South Middleton township.

    • The township lists re-shingling roofs, replacing doors/windows/siding without structural changes, security alarms, temporary pods, and repaving or paving driveways over stone as examples of work not needing a permit; the page says certain circumstances apply.
    • A zoning permit is separately required for listed land-use and development activities.
    “No building in any District shall be erected, reconstructed, restored, or altered without a building permit duly issued upon application to the Township.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Building construction inside South Middleton township.

    • The township page states that the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry is responsible for updating Uniform Construction Code regulations.
    • ICC codes are identified as effective February 14, 2022 on the township page.

    code edition: 2021 International Code Council (ICC) Building Codes

    “South Middleton Township has adopted the 2021 International Code Council (ICC) Building Codes. If you have any questions please call the Township.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Buildings and proposed uses inside South Middleton township requiring zoning approval.

    • The certificate is issued by the Zoning Officer after compliance with the zoning ordinance, Uniform Construction Code, and applicable ordinances, including the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.
    “Additionally, no proposed building or use shall be occupied or established until a certificate of use and occupancy shall have been issued by the Zoning Officer stating that the buildings or proposed uses fully comply with the provisions of this Ordinance, the provision of the Uniform Construction Code and the provision of all other applicable ordinances (i.e. Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance).”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside South Middleton township.

    • The township zoning ordinance is identified as Ordinance No. 2025-02, amended January 22, 2026.
    “Zoning Ordinance (No. 2025-02) Amended January 22, 2026”
  • Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

    On-lot sewage disposal inside South Middleton township.

    • The Sewage Enforcement Officer must be certified and is authorized to issue and review permits and conduct investigations and inspections under Act 537 and applicable regulations.
    “Sewage Enforcement Officer (SEO) - An authorized agent of the municipality, DEP-certified to issue and review permit applications and conduct such investigations and inspections as are necessary to implement Act 537 and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    On-lot sewage disposal systems inside South Middleton township.

    • The ordinance requires a final inspection under Act 537.
    • The township may schedule additional inspections.
    • The SEO may inspect systems and has authority to enter land for those inspections.
    “The municipality may require applicants for sewage permits to notify the municipality's certified SEO of the schedule for construction of the permitted on-lot sewage disposal system so that inspection(s) in addition to the final inspection required by Act 537 may be scheduled and performed by the municipality's certified SEO.”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    Construction or alteration of a building inside South Middleton township.

    • A building permit cannot issue without approved access to a street or highway.
    • Other driveway and road-occupancy requirements may apply.
    “No building permit shall be issued for the construction or alteration of any building upon a lot without approved access to a street or highway or without an approved waste disposal permit or water/well permit.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Township building, zoning, environmental-protection, highway-occupancy, and subdivision/land-development permits.

    • The township publishes community-development fee schedules.
    • Permit fees are subject to the current schedule; fees for work begun without required permits may be doubled.

    unpermitted-work first-offense fine: 100 USD (plus all permit fees doubled) · unpermitted-work second-offense fine: 250 USD (plus all permit fees doubled) · unpermitted-work third-offense fine: 500 USD (plus all permit fees doubled)

    “Resolution No. 2025-22 Adopted by the Board of Supervisors: December,18 2025”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building and zoning permit applications inside South Middleton township.

    • Submissions must include the appropriate application form, application fee, site plan, building plans when applicable, and supporting documentation.
    • The permit technician performs completeness review within three days.
    • Incomplete applications may require resubmission; an application resubmitted after the stated deadline may incur a new application fee.

    completeness review: 3 days

    “To ensure applications progress satisfactorily through the review process, all submissions must include the appropriate application form, application fee, site plan, building plans (when applicable), and required supporting documentation. Complete application submitted to the Township Completeness Review by Permit Technician within 3 days”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside South Middleton township.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside South Middleton township zoning districts.
  • Living in an RV — Long-term or residential RV occupancy on private land inside South Middleton township.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping inside South Middleton township.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside South Middleton township.
5 more unanswered
  • Manufactured homes
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption

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 South Middleton 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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