Building permits, zoning and septic in Borough of Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania

At a glance

Building permits

Required for UCC-regulated work; applications through Code.Sys²³

Zoning

Borough zoning applies⁴

Septic permits

Allegheny County Health Department approval before on-lot construction⁶

Plumbing

County Health Department permits new or modified installations⁷

Occupancy

UCC residential certificate required before use or occupancy⁸

Owner-builder

State licensing exclusion does not waive building permits or inspections⁹

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 Borough of Wilkinsburg, PA?

Wilkinsburg has elected to administer and enforce Pennsylvania’s Uniform Construction Code, and UCC-regulated work requires a building permit before construction starts.¹² Wilkinsburg’s Code Enforcement page directs residential and commercial building permit applications to Code.Sys, the borough’s third-party firm.³ Call borough Code Enforcement at (412) 244-2923 to identify the application route for your project.³

Pennsylvania’s owner-performed home-improvement licensing exclusion does not remove building-permit, zoning, inspection or occupancy obligations; ask Code Enforcement about any local contractor requirements before doing the work yourself.⁹

Does Borough of Wilkinsburg have zoning for RVs and tiny homes?

Wilkinsburg has borough zoning, and borough Code Enforcement handles zoning matters and provides a zoning permit application.⁴³ We could not confirm Wilkinsburg’s rules for residential RV occupancy, temporary camping, tiny homes, accessory dwellings, minimum dwelling size, lot size or setbacks; ask Code Enforcement for a parcel-specific answer before committing to a purchase or design.³

For a manufactured home, Pennsylvania’s construction-code treatment depends on the manufacturer’s approved design and the work proposed; additions, relocation and certain utility or grading work can bring UCC requirements into play.¹⁰ That state rule does not establish that a manufactured home is an allowed use on a Wilkinsburg lot, so request the borough’s zoning determination too.¹⁰³

How do septic and plumbing permits work inside Borough of Wilkinsburg?

For a Wilkinsburg project proposing on-lot sewage disposal, Allegheny County Health Department requires a septic permit before construction.⁶ County Sewage Enforcement Officers conduct soil testing, review system designs and issue on-lot sewage permits.¹¹ County Health Department also permits and inspects new or modified residential and commercial plumbing installations, a separate approval from the borough’s building and zoning review.⁷³

Public sewer availability can determine whether on-lot sewage remains an option: county rules prohibit continued use of an individual or community system when an available public sewer lies within the applicable distance, including 150 feet under the general rule and 250 feet for sewer lines or extensions built after January 1, 1994.¹² Ask the county Health Department how those conditions apply to the specific building before planning a septic system.¹²

Building a home in Borough of Wilkinsburg: what comes first?

1. Ask Wilkinsburg Code Enforcement to confirm the proposed use and zoning requirements for the parcel; the borough has zoning and a subdivision and land-development ordinance.³⁴¹³
2. Resolve wastewater approval with county Health Department: on-lot construction requires a septic permit, and county plumbing plans require approval before plumbing work starts.⁶¹⁴
3. Apply for the UCC building permit through the route Wilkinsburg identifies for Code.Sys, and obtain the building permit before starting covered construction.³²
4. Arrange required residential construction inspections and keep work accessible for inspection.¹⁵
5. Obtain the UCC residential certificate of occupancy before using or occupying the building.⁸

What should you check before buying in Borough of Wilkinsburg?

Buying an existing dwelling brings a borough occupancy question as well as a construction question: Wilkinsburg requires an occupancy permit when a buyer wants to occupy a dwelling immediately upon closing.³ For a vacant property that cannot pass an occupancy inspection, the borough describes a notarized buyer letter and prohibits occupancy until the property can pass inspection.³ Ask Code Enforcement about the transfer requirements before setting a move-in date.³

For new development, Pennsylvania municipalities must evaluate Special Flood Hazard Area status and review proposed development under their floodplain ordinances.¹⁶ New or changed driveway work involving state highway land or a PennDOT drainage facility requires a PennDOT highway occupancy permit.¹⁷ For a search extending beyond the borough, use the Allegheny County guide for the county Health Department’s sewage responsibilities.⁵

Watch-outs

• We could not confirm a Wilkinsburg residential RV or tiny-home permission; ask borough Code Enforcement before buying either for use as housing.³
• A composting toilet for a new residence still requires approved disposal of washwater or excess liquid under Pennsylvania rules.¹⁸
• Only some Wilkinsburg applications are available digitally; confirm the correct route with Code Enforcement before submitting.³

Sources

1. Chapter 141 Electrical Standards, Borough of Wilkinsburg (Borough of Wilkinsburg), quoted and re-checked
2. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
3. Borough of Wilkinsburg Code Enforcement (wilkinsburgpa.gov)
4. Borough of Wilkinsburg, PA code table of contents (eCode360) (Borough of Wilkinsburg), quoted and re-checked
5. Water Pollution Control, quoted and re-checked
6. Water Pollution Control, quoted and re-checked
7. Allegheny County Health Department, Plumbing Program (alleghenycounty.us)
8. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
9. Contractor Licensing (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
10. Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
11. Allegheny County Health Department, Water Pollution Control (alleghenycounty.us)
12. Article XIV Sewage Management, quoted and re-checked
13. Borough of Wilkinsburg, PA code table of contents (eCode360) (Borough of Wilkinsburg), quoted and re-checked
14. Project Plans and Permitting, quoted and re-checked
15. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
16. PennsylvaniA Floodplain Development Guide (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
17. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
18. 25 Pa. Code § 73.65. Recycling toilet, incinerating toilet or composting toilet (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.