Bolthole Index

Lycoming County, Pennsylvania

Hepburn Township, Pennsylvania: building permits, zoning and septic

A new UCC-governed home in Hepburn Township, Pennsylvania needs a residential building permit before construction and a certificate of occupancy before move-in.12 Hepburn Township has its own zoning ordinance, separate from Lycoming County’s zoning program.3 Septic approval is a separate local-agency process under Pennsylvania law, rather than an approval supplied by the township’s zoning ordinance.43

At a glance

Building permits
Required for UCC-governed residential construction; confirm the application route with township zoning.15
Zoning
Hepburn Township has its own zoning ordinance and multiple zoning districts.36
Septic
Local-agency approval is required for a new home using an onlot sewage system.4
RV living
Private-lot residential use unconfirmed; ask the township Zoning & Codes Enforcement Officer.3
Tiny homes
Local siting and minimum floor area unconfirmed; residential UCC requirements still apply.31
Owner-builder
No general statewide contractor license requirement; this does not waive building approval.71
Off-grid sanitation
A composting toilet does not remove the need for approved washwater disposal in a new home.8

Who to call

Zoning

Hepburn Township Zoning & Codes Enforcement Officer

Starting point for parcel zoning, dimensional standards and the current zoning application.

Building permits

Code Inspections Inc. — Building Codes Inspector

Ask about the current building application, fees, plans and required inspections.

Septic permits

Hepburn Township On-Lot Septic System Program

Ask for the current Sewage Enforcement Officer and the requirements for new-system approval and existing-system maintenance.

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 15, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Does Hepburn Township have zoning, lot-size rules and setbacks?

Hepburn Township has its own zoning ordinance, with residential conservation, residential medium-density, residential suburban, Village, Commercial Highway and Agriculture districts.36 Ask the township Zoning & Codes Enforcement Officer to identify the parcel’s district and provide the applicable use, lot-area, yard and height requirements before you commit to a house design.6 We could not confirm the district-specific minimum lot sizes, setbacks or minimum dwelling floor area; request those standards for the actual parcel rather than relying on a countywide figure.3 Hepburn Township also regulates subdivision and land development under its own ordinance, so ask the township about review before dividing land or assuming a proposed lot is ready to build.9

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

A new UCC-governed home in Hepburn Township needs a residential building permit before construction begins; regulated additions, alterations and building systems can also require approval.1 Start with the township Zoning & Codes Enforcement Officer to confirm the current building application route and how township land-use review fits the project.35 Pennsylvania municipalities administer the UCC themselves or through certified third-party agencies when opted in; residential enforcement in opt-out municipalities uses certified third parties.5 Pennsylvania’s lack of a general statewide contractor license requirement does not excuse an owner-builder from required residential building approval.71 A UCC-governed residence may not be occupied without a certificate of occupancy from the building code official.2

How do septic permits work inside Hepburn Township?

Pennsylvania requires a local-agency permit before installing, contracting for construction of, constructing or using a new home served by an individual or community onlot sewage system.4 Ask the township’s On-Lot Septic System Program to identify the current Sewage Enforcement Officer and confirm the parcel’s permitting agency; Pennsylvania assigns onlot permitting and enforcement to local agencies.10 Do not cover a newly constructed sewage system until the permit issuer or authorized representative approves covering, subject to the state’s notification-and-waiting exception.11 A composting or incinerating toilet in a new residence still requires an onlot system or another approved method for washwater and excess liquid; a dry toilet alone does not settle wastewater approval.8

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

We could not confirm whether Hepburn Township allows residential RV occupancy, temporary camping while building, or a tiny home on a private lot; ask the township Zoning & Codes Enforcement Officer for a written determination under the parcel’s zoning district.36 For a tiny home governed as a residential building, Pennsylvania’s residential UCC building-permit and occupancy requirements apply.12 A manufactured home has a separate state construction-code framework: work outside the manufacturer’s approved design, additions and certain relocation or resale work can remain subject to the UCC.12 That state framework does not resolve township siting or septic approval, so ask about the exact dwelling type and proposed use before purchasing the unit.12

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

  1. Ask township zoning to identify the district and review the intended use; discuss any subdivision with the township before creating a building lot.69
  2. If the home will use onlot sewage, identify the local agency and arrange septic approval before contracting for system construction.4
  3. Ask the township Zoning & Codes Enforcement Officer to confirm the current zoning application and building-code enforcement route for the project.35
  4. Obtain the required residential UCC building permit before starting regulated work and establish the inspection schedule with the building code official.113
  5. Keep permitted construction accessible for inspections and obtain the residential certificate of occupancy before moving in.132

What should you check before buying land in Hepburn Township?

Ask Hepburn Township to review any proposed development within a Special Flood Hazard Area; Pennsylvania requires municipal floodplain review and approval for covered development.14 A driveway involving state highway land or a PennDOT drainage facility needs a PennDOT highway occupancy permit.15 We could not confirm Hepburn Township’s private-well approval requirements; ask township zoning what local approval applies, since Pennsylvania’s water-well driller licensing rule is not a parcel-specific well permit.316 For land outside the township, use the Lycoming County guide and confirm the municipality: the county zoning office serves only designated areas.17 Hepburn Township’s own zoning and subdivision ordinances are the starting point for property inside the township.39

Watch-outs

  • Hepburn Township has its own zoning ordinance; county zoning information is not a substitute for the township’s district requirements.3
  • A UCC-governed home in Hepburn Township needs its residential certificate of occupancy before move-in, even when the owner performs construction work.2
  • We could not confirm residential RV permission or tiny-home dimensional standards in Hepburn Township; obtain a parcel-specific answer from township zoning before buying a unit.3

Sources

  1. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  2. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  3. Township of Hepburn, PA - Chapter 27 Zoning (eCode360) (Hepburn Township), quoted and re-checked
  4. 25 Pa. Code § 72.22. Permit issuance (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  5. Uniform Construction Code (UCC) (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  6. Township of Hepburn, PA - Chapter 27 Zoning (eCode360) (Hepburn Township), quoted and re-checked
  7. Contractor Licensing (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  8. 25 Pa. Code § 73.65. Recycling toilet, incinerating toilet or composting toilet (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. Township of Hepburn, PA - Chapter 22 Subdivision and Land Development (eCode360) (Hepburn Township), quoted and re-checked
  10. Municipal On Lot Sewage Service Areas, quoted and re-checked
  11. Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  12. Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  13. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. PennsylvaniA Floodplain Development Guide (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  15. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. Apply for a Water Well Drillers License and Rig Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. Zoning Administration, quoted and re-checked

Written October 15, 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 Hepburn Township

Hepburn Township’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Hepburn township, which has its own Chapter 27 Zoning in its adopted code

    • Only the chapter table of contents was readable on the official page; operative text not quoted.
    “part 5 district regulations § 27-501 r-c residential conservation district. § 27-502 r-m residential medium-density district.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts in Hepburn township under Chapter 27 Part 5

    • Districts listed in the table of contents: R-C, R-M, R-S, Village, C-H Commercial Highway, A Agriculture; district text and map not read.
    “§ 27-503 r-s residential suburban district. § 27-504 village district. § 27-505 c-h commercial highway district. § 27-506 a agriculture district.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision and land development inside Hepburn township under Chapter 22

    • Chapter includes minor subdivisions (§ 22-406), fees (§ 22-407), and a role for the Lycoming County Planning Commission (§ 22-105); only the table of contents was read.
    “§ 22-105 authority of the lycoming county planning commission. [...] § 22-406 minor subdivisions. § 22-407 fees.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — Building permits inside Hepburn township
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Hepburn township
  • Building code adopted — Building code in Hepburn township
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Hepburn township
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Hepburn township
22 more unanswered
  • Minimum dwelling size
  • Minimum lot size
  • Setbacks
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees
  • Permit process

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

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