Bolthole Index

Fulton County, Pennsylvania

Building permits and land rules in Belfast Township, Pennsylvania

Building work in Belfast Township, Fulton County, generally requires a Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code permit before work starts.1 Belfast Township also administers land-use and subdivision matters, while its Sewage Enforcement Officer is the local contact for on-lot sewage.23 The current building-code official was not confirmed, so contact the township municipal building before submitting plans.4

At a glance

Building permit
Required before UCC-regulated building work begins1
Land use
Ask Belfast Township about the land-use application and parcel-specific controls4
Subdivision
Township review applies to subdivision and land development2
Septic
Local approval is generally required through the Sewage Enforcement Officer53
RV or tiny home
Occupancy rules were not confirmed; ask the township before purchase or placement4
New subdivision lots
Lot area and width depend on public water and sewer availability6
State-highway driveway
A PennDOT highway occupancy permit is required7

Who to call

Building permits

Belfast Township Municipal Building

Township contact for land-use applications, subdivision documents, floodplain questions and identification of the current building-code official

(717) 573-4237

323 Martin Road, Needmore, PA 17238

Septic permits

Belfast Township Sewage Enforcement Officer

Local contact for on-lot sewage permitting and enforcement in Belfast Township

(717) 372-9557

Planning & zoning

Fulton County Planning & Mapping Department

County planning and mapping questions, floodplain maps and addressing guidance

717-485-3717

[email protected]

116 West Market Street, Suite 203, McConnellsburg, PA 17233

Planning & zoning

Fulton County Planning Commission FAQ

County floodplain maps, address assignment and basic municipal-zoning information

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 9, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Belfast 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 Belfast Township, PA?

Yes. Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code requires a construction or building permit before UCC-regulated work starts in Belfast Township.1 Inspections apply to permitted construction, and a residential building cannot be occupied until the building-code official issues a certificate of occupancy.89

The state rule has project-specific exceptions, so a small repair is not automatically treated like a new house. Belfast Township's official county page publishes a township land-use permit application, but it does not name the current building-code official.4 Call the Belfast Township Municipal Building before designing or paying an application fee to confirm which certified official or third-party agency currently accepts residential UCC plans.4

Who handles building and land-use approvals in Belfast Township?

Belfast Township is the starting point for local land-use questions: the township page lists the municipal building and publishes its land-use application along with subdivision, stormwater and floodplain documents.4 The township's current UCC building-code official was not confirmed on that page, so ask the municipal building who receives the building-permit package and schedules inspections.4

For county mapping, floodplain maps and addressing questions, contact the Fulton County Planning & Mapping Department.10 The county says a new address is assigned from the driveway and the driveway must be marked when requesting one.11 Keeping these roles separate matters: the township is the local land-use contact, the building-code official handles UCC review and inspections, and the Sewage Enforcement Officer handles on-lot sewage.83

Does Belfast Township have zoning and what lot rules apply?

Fulton County's planning FAQ identifies McConnellsburg Borough when asked which municipality has zoning, but Belfast Township's own page does not expressly say that Belfast has no zoning.11 Ask the Belfast Township Municipal Building for a parcel-specific answer before relying on a proposed use, especially for an RV, tiny home, accessory dwelling or short-term rental.4

Separate subdivision standards are confirmed. For a newly divided lot without public water or sanitary sewer, the minimum is 43,500 square feet per family and 100 feet of width; where either public water or sanitary sewer is provided, the standards are 12,000 square feet and 80 feet.6 Buildings on lots governed by those subdivision rules must sit at least 35 feet from the road right-of-way or 60 feet from the road centerline, whichever is greater, with 10-foot side and 25-foot rear setbacks.12 These are subdivision standards, not a complete zoning schedule.6

How do septic permits work inside Belfast Township?

Belfast Township has a listed Sewage Enforcement Officer, and Pennsylvania places on-lot sewage permitting and enforcement with the local agency.313 A permit is generally required before installing or using an individual or community on-lot sewage system, although state law contains narrow exceptions.14 Contact the township Sewage Enforcement Officer before buying a building site or finalizing a house location.15

Soils deserve early attention in Fulton County: only about 3.9% of mapped county soils avoid a “very limited” rating for a conventional septic drain field.16 That county-level figure does not decide whether a particular Belfast Township lot will pass testing, but it makes the sewage site evaluation an early due-diligence item. The installed system cannot be covered until approval is given by the permit issuer or authorized representative.17

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Belfast Township?

We could not confirm a Belfast Township rule that allows or prohibits living in an RV on private land, temporary camping, or occupancy of a tiny home. Ask the Belfast Township Municipal Building how the proposed use is treated before buying land or placing a unit.4 The confirmed statewide campground limits apply to Pennsylvania state park campsites, not residential RV use on a private Belfast Township parcel.18

A tiny home used as a dwelling still has to clear the rules that apply to its construction and occupancy: UCC-regulated work requires a building permit, inspections apply, and a residential building needs a certificate of occupancy before use.189 Composting or incinerating toilets do not eliminate wastewater planning for a new residence because washwater or excess liquid still needs an approved disposal method.19

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

  1. Call the Belfast Township Municipal Building to confirm the land-use application, the current UCC building-code official and any stormwater or floodplain review for the parcel.4
  1. Contact the Sewage Enforcement Officer before fixing the house location; local on-lot sewage approval is generally required.155
  1. If land will be divided, submit the subdivision plan for township review and apply the utility-dependent lot dimensions and subdivision setbacks.2612
  1. Submit the UCC building-permit application and construction documents to the building-code official identified by the township, then arrange required inspections.208
  1. Obtain a PennDOT highway occupancy permit when the driveway enters a state highway, and address floodplain documentation when the site is in a floodplain.721
  1. Complete the final inspection and obtain the certificate of occupancy before moving into the home.9

What should you check before buying land in Belfast Township?

Confirm the parcel boundary, legal access, driveway authority, sewage site, water plan and floodplain status before closing. A driveway entering a Pennsylvania state highway needs a highway occupancy permit, while Fulton County requires the driveway location to be marked when assigning an address.711 Floodplain construction requires additional documentation prepared and sealed by a registered design professional.21

For a private well, Pennsylvania requires commercial water-well drilling companies to hold the state license and rig permits, but no Belfast-specific well-permit rule was confirmed.22 Ask the township whether any local well or utility-connection requirement applies.4 Fulton County's land is about 74.8% wooded and only 44% is at a slope of 15% or less, so walk the proposed house, driveway and septic areas rather than judging buildability from acreage alone.2324

Watch-outs

  • The Belfast Township page does not identify the current UCC building-code official; call the municipal building before submitting plans or fees.4
  • RV living, temporary camping, tiny-home occupancy and minimum dwelling size were not confirmed for Belfast Township; ask the municipal building for a written parcel-specific determination.4
  • Subdivision lot sizes and setbacks are confirmed, but they are not a complete zoning schedule for every existing parcel.612
  • Only about 3.9% of Fulton County's mapped soils avoid a very-limited rating for conventional septic drain fields, so resolve the sewage site early.16

Sources

  1. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit (Belfast Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. Belfast Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance - April 1990 (Belfast Township), quoted and re-checked
  3. Belfast Township (Belfast Township), quoted and re-checked
  4. Belfast Township Municipal Building (co.fulton.pa.us)
  5. Belfast Township (Belfast Township), quoted and re-checked
  6. Belfast Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance - April 1990 (Belfast Township), quoted and re-checked
  7. pa.gov (Belfast Township), quoted and re-checked
  8. pa.gov (Belfast Township), quoted and re-checked
  9. pa.gov (Belfast Township), quoted and re-checked
  10. Fulton County Planning & Mapping Department (co.fulton.pa.us)
  11. Fulton County Planning Commission FAQ (co.fulton.pa.us)
  12. Belfast Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance - April 1990 (Belfast Township), quoted and re-checked
  13. Belfast Township (Belfast Township), quoted and re-checked
  14. 25 Pa. Code § 72.22. Permit issuance (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  15. Belfast Township Sewage Enforcement Officer (co.fulton.pa.us)
  16. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  17. Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. RV and Tent Campsites (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  19. 25 Pa. Code § 73.65. Recycling toilet, incinerating toilet or composting toilet (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  20. Uniform Construction Code, Part XIV (Belfast Township), quoted and re-checked
  21. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit (Belfast Township), quoted and re-checked
  22. Apply for a Water Well Drillers License and Rig Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  23. Wooded share of land: Bolthole Index county data
  24. Share of land at 15% slope or less: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 9, 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 Belfast Township

Belfast Township’s own rules

  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Lots created through subdivision in Belfast township under the township subdivision ordinance.

    • Where neither public water nor sanitary sewer facilities are provided, each lot must meet the 43,500-square-foot and 100-foot-width standards.
    • Where either public water or sanitary sewer facilities, or both, are provided, each lot must meet the 12,000-square-foot and 80-foot-width standards.
    • The stated lot area excludes the required right-of-way width.
    • These are subdivision standards and are not presented as a comprehensive zoning-district schedule.

    minimum lot area per family without public water or sanitary sewer: >= 43500 square feet (excluding required right-of-way width) · minimum lot width without public water or sanitary sewer: >= 100 feet (at the building line and front property line) · minimum lot area per family with public water or sanitary sewer: >= 12000 square feet (excluding required right-of-way width) · minimum lot width with public water or sanitary sewer: >= 80 feet (at the building line and front property line)

    “In any portion of the Township where neither public water nor sanitary sewer facilities are provided, each lot shall have a minimum lot area per family of forty-three thousand five hundred square feet, excluding the right-of-way width required herein, and a minimum lot width of 100 feet at the building line and at the front property line.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Buildings on lots governed by Belfast township subdivision standards.

    • The road setback is at least 35 feet from the road right-of-way or at least 60 feet from the road centerline, whichever is greater.
    • Buildings must be at least 10 feet from side lot lines and 25 feet from the rear lot line.
    • The cited provisions are subdivision standards, not a comprehensive zoning-district schedule.

    road setback: >= 35 feet (or 60 feet from road centerline, whichever is greater) · side setback: >= 10 feet · rear setback: >= 25 feet

    “Setback lines shall be at least thirty-five (35) feet from the road right-of-way or at least sixty (60) feet from the road centerline, whichever is greater. Buildings shall be constructed at least ten (10) feet from the sidelines and at least twenty-five (25) feet from the rear lot line.”
  • Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

    On-lot sewage permitting and enforcement inside Belfast township, subject to Pennsylvania Act 537's local-agency framework.

    • Pennsylvania identifies local agencies as municipalities, combinations of municipalities, counties, county departments of health, or joint county departments of health.
    • The official Fulton County Belfast page lists a Belfast Township Sewage Enforcement Officer, Jason Cotton.
    • The precise legal organizational form of Belfast's local agency was not stated on the township page.
    “The Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act (Act 537) defines "Local Agency" as "a municipality, or any combination thereof acting cooperatively or jointly under the laws of the Commonwealth, county, county department of health or joint county department of health." Local Agencies are responsible for carrying out on-lot or onsite ("septic system") sewage treatment system permitting and enforcement activities.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Local — On-lot sewage permitting and enforcement inside Belfast Township.
      “Sewage Enforcement Officer Jason Cotton (717) 372-9557”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Individual and community on-lot sewage systems inside Belfast Township.

    • Local agencies issue permits for retaining tanks and individual or community on-lot systems that renovate effluent in a soil absorption area or spray field.
    • Large-volume on-lot systems are an exception identified by DEP.
    “Local Agencies are responsible for carrying out on-lot or onsite ("septic system") sewage treatment system permitting and enforcement activities.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Required — On-lot sewage systems installed inside Belfast Township.
      “With certain exceptions (i.e. large volume on-lot systems), local agencies are responsible for issuing permits for retaining tanks or for individual and community on-lot sewage systems which renovate sewage effluent in a soil absorption area or spray field.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision and land development inside Belfast Township.

    • Subdivision and mobile-home-park plans must be submitted for township review.
    • The ordinance prescribes design, plan requirements, processing, improvement, construction, and acceptance requirements.
    “AN ORDINANCE REGULATING THE SUBDIVISION AND DEVELOPMENT OF LAND WITHIN BELFAST TOWNSHIP, FULTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA: REQUIRING THE SUBMITTAL OF SUBDIVISION AND MOBILE HOME PARK PLANS FOR TOWSHIP REVIEW: PRESCRIBING STANDARDS OF DESIGN, PLAN REQUIREMENTS, PLAN PROCESSING, IMPROVEMENT AND CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS, AND CONDITIONS OF ACCEPTANCE OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS .”
  • Building in a floodplainLimited

    Development inside Belfast Township located in a mapped floodplain.

    • Applicants identify whether proposed development is in the floodplain on zoning or building permit applications.
    • The municipal floodplain administrator reviews proposed development against the township floodplain management ordinance.
    • The administrator reviews revisions until requirements are met and conducts inspections with code or zoning officials.
    “If it is, the municipal floodplain administrator reviews the proposed development against the municipality’s floodplain management ordinance.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Subdivision and land-development approvals inside Belfast Township.

    • The subdivision ordinance requires plan submission, township review, and township approval before recording or development proceeds.
    • The reviewed sources did not establish the complete building-permit process or all application forms.
    “Subdivision plans shall be reviewed by the Township Board of Supervisors at its first regular meeting following the date of submittal, providing that such plans are submitted at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting.”

Rules another office applies inside Belfast Township

Belfast 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 and building work inside Belfast township.

    • A permit is required before starting work.
    • Emergency repairs or equipment replacements may be done without a permit if an application is submitted to the building code official within three business days.
    • The state page identifies new buildings, additions, and alterations exceeding Alterations-Level 1 as covered application categories.
    “The UCC requires property owners to obtain a construction or building permit before starting any work. Inspections are also necessary in several cases, including construction or changes to commercial or residential buildings, electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing systems, and the installation of swimming pools or hot tubs. Additionally, manufactured and industrialized housing projects require inspections for site preparation, foundation construction, repairs, and changes in occupancy. A UCC certificate of occupancy must be issued before a building or facility can be used. However, emergency repairs or equipment replacements can be made without a permit as long as an application is submitted to the building code official within three business days.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Required — Construction or building work inside Belfast Township subject to the Pennsylvania UCC.
      “The UCC requires property owners to obtain a construction or building permit before starting any work.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Building construction inside Belfast Township under Pennsylvania's statewide Uniform Construction Code.

    • Pennsylvania states that municipalities may administer and enforce the UCC locally or may be opt-out municipalities; the specific Belfast Township enforcement arrangement was not located.

    2018 I-Code regulations effective date: 2022-02-14 (Pennsylvania's 2025 triennial update has an effective date of 2026-01-01.)

    “Pennsylvania's statewide building code, generally known as the Uniform Construction Code (UCC), has to be followed by builders in the state.”
    2 more reviewed findings on this topic
    • Adopted — Construction, alteration, repair, and occupancy of buildings in Belfast Township under Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code.
      “Pennsylvania's statewide building code, generally known as the Uniform Construction Code (UCC), has to be followed by builders in the state.”
    • Adopted (with conditions) — Construction and building work inside Belfast township under Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code.
      “The Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code (UCC) regulates”
  • InspectionsRequired

    UCC-regulated construction in Belfast Township.

    • Inspections are required for construction or changes to commercial or residential buildings and for electrical, gas, mechanical, plumbing, swimming-pool, and hot-tub work.
    • Manufactured and industrialized housing has additional inspection requirements for site preparation, foundations, repairs, and changes in occupancy.
    “Inspections are also necessary in several cases, including construction or changes to commercial or residential buildings, electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing systems, and the installation of swimming pools or hot tubs.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Required — UCC-permitted construction inside Belfast Township.
      “A construction code official shall inspect all construction for which a permit was issued. The permit holder shall insure that the construction is accessible for inspection.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Use or occupancy of a residential building inside Belfast township under Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code.

    • A residential building may not be used or occupied without a certificate of occupancy issued by a building code official.
    • The certificate is issued after receipt of a final inspection report indicating compliance with the Uniform Construction Code and ordinance.
    • The official must issue it within 5 business days, or within 10 business days in a city of the first class.
    • A portion of a residential building may receive a certificate if that portion independently meets the UCC.
    • A temporary certificate may be issued for safely occupiable portions before all permitted work is complete, for a period set by the building code official.

    issuance deadline after final inspection report: 5 business days (10 business days in a city of the first class)

    “A residential building may not be used or occupied without a certificate of occupancy issued by a building code official.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Required — Residential buildings inside Belfast Township subject to the Pennsylvania UCC.
      “A residential building may not be used or occupied without a certificate of occupancy issued by a building code official.”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    Driveway access from property inside Belfast Township to a Commonwealth highway.

    • The UCC permit must contain notice that a PennDOT highway-occupancy permit is required before driveway access to a Commonwealth highway is permitted.
    • This rule concerns highways under Pennsylvania Department of Transportation jurisdiction, not every local road.
    “A building code official may not issue a permit for any property requiring access to a highway under the Department of Transportation’s jurisdiction unless the permit contains notice that a highway occupancy permit is required under section 420 of the State Highway Law (36 P. S. § 670-420) before driveway access to a Commonwealth highway is permitted.”
    2 more reviewed findings on this topic
    • Limited — Driveways connecting to state highway land within Belfast Township.
      “You need a permit when you're building or changing a driveway, road, drainage or utility facility on the state highway land.”
    • Required — Driveway access from property inside Belfast township to a highway under Pennsylvania Department of Transportation jurisdiction.
      “A building code official may not issue a permit for any property requiring access to a highway under the Department of Transportation’s jurisdiction unless the permit contains notice that a highway occupancy permit is required under section 420 of the State Highway Law (36 P. S. § 670-420) before driveway access to a Commonwealth highway is permitted.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders undertaking construction inside Belfast township.
  • Local zoning — Land inside Belfast Township.
  • Zoning districts — Zoning districts inside Belfast Township.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Belfast township.
  • Lot coverage — Lot coverage inside Belfast township.
13 more unanswered
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees

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 Belfast Township publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Fulton County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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