Bolthole Index

Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in West Earl Township, Pennsylvania

West Earl Township, Pennsylvania has its own zoning ordinance and requires a Construction Code permit before building work starts12. The township's zoning officer decides whether a project needs a zoning permit, a building permit, or both3. Septic permits in West Earl Township go through the township's Sewage Enforcement Officer, and Lancaster County has no county health department to call instead45.

At a glance

Building permit
Required; a Construction Code permit must be obtained before work2
Zoning
Yes, township zoning ordinance (adopted 1970)1
Septic
Township Sewage Enforcement Officer; county has no health department45
Driveway permit
Township permit required for installing or resurfacing a driveway6
Mobile homes
Allowed only where zoning permits; zoning and building permits required7
RV or tiny home living
Not confirmed; ask the township Zoning Officer3
Owner-builder
No township exemption found; statewide recreational-cabin exclusion exists8

Who to call

Zoning

West Earl Township Zoning Officer / Building Code Official

Zoning permits, building permit applications, zoning inspections and the choice of building inspection agency

717-859-3201

157 W. Metzler Road, Brownstown, PA 17508

Septic permits

West Earl Township Sewage Enforcement Officer

New and repaired septic systems, plus the township's On-Lot Management Program for existing systems

717-413-5256

157 W. Metzler Road, Brownstown, PA 17508

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 West Earl 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 West Earl Township, PA?

Yes. West Earl Township requires a Construction Code permit to be obtained before any permitted work begins, and the owner and contractor are jointly responsible for getting it2. The township's own permit page says a permit is needed whenever you add to, construct or locate a building, or make structural changes3. Once work is finished and inspected, a certificate of occupancy is required9.

An application takes two complete copies, and any zoning, subdivision or stormwater approvals must accompany it10. Pennsylvania's statewide Uniform Construction Code applies here11. We could not confirm an owner-builder exemption in the township code, so ask the zoning officer before assuming one2.

Who issues building and zoning permits in West Earl Township?

West Earl Township's own office does, not Lancaster County. The township Zoning Officer, who is also the Building Code Official, decides whether a project needs a zoning permit, a building permit, or both3. Call 717-859-3201 or visit 157 W. Metzler Road, Brownstown3.

If the project needs building inspections, the township lets applicants choose from four building inspection agencies3. Lancaster County's Planning Commission advises municipalities and reviews subdivision plans but does not issue building, zoning or septic permits12.

Does West Earl Township have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes and mobile homes?

Yes. West Earl Township adopted its zoning ordinance in 1970 and publishes an official zoning map with districts113. Lot size, setbacks and allowed uses depend on the district, so check your parcel's district before you buy.

Individual mobile homes must be permitted in the applicable zoning area and need both zoning and building permits7. We could not confirm the township's rules for RV occupancy, tiny homes, accessory dwellings or minimum home size. Do not assume any of them is allowed; ask the Zoning Officer at 717-859-3201 first3.

Zoning inspections happen before the permit is issued: you stake out the structure's footprint and the officer checks size, placement and whether it sits in a stormwater easement, floodplain or utility easement3.

How do septic permits work in West Earl Township?

Septic permits in West Earl Township come from the township's Sewage Enforcement Officer, working under the state's Act 537 program45. Pennsylvania requires a permit before an individual on-lot sewage system is installed14.

Existing systems fall under the township's On-Lot Management Program: each user of an on-lot system must hold a Use Permit, valid for three years, with an application fee of $104. Across Lancaster County, about 45% of soils rate as not limited for a conventional drain field, so many lots still need a site evaluation15. We could not confirm the township's well rules; ask the township office.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in West Earl Township?

We could not confirm it. The township's zoning ordinance may restrict RV occupancy, temporary camping and tiny homes, but we did not locate an operative provision, so no answer should be assumed. Pennsylvania's state-level RV rules we found cover state park campgrounds only, which does not answer living on your own land16. Call the Zoning Officer at 717-859-3201 before moving anything onto a lot3.

Building a home in West Earl Township: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the parcel's zoning district on the township zoning map and ask the Zoning Officer what your use allows133.
  2. If you are dividing land, plan for subdivision and land development review17.
  3. Contact the Sewage Enforcement Officer about a septic permit before designing the house4.
  4. Apply for the zoning and building permits, with zoning, stormwater and land-development approvals attached10.
  5. Get a driveway permit from the township Board before installing the driveway6. A driveway onto a state highway also needs PennDOT approval18.
  6. Pass the stake-out zoning inspection, then the building inspections3.
  7. Obtain the certificate of occupancy after the final inspection and payment of all fees9.

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

Lancaster County does not run building or zoning permits; those belong to each municipality19. For land outside West Earl Township, see the Lancaster County page. County-level figures: the effective property tax rate is 1.4%20, and typical farmland is valued around $21,633 per acre21.

Before buying, ask the township about floodplain limits, since we could not confirm the floodplain provisions in the zoning chapter13. Construction in a floodplain also needs extra documentation under the Uniform Construction Code22.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm West Earl Township's rules on RV occupancy, tiny homes, accessory dwellings or minimum home size, so ask the Zoning Officer at 717-859-3201 before you buy3.
  • A driveway installation, repair or resurfacing needs a township permit from the Board first6.
  • Short-term rentals served by an on-lot system need review and approval by the township Sewage Enforcement Officer23.
  • Subdivision and land development follow a formal submission and review process, so splitting a lot takes time17.

Sources

  1. Chapter 184: Zoning (West Earl Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. Chapter 63: Building Construction (West Earl Township), quoted and re-checked
  3. West Earl Township Zoning Officer / Building Code Official (westearltwp.org)
  4. West Earl Township Sewage Enforcement Officer (westearltwp.org)
  5. PA DEP - Act 537 Onlot Disposal System (2026 county census)
  6. Chapter 85: Driveways (West Earl Township), quoted and re-checked
  7. Chapter 118: Mobile Homes and Mobile Home Parks (West Earl Township), quoted and re-checked
  8. Advisories — Advisory on Recreational Cabin Exclusion, quoted and re-checked
  9. Chapter 63: Building Construction (West Earl Township), quoted and re-checked
  10. Chapter 63: Building Construction (West Earl Township), quoted and re-checked
  11. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
  12. LCPD Review of Subdivision and / or Land Development Plans, quoted and re-checked
  13. Chapter 184: Zoning (West Earl Township), quoted and re-checked
  14. Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act, quoted and re-checked
  15. 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
  16. RV and Tent Campsites (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. Chapter 155: Subdivision and Land Development (West Earl Township), quoted and re-checked
  18. Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code Chapter 403, quoted and re-checked
  19. West Hempfield Township (Lancaster County) - Permits (2026 county census)
  20. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  21. Farmland value per acre (USDA census): Bolthole Index county data
  22. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
  23. § 184-43.5 Short-term rental (West Earl Township), quoted and re-checked

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 West Earl Township

West Earl Township’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Work for which a Construction Code permit is required inside West Earl Township.

    • Owner, lessee if any, and contractor jointly must ensure the permit and all other required approvals are obtained before work.
    • parameters not applicable
    “a Construction Code permit [...] has been obtained before performing any work.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Completed Construction Code permit work inside West Earl Township.

    • Work must be finally inspected and all fees paid before issuance.
    “the work has been finally inspected and all fees have been paid.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside West Earl Township.

    “[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of West Earl 11-3-1970 as Ord. No. 24. Amendments noted where applicable.]”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts inside West Earl Township.

    • District boundaries are governed by the official zoning map and ordinance.
    “Article III Zoning Map; Zoning Districts”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Individual mobile homes inside West Earl Township.

    • Mobile homes must be permitted in the applicable zoning area and require zoning and building permits; all other applicable Township ordinances and single-family-home regulations apply.
    “they shall be required to obtain zoning and building permits”
  • Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

    Short-term rental units served by an on-lot sewage disposal system inside West Earl Township.

    • Applies to short-term rentals with an on-lot sewage disposal system.
    “review and approval by the West Earl Township Sewage Enforcement Officer.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupConditional

    Mobile homes, service buildings, and accessory facilities in mobile-home parks inside West Earl Township.

    • Connection is required where a public water supply of satisfactory quantity, quality, and pressure is available; otherwise a private supply must be approved by the applicable authority.
    “Where a public water supply system [...] is available, connection shall be made thereto”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision and land development inside West Earl Township.

    • The ordinance contains submission and review procedures, including preliminary and final-plan submission and review.
    “Article III Submission and Review Procedures”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    Installation, reconstruction, repair, or resurfacing of a driveway inside West Earl Township.

    • Permit must be obtained from the Board before the specified work.
    “without first obtaining a permit from the Board.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Mobile-home-park applications, licenses, and inspections inside West Earl Township.

    • The Board of Supervisors establishes the fee schedule by resolution.
    “A schedule of fees [...] shall be established by the Board of Supervisors pursuant to resolution.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Construction Code permit applications inside West Earl Township.

    • Applicant submits two complete copies; required zoning, subdivision/land-development, and stormwater approvals must accompany a complete application.

    application copies: 2

    “submit two complete copies of the application”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction inside West Earl Township.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside West Earl Township.
  • Living in an RV — RV occupancy on private land inside West Earl Township.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside West Earl Township.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside West Earl Township.
6 more unanswered
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • 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 West Earl 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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