Bolthole Index

Beaver County, Pennsylvania

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Daugherty Township, Pennsylvania

Daugherty Township, Pennsylvania, in Beaver County, has its own zoning ordinance and requires a building permit for new construction, structural alterations and additions12. Building and zoning permits are handled through the township's planning contacts3, and on-lot sewage (septic) permits go through a sewage enforcement officer listed on the township's planning page4. Beaver County itself has no overarching zoning5.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes. The township adopted its own zoning ordinance, with seven districts16
Building permit
Required for new construction, structural alterations and additions; not for routine repairs2
Certificate of occupancy
Issued for new construction and additions or alterations; not required for a property sale7
Septic
Permits come from the township's sewage enforcement officer under state Act 53748
Subdivision
Township review and approval first9
Owner-builder
No state contractor license for most construction; township rules not confirmed10

Who to call

Building permits

Daugherty Township Office

First call for zoning, building permits, driveway permits and subdivision questions in Daugherty Township

724.846.5337

info@daughertytownship-pa.gov

2182 Mercer Road New Brighton, PA 15066

Zoning

Zoning & Codes Officer / Building Code Official (Borough of New Brighton)

Zoning administration, zoning inspections, codes enforcement and building and zoning permit issuance, as listed on the township's planning page

724.847.5130

610 Third Avenue New Brighton, PA 15066

Building permits

Middle Department Inspection Agency

Building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical inspections and plan review, as listed on the township's planning page

Septic permits

Sewage Enforcement Officer (on-lot sewage facilities)

On-lot sewage facilities: soil and site investigation, percolation testing and enforcement. Call through the township office

724.846.5337

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

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Does Daugherty Township, PA have zoning?

Yes. Daugherty Township adopted its own zoning ordinance, Ordinance 129, through its Board of Supervisors13. The ordinance sets seven districts: R-1 Rural Conservation Residential, R-2 Traditional Residential, R-3 Mixed Residential, C-1 Neighborhood Commercial, C-2 Highway Commercial, C-3 Industrial and S-U Special Use6. The Official Zoning Map shows which district a parcel sits in6.

The county does not set these rules. Beaver County has no overarching land-use ordinance, so the township's ordinance and map answer questions about lot size, setbacks and what you can build5.

In the R-1 Rural Conservation Residential District, residential buildings need a front yard of at least 50 feet, a side yard of at least 20 feet and a rear yard of at least 30 feet11. Lot coverage in R-1 is capped at 25 percent, and buildings top out at 40 feet, subject to the township's special height regulations1213. In R-2 the yards are 40 feet front, 15 feet side and 25 feet rear, with 35 percent coverage1415. In R-3 they are 30 feet front, 10 feet side and 20 feet rear, with 45 percent coverage1415.

We could not confirm what the ordinance says about RVs, tiny homes or temporary camping on private land. Ask the Township Office before you buy3.

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

Yes, for most real building work. Daugherty Township requires a building permit for any improvement that involves new construction, a structural alteration or an addition, and does not require one for routine repairs or maintenance23. Fences, swimming pools, utility sheds, driveways, patios, porches, decks, signs, demolition, garages and street excavation are all listed as work that needs permits2.

The township's planning page lists the Zoning & Codes Officer, who is also the building code official, under building and zoning permit issuance16. Building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical inspections and plan review are listed under the Middle Department Inspection Agency17. The township's planning page points to Ordinance 114, Uniform Construction Code, as the ordinance to read3. We could not confirm the permit fee schedule or which inspections the township makes mandatory, so ask when you call3.

New construction and additions or alterations to existing buildings receive a Certificate of Occupancy from the township, but a property sale does not require one7. Pennsylvania law separately bars occupying a residential building without a certificate of occupancy18.

How do septic permits work in Daugherty Township?

Septic permits in Daugherty Township go through the township's sewage enforcement officer, who handles soil and site investigation, percolation testing and enforcement for on-lot sewage facilities4. Under Pennsylvania's Act 537, a local agency issues and enforces on-lot sewage permits, not the building code official8. Beaver County's planning commission reviews sewage-facilities plans but does not issue the permit19.

A state permit is required before installing, altering or occupying a building served by an onlot sewage system20. A narrow exemption exists for a home on a contiguous tract of at least 10 acres whose owner was owner of record on January 10, 1987, but it does not apply where a local agency or municipality requires a permit by ordinance21. We could not confirm whether Daugherty Township requires one by ordinance, so assume you need a permit and ask the sewage enforcement officer first.

Only about 8.6 percent of Beaver County soils rate as not limited for a conventional drain field, so many lots will need a site evaluation or an engineered system22. The state driller-licensing requirement does not apply to homeowners who drill their own wells on their own land, and we could not confirm any township well rule23.

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

We could not confirm it. No township provision that directly addresses RV occupancy, tiny-home occupancy or temporary camping on private land turned up in our review, so do not assume any of them is allowed. Pennsylvania's rules about state park campgrounds do not answer the question for private land24.

Ask the Township Office what the zoning ordinance allows in the district where the parcel sits, and ask whether a tiny home or manufactured home would be treated as a dwelling3. Even a labeled manufactured home still needs its utility connections, grading and additions to meet the state Uniform Construction Code, and the state rule does not settle local zoning or septic approval25.

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

  1. Call the Township Office before you commit to a contractor or a purchase, and ask for the zoning district of the parcel3.
  2. Check the district's yard, coverage and height limits against your plans1112.
  3. If you are dividing land or adjusting a property line, get township review and approval of the plan first9.
  4. Ask the sewage enforcement officer for soil and site investigation and percolation testing before you design the house4.
  5. Apply for the building and zoning permit through the Zoning & Codes Officer16.
  6. If the driveway meets a state road, apply to PennDOT for a highway occupancy permit26.
  7. Book inspections and the final inspection, then get the Certificate of Occupancy before anyone moves in177.

What to check before you buy land in Daugherty Township

Start with the zoning district and the Official Zoning Map, since R-1 through R-3 each carry different yard and coverage limits614. Ask the Township Office about floodplain rules too. The township's zoning ordinance points to a separate floodplain chapter that we could not review, and Pennsylvania requires a floodplain development permit before building in a Special Flood Hazard Area27.

For the rest of Beaver County, see the Beaver County page. Beaver County's effective property tax rate is about 1.4 percent, and the median property tax bill is about $2,672 a year2829. About 71 percent of Beaver County is wooded, and the nearest city of 100,000 or more is about 24 miles from the county center3031.

Watch-outs

  • Daugherty Township's own ordinances decide zoning and building permits, so the county page's answers for unincorporated land do not replace a call to the Township Office53.
  • Septic permits are separate from building permits, and the sewage enforcement officer, not the building code official, signs off on them48.
  • We could not confirm permit fees, mandatory inspections, an owner-builder rule, well rules or RV and tiny-home rules for the township, so ask the Township Office before relying on any of them3.
  • A Certificate of Occupancy is not required to sell property in the township, but a new or altered building needs one before use7.

Sources

  1. Chapter 175: ZONING - Township of Daugherty, PA (Daugherty Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. daughertytownship-pa.gov (Daugherty Township), quoted and re-checked
  3. Daugherty Township Office (daughertytownship-pa.gov)
  4. Sewage Enforcement Officer (on-lot sewage facilities) (daughertytownship-pa.gov)
  5. Beaver County - Planning Commission, quoted and re-checked
  6. Chapter 175: ZONING - Township of Daugherty, PA (Daugherty Township), quoted and re-checked
  7. daughertytownship-pa.gov (Daugherty Township), quoted and re-checked
  8. Municipal On Lot Sewage Service Areas, quoted and re-checked
  9. daughertytownship-pa.gov (Daugherty Township), quoted and re-checked
  10. Contractor Licensing (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  11. Township of Daugherty Chart A: Lot, Yard and Height Requirements, Residential (Daugherty Township), quoted and re-checked
  12. Township of Daugherty Chart A: Lot, Yard and Height Requirements, Residential (Daugherty Township), quoted and re-checked
  13. Township of Daugherty Chart A: Lot, Yard and Height Requirements, Residential (Daugherty Township), quoted and re-checked
  14. Township of Daugherty Chart A: Lot, Yard and Height Requirements, Residential (Daugherty Township), quoted and re-checked
  15. Township of Daugherty Chart A: Lot, Yard and Height Requirements, Residential (Daugherty Township), quoted and re-checked
  16. Zoning & Codes Officer / Building Code Official (Borough of New Brighton) (daughertytownship-pa.gov)
  17. Middle Department Inspection Agency (daughertytownship-pa.gov)
  18. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  19. Beaver County Planning Commission, quoted and re-checked
  20. 25 Pa. Code § 72.22. Permit issuance (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  21. Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act, quoted and re-checked
  22. 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
  23. Apply for a Water Well Drillers License and Rig Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  24. RV and Tent Campsites (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  25. Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  26. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  27. PennsylvaniA Floodplain Development Guide (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  28. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  29. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  30. Wooded share of land: Bolthole Index county data
  31. Straight-line distance from the county center to the nearest city of 100,000+ people: 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 Daugherty Township

Daugherty Township’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Improvements involving new construction, structural alteration, or an addition inside Daugherty Township.

    • Routine repairs or maintenance are excluded.
    • The page lists fences, swimming pools, utility sheds, driveways, patios, porches, decks, signs, demolition, garages, and street excavation as examples requiring permits.
    “A Building Permit is not required for routine repairs or maintenance. It is required, however, for any improvement that involves new construction, a structural alteration or an addition.”
  • Certificate of occupancyLimited

    New construction and additions or alterations to existing buildings inside Daugherty Township.

    • The Township does not require a Certificate of Occupancy for a property sale.
    “Daugherty Township issues Certificates of Occupancy for new construction and for additions or alterations to existing buildings. The Township does not require the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy for the sale of property.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Daugherty Township.

    • The code history identifies the ordinance as adopted by the Township Board of Supervisors.
    “[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of Daugherty 8-13-2008 by Ord. No. 129”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts inside Daugherty Township.

    • The district boundaries are shown on the Official Zoning Map incorporated into Chapter 175.

    districts: R-1 Rural Conservation Residential; R-2 Traditional Residential; R-3 Mixed Residential; C-1 Neighborhood Commercial; C-2 Highway Commercial; C-3 Industrial; S-U Special Use

    “R-1 Rural Conservation Residential District. R-2 Traditional Residential District. R-3 Mixed Residential District. C-1 Neighborhood Commercial District. C-2 Highway Commercial District. C-3 Industrial District. S-U Special Use District.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Division of land, property-line adjustments, and lot development inside Daugherty Township.

    • Plans must first be reviewed and approved by the Township.
    “The Township’s Subdivision/Land Development Ordinance regulates the dividing of land, adjustment of property lines, and development of lots for single family, multi-family, and other uses. Plans must first be reviewed and approved by the Township.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Building and zoning permits inside Daugherty Township.

    • The page directs applicants considering new construction, structural alteration, or an addition to contact the Township Office before making commitments to a contractor or home-improvement company.
    “If you are considering any new construction, a structural alteration, or an addition, please call or visit the Township Office before you make any commitments to a contractor or home improvement company.”

Rules another office applies inside Daugherty Township

Daugherty Township does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • SetbacksSpecified

    Residential buildings in the R-1 Rural Conservation Residential District inside Daugherty Township.

    minimum front yard: >= 50 feet · minimum side yard: >= 20 feet · minimum rear yard: >= 30 feet

    “Minimum front yard 50 feet 40 feet 30 feet Minimum side yard 20 feet 15 feet 10 feet Minimum rear yard 30 feet 25 feet 20 feet”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Residential lots in the R-2 Traditional Residential and R-3 Mixed Residential Districts inside Daugherty Township.

    R-2 maximum lot coverage: <= 35 percent · R-3 maximum lot coverage: <= 45 percent

    “Maximum lot coverage 25% 35% 45% Minimum front yard 50 feet 40 feet 30 feet Minimum side yard 20 feet 15 feet 10 feet Minimum rear yard 30 feet 25 feet 20 feet”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Residential buildings in the R-2 Traditional Residential and R-3 Mixed Residential Districts inside Daugherty Township.

    • The schedule cross-references § 175-19A(1), Special Height Regulations.

    R-2 maximum building height: <= 40 feet (See § 175-19A(1), Special Height Regulations.) · R-3 maximum building height: <= 45 feet (See § 175-19A(1), Special Height Regulations.)

    “Maximum building height 40 feet1 40 feet1 45 feet1 NOTES: 1 See § 175-19A(1), Special Height Regulations.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built construction inside Daugherty Township.
  • Building code adopted — Buildings inside Daugherty Township.
  • Inspections — Building work inside Daugherty Township.
  • Living in an RV — RV occupancy on private land inside Daugherty Township.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Daugherty Township.
10 more unanswered
  • Tiny homes
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees

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

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