Building permits, zoning and septic rules in West York Borough, Pennsylvania

At a glance

Building permit

Required under the state Uniform Construction Code, which the borough elected to administer²

Zoning

Yes: borough zoning with R-1, R-2, C, I-1 and I-2 districts¹⁵

Who issues permits

West York Borough, not York County²⁴

Permit fees

Set by borough council resolution; the fee schedule is posted on the borough site⁶

Subdivision

Regulated by the borough's subdivision and land development chapter⁷

Septic

Local agency issues permits under state law; the borough's own rules were not confirmed⁸

Who to call

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 14, 2026.

Does West York Borough, PA have zoning?

Yes. West York Borough has its own zoning chapter, administered by a zoning officer and a zoning hearing board¹. The chapter establishes R-1 and R-2 residential districts, a C commercial district, and I-1 limited and I-2 heavy industrial districts, with a zoning map⁵. Which district a lot sits in decides what you can build on it, so look up the lot on the zoning map before you make an offer.

The borough's forms page lists a zoning application, a zoning hearing board application, a zoning manual and a zoning plot map⁹. We could not confirm the borough's rules on RVs, tiny homes, minimum house size, lot size or setbacks. Ask the zoning officer³.

Do you need a building permit in West York Borough, and who issues it?

A building permit is required under Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code, and West York Borough elected to administer and enforce that code². York County does not issue building permits; the borough does⁴. The borough's forms page lists a building permit application⁹.

The borough's code lets council choose how enforcement is staffed: a borough employee, third-party agencies, an agreement with another municipality, or the state Department of Labor and Industry for larger structures². Call the borough office to learn who currently reviews plans and inspects³.

Fees are set by borough council resolution rather than written into the code⁶. State rules also require a certificate of occupancy before a building can be used¹⁰.

How do septic permits work inside West York Borough?

Pennsylvania's Act 537 puts on-lot sewage permits with a local agency, which can be a municipality, a group of municipalities or a county health department¹¹. Local agencies are responsible for issuing those permits⁸. We could not confirm which agency covers addresses inside West York Borough, or whether a lot can connect to public sewer. The borough's code has a chapter on sewers and sewage disposal, but we did not confirm what it requires. Ask the borough office before you rely on a septic system³.

Building a home in West York Borough: the steps, in order

1. Find the lot's zoning district on the borough zoning map⁵.
2. Ask the zoning officer whether your use is allowed and file a zoning application⁹.
3. If you are dividing land, check the borough's subdivision and land development chapter⁷.
4. Confirm sewer or septic with the borough office and the local sewage agency⁸.
5. Apply for the building permit⁹ and expect inspections¹².
6. Get a certificate of occupancy before moving in¹⁰.

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

York County's planning commission states that it does not issue building permits and that all permits are issued by the municipality⁴. The county sets no countywide zoning ordinance; zoning is left to municipalities¹³. For land outside the borough, see the York County page.

Homeowners who drill their own private water well on their own land are not covered by the state's driller licensing requirement¹⁴. York County's effective property tax rate is 1.7%¹⁵. Where construction is in a flood plain, state building-permit review requires documentation sealed by a registered design professional¹⁶.

Watch-outs

• Inside West York Borough the borough, not York County, issues building permits and sets zoning²¹.
• We could not confirm the borough's septic, RV, tiny-home, lot-size or setback rules; ask the zoning officer before you buy³.
• Permit fees are set by council resolution and can change; check the borough's posted fee schedule⁶.

Sources

1. Chapter 470: Zoning - Borough of West York, PA (Borough of West York), quoted and re-checked
2. Chapter 220: Construction Codes, Uniform - Borough of West York, PA (Borough of West York), quoted and re-checked
3. West York Borough office (zoning officer) (westyorkpa.gov)
4. York County Planning Commission - Building Permit Reports (2026 county census)
5. Chapter 470: Zoning - Borough of West York, PA (Borough of West York), quoted and re-checked
6. Chapter 220: Construction Codes, Uniform - Borough of West York, PA (Borough of West York), quoted and re-checked
7. Borough of West York, PA - Table of Contents (eCode360) (Borough of West York), quoted and re-checked
8. Municipal On-Lot Sewage Service Areas, quoted and re-checked
9. West York Borough forms and applications (westyorkpa.gov)
10. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
11. Act 537 Sewage Facilities, quoted and re-checked
12. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
13. Data Center Development in York County (2026 county census)
14. Apply for a Water Well Drillers License and Rig Permit, quoted and re-checked
15. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
16. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked

Written October 14, 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.