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

Mifflin Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New residential construction and alterations inside Mifflin Township, Dauphin County

  • Construction may not start until the UCC building permit is approved and all other required permits are obtained.
  • Permit applications are filed with Lehigh Engineering, LLC, Pottsville, PA, per the township form.
  • Agricultural buildings meeting the state definition are excluded from the UCC (see agricultural_exemption claim).

  “the issuances of ucc construction permits do not individually authorize the start of construction until all other required permits are approved and obtained.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Construction under a Mifflin Township UCC building permit

  • Right of entry for inspection is a condition attached to all permits issued.
  • Inspections are made by the township building code official (Lehigh Engineering, LLC is the listed contact).

  “the building code official will make compliance inspections during the construction process to determine compliance with all permits and ordinances.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Occupancy of new or altered buildings and land inside Mifflin Township, Dauphin County

  • Issued only if compliance is confirmed by inspection.
  • No occupancy permit is issued until all fees are paid in full.

  “if compliance is confirmed by inspection, a use and occupancy certificate shall be issued. it is unlawful to use and/or occupy any structure, building, and/or land or portion thereof without this certificate.”

• Septic permitRequired

  New construction that needs sewage service inside Mifflin Township, Dauphin County

  • Applies to a building permit application as a required step: a public sewage permit or an on-lot sewage disposal permit must be obtained.
  • The checklist requires an on-lot sewage permit from the SEO, or a letter of intent to serve from the public water supplier where applicable.
  • Issuing authority of the on-lot permit is not named on the form (see septic_authority).

  “obtain a public sewage permit or-on-lot sewage disposal permit”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Agricultural buildings in Mifflin Township, Dauphin County, excluded from the UCC

  • The building must meet the act's definition of agricultural building: storage of farm implements, hay, feed, grain or other agricultural or horticultural products, housing of poultry, livestock or other farm animals, or a milk house; it must not include habitable space or spaces in which agricultural products are processed, treated or packaged.
  • Owner must submit the township's agricultural building exemption form, signed, before construction starts.
  • Owner acknowledges responsibility for obtaining a building permit if the use of the structure changes.

  “this act shall not apply to an agricultural building. an agricultural building shall meet the definition of an "agricultural building" per section 401.1”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision and land development of land inside Mifflin Township, Dauphin County

  • Subdivision is governed by the Mifflin Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance (SALDO) as summarized in the township application packet (sect. 108.1 cited there).
  • Minor subdivision (two-lot or add-on) and major subdivision/land development procedures differ; applicants pay escrow to the township and consultant costs above escrow are charged to the applicant.
  • Plan must be finally approved before recording (sect. 306.6.a(1) cited in the packet).

  preliminary subdivision/land development review escrow: 1000 USD (costs above the escrow are charged to the applicant at the consultant's rate; unused funds returned)

  “for the preliminary subdivision/land development review stage, the applicant must submit a completed application packet along with a check or money order made payable to mifflin township in the amount of $1000.00.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  New construction that needs access from a road in Mifflin Township, Dauphin County

  • The form directs applicants to obtain a driveway permit from the township or borough and/or PennDOT.
  • Driveway ordinance text listed on the township ordinance page was not opened; permit standards are not stated here.

  “obtain a driveway permit from township/borough and/or penndot”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Construction under a Mifflin Township UCC permit, where a floodplain permit applies

  • The UCC checklist lists a floodplain permit from the floodplain officer as a required item of the application package.
  • Whether a given parcel lies in a mapped floodplain was not verified; the Flood Plain Ordinance listed on the township page was not opened.

  “floodplain permit from floodplain officer”

• Permit feesPublished

  Residential UCC building permit fees for construction inside Mifflin Township, Dauphin County

  • Fee schedule is attached to the 2025 (Rev. 2025) residential application; the township states the amount is confirmed on receipt of plans.
  • Additional fee of $.35 per sq. ft. above 2,000 sq. ft. gross floor area for single-family new residential, per the schedule.
  • No permits issued before all fees are received; fees are non-refundable; no occupancy permit until fees paid.

  single family new residential base fee: 1600 USD (plus $.35 per sq. ft. above 2,000 sq. ft. gross floor area)

  “single family new residential base fee $1,600”

• Permit processPublished

  Building permit application process for UCC construction in Mifflin Township, Dauphin County

  • Applications and fees are filed with Lehigh Engineering, LLC, P.O. Box 1200, 200 Mahantongo St., Pottsville, PA 17901 (per township form).
  • Building codes officer confirms the application package within 5 days of receipt (per form checklist).
  • Permit must be posted on the premises; issuance is conditioned on all required other permits, and zoning and floodplain permits are listed as checklist items.

  “all applications and fees can be forwarded to: lehigh engineering, llc p.o. box 1200 200 mahantongo st. pottsville, pa 17901”

Rules another office applies inside Mifflin Township

Mifflin Township does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  New construction and alterations of buildings inside Mifflin Township, Dauphin County, under the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act (Uniform Construction Code)

  • The state statute and the PA UCC adoption text were not opened in this run; the adoption is evidenced by the township's own forms, which cite the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act and require plans to conform to UCC codes.
  • Agricultural buildings meeting the act's definition are excluded (see agricultural_exemption claim).
  • Township permit forms state that plan requirements must conform to UCC codes.

  “plan requirements must confirm to ucc codes”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for owner-occupants building their own home in Mifflin Township
• Local zoning — Whether Mifflin Township, Dauphin County, adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance on land inside the township
• Zoning districts — Zoning districts of Mifflin Township, Dauphin County
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in the main single-family residential district of Mifflin Township, Dauphin County
• Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size in the main single-family residential district of Mifflin Township, Dauphin County

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.