Springfield Township, Pennsylvania: building permits, zoning and septic

At a glance

Building permits

Required before covered residential construction begins¹

Zoning

Township zoning applies²

Septic

Township checklist directs applicants to the Sewage Enforcement Officer⁴

Public sewer

Contact Springfield Township, York County, Sewer Authority for connection approval⁵

Owner-builder

State home-improvement exclusion for uncompensated owner work is not a building-permit waiver⁶¹

Occupancy

A residential certificate of occupancy is required before use or occupancy⁷

Who to call

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

Does Springfield Township have zoning, and can you live in an RV or tiny home?

Springfield Township has its own zoning chapter and regulates subdivision and land development.²⁸ We could not confirm Springfield Township’s parcel-specific RV occupancy, tiny-home, accessory-dwelling, minimum-lot-size or setback rules; ask the township Zoning Officer to identify the parcel’s district and the standards for the proposed use.³ Use the township’s published zoning map as a starting point for that conversation.⁹ A building-code approval alone does not establish permission for the intended land use: Springfield Township has both a construction-code chapter and a zoning chapter.¹⁰²

Do you need a building permit in Springfield Township, and who handles applications?

Springfield Township residential construction covered by Pennsylvania’s Uniform Construction Code requires a building permit before work begins, subject to the state’s listed exclusions and exemptions.¹ The township publishes a Springfield permit application and PMCA residential new-build and alteration application forms.⁹ Contact the township application counter to confirm the current building-code provider, required plans and fees before submitting.⁹ Pennsylvania requires inspections of residential construction for which a permit was issued, and the permit holder must notify the construction code official when work is ready and keep the work accessible.¹¹

How do septic permits work inside Springfield Township?

Springfield Township’s pre-building checklist tells applicants to secure an on-lot sewage permit through the Sewage Enforcement Officer; for a public-sewer connection, the checklist names the Springfield Township, York County, Sewer Authority.⁴⁵ Pennsylvania generally requires local-agency approval before installing or constructing an on-lot sewage system, subject to specific statutory exceptions.¹² A composting toilet does not remove the need to handle washwater: for a new residence, Pennsylvania requires an on-lot system or another approved disposal method for washwater or excess liquid.¹³ Arrange sewage review before treating a vacant parcel as ready for a home.⁴

Building a home in Springfield Township: what are the steps, in order?

1. Ask the Springfield Township Zoning Officer to review the proposed use and parcel, and discuss subdivision approval if the project divides land.³⁸
2. Arrange on-lot sewage approval with the Sewage Enforcement Officer, or public-sewer connection approval with the township Sewer Authority.⁴⁵
3. Confirm the current township building application package and obtain the required UCC building permit before covered work begins.⁹¹
4. Keep permitted construction accessible and request the required inspections from the construction code official.¹¹
5. Obtain the residential certificate of occupancy before using or occupying the home.⁷

What should you check before buying land in Springfield Township?

For land outside Springfield Township, consult the York County guide and identify the municipality responsible for local requirements; Pennsylvania directs local permit questions to the township, borough or city where the activity occurs.¹⁴ Within Springfield Township, ask the township about floodplain review: Pennsylvania requires municipal review and permits for development in a Special Flood Hazard Area.¹⁵ A driveway built or changed on state highway land, or connected to a PennDOT drainage facility, needs PennDOT approval.¹⁶ For a private well, distinguish state driller licensing from any local parcel requirements; the state licensing rule does not establish a township well-permit answer.¹⁷

Watch-outs

• We could not confirm whether Springfield Township allows living in an RV while building; ask the township Zoning Officer before planning temporary occupancy.³
• Pennsylvania’s agricultural-building UCC exclusion applies only to qualifying agricultural structures without habitable space; do not treat a proposed home as an exempt farm building.¹⁸
• A temporary residential certificate of occupancy requires the building code official to find the covered portion safe for occupancy and set its validity period.⁷

Sources

1. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
2. Township of Springfield, PA - eCode360 table of contents (Springfield Township), quoted and re-checked
3. Springfield Township Zoning Officer (springfieldyork.org)
4. Springfield Township Sewage Enforcement Officer (springfieldyork.org)
5. Springfield Township, York County, Sewer Authority (springfieldyork.org)
6. Contractor Licensing (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
7. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
8. Township of Springfield, PA - eCode360 table of contents (Springfield Township), quoted and re-checked
9. Springfield Township building application counter (springfieldyork.org)
10. Township of Springfield, PA - eCode360 table of contents (Springfield Township), quoted and re-checked
11. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
12. 25 Pa. Code § 72.22. Permit issuance (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
13. 25 Pa. Code § 73.65. Recycling toilet, incinerating toilet or composting toilet (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
14. Local Registrations, Permits, Zoning (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
15. PennsylvaniA Floodplain Development Guide (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
16. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
17. Apply for a Water Well Drillers License and Rig Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
18. Pennsylvania Construction Code Act (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.