Swatara Township, Pennsylvania building permits, zoning and septic rules

At a glance

Building permits

Required for new construction, additions and alterations; township Building and Codes issues them¹

Zoning

Township zoning applies throughout Swatara Township²

Plan review and inspections

Approved Code Services, Inc. conducts building plan reviews and construction inspections¹

Septic permits

Local-agency approval under Pennsylvania law; ask Building and Codes for the serving Sewage Enforcement Officer³¹

Owner-builder

No statewide license requirement for most contractors; this does not waive building approval⁴⁵

Occupancy

A UCC-regulated residential building needs a certificate of occupancy before use⁶

Who to call

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 15, 2026.

Do you need a building permit in Swatara Township, PA?

Swatara Township’s Building and Codes Department issues building permits and zoning permits, with building permits generally required for new construction, additions and alterations.¹ Routine maintenance, building repairs and replacement of existing equipment generally do not need building permits; ask the department to classify the actual work before relying on that distinction.¹

Building plan reviews and construction inspections are conducted by Approved Code Services, Inc., the township’s exclusive third-party agency.¹ Pennsylvania requires the permit holder to keep permitted residential construction accessible and notify the construction code official when work is ready for inspection.⁷ A residential building governed by the UCC cannot be used or occupied before the building code official issues a certificate of occupancy.⁶

Does Swatara Township have zoning, and can you live in an RV or tiny home?

Swatara Township’s zoning ordinance applies throughout the township; building-code approval alone does not answer the land-use question.²¹ Ask Building and Codes to identify the parcel’s zoning district and confirm the proposed dwelling type, lot dimensions and setbacks before choosing a house design.¹

We could not confirm Swatara Township’s rules for residential RV occupancy, temporary camping, tiny homes, accessory dwellings or minimum dwelling size; ask Building and Codes about the specific use and parcel.¹ For a use requiring a special exception or variance, the zoning officer issues the zoning permit only after written Zoning Hearing Board approval following a hearing; conditional uses require Board of Commissioners approval.⁸

How do septic permits work inside Swatara Township?

Pennsylvania’s on-lot sewage permitting and enforcement are largely administered by local agencies, with DEP providing technical oversight.³ Swatara Township’s Building and Codes Department is involved with on-lot sewage disposal systems; ask the department to identify the serving Sewage Enforcement Officer and determine whether the parcel needs on-lot sewage approval or public sewer coordination.¹

For a system subject to Pennsylvania’s sewage-permit requirement, local-agency approval must come before installation, contracting for construction, construction, occupancy or use.⁹ A composting or incinerating toilet does not eliminate wastewater disposal requirements for a new residence: washwater and excess liquid still need an on-lot system or another approved disposal method.¹⁰ We could not confirm Swatara Township’s mandatory sewer-connection rules; resolve that question with Building and Codes before budgeting for septic.¹

Building a home in Swatara Township: what are the steps?

1. Start with Swatara Township Building and Codes for the proposed land use and building project, including zoning approval and any subdivision or floodplain questions.¹
2. Resolve any special exception, variance or conditional-use approval before expecting the zoning permit.⁸
3. Identify the sewage approval route with the township and obtain any required on-lot sewage permit before contracting for system construction.¹⁹
4. Obtain the required residential building permit before covered construction begins, and coordinate plan review and inspections through the township’s designated agency.⁵¹
5. Keep construction accessible for inspections and obtain the residential certificate of occupancy before moving in.⁷⁶

What should you check before buying land in Swatara Township?

Swatara Township Building and Codes covers building and zoning permits and is involved in floodplain management and subdivision or land-development matters; those questions belong at the township counter.¹ For land beyond the township boundary, use the Dauphin County guide to orient your search, then identify the municipality governing the parcel because local zoning requirements vary across the county.¹¹

Development within a Special Flood Hazard Area requires municipal floodplain approval before work begins.¹² Building or changing driveway access on state highway land, or connecting to a PennDOT drainage facility, requires PennDOT approval.¹³ Pennsylvania’s well-driller licensing rules do not settle Swatara Township’s private-well approval requirements; we could not confirm those local requirements, so ask Building and Codes before relying on a well as the water supply.¹⁴¹

Watch-outs

• We could not confirm residential RV or tiny-home permission in Swatara Township; ask Building and Codes before buying land for either use.¹
• Pennsylvania’s lack of a statewide license requirement for most contractors does not waive the residential building-permit requirement for covered work.⁴⁵

Sources

1. Swatara Township Building and Codes Department (swataratwp.com)
2. Swatara Township Code Ch. 295 Zoning, Article I: General Provisions; Administration and Enforcement (Swatara Township), quoted and re-checked
3. Act 537 Sewage Facilities (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
4. Contractor Licensing (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
5. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
6. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
7. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
8. Swatara Township Code Ch. 295 Zoning, Article I: General Provisions; Administration and Enforcement (Swatara Township), quoted and re-checked
9. 25 Pa. Code § 72.22. Permit issuance (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
10. 25 Pa. Code § 73.65. Recycling toilet, incinerating toilet or composting toilet (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
11. Dauphin County 2016 Assessment of Fair Housing, quoted and re-checked
12. PennsylvaniA Floodplain Development Guide (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
13. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
14. Apply for a Water Well Drillers License and Rig Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked

Written October 15, 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.