Bolthole Index

Montgomery County, Pennsylvania

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Narberth, Pennsylvania

Narberth Borough, Pennsylvania, in Montgomery County, enacts its own zoning under Chapter 500 of its code1 and enforces the Uniform Construction Code for building permits2. Septic systems inside the borough are inspected and approved by the Montgomery County Health Department3. Contact the borough's Building & Zoning office before you plan any work4.

At a glance

Building permit
Required; issued by Narberth Borough under the Uniform Construction Code25
Zoning
Yes; the borough's own zoning ordinance (Chapter 500) with published districts16
Septic
Montgomery County Health Department inspects and approves on-lot systems3
Driveway permit
Borough permit for building, removing or expanding driveways and off-street parking7
Permit fees
Set by Borough Council resolution8
Wells
Montgomery County Office of Public Health permit for drinking-water wells9

Who to call

Building permits

Narberth Borough Building & Zoning

Building permits, zoning permits, and driveway, sidewalk and curb permits inside Narberth Borough

610-664-2840

100 Conway Avenue, Narberth, PA 19072

Septic permits

Montgomery County Office of Public Health (OPH)

On-lot sewage permits and inspections and individual water-supply well permits for Montgomery County, including addresses inside boroughs

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 Borough of Narberth means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Narberth, PA have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes and setbacks?

Yes. Narberth Borough regulates land use through its own zoning chapter, Chapter 500, enacted under the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code and Borough Code1. The published districts are Neighborhood Residential (3a), Mixed Residential Limited (3b), Mixed Residential Open (3c), General Urban Limited (4a), General Urban Open (4b), Downtown (5a), Montgomery Avenue (5b) and a Historic District Overlay (H)6.

The borough describes the Neighborhood Residential district as characterized by larger lots of single-family homes with larger setbacks and yards6. Which district a parcel sits in decides everything else, so confirm it with the Building & Zoning office4.

We could not confirm Narberth's rules on RV living, temporary camping, tiny homes, accessory dwelling units, minimum lot size, setbacks or building height. Ask the Building & Zoning office, which can answer for a specific parcel and district4.

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

Yes. Narberth Borough adopted the Uniform Construction Code as its Building Code and administers it locally2. Pennsylvania's code requires property owners to obtain a construction or building permit before starting any work5. Inside Narberth, the borough's Building & Zoning office is where you apply, not Montgomery County4.

The borough accepts permit applications online and also by mail or in person at its municipal building4. A building permit leads to required inspections, and a certificate of occupancy must be issued before a building can be used10.

Building permit fees are set by Borough Council resolution8. The borough also adds a flat administrative fee on building, zoning, highway occupancy and driveway permits4.

We could not confirm the full residential permit trigger in Narberth's own code or any local owner-builder exemption, so ask the office before starting even a small project.

How do septic permits work inside Narberth?

Septic permits inside Narberth are a county matter. Narberth's code requires on-lot sewage disposal systems to comply with the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act 537 and to be inspected and approved by the Montgomery County Health Department3. The borough also requires an approved inspection company to verify that an existing on-lot system operates properly before a building permit is issued for an existing structure11.

The county's Office of Public Health requires a permit to construct or modify an on-lot system12. Its Sewage Enforcement Officers inspect the installed system and give final approval for use13. Drinking-water, irrigation and geothermal wells in Montgomery County also need an Office of Public Health permit before installation9.

For buildings that connect to public sewer, the borough amended the plumbing code to require a sewer connection when required by borough ordinance14. Ask the Building & Zoning office whether your address must connect4.

Building or renovating in Narberth: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the parcel is inside Narberth Borough, then ask Building & Zoning which zoning district it is in4.
  2. Check what Chapter 500 allows in that district before you design1.
  3. Apply for the building permit with the borough; the Uniform Construction Code requires it before work starts5.
  4. If the work touches a driveway or off-street parking, apply for the borough's separate driveway permit7.
  5. If the property uses an on-lot septic system or a well, deal with the Montgomery County Office of Public Health15.
  6. Keep work accessible for inspection and get the certificate of occupancy before anyone uses the building10.

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

The county's rules for septic systems and wells apply to every address in Montgomery County, borough or not169. Zoning does not come from the county: Montgomery County has 62 municipalities that for the most part make land use and zoning decisions individually17. Subdivision and land-development plans are also reviewed by the county Planning Commission, but the county's review is advisory and the municipality gives final approval18. For land outside the borough, see the Montgomery County page.

Before you buy, ask the borough about flood hazard areas: Pennsylvania municipalities issue a floodplain development permit before development in a Special Flood Hazard Area19. We could not confirm Narberth's own floodplain provisions.

Taxes are county-level figures: Montgomery County's effective property tax rate is 1.4%20.

Watch-outs

  • Narberth, not Montgomery County, issues building permits and zoning approval inside borough limits, so a call to the county planning counter will not get you a permit417.
  • Septic and well approvals stay with the Montgomery County Office of Public Health even inside the borough39.
  • We could not confirm Narberth's rules on RVs, tiny homes, accessory dwellings, lot sizes or setbacks; ask Building & Zoning for the district standards before you commit to a purchase4.
  • A driveway or off-street parking change needs its own borough permit, separate from the building permit7.

Sources

  1. Borough of Narberth, PA, Chapter 500, Article I: Intent; Authority; Applicability (Borough of Narberth), quoted and re-checked
  2. Borough of Narberth, PA, Chapter 240, Construction Codes, Uniform (Borough of Narberth), quoted and re-checked
  3. Borough of Narberth, PA, Chapter 240, International Residential Code amendments (Borough of Narberth), quoted and re-checked
  4. Narberth Borough Building & Zoning (narberthpa.gov)
  5. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
  6. Borough of Narberth, PA, Chapter 500, Article II: Zoning Districts (Borough of Narberth), quoted and re-checked
  7. Borough of Narberth, PA, Chapter 500, § 500-103 Applicability (Borough of Narberth), quoted and re-checked
  8. Borough of Narberth, PA, Chapter 240, § 240-8 Fee schedule (Borough of Narberth), quoted and re-checked
  9. Individual Water Supply Well Permitting, quoted and re-checked
  10. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
  11. Borough of Narberth, PA, Chapter 240, International Residential Code amendments (Borough of Narberth), quoted and re-checked
  12. On-Lot Sewage Permitting, quoted and re-checked
  13. On-Lot Sewage Permitting, quoted and re-checked
  14. Borough of Narberth, PA, Chapter 240, International Plumbing Code amendments (Borough of Narberth), quoted and re-checked
  15. Montgomery County Office of Public Health (OPH) (montgomerycountypa.gov)
  16. On-Lot Sewage Permitting, quoted and re-checked
  17. Homes For All, quoted and re-checked
  18. Subdivision & Land Development Reviews, quoted and re-checked
  19. PennsylvaniA Floodplain Development Guide (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  20. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data

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 Borough of Narberth

Borough of Narberth’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction governed by Narberth Borough's Building Code inside the borough.

    • The Borough elected to administer and enforce the Pennsylvania Construction Code; Chapter 240 identifies exceptions and local amendments.
    “The Uniform Construction Code, referred to in § 240-1, is hereby adopted and incorporated herein by reference as the Building Code of Narberth Borough (the “code” or “Building Code”).”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Narberth borough.

    • Chapter 500 is enacted under the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code and Pennsylvania Borough Code.
    “The Borough will regulate uses in appropriate districts”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts inside Narberth borough.

    • The published districts include Neighborhood Residential (3a), Mixed Residential Limited (3b), Mixed Residential Open (3c), General Urban Limited (4a), General Urban Open (4b), Downtown (5a), Montgomery Avenue (5b), and Historic District Overlay (H).
    “Neighborhood Residential District (3a). This district includes many of the least intensely developed areas of the Borough and is characterized by larger lots of single-family homes with larger setbacks and yards.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    On-lot sewage disposal systems inside Narberth borough.

    • The system must comply with the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act 537 and be inspected and approved by the Montgomery County Health Department.
    “All on-lot sewage disposal systems shall comply with the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act 537 and shall be inspected and approved by the Montgomery County Health Department.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupConditional

    Sewer connections for buildings inside Narberth borough.

    • The adopted plumbing-code amendment replaces the model-code availability wording with the Borough-ordinance condition.
    “Section 701.2 Sewer Required is amended as follows: Replace "where available" in the third line with "when required by Borough ordinance."”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    Construction, removal, or expansion of off-street parking or driveways inside Narberth borough.

    • The permit activity must conform to Chapter 500 standards.
    “Permits for the construction, removal, or expansion of off-street parking or driveways.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Fees for Borough administration and enforcement of its Building Code.

    • Fees are established by Borough Council resolution from time to time unless the amended code provides otherwise.
    “Unless otherwise set forth in the code as amended, all fees assessable by Narberth Borough for the administration and enforcement undertaken pursuant to this chapter and the code shall be established from time to time by resolution of Borough Council.”

Rules another office applies inside Borough of Narberth

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

  • Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

    On-lot sewage disposal systems inside Narberth borough.

    • Systems must comply with the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act 537.
    “All on-lot sewage disposal systems shall comply with the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act 537 and shall be inspected and approved by the Montgomery County Health Department.”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    On-lot sewage disposal systems inside Narberth borough.

    • For existing structures, an approved inspection company must verify proper operation before issuance of any building permit.
    “All on-lot sewage disposal systems shall comply with the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act 537 and shall be inspected and approved by the Montgomery County Health Department.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Borough of Narberth or Montgomery County directly.

  • Building permit — Residential construction inside Narberth borough.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work inside Narberth borough.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Residential occupancy inside Narberth borough.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Narberth borough.
  • Minimum lot size — Lots inside Narberth borough.
13 more unanswered
  • Setbacks
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Septic permit
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • 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 Borough of Narberth publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Montgomery County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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