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

Delaware Township’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New one-family, two-family and townhouse dwellings, and additions to or demolition of dwellings, inside Delaware township

  • Building department list of work requiring a permit; the page states 'this is not a complete list or exact wording from the codes.'
  • Also requires a permit: detached accessory structures of 200 sq ft or more, pre-manufactured (mobile) or industrialized (modular) housing and foundation and utility connections, fences over 6 feet, retaining walls over 4 feet, decks more than 30 inches above grade, and pools over 24 inches deep or over 5,000 gallons.
  • Other approvals may be needed first (see permit_process claim).

  “new one family, two family, and townhouse dwellings, any addition or demolition of dwelling”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction inside Delaware township, Pike County, PA under the township building ordinance

  • The township index lists Ordinance 201 as its building-code ordinance; the ordinance text and the edition of the code it adopts were not opened.
  • Building department page says 'always check with your municipality first, some municipalities have adopted more restrictive requirements.'

  “ordinance 201 regulating building/building code (2005) with amendment in 2011”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Delaware township, Pike County, PA: the township administers its own zoning ordinance (Ordinance 110, with Ordinance 901 definitions and planning map)

  • Zoning permits are required before building, altering, adding to a structure, or changing use of land or buildings, per the township zoning department page.
  • Ordinance 110 has been amended several times (e.g., 110.7(3)(c) 2015, 110.8.h 2016, 110.8(b) 2023, 110.15(e) 2025, data-center amendment 2026); the amended text was not opened in this research.

  “ordinance 110 zoning along with 901 definitions and planning map (2013)”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  Individual on-lot sewage systems on land inside Delaware township

  • The township's own sewage enforcement officer (SEO) approves sewage system inspections and issues permits; township Ordinance 202 regulates individual water supply and sewage disposal systems.

  “as the delaware township sewage enforcement officer (seo), ron tussel approves all sewage system inspections for both commercial and residential buildings.”

• Septic permitRequired

  New or replacement on-lot septic systems inside Delaware township

  • Sequence on the township page: (1) perc testing with sewage permit application; (2) sewage design submitted to the township; (3) well application; (4) septic permit issued once the additional fee is received; (5) installation inspection and approval by the SEO; (6) certificate of use.
  • Page does not state the permit fee for perc testing beyond the $250 listed in step 1.

  perc testing application payment: 250 USD · septic system permit additional fee: 250 USD

  “2. permit for septic system issued once an additional fee of $250 is received.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Sewage system installations for residential and commercial buildings inside Delaware township

  • Installation inspection and approval by the township SEO is a listed step before the certificate of use is issued.

  “4. sewage installation inspection and approval by seo”

• Well permitRequired

  Newly drilled private wells inside Delaware township

  • The township SEO inspects newly drilled wells and issues well permits; application is made along with the fee shown.

  well permit application fee: 75 USD

  “ron also inspects newly drilled wells and issues well permits.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision and land development of land inside Delaware township

  • Township index lists a subdivision and land development ordinance (Ordinance 107, SALDO, 2018, amended in entirety; 2014 entry with signed amendment on the older listing).
  • Subdivision approvals also involve the planning commission per the building department approvals list.

  “ordinance 1 07 saldo (2018) - amended in entirety”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Construction or development in mapped flood areas inside Delaware township

  • Only the ordinance title was verified; the permit requirements, elevation rules and exemptions in Ordinance 102 were not opened.
  • Development in flood areas is regulated by the township, so it is conditional rather than unrestricted.

  “ordinance 102 regulating construction or development in areas subject to flooding (2001)”

• Short-term rentalsLimited

  Short-term rentals inside Delaware township

  • Township permit required; details in Ordinance 802 (2022), not opened.
  • Township notice says the ordinance 403 weight limit is being lifted; not relevant to STR rules.

  “delaware twp regulates short-term rentals. the use requires a permit. see ordinance 802 for details.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Building permit fees charged by Delaware township

  • The building department page links a building permit fee schedule and a township fee schedule; the linked schedules themselves were not opened, so no fee amounts are recorded here.
  • Septic and well fees are in the sewage claims.

  “building permit fee schedule township fee schedule”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Construction permit process for Delaware township

  • Approvals listed before a construction permit: municipality, sewage enforcement officer, utility companies, planning commission, DEP, PennDOT (driveway permits on state roads), L&I (elevators, boilers), and the Department of Agriculture (food-type items), plus zoning and conservation district.
  • Page says the list is 'not a complete list or exact wording from the codes.'

  “who do i need approvals/permits from before i can get my construction permit.”

Rules another office applies inside Delaware Township

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

• Driveway accessLimited

  Driveways that connect to state roads inside Delaware township (PennDOT permit), not driveways onto township roads

  • Permit is issued by PennDOT for driveways on state roads; the township does not issue this permit per the building department list.

  “department of transportation (penn dot) - driveway permits on state roads”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit or inspection exemption in Delaware township
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new dwellings inside Delaware township
• Zoning districts — Zoning district map and schedule for Delaware township
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling floor area in Delaware township
• Minimum lot size — Single-family residential district in Delaware township (main residential zone)

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.