Bolthole Index

Montgomery County, Pennsylvania

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania

Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania, in Montgomery County, adopts its own zoning ordinance1 and requires building permits under the Uniform Construction Code2. Septic permits are a separate track: Montgomery County's Office of Public Health issues them countywide3, and the township code also names a township sewage enforcement officer in its sewage management district4.

At a glance

Building permit
Required; the township enforces the Uniform Construction Code52
Zoning
Yes, township Chapter 155 zoning ordinance1
Septic
Permit required; county Office of Public Health, plus a township sewage enforcement officer in the township's sewage management district36
Sewer connection
New buildings next to a public sewer must connect within 60 days of completion7
Owner-builder
Statewide, no general contractor license for an owner's own primary residence; township rules unconfirmed8
Property tax (county)
Effective rate 1.4%9

Who to call

Building permits

Lower Merion Township Building and Planning Department

Building permits under the Uniform Construction Code, zoning permits and land development applications inside Lower Merion Township

610-645-6200

75 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, PA 19003-2323

Septic permits

Montgomery County Office of Public Health (OPH)

On-lot sewage permits and inspections and well permits for Montgomery County

610-278-5117

[email protected]

1430 DeKalb Street, PO Box 311, Norristown, PA, 19404-0311

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 Lower Merion Township means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Lower Merion Township have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size?

Yes. Lower Merion Township enforces its own zoning ordinance, Chapter 155 of the township code, which the Board of Commissioners amended in its entirety in 20201. Montgomery County does not zone for its municipalities10, so the township ordinance is the one that governs a parcel.

Standards depend on the district. In the LDR1 Low Density Residential District, a lot needs at least 90,000 square feet and 200 feet of width, and impervious surface is capped at 20%1112. Other districts have different numbers, so find the parcel's district with the Zoning Officer before you plan a build.

We could not confirm the township's rules on RV occupancy, tiny homes, accessory dwellings or minimum dwelling size, so ask the Building and Planning Department13 before assuming any of them are allowed.

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

Yes. Lower Merion Township adopted Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code as its building code2, and work on a building, structure, electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system needs a permit first5. Starting without one brings a fee on top of the permit fees5.

The township's Building and Planning Department takes building permit questions at 610-645-620013. Permit fees are due at application and follow the township's fee schedule, Chapter A16714. The approved permit must be posted on site until the project is finished15.

We could not confirm the township's inspection schedule or certificate-of-occupancy steps from its own code; state rules require inspections and an occupancy certificate for UCC-regulated residential work1617.

Who handles building permits and zoning: the township or Montgomery County?

Inside Lower Merion Township, the township handles both. Montgomery County's building permits are administered by each municipality or a third-party agency, not the county18, and the county's Planning Commission assists municipalities without administering their zoning10. Pennsylvania counties have limited zoning authority19.

So a reader inside the township should not be sent to the county planning counter for building permits or zoning approval. The county still reviews subdivision and land-development proposals county-wide20.

How do septic permits work in Lower Merion Township?

Septic permits are required before anyone installs, alters or occupies a building served by an on-lot system6. Montgomery County's Office of Public Health handles on-lot sewage permitting and inspection321.

The township code adds its own layer: in portions of the township that the Official Sewage Facilities Plan identifies as a sewage management district, a DEP-certified township sewage enforcement officer issues the construction permit4. The township may also require an inspection when a system appears to be malfunctioning22. Because the county and township pages describe the program differently, confirm with the county Office of Public Health which office takes your application.

If a township sewer runs past the lot, a new building must connect within 60 days of completion unless the Public Works Committee grants special permission7. Conventional drain fields are hard to place here: USDA rates only 28.3% of soils in Montgomery County as not limited for them, so expect a site evaluation23.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in Lower Merion Township?

We could not confirm. The township's zoning ordinance governs the question, and we did not find a complete township rule on long-term RV occupancy, temporary camping or tiny-home occupancy. Statewide rules about state park campgrounds do not answer whether you can live in an RV on your own lot24.

Call the township Building and Planning Department at 610-645-6200 and ask the Zoning Officer about the specific district before you buy13.

Building a home in Lower Merion Township: the steps, in order

  1. Look up the parcel's zoning district and its lot-area, width and impervious-surface limits with the township Zoning Officer1.
  2. Find out whether a township sewer serves the lot or whether you need an on-lot system, and if so contact the Montgomery County Office of Public Health at 610-278-511721.
  3. Apply for the building permit and pay the fee at application14.
  4. Hire licensed trades as needed; a Pennsylvania owner doing unpaid work on their own primary residence is exempt from the general contractor licensing rule, though the township's own owner-builder rules are unconfirmed8.
  5. Post the permit on site until the project is complete15.
  6. If a township sewer abuts the lot, connect within 60 days of completing the building7.

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

Outside township limits, Montgomery County's answers apply; see the Montgomery County page. Within the township, wells fall under Montgomery County permits, which are required for drinking-water, irrigation and geothermal wells25.

The township sits in a dense area: Montgomery County has about 1,799 people per square mile, and the nearest city of 100,000 or more is about 16 miles from the county center2627. Montgomery County's typical home value is about $504,17928, and its effective property tax rate is 1.4%, with a median bill of $5,776 a year929. A driveway onto a state highway needs a PennDOT permit30.

Watch-outs

  • Building permit and zoning rules are the township's, not the county's; the county planning counter cannot approve either10.
  • Septic authority is described differently by the county and the township code, so confirm with the Montgomery County Office of Public Health which office takes your application34.
  • We could not confirm township rules on RVs, tiny homes, accessory dwellings, floodplain development or short-term rentals; ask the Building and Planning Department before you buy13.
  • The township's floodplain overlay district can add requirements, and state rules require permits for construction in a floodplain31.

Sources

  1. Chapter 155 Zoning - Township of Lower Merion, PA (Lower Merion Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. Chapter 143 Uniform Construction Code - Township of Lower Merion, PA (Lower Merion Township), quoted and re-checked
  3. On-Lot Sewage Permitting, quoted and re-checked
  4. Article IV Subsurface Sewage Disposal Facilities - Township of Lower Merion, PA (Lower Merion Township), quoted and re-checked
  5. Chapter 143 Uniform Construction Code - Township of Lower Merion, PA (Lower Merion Township), quoted and re-checked
  6. Article IV Subsurface Sewage Disposal Facilities - Township of Lower Merion, PA (Lower Merion Township), quoted and re-checked
  7. Article I Connections - Township of Lower Merion, PA (Lower Merion Township), quoted and re-checked
  8. Contractor Licensing (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  10. Montgomery County PA - Planning Commission (2026 county census)
  11. Article IV District Specific Standards - Township of Lower Merion, PA (Lower Merion Township), quoted and re-checked
  12. Article IV District Specific Standards - Township of Lower Merion, PA (Lower Merion Township), quoted and re-checked
  13. Lower Merion Township Building and Planning Department (lowermerion.org)
  14. Chapter 143 Uniform Construction Code - Township of Lower Merion, PA (Lower Merion Township), quoted and re-checked
  15. Chapter 143 Uniform Construction Code - Township of Lower Merion, PA (Lower Merion Township), quoted and re-checked
  16. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. PA Department of Labor & Industry - UCC Regulations & Statutes (2026 county census)
  19. Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  20. Subdivision & Land Development Reviews, quoted and re-checked
  21. Montgomery County Office of Public Health (OPH) (montgomerycountypa.gov)
  22. Article IV Subsurface Sewage Disposal Facilities - Township of Lower Merion, PA (Lower Merion Township), quoted and re-checked
  23. 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
  24. RV and Tent Campsites (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  25. Individual Water Supply Well Permitting, quoted and re-checked
  26. Population density: Bolthole Index county data
  27. Straight-line distance from the county center to the nearest city of 100,000+ people: Bolthole Index county data
  28. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data
  29. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  30. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  31. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, 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 Lower Merion Township

Lower Merion Township’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Building, structure, electrical, gas, mechanical, or plumbing work for which the Township code requires a permit.

    • Work commencing before obtaining necessary permits is subject to an additional fee set by the Code Official.
    • Public-service-agency equipment under the agency's established right is excepted from the permit requirement.
    “Any person who commences any work on a building, structure, electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system before obtaining the necessary permits shall be subject to a fee established by the Code Official that shall be in addition to the required permit fees.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Buildings regulated by the Township's Uniform Construction Code.

    • The Township administers and enforces Act 45 of 1999 and Department of Labor and Industry regulations; the adopted UCC is amended from time to time.
    “The Uniform Construction Code (referred to in this chapter as the "Code"), contained in 34 Pa. Code, Chapters 401-405, as amended from time to time, is hereby adopted and incorporated herein by reference as the building code of Lower Merion Township.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Lower Merion Township.

    • Chapter 155 was amended in its entirety on 2020-02-26; subsequent amendments are noted where applicable.
    “[Adopted by the Board of Commissioners of the Township of Lower Merion 3-16-1927 by Ord. No. 244; amended in its entirety 2-26-2020 by Ord. No. 4181. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]”
  • Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

    On-lot sewage disposal systems in the Township sewage management district.

    • The program applies only in portions identified as a sewage management district in the Official Sewage Facilities Plan.
    • The Township sewage enforcement officer is DEP-certified and employed or retained by the Township.
    “A person certified by DEP who is employed or retained by the Township. Such person is authorized to conduct investigations and inspections, review permit applications, issue or deny permits and do all other activities as may be provided for such person in the Sewage Facilities Act, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and this article or any other ordinance adopted by the Township.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Installation, construction, alteration, rehabilitation, or occupancy involving an individual or community sewage system in the Township sewage management district.

    • The construction/rehabilitation permit must be from the Township sewage enforcement officer.
    • The permit must indicate compliance with the Clean Streams Law, Sewage Facilities Act, and implementing regulations.
    • No system may be covered before SEO approval, except after 72 hours excluding Sundays and holidays if completion notice was received and permission has not specifically been refused.
    “No person shall install, construct or request bid proposals for construction, or alter an individual sewage system or community sewage system, or construct or request bid proposals for construction, or install or occupy any building or structure for which an individual sewage system or community sewage system is to be installed without first obtaining a construction/rehabilitation permit from the sewage enforcement officer, which permit shall indicate that the site and the plans and specifications of such system are in compliance with the provisions of the Clean Streams Law and the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act and the regulations adopted pursuant to those acts.”
  • Septic inspectionLimited

    On-lot sewage disposal systems in the Township sewage management district.

    • Inspection is mandatory upon Township request when there is evidence of malfunction or multiple nearby malfunctions.
    • The Township may require a Level One inspection at the owner's expense.
    • Routine inspection schedules may be established.
    “Any on-lot sewage disposal system may be inspected by an authorized agent at any reasonable time as of the effective date of this article and must be inspected upon request of the Township if there is evidence it is malfunctioning, or if there is evidence of multiple malfunctions in the immediate vicinity.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    On-lot sewage disposal systems in Township sewage management districts.

    • The article applies to properties served by, or persons installing or rehabilitating, on-lot sewage disposal systems in areas identified in the Official Sewage Facilities Plan.
    • A construction/rehabilitation permit is required for system installation or alteration.
    “The provisions of this article shall apply in any portion of the Township identified in the Official Sewage Facilities Plan as a sewage management district. Within such an area or areas, the provisions of this article shall apply to all persons owning any property serviced by an on-lot sewage disposal system and to all persons installing or rehabilitating on-lot sewage disposal systems.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    Newly constructed buildings requiring sewage drainage on premises abutting a Township sewer made ready for public use.

    • Connection is required within 60 days after completion of the new building.
    • The Public Works Committee may grant special permission to the contrary.
    • For newly constructed sewers, the rule applies to buildings within 200 feet after notice.

    connection deadline: 60 days (Measured from completion of the new building; special permission may be granted by the Public Works Committee.)

    “Newly constructed buildings. It shall be the duty of every owner of premises abutting a sewer which has been made ready for public use, in the case of the erection of a newly constructed building thereon and within 60 days from the completion of such building, to cause each new building erected on such premises and requiring sewage drainage to be separately connected therewith, unless special permission to the contrary shall have been granted by the Public Works Committee of the Board of Commissioners.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Township permits under the Uniform Construction Code.

    • Fees are due at application under Chapter A167.
    • Construction-cost-based valuation is fair market value and may be evaluated initially and at final completion.
    • Starting work before necessary permits carries an additional fee set by the Code Official.
    “Schedule of fees. Applicants for permits under this code shall pay to the Township at the time of application the fees set forth in Chapter A167. When a permit fee is based on the cost of construction, the valuation of the subject work shall be the fair market value of all the construction work.”
  • Permit processPartial

    UCC permit applications and permitted work in Lower Merion Township.

    • Changes during construction that do not comply with approved documents must be resubmitted as amended construction documents.
    • A copy of the building permit must be conspicuously posted until project completion.
    “The building permit, or copy, shall be posted on the site of the work, in a conspicuous location, until the completion of the project.”

Rules another office applies inside Lower Merion Township

Lower Merion Township does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Single-family development in the LDR1 Low Density Residential District.

    • Lot occupation standards in § 155-3.4 apply.

    minimum lot area: >= 90000 square feet · minimum lot width: >= 200 feet

    “A | Lot width | 200 feet minimum | Lot area | 90,000 square feet minimum”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Lots in the LDR1 Low Density Residential District.

    • Lot occupation standards in § 155-3.4 apply.

    maximum impervious surface: <= 20 percent

    “Lot Occupation (See § 155-3.4, Lot occupation.) A | Lot width | 200 feet minimum | Lot area | 90,000 square feet minimum | Impervious surface | 20% maximum”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Lower Merion Township.
  • Inspections — Building-code inspections inside Lower Merion Township.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy for construction inside Lower Merion Township.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings in the LDR1 Low Density Residential District.
  • Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land inside Lower Merion Township.
9 more unanswered
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals

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

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