Bolthole Index

Northampton County, Pennsylvania

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

Moore Township, Pennsylvania has its own zoning, and its Zoning Ordinance requires a zoning permit for homes, garages, sheds, decks, fences and driveways1. Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code also requires a building permit before construction starts2. Septic permits are issued by a local agency under Act 537, not by the state3. Moore Township lies in Northampton County.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes, township-adopted districts including Rural Agricultural (RA) and Rural Residential (RR)4
Zoning permit
Required for homes, garages, sheds, decks, fences and driveways1
Building permit
Required under the statewide Uniform Construction Code; local administrator not confirmed2
Minimum lot (RA / RR)
1 acre, or 2 acres with an a/b soil or drip irrigation septic system56
Septic permits
Issued by a local agency under Act 5373
Minimum dwelling size (RR)
500 sq ft efficiency, 600 sq ft one-bedroom7
RV living
General rule not confirmed; RVs barred at short-term rentals8
Owner-builder
Pennsylvania allows owners to work on their own home9

Who to call

Zoning

Moore Township Zoning & Building Officer

Zoning permits, zoning questions and the township's required permits inside Moore Township

610-759-9449

2491 Community Drive, Bath, PA 18014

Septic permits

Moore Township Forms & Documents (zoning, driveway and on-lot sewage permit applications)

Application forms for zoning permits, driveway permits and on-lot sewage system permits

610-759-9449

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

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Does Moore Township, PA have zoning?

Yes. Moore Township adopts its own zoning districts in Chapter 300 of its township code, and the official zoning map kept at the township building is the final authority on a parcel4. The township's Zoning Ordinance requires zoning permits for homes, garages, sheds, decks, additions, patios, porches, swimming pools, fences, driveways and alterations of any structure or use1.

Two rural districts matter most to land buyers. In the Rural Agricultural (RA) district, the minimum lot for most permitted uses is 1 acre with 200 feet of width, and animal husbandry needs 3 acres5. In the Rural Residential (RR) district, the minimum is 1 acre with 150 feet of width6. Either district requires 2 acres where an a/b soil system or drip irrigation system is the primary septic absorption area6.

What are the setbacks, height and coverage limits in Moore Township?

Setbacks differ by district. In RA, principal uses need a 50-foot front yard, 30 feet on one side with 60 feet total for both sides, and a 40-foot rear yard10. In RR, the front yard is 40 feet, one side yard 20 feet with 40 feet for both, and the rear yard 20 feet11.

In RA, buildings may cover up to 13% of the lot and total impervious cover up to 20% for most permitted uses12. In RR, the limits are 27.5% for buildings and 38.5% for impervious cover13. Buildings in either district top out at 35 feet and 2.5 stories1415. Other provisions of the zoning chapter can add to these tables10.

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

Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code requires the owner or an authorized representative to obtain a building permit before beginning construction2. Inspections of permitted work include foundation, plumbing, mechanical and electrical, frame and masonry, wallboard and a final inspection16.

We could not confirm whether Moore Township itself, a third-party agency or the state administers the code inside the township, so ask the township's Zoning & Building Officer at 610-759-94491. The zoning permit is a separate approval from the building permit, and the township's forms page lists a zoning permit application17. A final certificate of occupancy is required before a residential building may be used18.

How do septic permits work in Moore Township?

Pennsylvania delegates on-lot septic permitting to local agencies, which may be a municipality, a group of municipalities or a county health department3. Moore Township's forms page lists an On-Lot Sewage System Permit application17.

Soil matters here: USDA rates only about 19% of soils in Northampton County as not limited for a conventional drain field, so most lots need a site evaluation and some need an engineered system19. Inside the zoning districts, a lot that uses an a/b soil system or drip irrigation needs 2 acres rather than 16. Ask the township office which agency and sewage enforcement officer handles your lot1.

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

We could not confirm a general township rule on living in an RV, camping on your own land or tiny homes, so call the Zoning & Building Officer before you buy or park anything1. One rule is confirmed: overnight RV, camper and tent occupancy is prohibited at short-term rental properties8.

Residential dwellings in the RR district must meet minimum floor areas: 500 square feet for an efficiency, 600 for a one-bedroom and 120 more for each added bedroom, with a minimum dwelling width of 18 feet7. A very small home may not satisfy that table.

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

  1. Call the Zoning & Building Officer at 610-759-9449 to confirm your parcel's district and required permits1.
  2. Check the zoning map and the lot, setback and coverage tables for your district4.
  3. Have the soils evaluated and apply for the on-lot sewage system permit17.
  4. Apply for the zoning permit, and the driveway permit if you are adding a driveway17.
  5. Obtain the Uniform Construction Code building permit before work begins2.
  6. If the driveway meets a state road, a PennDOT permit is also required20.
  7. Pass the required inspections and receive the certificate of occupancy16.

What to check before you buy land in Moore Township

Confirm the parcel's zoning district on the township map, because lot size, setbacks and coverage differ by district4. Ask about soils early, since the share of soils rated not limited for a septic drain field in Northampton County is low19.

Northampton County's effective property tax rate is 1.7% and its median bill is $4,710 a year2122. For land outside Moore Township, see the Northampton County page.

Watch-outs

  • Moore Township's code includes chapters on floodplain management, driveways, subdivision and fees that we could not review, so ask the Zoning & Building Officer about each before you commit1.
  • Whether the township, a third-party agency or the state enforces the building code inside Moore Township is unconfirmed; call 610-759-9449 before assuming who inspects1.
  • Building a driveway onto a state highway requires a PennDOT permit in addition to any township driveway permit20.

Sources

  1. Moore Township Zoning & Building Officer (mooretownship.org)
  2. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
  3. Municipal On Lot Sewage Service Areas, quoted and re-checked
  4. Moore Township Code Ch. 300 Zoning, Article III: Zoning Districts (Moore Township), quoted and re-checked
  5. Moore Township Code Ch. 300 Zoning, Article III: Zoning Districts (Moore Township), quoted and re-checked
  6. Moore Township Code Ch. 300 Zoning, Article III: Zoning Districts (Moore Township), quoted and re-checked
  7. Moore Township Code Ch. 300 Zoning, Article III: Zoning Districts (Moore Township), quoted and re-checked
  8. Moore Township Code Ch. 300 Zoning, Article IV: Use Regulations (Moore Township), quoted and re-checked
  9. Contractor Licensing (2026 county census)
  10. Moore Township Code Ch. 300 Zoning, Article III: Zoning Districts (Moore Township), quoted and re-checked
  11. Moore Township Code Ch. 300 Zoning, Article III: Zoning Districts (Moore Township), quoted and re-checked
  12. Moore Township Code Ch. 300 Zoning, Article III: Zoning Districts (Moore Township), quoted and re-checked
  13. Moore Township Code Ch. 300 Zoning, Article III: Zoning Districts (Moore Township), quoted and re-checked
  14. Moore Township Code Ch. 300 Zoning, Article III: Zoning Districts (Moore Township), quoted and re-checked
  15. Moore Township Code Ch. 300 Zoning, Article III: Zoning Districts (Moore Township), quoted and re-checked
  16. Uniform Construction Code Chapter 403, quoted and re-checked
  17. Moore Township Forms & Documents (zoning, driveway and on-lot sewage permit applications) (mooretownship.org)
  18. pa.gov, quoted and re-checked
  19. 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
  20. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit, quoted and re-checked
  21. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  22. Median property tax bill: 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.

Answers from the rulebook for Moore Township

Moore Township’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Moore township

    • Official zoning map kept at the township building is the final authority on a parcel's zoning.
    “for the purpose of this chapter, zoning districts are hereby established as follows:”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Rural Residential (RR) district, Moore township residential uses (RA table is similar; not separately quoted)

    • Minimum dwelling unit width 18 feet.

    efficiency: >= 500 sq ft · 1-bedroom: >= 600 sq ft · each additional bedroom: >= 120 sq ft

    “rr principal use minimum habitable floor area (square feet) minimum dwelling unit width (feet) all residential uses 18 efficiency 500 1-bedroom dwelling unit 600 each additional bedroom 120”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Rural Residential (RR) district, Moore township

    • Per dwelling unit for residential uses.
    • Two-acre minimum required when an a/b soil system or drip irrigation system is the primary absorption area.
    • Animal husbandry 3 acres.

    minimum lot area: >= 1 acres (2 acres with abs/drip system) · minimum lot width: >= 150 feet

    “animal husbandry 3 350 5.5% 11% 2.5 35 all other permitted uses 1 150 27.5% 38.5% 2.5 35”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Rural Agricultural (RA) district, Moore township

    • Subject to further applicable provisions of the chapter.

    front yard: >= 50 feet · one side yard: >= 30 feet · both side yards: >= 60 feet · rear yard: >= 40 feet

    “ra principal use front yard* (feet) side yards one (feet) both (feet) rear yard (feet) all permitted uses 50 30 60 40”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Rural Agricultural (RA) district, Moore township, all other permitted uses

    • Animal husbandry limited to 6.5% buildings / 13% impervious.

    max building coverage: <= 13 percent · max total impervious cover: <= 20 percent

    “animal husbandry 3 350 6.5% 13% 2.5 35 all other permitted uses 1 200 13% 20% 2.5 35”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Building heightSpecified

    Rural Agricultural (RA) district, Moore township

    max height: <= 35 feet · max stories: <= 2.5 stories

    “animal husbandry 3 350 6.5% 13% 2.5 35 all other permitted uses 1 200 13% 20% 2.5 35”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Short-term rentalsLimited

    Short-term rentals inside Moore township

    • Annual short-term rental license required, renewed yearly with inspections.
    • Fees set by board of supervisors resolution.
    • Overnight RV, camper and tent occupancy at the rental property prohibited.
    • Functional septic pumped out once per year with written verification to zoning officer.
    “all short-term rentals shall have a fully functional septic system which shall be pumped out once per year. written verification to be provided each year to the zoning officer.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — Building permits inside Moore township
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Moore township
  • Building code adopted — Building code inside Moore township
  • Inspections — Building inspection inside Moore township
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Moore township
17 more unanswered
  • 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
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • 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 Moore Township publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Northampton County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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