Building permits, zoning and sewage rules in Borough of Duncannon, Pennsylvania

At a glance

Building/zoning permit

Required for construction and use changes; maintenance and minor nonstructural work excepted¹

Zoning

Borough zoning applies; confirm the parcel’s district and dimensional standards²

Septic permits

Local-agency approval for on-lot systems; confirm Duncannon’s designated agency⁵⁴

RV living and tiny homes

Residential permission unconfirmed; ask borough Codes Enforcement before buying²

Occupancy

Borough certificate of use and applicable UCC occupancy approval before use¹⁶

Off-grid sanitation

A composting toilet does not remove the need for approved washwater disposal in a new home⁷

Who to call

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 15, 2026.

Do you need a building permit in Borough of Duncannon, PA?

Duncannon’s zoning code requires a building and/or zoning permit before erecting, adding to or altering a building, using or changing the use of land or a building, or changing or extending a nonconforming use.¹ Normal maintenance, minor repairs and alterations that do not structurally change a building or structure are excepted from that provision.¹

Duncannon also has a Uniform Construction Codes chapter, and Pennsylvania requires a UCC building permit before work subject to that code begins.⁸⁹ Ask borough Codes Enforcement to identify the current building code official and distinguish the construction-code application from zoning approval.¹⁰

Who handles building and zoning applications in Borough of Duncannon?

Start with Duncannon Borough Codes Enforcement through the borough’s published main telephone number, 717-834-4311, and request the current building code official and Zoning Officer.¹⁰ The Zoning Officer must certify compliance with the zoning chapter and other applicable ordinances before issuing a permit under the zoning chapter.¹

Duncannon’s application requires scaled plans showing lot dimensions, existing buildings, the proposed building location, existing and intended uses, and dwelling-unit information.¹ The zoning fee schedule is posted in the Zoning Officer’s office; ask for the current schedule rather than budgeting from another municipality’s building fees.¹

Does Borough of Duncannon have zoning for RVs, tiny homes and setbacks?

Duncannon has its own zoning ordinance and a subdivision and land-development chapter.²¹¹ Perry County does not impose countywide zoning; zoning decisions remain municipal, so that county answer does not eliminate Duncannon’s ordinance.³²

We could not confirm Duncannon’s district-specific minimum lot sizes, setbacks, dwelling sizes or residential permission for RVs and tiny homes; ask the borough Zoning Officer for the parcel’s district and the proposed dwelling’s use classification before committing to a lot.² Pennsylvania’s state-park camping rules apply to state-park campgrounds and do not establish permission to live in an RV on private borough land.¹²

How do septic permits and off-grid sanitation work in Borough of Duncannon?

For a Duncannon property proposing an on-lot sewage system, Pennsylvania generally requires a local-agency permit before installation, contracting for construction, construction, occupancy or use, subject to statutory exceptions.⁵ Local agencies administer on-lot sewage permitting; we could not confirm Duncannon’s designated Sewage Enforcement Officer, so ask the borough for that contact and whether the address must instead connect to public sewer.⁴¹⁰

A composting or incinerating toilet in a new home still requires an on-lot system or another approved disposal method for washwater or excess liquid.⁷ Do not cover a newly constructed sewage system before the permit issuer’s approval, subject to the state notification exception.¹³ DEP’s Southcentral Clean Water office is the regional state contact for further sewage-program questions.¹⁴

Building a home in Borough of Duncannon: what are the steps?

1. Ask Duncannon’s Zoning Officer to confirm the proposed use and review a scaled site plan showing the lot, buildings and intended uses.¹
2. Resolve sewage service with the borough; if an on-lot system is proposed, identify the local agency and obtain the required sewage approval before construction.¹⁰⁵
3. Obtain borough building/zoning approval and the applicable UCC building permit before starting work.¹⁹
4. Arrange required construction-code inspections and borough zoning inspections at the beginning and completion of construction.¹⁵¹
5. Obtain the borough certificate of use and the applicable residential UCC certificate of occupancy before occupying the home.¹⁶

What should you check before buying land in Borough of Duncannon?

Ask the borough to evaluate whether the proposed development lies in a Special Flood Hazard Area: Pennsylvania municipalities review applications and issue or deny development permits in those areas.¹⁶ A driveway built or altered on state highway land, or connecting to a PennDOT drainage facility, also needs PennDOT approval.¹⁷

We could not confirm Duncannon’s private-well or utility-connection requirements; ask the borough to settle the parcel’s water and sewage arrangements before treating an off-grid design as feasible.¹⁰ Pennsylvania’s driller-licensing exemption for homeowners drilling their own wells does not establish a borough utility exemption.¹⁸ For land outside Duncannon, use the Perry County guide to orient your questions to the relevant municipality, because countywide zoning is absent and local zoning varies.¹⁹

Watch-outs

• Duncannon zoning permits become void after 12 months unless an extension is approved; submit the extension request at least 30 days before expiration.¹
• We could not confirm residential RV occupancy, tiny-home siting or minimum dwelling size in Duncannon; obtain the Zoning Officer’s answer for the proposed lot and use.²
• Duncannon’s certificate of use is required before occupying vacant land or a newly erected, substantially altered or changed-use structure.¹

Sources

1. Duncannon Borough Zoning Officer (ecode360.com)
2. Borough of Duncannon, PA Code of Ordinances - Table of Contents (eCode360) (Borough of Duncannon), quoted and re-checked
3. 2026 Perry County Subdivider/Developer Resource Guide, quoted and re-checked
4. Municipal On Lot Sewage Service Areas, quoted and re-checked
5. 25 Pa. Code § 72.22. Permit issuance (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
6. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
7. 25 Pa. Code § 73.65. Recycling toilet, incinerating toilet or composting toilet (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
8. Borough of Duncannon, PA Code of Ordinances - Table of Contents (eCode360) (Borough of Duncannon), quoted and re-checked
9. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
10. Duncannon Borough Codes Enforcement (duncannonboro.org)
11. Borough of Duncannon, PA Code of Ordinances - Table of Contents (eCode360) (Borough of Duncannon), quoted and re-checked
12. RV and Tent Campsites (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
13. Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
14. Pennsylvania DEP Southcentral Regional Office — Clean Water (pa.gov)
15. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
16. PennsylvaniA Floodplain Development Guide (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
17. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit (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. Perry County Community E-Data Booklet 2021, quoted and re-checked

Written October 15, 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.