Shrewsbury Township, Pennsylvania building permits, zoning and septic

At a glance

Building permits

Required before covered residential construction¹

Zoning

Township zoning ordinance applies²

Septic

Local-agency septic permits; township officer certifies subdivision soil tests⁴³

RV and tiny-home living

We could not confirm occupancy rules; ask the township Zoning and Codes Enforcement Officer⁵

Agricultural buildings

Qualifying nonhabitable farm buildings have a state construction-code exemption⁶

Owner-builder

State home-improvement exclusion for uncompensated owner work does not waive building permits⁷¹

Who to call

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 15, 2026.

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

A new home in Shrewsbury Township needs a building permit under Pennsylvania’s residential Uniform Construction Code requirements; covered alterations and changes of occupancy also require approval before work begins.¹ The township lists a Building Codes Official with Dependable Construction Codes Services as its building-code contact.⁸ Ask that office which application and inspections fit the proposed work.⁸ Pennsylvania requires inspections of construction for which a residential building permit was issued, and a residential building may not be occupied without the required certificate of occupancy.⁹¹⁰

Does Shrewsbury Township have zoning, lot sizes and setbacks?

Shrewsbury Township has a zoning ordinance, so a rural address is not evidence that the parcel has no land-use restrictions.² We could not confirm district-specific minimum lot sizes, setbacks, lot coverage or minimum dwelling size; ask the township Zoning and Codes Enforcement Officer to identify the parcel’s district and applicable requirements.⁵ For subdivisions without public water and sewer, the township may increase minimum lot sizes and widths based on soil percolation tests.¹¹ Establish the sewage layout alongside the proposed building location rather than assuming the nominal lot size settles buildability.¹¹³

How do septic permits work in Shrewsbury Township?

Pennsylvania generally requires a local-agency permit before installing or constructing an onlot sewage system or using a building served by that system, subject to specific exceptions.⁴ Shrewsbury Township’s Sewage Enforcement Officer certifies subdivision soil tests performed under PA DEP regulations.³ The township lists South Penn Code Consultants for sewage enforcement; start there to identify the testing and septic application needed for the parcel.¹² A composting toilet for a new residence does not eliminate wastewater disposal requirements: washwater and excess liquid still need an onlot sewage system or another approved disposal method.¹³

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

We could not confirm whether Shrewsbury Township allows an occupied RV on private land, temporary camping while building, or a tiny home as a permanent dwelling; ask the township Zoning and Codes Enforcement Officer about the proposed use before buying.⁵ Shrewsbury Township’s zoning ordinance applies, and Pennsylvania’s residential building-permit requirements separately cover regulated residential construction and changes of occupancy.²¹ A qualifying agricultural building has a state construction-code exemption only within the statutory definition, which excludes habitable space; a farm-building exemption therefore does not establish permission to live in a barn.⁶

Building a home in Shrewsbury Township: what comes first?

First, ask the township zoning office to review the proposed residential use and parcel requirements.⁵ Next, take onsite sewage questions to the township Sewage Enforcement Officer, who certifies subdivision soil testing under DEP regulations.³ Obtain the required residential building permit before covered construction begins, keep permitted work accessible for inspections, and obtain the required certificate of occupancy before moving in.¹⁹¹⁰ For a driveway built or changed on state highway land, obtain PennDOT’s highway occupancy permit as well.¹⁴ We could not confirm township well-approval requirements; ask the zoning office before commissioning a private well.⁵

Watch-outs

• Shrewsbury Township’s zoning ordinance applies even though York County does not administer countywide zoning.²¹⁵
• A qualifying agricultural-building exemption does not remove other municipal zoning, health or environmental requirements.⁶
• Pennsylvania’s homeowner well-drilling licensing exception does not establish that a township well approval is unnecessary; ask the township zoning office about local requirements.¹⁶⁵

Sources

1. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
2. Township of Shrewsbury, PA - Chapter 22 Subdivision and Land Development, Part 5: Design Standards (Shrewsbury Township), quoted and re-checked
3. Township of Shrewsbury, PA - Chapter 22 Subdivision and Land Development, Part 5: Design Standards (Shrewsbury Township), quoted and re-checked
4. 25 Pa. Code § 72.22. Permit issuance (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
5. Shrewsbury Township Zoning and Codes Enforcement Officer — South Penn Code Consultants (shrewsburytownship.org)
6. Pennsylvania Construction Code Act — Chapter 1 (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
7. Contractor Licensing (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
8. Shrewsbury Township Building Codes Official — Dependable Construction Codes Services (shrewsburytownship.org)
9. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
10. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
11. Township of Shrewsbury, PA - Chapter 22 Subdivision and Land Development, Part 5: Design Standards (Shrewsbury Township), quoted and re-checked
12. Shrewsbury Township Sewage Enforcement Officer — South Penn Code Consultants (shrewsburytownship.org)
13. 25 Pa. Code § 73.65. Recycling toilet, incinerating toilet or composting toilet (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
14. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
15. Data Center Development in York County (2026 county census)
16. Apply for a Water Well Drillers License and Rig Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked

Written October 15, 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.