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

Chester Township’s own rules

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Township building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, planning, zoning, and stormwater applications inside Chester Township.

  • The posted schedule is labeled updated August 7, 2025. Residential construction up to $1,000 is $75 plus $35 for each additional $1,000 or part thereof.

  residential construction base fee: 75 USD (Construction up to $1,000; plus $35 for each additional $1,000 or part thereof.)

  “$75.00 PLUS $35.00 FOR EACH ADDITIONAL $1,000 OR PART THEREOF”

• Permit processPartial

  Township building and certificate-of-compliance applications inside Chester Township.

  • The official page publishes applications, but no comprehensive official application, review, approval, and inspection procedure was located.

  “Building Permit Application Certificate of Compliance Application”

Rules another office applies inside Chester Township

Chester 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 permitRequired

  Construction or building work inside Chester Township subject to the Pennsylvania UCC.

  • Emergency repairs or equipment replacements may be made without a permit if an application is submitted to the building code official within three business days.

  “The UCC requires property owners to obtain a construction or building permit before starting any work.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Building projects inside Chester Township subject to Pennsylvania's statewide UCC.

  • The UCC page says the 2018 I-Code-series regulations had an effective date of February 14, 2022.

  “Pennsylvania's statewide building code, generally known as the Uniform Construction Code (UCC), has to be followed by builders in the state.”

• InspectionsLimited

  UCC-regulated work inside Chester Township.

  • Applies in several cases, including commercial or residential construction or changes, electrical, gas, mechanical, plumbing, pools or hot tubs, and specified manufactured or industrialized housing work.

  “Inspections are also necessary in several cases”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  A building or facility inside Chester Township subject to the Pennsylvania UCC.

  “must be issued before a building or facility can be used.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Construction occurring in a floodplain inside Chester Township and subject to the Pennsylvania UCC.

  • Documentation must be prepared and sealed by a registered design professional.

  “A permit applicant shall submit certifications required in the ‘‘International Building Code of 2021’’ for construction in a flood hazard area to the building code official.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residences inside Chester Township.
• Local zoning — Land inside Chester Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania.
• Zoning districts — Zoning districts inside Chester Township.
• Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings inside Chester Township.
• Minimum lot size — Residential lots inside Chester Township.

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.