Lehigh Township, PA Zoning, Building Permits & Septic Rules

Lehigh Township, Pennsylvania in Northampton County has its own zoning ordinance, adopted in 2002 and amended since¹. Building construction follows the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, which the township adopted as its municipal building code². Septic permits come from a local agency's sewage enforcement officer under Act 537³; we could not confirm which office covers the township, so ask the township office.

At a glance

Zoning: Township zoning ordinance (Chapter 180), with an Agriculture/Rural Residential zone and others¹⁴
Building permit: Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code is adopted as the township building code²
Zoning permit: Township says one is needed to build, alter or install accessory structures such as sheds, fences and driveways⁵
Septic: Local agency sewage enforcement officer under Act 537; township contact unconfirmed³
Lot size (A/RR, single-family): 1 acre minimum, 140 feet wide, 20% maximum coverage⁶⁷
Building height (A/RR): 35 feet; 85 feet for uninhabitable accessory farm structures⁸
Owner-builder: No statewide contractor license for an owner's own residence⁹

Who to call

Codes & inspections

Lehigh Township Zoning & Codes Office

Zoning questions and permits for parcels inside Lehigh Township

610-767-6771

1069 Municipal Road, Walnutport, PA 18088

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

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Does Lehigh Township, PA have zoning?

Yes. Lehigh Township, Northampton County has its own zoning ordinance, Chapter 180 of the township code, adopted in 2002 and amended since¹. Lehigh Township's districts include Agriculture/Rural Residential (A/RR), Village Residential and Resort Commercial, plus commercial, office, industrial and Blue Mountain Conservation zones⁴.

For a single-family house in the A/RR zone, the township's table shows a 1 acre minimum lot, 140 feet of lot width and 20% maximum lot coverage⁶⁷. Buildings in A/RR are limited to 35 feet, except uninhabitable accessory farm structures, which may reach 85 feet⁸. Other zones have their own tables, so confirm your parcel's district with the township office before you plan anything.

Do you need a building permit in Lehigh Township, PA?

Building work in Lehigh Township falls under the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, which the township adopted as its municipal building code². Under the state code, the owner or an authorized representative must obtain a building permit before beginning construction or building work¹⁰.

The township also describes a separate zoning permit, needed whenever you plan to build, alter or install accessory structures such as sheds, fences, driveways and patios that the building code does not cover⁵. A retaining wall over 4 feet or new electric lighting may call for a building permit⁵. We could not confirm the township's own permit thresholds or fees, so ask the Zoning & Codes Office⁵.

Who issues building permits in Lehigh Township, and how do you reach them?

Lehigh Township, not Northampton County, administers the building code inside the township. The township adopted its code by ordinance and sets administration by employee, third-party agency or agreement². Start with the Lehigh Township Zoning & Codes Office at 1069 Municipal Road, Walnutport, PA 18088, phone 610-767-6771⁵.

The office handles zoning questions for parcels inside Lehigh Township only⁵. Complaints about zoning are taken in writing, and the township does not require a certificate of occupancy or home inspection for the resale of an existing home, though a moving permit is required⁵. A new residence is different: a certificate of occupancy is required under the state code before a new residential building is used¹¹.

How do septic permits work in Lehigh Township, PA?

Septic permitting in Northampton County is largely administered at the local level by municipalities or groups of municipalities working together³. A local agency's sewage enforcement officer issues permits for individual on-lot systems under Act 537¹². Pennsylvania requires a permit before a building served by an onlot system is occupied or used¹³.

We could not confirm which agency covers Lehigh Township or whether sewer service reaches your parcel. Ask the Lehigh Township office at 610-767-6771 who the sewage enforcement officer is⁵. Soils matter: about 18.8% of Northampton County soils rate as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system¹⁴.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in Lehigh Township, PA?

We could not confirm Lehigh Township's rules on living in an RV, camping, tiny homes or accessory dwellings. The township's zoning ordinance controls these uses, and the sections we reviewed did not settle them. Do not assume that a lack of a rule means permission. Call the Lehigh Township Zoning & Codes Office at 610-767-6771 before you park or place any dwelling⁵.

Pennsylvania's statewide RV rules cover state park campgrounds, not private land, so they do not answer this question¹⁵. A factory-built manufactured home is a separate category with its own state rules; ask the township how its zoning treats one¹⁶.

Building a home in Lehigh Township: the steps, in order

Confirm your parcel's zoning district and its lot, coverage and height limits with the township⁴⁵.
Ask the township for the septic agency and arrange a site evaluation and sewage permit before design is final³.
Get any needed zoning permit from the township⁵.
Obtain the building permit before construction starts¹⁰.
If the driveway meets a state highway, apply for a PennDOT highway occupancy permit¹⁷.
Schedule the required inspections: foundation; plumbing, mechanical and electrical; frame and masonry; wallboard; and final¹⁸.
Obtain the certificate of occupancy before moving in¹¹.

What stays with Northampton County and the state, and what to check before you buy

Septic permits, state-highway driveway permits and floodplain rules do not come from the township's zoning office alone. A driveway built or changed on state highway land needs a PennDOT permit¹⁷. Building in a mapped flood hazard area needs a floodplain permit from the municipality¹⁹. For land outside the township, see the Northampton County page.

County-level context: the effective property tax rate is 1.7% and the median property tax bill is $4,710 a year²⁰²¹. Northampton County's typical home value is $379,502²².

Watch-outs

We could not confirm Lehigh Township's permit thresholds, fees, RV, tiny-home or well rules; call the Lehigh Township Zoning & Codes Office at 610-767-6771 before you buy⁵.
Zoning rules differ by district, and the lot size, coverage and height figures here apply to single-family houses in Agriculture/Rural Residential only⁶.
Pennsylvania does not require a statewide contractor license for an owner's work on their own residence, but the building permit and inspections still apply⁹¹⁰.

Sources

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.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Lehigh Township publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Northampton County’s page lists the county offices to call.

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Lehigh Township, Pennsylvania