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

Donegal Township’s own rules

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivisions and land developments inside Donegal Township.

  • The county guide identifies Donegal Township as a municipality that has not adopted its own SALDO and is subject to the county SALDO.
  • All plan submissions must follow the updated SALDO requirements and fee schedule beginning January 1, 2026; plans under review, pending approval, and submitted by December 31, 2025 follow the 2013 SALDO requirements.

  updated SALDO applicability date: 2026-01-01 (Plans under review, pending approval, and submitted by 2025-12-31 follow the 2013 SALDO requirements.)

  “The following municipalities have not adopted a Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance and are subject to the county’s SALDO. [...] Donegal Township”

• Permit processPartial

  Sewage ordinance permit applications and flood-zone ordinance permit applications inside Donegal Township.

  • A sewage application is available only by pickup from the township office or by mail because it is in triplicate form.
  • The official material opened does not provide a complete general building-permit process.

  “SEWAGE ORDINANCE PERMIT APPLICATION: A Sewage Application can only be picked up at the Township Office, or it can be mailed to the resident due to the application being in triplicate form and therefore cannot be downloaded.”

Rules another office applies inside Donegal Township

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

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Building work inside Donegal Township, including work governed by Pennsylvania's statewide UCC.

  • Pennsylvania's UCC is statewide; the official state source says local enforcement may be by a municipality, the Department, or a certified third party depending on the municipality's election.

  “Pennsylvania's statewide building code, generally known as the Uniform Construction Code (UCC), has to be followed by builders in the state.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  Individual and community onlot sewage systems serving land inside Donegal Township.

  • The local agency must use a certified sewage enforcement officer to issue individual or community onlot-system permits.
  • The Department, rather than the local agency, issues permits for listed systems outside local-agency jurisdiction, including large-volume onlot systems.

  “No local agency may issue a permit for the installation of an individual or community onlot sewage system except by and through a certified sewage enforcement officer employed or contracted by the local agency.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  Individual and community onlot sewage systems installed inside Donegal Township.

  • No part of the system may be covered until final inspection and final written approval are given by the local agency.
  • The system must be inspected, approved, and covered before the structure is occupied.
  • After notice of completion, an applicant may cover the system after 72 hours excluding Sundays and holidays unless final written approval has been refused.

  “No part of an individual or community onlot sewage system may be covered until a final inspection is conducted and final written approval is given by the local agency.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Use of a recycling, incinerating, composting, or other water-conservation toilet inside Donegal Township.

  • The exception applies only where the existing onlot system will not be altered.
  • This exception does not establish a general exemption for an onlot sewage system installation.

  “A permit is not required for the installation of a recycling toilet, incinerating toilet, composting toilet or other type of water conservation device where the existing onlot system will not be altered.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Residential construction inside Donegal Township.
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work inside Donegal Township.
• Inspections — Building construction inside Donegal Township.
• Certificate of occupancy — New or altered buildings inside Donegal Township.
• Local zoning — Land inside Donegal Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.

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.