Zoning, building permits and septic rules in South Londonderry Township, Pennsylvania

South Londonderry Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Repair, construction, enlargement, alteration or demolition of buildings and structures inside South Londonderry township.

  • Also required to change use or occupancy requiring greater strength, exit or sanitary provisions, and to install or alter plumbing, electrical or mechanical systems.
  • Application is filed with the township and no work begins until a permit is issued.

  “an application for a permit is to be filed with the township and no work shall commence until permit is issued.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Building, construction, remodeling and repair inside South Londonderry township.

  • The township states it follows the Uniform Construction Code under Act 45; the UCC itself is a Pennsylvania state code.

  “in accordance with act 45 as mandated by the state of pennsylvania, south londonderry township follows the uniform construction code (ucc) as the standard for building, construction, remodeling, and repairs.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Construction activity inside South Londonderry township.

  • Inspections and plan reviews are performed by third-party agencies under contract to the township; the page names Associate Building Inspections, LLC and Commonwealth Code Inspection Service as agents.
  • The page does not state an inspection schedule.

  “presently, building inspections and plan reviews are completed by a third party agency under contract to the township.”

• Local zoningPresent

  All land inside South Londonderry township limits, Lebanon County, PA (not the county's unincorporated area).

  • The 2024 hearing notice says the board would 'possibly adopt' the ordinance; the opened ordinance text does not state an adoption or effective date, so effective_at is null.
  • The 2024 ordinance replaces the 2013 ordinance in its entirety per the legal notice.

  “zoning south londonderry township zoning ordinance of 2024”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts established inside South Londonderry township.

  • The 2024 ordinance establishes these districts: conservation (C), agricultural (A), agricultural holding (AH), low density residential (LDR), village residential (VR), multi-family residential (MFR), manufactured home park (MHP), mixed use (MU), village commercial (VC), highway commercial (HC), commercial office (CO), light industrial (LI), airport safety (AS).
  • The zoning district web map (ArcGIS) is linked but not opened, so boundaries are not confirmed.

  “the proposed zoning ordinance establishes and regulates the following zoning districts in the township: c a ah ldr vr mfr mhp mu vc hc co li as conservation agricultural agricultural holding low density residential village residential multi-family residential manufactured home park mixed use village commercial highway commercial commercial office light industrial airport safety”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family detached dwellings in the Low Density Residential (LDR) district of South Londonderry township.

  • The minimum is 1 acre for single-family dwellings and municipal uses with public sewer and public water approved after the effective date of the ordinance.
  • A 1/2 acre minimum applies to single-family dwellings with public sewer and public water, or on-lot water, that existed on the effective date.
  • Table footnote 1 and the 12,000 sq. ft. row (for all other permitted principal uses) were not resolved in the extracted text.

  minimum lot area (new single-family, public sewer and public water): >= 1 acre (municipal and governmental uses with public sewer and public water approved after the effective date) · minimum lot area (existing single-family, public sewer and public water or on-lot water): >= 0.5 acre (lots existing on the effective date of the ordinance)

  “1 acre1 150 ft. 120 ft. 40 ft. single-family detached dwellings, and municipal and governmental uses with public sewer and public water that are approved after the effective date of this ordinance.”

• Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

  Manufactured and modular homes used as single-family dwellings inside South Londonderry township.

  • Allowed as a single-family detached dwelling only if securely anchored to a permanent foundation and the transport apparatus, including the towing hitch, is removed.
  • Manufactured and modular homes must be designed and constructed under the Uniform Construction Code.

  “manufactured and modular homes shall be considered single-family detached dwellings so long as they are designed and constructed in accordance with the uniform construction code.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision and land development inside South Londonderry township.

  • The township page links a subdivision/land development ordinance, a fee schedule and a plan application form; the linked PDFs were not opened.
  • The ordinance PDF filename indicates a 2015 adoption, but the adoption date is not stated in the opened page text.

  “subdivision & land developement south londonderry township subdivision land development ordinance subdivision/land development fee schedule subdivision/land development application for plan approval”

• Short-term rentalsLimited

  Short-term rentals of dwelling units inside South Londonderry township.

  • Requires an annual zoning permit per dwelling, obtained before renting, nontransferable, with a 30-business-day township review.
  • Owner-occupied, or a designated local person in charge who lives or has an office within 15 miles.
  • Requires a $500,000 minimum liability insurance policy, a Lebanon County hotel room excise tax certificate and a PA sales tax license.
  • No tents, recreational vehicles, campers or buses may be parked on the property; one extra off-street parking space per rented bedroom; no on-street or yard parking.
  • Must comply with the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act and the township Act 537 plan.

  minimum liability insurance: >= 500000 USD (for the full license term) · overnight occupancy: 2 persons per bedroom plus 4 additional persons per dwelling unit persons

  “each owner shall maintain a minimum of $500,000 in liability insurance on the short-term rental for the full duration of the license term”

• Permit feesPublished

  Building permit fees for work inside South Londonderry township.

  • The township page links 2025 fee schedules from its two inspection agencies (CCIS and ABI), a township fee schedule and a 2026 fee schedule (titles only); the fee PDFs were not opened, so amounts are not stated here.
  • The 2026 fee schedule is listed on the page as newer than the 2025 schedules; its amounts were not checked.

  “2025 fee schedule building permit application (residential)”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permit process inside South Londonderry township.

  • The township states the filing and start rule and a third-party plan review and inspection, and links permit instructions and a checklist; the step-by-step process was not opened.

  “an application for a permit is to be filed with the township and no work shall commence until permit is issued.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside South Londonderry township.
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy inside South Londonderry township.
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside South Londonderry township.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside South Londonderry township.
• Tiny homes — Tiny homes used as dwellings inside South Londonderry 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.