Bolthole Index

Tioga County, Pennsylvania

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

Charleston Township, Tioga County, Pennsylvania requires a building permit for new construction, enlargement and alteration1. The township does its own zoning, and all of it is one Agricultural Residential District2. Septic permits are a separate step handled by a certified sewage enforcement officer, not the township building permit officer3.

At a glance

Building permit
Required from the township building permit officer; repairs with no structural change are exempt1
Building code
Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, adopted by the township and enforced through a contracted code administrator4
Zoning
Township zoning (Chapter 300); the whole township is one Agricultural Residential District52
Minimum lot size
2 acres per dwelling unit in the Agricultural Residential District6
Mobile homes
Individual mobile homes are a permitted use in the Agricultural Residential District7
Septic
Permit from a certified sewage enforcement officer; the township code points to its own officer3
Private wells
No state permit for a private homeowner well; no township rule confirmed8
Permit fee
Based on estimated construction cost, starting at $0 for work up to $2009

Who to call

Building permits

Charleston Township Building Permit Officer

Building permit applications inside Charleston Township

Planning & zoning

Tioga County Planning Commission

County subdivision and land development review; reviews municipal zoning ordinances; does not issue building, septic or driveway permits

570-723-8251

118 Main Street, Wellsboro, PA 16901

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Charleston Township means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in Charleston Township, PA?

Yes. Charleston Township makes it unlawful to construct, reconstruct, enlarge, alter or relocate a building without an approved building permit1. Repairs to an existing building need no building permit as long as no structural changes are involved1.

The township has adopted Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code as its municipal building code4. Pennsylvania's code applies to all buildings statewide, and agricultural buildings are carved out, but a dwelling is not10. Occupying a building also requires a certificate of occupancy under the state code11.

Who issues building permits in Charleston Township, and how much do they cost?

The township's own Building Permit Officer takes applications, in writing on forms the township supplies12. Applications include the applicant, landowner and contractor, the site location, a description of the work with its estimated cost, and a site plan12. Code enforcement runs through a contract with a certified code administrator that the township appoints4.

The township fee follows estimated construction cost: nothing for work up to $200, $5 for $201 to $1,000, then $1 more per $1,000 or part beyond the first $1,0009. Inspection during construction is discretionary13. We could not find a public phone number or counter address for the permit officer, so start with the Charleston Township Board of Supervisors.

Does Charleston Township have zoning?

Yes. Charleston Township has its own zoning chapter, adopted by its Board of Supervisors5. The whole township is designated one Agricultural Residential District, so no separate districts apply to different parts of the township2. Tioga County itself has no countywide zoning14, so the township ordinance is the one that controls your parcel.

In that district a single-family detached dwelling needs 2 acres per dwelling unit, with the same stated minimum whether sewer and water are on-lot or off-lot6. Individual mobile homes are a permitted use there7. We could not confirm the township's rules on tiny homes, accessory dwellings or minimum dwelling size, so ask the township zoning officer before you design anything unusual.

How do septic permits work in Charleston Township?

Septic permits are issued by a local agency's certified sewage enforcement officer under state law, not by the building permit officer3. Tioga County's official list names a township-specific sewage enforcement officer arrangement that covers Charleston Township3. Apply in writing to that local agency15.

The state exempts some systems from a permit on a contiguous tract of 10 acres or more, but only for the owner of record as of January 10, 1987, and not where a municipality requires a permit by ordinance16. Check before relying on it. The final inspection must happen before any part of the system is covered17. Soils matter too: across Tioga County only 0.9% of soils rate as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system18. We could not confirm the township's own sewage-disposal chapter.

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

We could not confirm a township rule on living in an RV or tiny home on private land. What is confirmed is narrower: at a property operating as a short-term rental, overnight occupancy of recreational vehicles and camper trailers is not allowed19. Pennsylvania's state forest roadside camping permit caps stays at 7 consecutive nights, but that rule covers state forest land, not your own parcel20.

An individual mobile home is a permitted dwelling in the Agricultural Residential District7. A new manufactured home installed under the state code needs a building permit and a certificate of occupancy, and the certificate cannot issue until the building code official receives the completed Form HUD 30921. Ask the township zoning officer about RVs and tiny homes before you buy.

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

  1. Confirm the lot meets the 2-acre minimum for a dwelling in the Agricultural Residential District6.
  2. If you are dividing land, ask the Tioga County Planning Commission about subdivision review22. The township's own subdivision chapter was not confirmed.
  3. Apply for a septic permit through the sewage enforcement officer serving the township3.
  4. Apply in writing for a township building permit with a site plan12.
  5. Build to the Uniform Construction Code, and have the septic system inspected before it is covered417.
  6. Obtain a certificate of occupancy before you move in11.

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

Inside Charleston Township the township, not the county, issues building permits and sets zoning51. Tioga County reviews subdivision and land development plans under its own ordinance22, and floodplain rules are municipal: every municipality in Tioga County must have a Floodplain Administrator23. For land outside the township, see the Tioga County page.

Pennsylvania does not regulate private homeowner wells, and we found no township well rule8. Tioga County's effective property tax rate is 1.2%24, and farmland averages $4,552 per acre across the county25.

Watch-outs

  • Septic permit rules, driveway rules, subdivision and floodplain chapters exist in the township code, but we could not confirm their terms; ask the township before you buy23.
  • The ten-acre septic exemption does not apply where a municipality requires a permit by ordinance, so confirm with the sewage enforcement officer first16.
  • Short-term rentals need a township permit, are limited in occupancy, and cannot allow overnight RV occupancy on the property2619.

Sources

  1. Chapter 84: Building Permits - Township of Charleston, PA (Charleston Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. Article IV: Agricultural Residential District - Township of Charleston, PA (Charleston Township), quoted and re-checked
  3. 25 Pa. Code Chapter 72: Administration of Sewage Facilities Permitting Program, quoted and re-checked
  4. Township of Charleston, PA Construction Codes, Uniform (Charleston Township), quoted and re-checked
  5. Chapter 300: Zoning - Township of Charleston, PA (Charleston Township), quoted and re-checked
  6. Schedule A — Minimum Lot Area, Lot Width and Yard Requirements and Maximum Building Height and Lot Coverage Requirements (Charleston Township), quoted and re-checked
  7. Article IV: Agricultural Residential District - Township of Charleston, PA (Charleston Township), quoted and re-checked
  8. Private Water Wells, quoted and re-checked
  9. Chapter 84: Building Permits - Township of Charleston, PA (Charleston Township), quoted and re-checked
  10. PA Dept. of Labor & Industry — Uniform Construction Code (2026 county census)
  11. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
  12. Chapter 84: Building Permits - Township of Charleston, PA (Charleston Township), quoted and re-checked
  13. Chapter 84: Building Permits - Township of Charleston, PA (Charleston Township), quoted and re-checked
  14. Tioga County Data Center Planning FAQ, quoted and re-checked
  15. Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act, quoted and re-checked
  16. Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act, quoted and re-checked
  17. 25 Pa. Code § 72.30. Inspection, quoted and re-checked
  18. 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
  19. Chapter 226: Short-Term Rentals - Township of Charleston, PA (Charleston Township), quoted and re-checked
  20. Motorized Roadside Camping, quoted and re-checked
  21. Advisories — Advisory on Manufactured Housing, quoted and re-checked
  22. Tioga County Planning Commission, quoted and re-checked
  23. Tioga County - Floodplain Administrators, quoted and re-checked
  24. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  25. Farmland value per acre (USDA census): Bolthole Index county data
  26. Chapter 226: Short-Term Rentals - Township of Charleston, PA (Charleston Township), quoted and re-checked

Written October 24, 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 Charleston Township

Charleston Township’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction, reconstruction, enlargement, alteration, or relocation of buildings or construction inside Charleston Township.

    • Repairs to existing buildings or structures require no building permit if no structural changes or modifications are involved.
    • The permit officer issues a permit only after determining conformance with all applicable requirements and regulations.
    “unless an approved building permit has been obtained”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction code enforcement inside Charleston Township.

    • The adopted Uniform Construction Code is amended and supplemented from time to time.
    • Administration and enforcement are undertaken through a contract with a certified and qualified code administrator or other entity.
    “The Uniform Construction Code [...] is hereby adopted and incorporated herein by reference as the municipal building code of Charleston Township.”
  • InspectionsLimited

    Work being constructed under Charleston Township's building-permit chapter.

    • Inspection is discretionary during the construction period.
    • Inspection evaluates compliance with permit-application information and applicable municipal laws and ordinances.
    “During the construction period, the Building Permit Officer or other authorized official may inspect the premises to determine that the work is progressing in compliance with the information provided on the permit application and with all applicable municipal laws and ordinances.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Charleston Township, Tioga County, Pennsylvania.

    • Chapter 300 was adopted by the Township Board of Supervisors.
    “Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of Charleston”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    All land inside Charleston Township.

    • The Township is designated as one Agricultural Residential District.

    zoning district: Agricultural Residential District

    “the Township of Charleston, Tioga County, Pennsylvania, is hereby designated as an Agricultural Residential District.”
  • Living in an RVLimited

    A property where a Charleston Township short-term rental is located.

    • The restriction is limited to overnight occupancy at a short-term-rental property.
    “Overnight occupancy of recreational vehicles and camper trailers at the property where the short-term rental is located shall not be allowed.”
  • Manufactured homesAllowed

    Individual mobile homes in Charleston Township's Agricultural Residential District.

    • Mobile-home parks are subject to Chapter 235, Article IX, of the Township Code.
    • All permitted uses use the single-family detached dwelling dimensional requirements.
    “Single-family detached dwellings, including individual mobile homes.”
  • Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

    On-lot sewage systems serving short-term-rental properties inside Charleston Township.

    • This finding is limited to short-term rentals that are not on a municipal sewage system.
    • The owner must contact the Township Sewage Enforcement Officer and provide satisfactory proof of inspection and working condition.
    “If not on a municipal sewage system, the owner of the property shall contact the Township Sewage Enforcement Officer to complete a septic inspection and provide to the Township satisfactory proof that the septic system has been inspected and is in working condition.”
  • Septic inspectionLimited

    Short-term-rental properties not on a municipal sewage system inside Charleston Township.

    • Inspection must be completed by the Township Sewage Enforcement Officer.
    • The owner must provide satisfactory proof that the system was inspected and is working.
    • The owner must maintain the system on a pumping schedule of not more than every five years and provide written proof on Township request.

    maximum pumping interval: <= 5 years (Applies to an STR property's septic system.)

    “If not on a municipal sewage system, the owner of the property shall contact the Township Sewage Enforcement Officer to complete a septic inspection and provide to the Township satisfactory proof that the septic system has been inspected and is in working condition. Cost of this inspection will follow the Township fee schedule.”
  • Short-term rentalsLimited

    Short-term rentals of dwelling units inside Charleston Township.

    • A Township short-term-rental permit is required before operation.
    • The chapter applies to residential dwelling units, nonresidential-to-residential conversions, and existing premises within the Township.
    • Hotels/motels/inns, bed-and-breakfasts, boardinghouses, campgrounds, and group homes are excluded when the owner or representative is present onsite 24 hours per day.
    • Occupancy is limited to two persons per bedroom plus four additional persons, or 14 occupants including owner, whichever is less.

    maximum STR occupancy: <= 14 occupants (Including owner; lower of this maximum or two persons per bedroom plus four additional persons.)

    “without first obtaining a short-term rental permit”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Township building-permit applications.

    • Fee is based on estimated construction cost as determined by the Building Permit Officer.

    building-permit fee: 0 USD (Estimated cost $0 to $200.) · building-permit fee: 5 USD (Estimated cost $201 to $1,000.) · additional building-permit fee: per 1 USD per $1,000 or part thereof (Beyond the first $1,000 of estimated cost.)

    “Applications for a building permit shall be accompanied by a fee, payable to the municipality, based upon the estimated cost of the proposed construction as determined by the Building Permit Officer at the following rates:”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Township building-permit applications.

    • Application must be in writing on municipality-supplied forms.
    • The application must include applicant, landowner, and contractor information, site location, work description and estimated cost, and a site plan.
    “made in writing to the Building Permit Officer”

Rules another office applies inside Charleston Township

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

  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Single-family detached dwellings in Charleston Township's Agricultural Residential District.

    • The schedule distinguishes on-lot sewer and water service from off-lot sewer and water service.

    minimum lot area: 2 acres per dwelling unit (With on-lot sewer service and on-lot water service; the same stated minimum applies with off-lot sewer service and off-lot water service.)

    “Minimum lot requirements: The minimum lot area, lot width and yard regulations and maximum building height and lot coverage requirements specified in § 300-404 for a single-family detached dwelling shall be the minimum requirements for all permitted uses specified in this section.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Charleston Township.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Residential construction inside Charleston Township.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Single-family detached dwellings in the Agricultural Residential District.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Charleston Township.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Charleston Township.
9 more unanswered
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Septic permit
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain

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 Charleston Township publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Tioga County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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