Bolthole Index

Northampton County, Pennsylvania

Building permits, zoning and septic in Upper Nazareth Township, Pennsylvania

Upper Nazareth Township, in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, has its own zoning ordinance, and a zoning permit is required before a structure is built, placed or expanded12. Building permits under the state Uniform Construction Code are handled locally, and the township's Building & Zoning office is the first call3. We could not confirm who issues septic permits here, so ask the township office before you buy.

At a glance

Zoning
Township zoning ordinance applies to land in Upper Nazareth1
Zoning permit
Required before erecting, placing or expanding a structure2
Building permit
State Uniform Construction Code permit required; township office is the contact43
Certificate of occupancy
Required for new principal buildings5
Septic
Local agency issues on-lot permits under Act 537; confirm which one with the township67
Driveway onto a state road
PennDOT permit required8
Subdivision
Township subdivision ordinance applies; zoning approvals are conditioned on it9

Who to call

Building permits

Upper Nazareth Township Building & Zoning

Zoning ordinance and map, zoning permits and building permits inside Upper Nazareth Township

(610) 759-5341

100 Newport Avenue, Nazareth, PA 18064

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

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Does Upper Nazareth Township, PA have zoning?

Yes. Upper Nazareth Township, Pennsylvania adopted its own zoning ordinance, and it governs land inside the township1. Northampton County does not zone this land: county zoning power in Pennsylvania reaches only municipalities that have no zoning ordinance of their own10.

Uses the township ordinance does not clearly permit send you to the ordinances of Chapman Borough or Lower Nazareth Township under multi-municipal planning1. Zoning approvals are also automatically conditioned on compliance with the township's subdivision and land development ordinance9.

We could not confirm lot sizes, setbacks, minimum dwelling size or the rules for RVs, tiny homes and manufactured homes in each district. Ask the township zoning officer, and read the ordinance and zoning map posted by the township3.

Do you need a building permit in Upper Nazareth Township?

Yes. A zoning permit must be issued before any structure or building is erected, constructed, moved, placed or expanded in Upper Nazareth Township2. The township may issue building and zoning permits together or separately2.

Building work is also subject to Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code, which requires a building permit before construction starts11. The township's own page lists new construction, additions, decks, driveways, sheds, fences and sewer or septic work among the work that needs a permit3.

A new principal building cannot be used or occupied until the township staff issue a certificate of occupancy5. Fees are set by the board of supervisors by resolution, and no application counts as filed until fees are paid12.

Who issues building and zoning permits in Upper Nazareth Township?

The Upper Nazareth Township Building & Zoning office issues them, and the township's zoning officer, who also acts as its building code officer, answers permit questions3. Applications for a zoning permit are made in writing on a township form or digitally as a PDF13.

A site plan is needed for new buildings and expansions, and a special exception or variance goes to the zoning hearing board, while a conditional use goes to the board of supervisors13.

The office also tells applicants to check property and lot deed restrictions before signing permit applications3. Call before you start any construction, because the township notes that requirements under the construction code keep changing3.

For land outside the township, see the Northampton County page.

How do septic permits work in Upper Nazareth Township?

Pennsylvania requires a permit from the local agency before a building served by an on-lot septic system is installed, built, occupied or used6. The local agency is a municipality, a group of municipalities, or a county health department, so the answer varies within Northampton County7.

The township's Building & Zoning page lists sewer or septic work among the work that needs a permit3. We could not confirm which agency employs the sewage enforcement officer for Upper Nazareth Township, or whether public sewer reaches a given lot. Ask the township office before you buy.

On a tract of 10 acres or more, a narrow exemption from the septic permit can apply to an owner's or immediate family's own residence, subject to owner-of-record date, notification and siting conditions6. Confirm any exemption with the local agency in writing.

Building a home in Upper Nazareth Township: the steps, in order

  1. Call the township Building & Zoning office and ask what the zoning district allows and which permits your project needs3.
  2. Check whether the project is a subdivision or land development, which brings in the township's subdivision ordinance9.
  3. Get septic approval from the local agency before building, or confirm public sewer is available6.
  4. If the driveway meets a state highway, apply for a PennDOT highway occupancy permit8.
  5. Apply for the zoning permit and the construction code building permit, paying fees when you file122.
  6. Pass the required inspections of the foundation, the plumbing, mechanical and electrical systems, the frame and masonry, and the wallboard, then the final inspection14.
  7. Obtain the certificate of occupancy before anyone moves in15.

Pennsylvania has no statewide license requirement for most construction contractors, though a municipality may add its own16.

What to check before you buy land in Upper Nazareth Township

Floodplain: development in a mapped flood hazard area needs a floodplain development permit from the municipality before work begins17. Ask the township whether a parcel touches one.

Wells: a homeowner drilling a well on their own land is exempt from the state driller licensing requirement, and Pennsylvania has no construction standards for private wells18. We could not confirm any township well rule.

Soils: across Northampton County, about 19% of soils rate as not limited for a conventional septic drain field, so most lots need a site evaluation and some need an engineered system19.

Taxes: Northampton County's effective property tax rate is about 1.7%20.

Watch-outs

  • The county's own pages do not zone this land; the township does, so do not rely on county answers for setbacks or RV use10.
  • We could not confirm the township's rules on RVs, tiny homes, accessory dwellings, minimum lot size or setbacks; ask the zoning officer before you buy3.
  • A new principal building cannot be occupied without a certificate of occupancy5.
  • A driveway built or changed on state highway land needs a PennDOT permit in addition to township approvals8.

Sources

  1. Upper Nazareth Township Code, Chapter 27 Zoning, Part 1 Administration (Upper Nazareth Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. Upper Nazareth Township Code, Chapter 27 Zoning, Part 1 Administration (Upper Nazareth Township), quoted and re-checked
  3. Upper Nazareth Township Building & Zoning (uppernazarethtownship.org)
  4. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  5. Upper Nazareth Township Code, Chapter 27 Zoning, Part 1 Administration (Upper Nazareth Township), quoted and re-checked
  6. 25 Pa. Code § 72.22. Permit issuance (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  7. Act 537 Sewage Facilities, quoted and re-checked
  8. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. Upper Nazareth Township Code, Chapter 27 Zoning, Part 1 Administration (Upper Nazareth Township), quoted and re-checked
  10. Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, Section 602 (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  11. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
  12. Upper Nazareth Township Code, Chapter 27 Zoning, Part 1 Administration (Upper Nazareth Township), quoted and re-checked
  13. Upper Nazareth Township Code, Chapter 27 Zoning, Part 1 Administration (Upper Nazareth Township), quoted and re-checked
  14. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  15. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. Contractor Licensing (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. PennsylvaniA Floodplain Development Guide (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. Apply for a Water Well Drillers License and Rig Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), 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. Effective property tax rate: 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 Upper Nazareth Township

Upper Nazareth Township’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Erection, construction, placement or expansion of structures inside Upper Nazareth township (zoning permit; building permits under township construction codes may be combined)

    • Township may issue combined or separate building and zoning permits
    • Ordinary repairs and maintenance not involving expansion or change of use are not regulated by the zoning chapter, though a construction permit may be needed
    “a zoning permit is required to be issued prior to the start of any of the following activities: (a) erection, construction, movement, placement, relocation or expansion of a structure, building or sign.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    New principal buildings and new or replacement principal nonresidential uses inside Upper Nazareth township

    • Zoning officer may delay issuance until compliance
    • Temporary occupancy may be allowed in writing, six-month maximum if not otherwise specified
    • Certificate may also be required under the construction codes
    “it shall be unlawful to use and/or occupy any new principal building or establish any new or replacement principal nonresidential use until a certificate of occupancy for such building or use has been issued by the township staff.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Upper Nazareth township

    • Ordinance No. 199, 1/15/2025
    • Uses not clearly permitted require consulting Chapman Borough or Lower Nazareth Township ordinances under multi-municipal planning
    “this chapter shall be known and be cited as the "upper nazareth township zoning ordinance of 2024."”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision and land development inside Upper Nazareth township

    • Zoning approvals are automatically conditioned on compliance with the SALDO (Ordinance 174, as amended)
    “if an application under this chapter, as amended, would also be regulated by the township subdivision and land development ordinance ("saldo"), then any permit or approval under this chapter, as amended, shall automatically be conditioned upon compliance with the saldo.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Zoning permits and applications inside Upper Nazareth township

    • Fee schedule set by board of supervisors resolution; schedule itself not opened
    • No application is considered filed until fees are paid
    “a township fee schedule for permits and applications may be established and amended by written resolution of the board of supervisors. no application or appeal shall be considered filed until all fees are paid.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Zoning permit applications inside Upper Nazareth township

    • Site plan with two copies required for new buildings, expansions or three or more added parking spaces
    • Special exception or variance needs zoning hearing board approval; conditional use needs board of supervisors approval
    “all applications for a zoning permit or a decision by the zoning hearing board shall be made in writing on a form provided by the township or digitally in.pdf format.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Upper Nazareth township
  • Building code adopted — Building code inside Upper Nazareth township
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Upper Nazareth township
  • Zoning districts — Zoning districts inside Upper Nazareth township
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Upper Nazareth township
19 more unanswered
  • 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

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 Upper Nazareth 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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