Bolthole Index

Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

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

Rapho Township, Pennsylvania zones its own land and requires a township building, zoning or stormwater permit for any building or earth disturbance12. The township enforces the state Uniform Construction Code3. Lancaster County does not zone for Rapho4. Septic permits come from a local sewage agency, and we could not confirm which one serves Rapho, so ask the township office5.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes. Rapho Township's own zoning chapter, with Agricultural, Rural, R-1, R-2 and manufactured-home park districts16
Building permit
Required from the township; the Uniform Construction Code is in effect32
Zoning and stormwater permits
Township zoning permit for sheds, garages, patios and farm buildings; stormwater permit for grading and new buildings2
Septic
Permit from the local sewage agency; township office to confirm who75
Accessory family dwelling
Permitted in the Agricultural and Rural zones, subject to § 350-6088
Short-term rental
Permitted in Agricultural and Rural zones, not in R-1, R-2 or MHP9
RV or tiny-home living
Not confirmed; ask the Zoning Officer2

Who to call

Building permits

Rapho Township Building / Zoning Code Enforcement

Building permits under the Uniform Construction Code, zoning permits and stormwater permits inside Rapho Township; the Zoning Officer answers which permit a project needs

(717) 665-3827

971 N. Colebrook Road, Manheim, PA 17545

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Does Rapho Township, PA have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes and setbacks?

Yes. Rapho Township adopted its own zoning chapter, Chapter 350, through its Board of Supervisors1. The Official Zoning Map shows Agricultural (A) and Rural (R) zones, plus Residential (R-1), Mixed Residential (R-2) and Manufactured/Mobile Home Park Residential (MHP) zones6. Lancaster County does not set Rapho's zoning; each municipality administers its own ordinance and the county planning staff only advise4.

In the Agricultural and Rural zones, an accessory family-member dwelling is permitted by right, and an accessory employee dwelling is permitted by right in Agricultural and by special exception in Rural8. Short-term rentals are permitted by right in the Agricultural and Rural zones but not in R-1, R-2 or MHP9.

Minimum lot area, setbacks, lot coverage and building height are set district by district in Chapter 350's zone tables, so check your parcel's zone before you design10111213. We could not confirm numeric values from the township's online text, and we could not confirm any rule on living in an RV or tiny home on a Rapho parcel. Ask the Zoning Officer at the township office2.

Do you need a building permit in Rapho Township, and who issues it?

Yes. Rapho Township says any building, excavation or earth disturbance requires a building, zoning or stormwater permit2. The township adopted the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code as its building code3, and the township office says the UCC is in effect2. Statewide, the UCC requires the owner or an authorized representative to obtain a building permit before construction starts14.

For a new house or an addition, the township says plans must be approved by an inspection company before the township issues the permit2. The township's residential fee is $25 plus $3 per $1,000 of construction cost, plus a $4.50 state training fee and a $50.00 certificate-of-occupancy fee2. The township says fees are set by resolution, so confirm the current schedule15.

The township's own Building Code Official issues the Certificate of Occupancy after the final inspection2. State rules say a residential building may not be occupied without one16.

Which permits does Rapho Township require for sheds, garages and farm buildings?

Rapho Township requires a township zoning permit for structures outside the building code. Sheds, detached garages under 1,000 square feet, low decks, patios, tall retaining walls and most fences need one, and farm buildings need a zoning permit too2. Pennsylvania excludes agricultural buildings from the Uniform Construction Code, which is why they fall under zoning instead17. That exclusion applies only to buildings with no habitable space, so a farm building you intend to live in is a different question for the Zoning Officer17.

Grading and new buildings also trigger the township's stormwater permit rules2. If you are unsure which permit applies, the township tells callers to ask its Zoning Officer before starting2.

How do septic permits work in Rapho Township, PA?

Septic permits in Rapho Township come from a local sewage agency, not from the state or Lancaster County government. Pennsylvania law bars occupying or using a building served by an on-lot system without a permit from the local agency7. Lancaster County has no county health department, and local agencies are municipalities or groups of municipalities that employ Sewage Enforcement Officers5. We could not confirm which agency or officer handles Rapho Township, so the township office at 971 N. Colebrook Road is the right first call2.

An exemption exists for some owner-occupied homes on tracts of ten acres or more, but a municipality may require a permit by ordinance anyway, so do not rely on it without asking18. Lancaster County's soils matter too: about 45% rate as not limited for a conventional drain field, which means many lots still need a site evaluation19.

Building a home in Rapho Township: the steps, in order

  1. Ask the township's Zoning Officer which zone your parcel is in and whether your use, dwelling and lot size fit Chapter 35012.
  2. Confirm septic with the local sewage agency before you buy or design, because the permit is required statewide7.
  3. If you subdivide or create a new lot, expect township subdivision review under Chapter 29520.
  4. Apply for the township building permit, choosing an approved inspection company and submitting plans2.
  5. Get the township stormwater and zoning permits that apply to your project2.
  6. If your driveway meets a state road, PennDOT requires a highway occupancy permit before access is allowed21.
  7. Pass the inspections and obtain the Certificate of Occupancy before moving in2.

What stays with Lancaster County, and what to check before you buy in Rapho Township

Lancaster County's planning department reviews subdivision and land-development plans, but only as advice, and the township still approves them22. The county does not issue Rapho's building or zoning permits4. For the county's own page, see Lancaster County.

Before you buy, confirm the zone, septic feasibility, any floodplain on the parcel and the stormwater rules for your planned footprint. Floodplain construction needs sealed documentation from a registered design professional23. Lancaster County's effective property tax rate is about 1.4% of home value24. We could not confirm Rapho's rules on wells, off-grid sanitation, minimum dwelling size or driveways on township roads, so ask the township office2.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm which sewage agency issues septic permits for Rapho Township; ask the township office before making an offer2.
  • We could not confirm Rapho Township's numeric lot-size, setback and height limits from its online text, and they vary by zone11.
  • We could not confirm any Rapho Township rule on living in an RV or tiny home on your own land; ask the Zoning Officer before moving one onto a parcel2.
  • Search results for Rapho often show other places and counties; this page covers Rapho Township in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania1.

Sources

  1. Chapter 350: Zoning - Township of Rapho, PA (Rapho Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. Rapho Township Building / Zoning Code Enforcement (raphotownship.com)
  3. Chapter 139: Construction Codes, Uniform - Township of Rapho, PA (Rapho Township), quoted and re-checked
  4. Planning Commission, quoted and re-checked
  5. Municipal On Lot Sewage Service Areas, quoted and re-checked
  6. Article III: Base Zones - Township of Rapho, PA (Rapho Township), quoted and re-checked
  7. 25 Pa. Code § 72.22. Permit issuance (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  8. Article III: Base Zones - Township of Rapho, PA (Rapho Township), quoted and re-checked
  9. Article III: Base Zones - Township of Rapho, PA (Rapho Township), quoted and re-checked
  10. Article III: Base Zones - Township of Rapho, PA (Rapho Township), quoted and re-checked
  11. Article III: Base Zones - Township of Rapho, PA (Rapho Township), quoted and re-checked
  12. Article III: Base Zones - Township of Rapho, PA (Rapho Township), quoted and re-checked
  13. Article III: Base Zones - Township of Rapho, PA (Rapho Township), quoted and re-checked
  14. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
  15. § 139-6 Fees, Township of Rapho Uniform Construction Codes (Rapho Township), quoted and re-checked
  16. Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code Chapter 403, quoted and re-checked
  17. Pennsylvania Construction Code Act — Chapter 1 (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act, quoted and re-checked
  19. 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
  20. Chapter 295: Subdivision and Land Development - Township of Rapho, PA (Rapho Township), quoted and re-checked
  21. Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code Chapter 403, quoted and re-checked
  22. LCPD Review of Subdivision and / or Land Development Plans, quoted and re-checked
  23. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
  24. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 24, 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 Rapho Township

Rapho Township’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction within Rapho Township.

    • The adopted UCC is amended from time to time.
    • The Township elected to administer and enforce the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act and its regulations.
    “The Uniform Construction Code, contained in 34 Pa. Code, Chapters 401 through 405, as amended from time to time, is hereby adopted and incorporated herein by reference as the municipality building code of Rapho Township.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land within Rapho Township.

    • Chapter 350 was adopted by the Township Board of Supervisors and subsequently amended as stated in its history.
    “[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of Rapho 11-17-2013 as amended through 12-7-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-5. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts within Rapho Township.

    • The Agricultural and Rural zones shown on the Official Zoning Map include Agricultural (A) and Rural (R).
    • The residential zones shown on the Official Zoning Map include Residential (R-1), Mixed Residential (R-2), and Manufactured/Mobile Home Park Residential (MHP).
    “Residential (R-1) Zone | The primary purpose of the (R-1) Zone is to accommodate suburban detached residential growth within the Township.”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Principal uses and development activities in the Agricultural and Rural zones within Rapho Township.

    • The Agricultural and Rural zone tables govern unless another chapter provision specifies otherwise, including Articles V and VI.
    • The accessible official text did not expose the attachment table's numeric lot-area entries.
    “Table 3-1.3 Principal Use Area and Bulk Requirements Agricultural (A) Zone Use Agricultural (A) Zone Minimum Lot Area”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Principal uses and development activities in the Agricultural and Rural zones within Rapho Township.

    • Area and bulk requirements are controlled by zone tables unless another chapter provision specifies otherwise, including Articles V and VI.
    • Numeric setback rows in the referenced attachment tables were not exposed in accessible official text.
    “Minimum Front Yard Setback (feet) Minimum Yard Setbacks”
  • Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Principal uses and development activities in the Agricultural and Rural zones within Rapho Township.

    • Area and bulk requirements are controlled by zone tables unless another chapter provision specifies otherwise, including Articles V and VI.
    • Numeric coverage entries in the referenced attachment tables were not exposed in accessible official text.
    “See Table 3-1.3 for the area and bulk requirements for principal uses and development activities within the Agricultural (A) Zone, unless otherwise specified elsewhere in this chapter, including but not limited to Article V and Article VI.”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Principal uses and development activities in the Agricultural and Rural zones within Rapho Township.

    • Area and bulk requirements are controlled by zone tables unless another chapter provision specifies otherwise, including Articles V and VI.
    • The zoning chapter also identifies a height-limit exceptions/modifications provision.
    • Numeric height entries in the referenced attachment tables were not exposed in accessible official text.
    “See Table 3-1.3 for the area and bulk requirements for principal uses and development activities within the Agricultural (A) Zone, unless otherwise specified elsewhere in this chapter, including but not limited to Article V and Article VI.”
  • Accessory dwellingsLimited

    Accessory family-member and employee dwellings in the Agricultural and Rural zones within Rapho Township.

    • Accessory employee dwellings are permitted by right in the Agricultural Zone and by special exception in the Rural Zone.
    • Accessory family-member dwellings are permitted by right in both zones.
    • The listed uses are subject to § 350-608.
    “Accessory employee dwelling | P | SE | § 350-608 Accessory family member dwelling | P | P | § 350-608”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision and land development within Rapho Township.

    • Chapter 295 includes plan-processing procedures, including application and processing requirements, preliminary-plan applications, final-plan applications, and modifications.
    • The chapter history states adoption on February 15, 2018 and notes amendments where applicable.
    “Article III Plan Processing Procedures § 295-301 General. § 295-302 Compliance with zoning. § 295-303 Application and processing requirements.”
  • Short-term rentalsLimited

    Short-term rentals in the Agricultural, Rural, R-1, R-2, and MHP zones within Rapho Township.

    • The use is permitted by right in the Agricultural and Rural zones.
    • The use is not permitted in R-1, R-2, or MHP under the displayed residential-zone table.
    “Short-term rental | NP | NP | NP | Single-family attached dwelling | NP | P | NP | § 350-602”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Fees for Township UCC administration and enforcement within Rapho Township.

    • Fees are established by the governing body by resolution from time to time.
    “Fees assessable by Rapho Township for the administration and enforcement undertaken pursuant to this chapter and the code shall be established by the governing body by resolution from time to time.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Construction-code administration and enforcement within Rapho Township.

    • The governing body determines the enforcement method by resolution from time to time.
    • The listed methods include Township personnel, retained code officials or agencies, agreements with other municipalities, a contract with another municipality, or a Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry agreement for specified structures.
    “Administration and enforcement of the code within Rapho Township shall be undertaken in any of the following ways as determined by the governing body of Rapho Township from time to time by resolution:”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — Residential construction within Rapho Township.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction within Rapho Township.
  • Inspections — Residential construction within Rapho Township.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of residential construction within Rapho Township.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings within Rapho Township.
12 more unanswered
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain

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

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