Milford, PA Zoning, Building Permits & Septic Rules

Milford borough in Pike County, Pennsylvania runs its own zoning and issues its own building permits through the borough office at 500 Broad Street¹². A building permit is required for any new structure over 200 square feet³. Septic permits also come from the borough, through its sewage enforcement officer⁴.

At a glance

Zoning: Yes: the borough's own Chapter 312 zoning; exterior work needs a zoning permit¹
Building permit: Required for new structures over 200 sq ft, decks over 30 inches high and structural changes³
Occupancy permit: Required on any property transfer or change of occupancy; $75 fee⁵
Septic: Borough sewage enforcement officer; new systems need a permit⁴⁶
Septic fees: $100 application; $500 for a new residential system, including up to 3 inspections⁶
RV, tiny home, lot size, setbacks: Not confirmed; ask the zoning officer¹

Who to call

Building permits

Milford Borough Office (zoning officer, building inspector and permits)

First stop for occupancy, zoning, building, sewage and signage permits inside Milford borough; the zoning officer and building inspector have offices on its second floor.

570-296-7140

[email protected]

500 Broad Street

Septic permits

Milford Borough Sewage Enforcement Officer

Sewage inspections and permits for new septic systems inside Milford borough.

570-226-5810

500 Broad Street

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 Borough of Milford means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Milford, PA have zoning?

Yes. Milford borough in Pike County has its own zoning, Chapter 312 of the borough code¹. A zoning permit is required before work begins on any exterior change to a residential or commercial property, including additions, porches, decks, sheds, gazebos, pools, driveways and carports⁷. Pike County's page says all but Greene Township have adopted local zoning, so the county does not set Milford's rules⁸.

We could not confirm what the zoning chapter says about RVs, tiny homes, minimum lot size, setbacks or minimum house size. Ask the borough's zoning officer through the borough office before you buy².

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

Yes. Inside Milford borough, a building permit is required for any new structure over 200 square feet, for any new deck more than 30 inches above ground, and for any structural change to an existing building³. A separate zoning permit covers exterior changes and structural interior alterations³.

The borough office is the first stop for these permits⁹. Pennsylvania's statewide Uniform Construction Code is the building code behind them¹⁰, and building permit fees follow a schedule set by the borough's building inspector firm¹¹. We could not confirm the borough's inspection rules or any owner-builder exemption, so ask the building inspector².

What is an occupancy permit in Milford?

Milford borough requires an occupancy permit for any transfer of property or change of occupancy, residential or commercial⁵. The fee is $75⁵. Buyers of an existing Milford house should plan for this step at closing, and the borough office can say what the inspection involves².

How do septic permits work in Milford?

Inside Milford borough, the borough's own sewage enforcement officer handles septic, not the county⁴. All new septic systems require a permit⁶. The sewage application fee is $100 and a new residential system costs $500, which includes up to 3 inspections⁶. A permit renewal costs $150 if made before the 3-year expiration; after expiration, new permit fees apply⁶.

Soil matters here: only about 0.1% of Pike County soils are rated not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system¹².

Building a home in Milford: the steps, in order

Ask the zoning officer what the zoning code allows on your parcel, and whether a subdivision or land-development approval applies under the borough's Chapter 265¹³.
Apply at the borough office for a zoning permit¹ and a building permit³.
Apply for a septic permit through the sewage enforcement officer⁶.
If the driveway meets a state road, a PennDOT highway occupancy permit is required¹⁴.
Get the occupancy permit before moving in⁵.

What stays with Pike County, and what to check before you buy

Land outside the borough follows other municipalities' rules, so use the Pike County page for land outside Milford. Pike County reviews subdivision and land-development plans against each municipality's own ordinances¹⁵. Floodplain rules are set municipality by municipality, and we could not confirm Milford's¹⁶.

For money planning, Pike County's effective property tax rate is 1.4%¹⁷, with a median bill of $3,502 a year¹⁸.

Watch-outs

We could not confirm Milford's rules on RVs, tiny homes, accessory dwellings, lot size or setbacks; ask the zoning officer at the borough office before you commit¹.
Farm animals are not permitted inside the borough, and we found no agricultural exemption¹.
Occupancy permits are triggered by any property transfer, so a purchase of an existing building needs one⁵.
Late applications cost 3 times the regular fee rate on the borough's 2026 schedule¹¹.

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 Borough of Milford publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Pike County’s page lists the county offices to call.

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Milford, Pennsylvania