Bolthole Index

Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Penn Township, Westmoreland County, PA

Penn Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania has its own zoning ordinance, and building work inside the township needs a building permit under the Uniform Construction Code12. Penn Township's Community Development office handles zoning approval and building permits and also handles sewage enforcement, so septic permits start with the township's own sewage enforcement officer34. Westmoreland County itself issues neither building permits nor zoning5.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes, Penn Township adopts and enforces its own zoning ordinance1
Building permit
Required, issued by the township under the Uniform Construction Code26
Who to call
Penn Township Community Development, 724-744-21713
Septic permit
Local sewage enforcement officer permit required; the county does not issue it47
Minimum lot, RR district
1 acre with on-lot utilities, half an acre with public water and sewer8
Driveway
Township driveway permit for township streets; PennDOT permit for state highways910
Owner-builder
No state contractor license is required for most construction11
RV, tiny home, ADU
Not confirmed; ask Community Development3

Who to call

Building permits

Penn Township Community Development

Building permits, zoning, sewage enforcement and planning inside Penn Township

724-744-2171

2001 Municipal Court Harrison City, PA 15636

Also useful

Pennsylvania DEP Bureau of Water Quality Management

State oversight of public sewage and on-lot septic questions for Westmoreland County

724-925-5500

Planning & zoning

Westmoreland County Department of Planning and Development

County planning contact; sends permit and zoning questions to the local municipality

724-830-3600

40 N Pennsylvania Ave, 5th Floor, Suite 520, Greensburg, PA 15601

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 Penn Township means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Penn Township, PA have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Yes. Penn Township adopted its own zoning ordinance, and Community Development enforces it13. The township publishes its zoning districts, with area and bulk rules in a summary table that must be read together with the district and supplementary articles12.

Rules differ by district. In the RR Rural Resource District, a single-family detached home needs at least one acre with on-lot utilities, or half an acre when connected to public water and sewer8. Setbacks, other districts and minimum home size sit in the township's zoning chapter; we did not confirm a minimum dwelling size for the RR district.

Westmoreland County does not zone, so the township ordinance is the only zoning layer5.

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

Yes. Penn Township adopted the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code as its own building code, and the township requires building permits before construction or development begins anywhere in the township26. State rules also require a permit before covered residential construction starts13.

The township's Chief Building Inspector issues permits for new homes, additions and decks, and the code officer issues permits for garages, sheds, pools and other accessory structures3. Fees follow the township's current fee schedule, kept at the township offices14. Inspectors may visit during construction15.

Westmoreland County does not run a building permit office; all permits are handled by the municipality16.

How do septic permits work in Penn Township?

Septic permits are separate from building permits. Pennsylvania requires a permit from the local agency before an on-lot sewage system is installed or a building served by one is occupied7. In Penn Township, a valid permit from the township's local sewage enforcement officer is required, and the officer may refuse a permit for an individual system when a public sewer abuts the property417. Penn Township's Community Development office lists sewage enforcement among its duties3.

Pennsylvania DEP provides state oversight18. A state exemption can apply to a home on a contiguous tract of at least 10 acres, but only under specific owner and date conditions, so ask the sewage enforcement officer before assuming it applies7.

Westmoreland County soils matter: only about 1% of county soils rate as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system19.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in Penn Township?

We could not confirm. The township's zoning code is the place the answer lives, and we found no provision specifically covering tiny homes, accessory dwellings, or temporary camping on private land. Do not assume silence means permission: because Penn Township zones, these uses are decided district by district.

Call Penn Township Community Development at 724-744-2171 with your parcel number and ask which district it is in and whether an RV, tiny home or accessory dwelling is allowed there3. Pennsylvania's rules for state park campgrounds do not answer the question for private land.

The county has no say here: Westmoreland County does not zone5.

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

  1. Call Penn Township Community Development to confirm your parcel's zoning district and lot-size rule38.
  2. Check for public sewer at the lot line, then arrange a site evaluation with the township's sewage enforcement officer and get the septic permit174.
  3. Apply for a driveway permit from the township for a township street, or from PennDOT for a state highway910.
  4. Apply for the building permit and pay the fee on the township schedule14.
  5. Build to the Uniform Construction Code and schedule inspections15.
  6. Get the occupancy approval Pennsylvania requires before moving in20.

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

Westmoreland County does not issue building permits or set zoning; both belong to the township516. The county's planning office reviews subdivisions only in municipalities without their own subdivision ordinance, so confirm with the township who reviews a lot split21. The county's own page is at Westmoreland County.

Before you buy, check the flood zone, because the township's floodplain rules apply6, and confirm water: we could not confirm a private well permit rule for the township, though Pennsylvania does not license homeowners who drill their own well22.

For cost, Westmoreland County's effective property tax rate is 1.3% and the median bill is $2,473 a year2324.

Watch-outs

  • Penn Township's Community Development office is the first call for building permits, zoning and sewage enforcement, and a septic permit is separate from a building permit37.
  • Several Pennsylvania townships are named Penn; confirm 724-744-2171 and Harrison City, PA before relying on a website or phone number3.
  • We could not confirm whether the township exempts any owner-built work from building permits, a certificate-of-occupancy rule of its own, or a short-term rental rule; ask Community Development3.
  • Where a public sewer abuts your property, the township may refuse an individual septic permit17.

Sources

  1. Township of Penn Code, Chapter 190 Zoning (Penn Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. Township of Penn Code, Chapter 63, Article III Construction Codes, Uniform (Penn Township), quoted and re-checked
  3. Penn Township Community Development (penntwp.org)
  4. Township of Penn Code, Chapter 133, Article II Sewage Disposal Systems (Penn Township), quoted and re-checked
  5. Subdivision, Development & Zoning, quoted and re-checked
  6. Township of Penn Code, Chapter 86, Article III Administration and Enforcement (Penn Township), quoted and re-checked
  7. 25 Pa. Code § 72.22. Permit issuance (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  8. Township of Penn Code, Chapter 190, Article IV District Regulations (Penn Township), quoted and re-checked
  9. Township of Penn Code, Chapter 83 Driveways and Access Roads (Penn Township), quoted and re-checked
  10. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  11. Contractor Licensing (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  12. Township of Penn Code, Chapter 190 Zoning (Penn Township), quoted and re-checked
  13. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. Township of Penn Code, Chapter 63, Article II Building Permits (Penn Township), quoted and re-checked
  15. Township of Penn Code, Chapter 63, Article II Building Permits (Penn Township), quoted and re-checked
  16. Westmoreland County Department of Planning and Development (westmorelandcountypa.gov)
  17. Township of Penn Code, Chapter 133, Article II Sewage Disposal Systems (Penn Township), quoted and re-checked
  18. Pennsylvania DEP Bureau of Water Quality Management (westmorelandcountypa.gov)
  19. 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
  20. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  21. Subdivision, Development & Zoning, quoted and re-checked
  22. Apply for a Water Well Drillers License and Rig Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  23. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  24. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data

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 Penn Township

Penn Township’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Building work inside Penn Township.

    • The adopted Uniform Construction Code and Department of Labor and Industry regulations are amended and supplemented from time to time.
    “The Township of Penn hereby adopts the Uniform Construction Code (hereinafter referred to as "code"), as designated and defined by the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act (hereinafter referred to as "Act"), as amended and supplemented, and the regulations promulgated by the Department of Labor and Industry thereunder (hereinafter referred to as "regulations"), as amended and supplemented from time to time, as provided in the Act and regulations, as the Township of Penn Building Code.”
  • InspectionsLimited

    Construction performed under a Penn Township building permit.

    • The Zoning Officer or authorized official may inspect during construction to determine compliance or false statements/misrepresentation.
    “During the construction period, the Zoning 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 township laws and ordinances or that there has been a false statement or misrepresentation by any applicant, in which case the Zoning Officer shall revoke the building permit and report such fact to the Township of Penn for whatever action it considers necessary.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Penn Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.

    • The code identifies Chapter 190 as the Township zoning ordinance; amendments are noted where applicable.
    “[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners of the Township of Penn 9-19-2016 by Ord. No. 912-2016. Amendments noted where applicable.]”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts inside Penn Township.

    • Area and bulk regulations are in Table 2 in Appendix A and must be read with Articles IV and VI.
    “The area and bulk regulations for each of the zoning districts are shown on Table 2 in Appendix A. This summary table is hereby incorporated in the text of this chapter by reference. This summary table is not complete in every detail, however, and must be used in conjunction with the detailed district and supplementary regulations contained in Articles IV and VI of this chapter.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    On-lot individual sewage disposal systems inside Penn Township.

    • A valid local SEO permit is required.
    • The local SEO may refuse a permit where public sewage abuts the property.
    • Raw sewage, septic-tank effluent, or seepage may not be discharged to the ground surface or surface water.
    “No raw sewage, septic tanks effluent or seepage from a soil absorption system shall be discharged to the surface of the ground or ground surface water, nor shall it be discharged, except as hereinafter provided, into any rock formation, the structure of which is not conducive to purification of water by filtration.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupConditional

    Proposed individual sewage disposal systems inside Penn Township where public sewage abuts the property.

    • The local Sewage Enforcement Officer may refuse the individual-system permit when a public sewage system abuts the property.
    “The local Sewage Enforcement Officer may refuse to grant a permit for the construction of an individual sewage disposal system where a public sewage system abuts the property upon which an individual sewage disposal system is to be constructed.”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    A driveway or access road intersecting any Township street inside Penn Township.

    • Application is made to the Penn Township Community Development Office.
    • Issuance depends on conformity with Township ordinances and PennDOT standards.
    “No person, partnership, corporation, or any other type of entity shall hereafter construct, build, alter, rebuild or establish any driveway or access road intersecting with any portion of a Township street without there first being filed by said person, partnership, corporation or any other type of entity an application for a driveway permit, on a form as to be supplied by Penn Township, for the construction, building or establishment of the same.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Construction or development inside Penn Township, including identified floodplain areas.

    • Floodplain Administrator must determine conformity with the chapter and other applicable codes and ordinances.
    • Other required government permits must be obtained before issuance.
    “Building permits shall be required before any construction or development is undertaken within any area of the Township of Penn.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Building-permit applications inside Penn Township.

    • Fee is based on the current Township fee schedule, which is on file in Township offices.
    “Applications for a building permit shall be accompanied by a fee, payable to the Township of Penn, based upon the current township fee schedule.”

Rules another office applies inside Penn Township

Penn 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 the RR Rural Resource District.

    • Minimum is one-half acre when connected to public water and sewer; it is one acre with on-lot utilities.

    minimum lot area with public water and sewer: 0.5 acre · minimum lot area with on-lot utilities: 1 acre

    “Single-family detached dwelling (minimum half an acre when connected to public water and sewer, minimum one acre with on-lot utilities).”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residences inside Penn Township.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Residential construction inside Penn Township.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Single-family detached dwellings in the RR Rural Resource District.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Penn Township.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Penn Township.
4 more unanswered
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Short-term rentals

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

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