The Borough of Coopersburg, in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, runs its own zoning ordinance, and the ordinance applies to all land inside the borough1. A zoning permit is needed before building a structure, changing a use or creating a lot2. Building permits follow Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code3. Septic permits come from a local agency under state rules4, not from Lehigh County zoning, which does not exist5.
At a glance
- Zoning
- Yes. The borough's own ordinance (Chapter 230) applies throughout the borough1
- Zoning permit
- Required for structures, changes of use, new lots and fences over three feet2
- Building permit
- Required under the state Uniform Construction Code; the issuing office inside the borough is unconfirmed3
- Septic
- Permit from a local agency before installation or occupancy; the agency for the borough is unconfirmed4
- RV and tiny homes
- Not confirmed. Ask the borough zoning officer1
- Owner-builder
- Pennsylvania has no statewide contractor licence for most construction work6
Who to call
Planning & zoning
Borough of Coopersburg Zoning Officer
Zoning permits and zoning enforcement inside Coopersburg borough
Septic permits
PA DEP - Sewage Enforcement Officer (SEO) Program
State Act 537 program contact and directory of active Sewage Enforcement Officers; the septic permit itself comes from the local agency
Roads & driveways
Highway occupancy permits for a driveway onto a state highway
Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 14, 2026.
Off-grid gear
Going off-grid in Borough of Coopersburg means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:
- Water Crystal Quest Filter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.
- Power Bluetti Solar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.
- Septic Soil percolation test kit Run your own perc test before paying an engineer — the first thing a septic office asks about.
- Water Well water test kit Bacteria, nitrates, hardness — know what the well on a parcel is really pumping.
These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Bolthole Index earns from qualifying purchases.
Does Coopersburg, PA have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes and setbacks?
Yes. The Borough of Coopersburg adopted its own zoning ordinance, Chapter 230 of the borough code, and it applies to all land inside the borough1. The borough is divided into districts including R-1, R-1/O, R-2, R-3, TC, CN, CG and LIC, with a floodplain overlay on top7.
Lot size, setbacks, RV occupancy and tiny-home rules depend on the district, so no single answer fits the whole borough. We could not confirm the district-by-district use tables, so call the borough zoning officer with the exact parcel before you assume an RV, tiny home or accessory dwelling is allowed7. Lehigh County itself has no zoning authority, so the county will not answer this for you5.
Do you need a building permit in Coopersburg, and who issues it?
Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code requires a permit before building, enlarging, altering or moving a residential building3. A residential building cannot be occupied without a certificate of occupancy8.
Separately, the borough's zoning ordinance requires a zoning permit for any structure, change of use, new lot, driveway or parking pad, and for fences or walls over three feet tall2. The borough may issue zoning and construction permits together or separately2.
Who administers the construction code inside Coopersburg, the borough or a third-party agency, we could not confirm. Ask the borough zoning officer, because the state says municipalities or certified third-party agencies run UCC permits locally9.
How do septic permits work in Coopersburg?
In Pennsylvania a permit from the local agency is required before installing, building, occupying or using a building served by an onlot sewage system4. The agency is the municipality, a group of municipalities or a county health department, depending on the area10. We could not confirm which agency covers Coopersburg or whether a given lot is on public sewer.
Coopersburg is a borough, so many lots may connect to public sewer instead of a septic system; ask the borough office before you plan a septic field. The state's Sewage Enforcement Officer directory lists active officers by county11. Lehigh County's own septic answer is that local agencies issue the permits12.
Building a home in Coopersburg: the steps, in order
- Ask the borough zoning officer which district the parcel is in and what the use table allows7.
- Apply for the zoning permit, with fees paid, because no application counts as filed until fees are paid13.
- Confirm who issues the Uniform Construction Code building permit and apply before work starts3.
- Confirm public sewer or a local-agency septic permit4.
- If the lot is on a state highway, apply to PennDOT for a highway occupancy permit14.
- Schedule the required inspections and get the certificate of occupancy before moving in8.
If the project involves creating a lot or moving lot lines, the borough has a subdivision and land development chapter that applies15.
What stays with Lehigh County, and what to check before you buy in Coopersburg
Zoning and permits inside Coopersburg are borough matters, and Lehigh County has no zoning authority5. For land outside the borough, use the Lehigh County page, because its answers cover unincorporated areas, not Coopersburg.
Before you buy, check the district, floodplain overlay7, whether the lot is on public sewer, and any driveway access onto a state highway14. At county level, Lehigh County's effective property tax rate is 1.7%16.
Watch-outs
- Fences or walls over three feet tall need a zoning permit in Coopersburg2.
- We could not confirm the borough's building-permit office, fee schedule, RV and tiny-home rules or septic agency; ask the borough zoning officer before you buy or build13.
- Zoning permit fees come from a borough fee schedule set by council, and no application is filed until fees are paid13.
Sources
- Borough of Coopersburg Code, Ch. 230 Zoning, Art. XIV Administration (Borough of Coopersburg), quoted and re-checked
- Borough of Coopersburg Code, Ch. 230 Zoning, Art. XIV Administration (Borough of Coopersburg), quoted and re-checked
- Part XIV, quoted and re-checked
- 25 Pa. Code § 72.22. Permit issuance (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- 2018 Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing, quoted and re-checked
- Contractor Licensing (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- Borough of Coopersburg Code, Ch. 230 Zoning, Art. II Establishment of Zoning Districts (Borough of Coopersburg), quoted and re-checked
- pa.gov, quoted and re-checked
- Uniform Construction Code, quoted and re-checked
- Municipal On Lot Sewage Service Areas, quoted and re-checked
- PA DEP - Sewage Enforcement Officer (SEO) Program (pa.gov)
- Municipal On-Lot Sewage Service Areas, quoted and re-checked
- Borough of Coopersburg Code, Ch. 230 Zoning, Art. XIV Administration (Borough of Coopersburg), quoted and re-checked
- Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- Borough of Coopersburg, PA Code table of contents (Borough of Coopersburg), quoted and re-checked
- Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
Written October 14, 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.