Bolthole Index

Bucks County, Pennsylvania

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in the Borough of Doylestown, Pennsylvania

The Borough of Doylestown, in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, adopts its own zoning chapter with a zoning officer and requires zoning permits1. Building work falls under the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, which the borough has adopted as its building code2. Septic permits for on-lot systems come from the Bucks County Department of Health, not the borough3.

At a glance

Zoning
Borough zoning (Chapter 27) with a zoning officer, hearing board and zoning permits1
Building permit
Required under the Uniform Construction Code, adopted by the borough24
Certificate of occupancy
Required before a building is used5
Septic
Bucks County Department of Health issues on-lot sewage permits3
Driveway on a state road
PennDOT highway occupancy permit6
Lot size, setbacks, height
Set by zoning district in the borough's dimensional table78

Who to call

Building permits

Borough of Doylestown (Borough Hall)

Borough zoning permits and building (UCC) permits inside Doylestown

(215) 345-4140

10 Doyle Street Doylestown, PA 18901

Septic permits

Bucks County Department of Health

On-lot sewage (septic) permits for Bucks County

215-345-3318

1282 Almshouse Road, Doylestown, PA 18901

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

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Borough of Doylestown means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Doylestown have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes and setbacks?

Yes. The Borough of Doylestown adopts Chapter 27 Zoning, with a zoning officer, a zoning hearing board and zoning permits1. Lot area, lot width, yards, coverage and building height are all set district by district in the borough's table of dimensional requirements, so the answer depends on which zoning district a parcel sits in87. Building coverage and floor area may not exceed the percentages that table sets for the district9. Rooftop mechanical penthouses are limited to 12 feet above the finished roof line and must be visually screened10. We could not confirm the borough's rules for RVs, tiny homes or accessory dwellings; ask the borough zoning officer at Borough Hall before you buy11.

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

Yes. Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code requires a building permit before construction or building work starts4, and the Borough of Doylestown has adopted that code as its building code2. Bucks County does not issue these permits; the municipality does12. The borough's code says administration is by a borough employee or by retained code officials or third-party agencies set by council resolution2. Fees come from the borough's fee schedule, which council adopts by resolution13. A certificate of occupancy is required before a building can be used5, and the borough's zoning chapter has its own certificate of occupancy sections14. Start with Borough Hall11.

How do septic permits work inside Doylestown?

Septic permits in Bucks County come from the Bucks County Department of Health3, and the same rules apply across the county's municipalities15. Bucks County's on-lot rules do not allow an on-lot system where an approved public sewer is accessible16. We could not confirm whether a particular Doylestown lot has sewer access, or any borough septic rule; the borough has a public sewer chapter in its code. Ask Borough Hall whether the lot connects to sewer, and the health department about any on-lot system17.

Building a home in Doylestown: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the lot's zoning district and its dimensional limits with the borough zoning officer711.
  2. Get a zoning permit, which the borough's zoning chapter requires1.
  3. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code building permit from the borough2.
  4. Check floodplain status: a municipal floodplain development permit must be issued before development in a Special Flood Hazard Area18.
  5. If the driveway meets a state highway, get a PennDOT highway occupancy permit6.
  6. Pass inspections and obtain the certificate of occupancy before use5.

What stays with Bucks County, and what should you check before you buy?

Septic permits, and permits for wells the state does not regulate, are handled by the Bucks County Department of Health319. Subdivision and land-development plans are reviewed by the Bucks County Planning Commission and also go to the municipality20. The county's own answers for land outside the borough are on the Bucks County page. Bucks County's typical home value is $533,66021, and its effective property tax rate is 1.4%22. Before you buy, ask Borough Hall about zoning district, sewer access and floodplain status11.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm Doylestown's rules on RVs, tiny homes, accessory dwellings or short-term rentals; ask the borough zoning officer at Borough Hall11.
  • The borough's numeric lot, setback and height limits are in its zoning district table and vary by district, so a figure for one district does not apply to another8.
  • Septic and well permits are county matters even inside borough limits3.

Sources

  1. Borough of Doylestown Code, Chapter 27 Zoning (table of contents) (Borough of Doylestown), quoted and re-checked
  2. Borough of Doylestown Code, Chapter 4 Buildings, Part 1 Uniform Construction Code (Borough of Doylestown), quoted and re-checked
  3. Sewage Program, quoted and re-checked
  4. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
  5. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
  6. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  7. Borough of Doylestown Code, Chapter 27 Zoning, Part 5 Dimensional Requirements (Borough of Doylestown), quoted and re-checked
  8. Borough of Doylestown Code, Chapter 27 Zoning, Part 5 Dimensional Requirements (Borough of Doylestown), quoted and re-checked
  9. Borough of Doylestown Code, Chapter 27 Zoning, Part 5 Dimensional Requirements (Borough of Doylestown), quoted and re-checked
  10. Borough of Doylestown Code, Chapter 27 Zoning, Part 5 Dimensional Requirements (Borough of Doylestown), quoted and re-checked
  11. Borough of Doylestown (Borough Hall) (doylestownborough.net)
  12. PA Department of Labor & Industry - Uniform Construction Code (2026 county census)
  13. Borough of Doylestown Code, Chapter 4 Buildings, Part 1 Uniform Construction Code (Borough of Doylestown), quoted and re-checked
  14. Borough of Doylestown Code, Chapter 27 Zoning (table of contents) (Borough of Doylestown), quoted and re-checked
  15. Bucks County Department of Health Rules and Regulations Governing Individual and Community On-Lot Sewage Disposal Systems, quoted and re-checked
  16. Bucks County Department of Health Rules and Regulations Governing Individual and Community On-Lot Sewage Disposal Systems, quoted and re-checked
  17. Bucks County Department of Health (buckscounty.gov)
  18. PennsylvaniA Floodplain Development Guide (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  19. Residential Well Inspection Program, quoted and re-checked
  20. Bucks County Planning Commission Overview, quoted and re-checked
  21. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data
  22. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data

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.

Answers from the rulebook for Borough of Doylestown

Borough of Doylestown’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Construction inside Doylestown borough

    • Adopted as amended from time to time.
    • Administration by a borough employee or retained code officials/third-party agencies as set by council resolution.
    • Earlier local codes continue only where they equal or exceed the UCC.
    “the uniform construction code, contained in 34 pa. code, chapters 401 through 405, as amended from time to time, is hereby adopted and incorporated herein by reference as the building code of the borough of doylestown.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Zoning certificate of occupancy inside Doylestown borough

    • Only section headings were read; triggers and exceptions are in Chapter 27 §§ 1006-1007 and were not quoted.
    “§ 1006 requirement of certificate of occupancy. § 1007 issuance of certificate of occupancy.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Doylestown borough

    • Borough adopts Chapter 27 Zoning with a zoning officer, zoning hearing board and zoning permits.
    “§ 1002 zoning permits required. § 1003 application requirements for zoning permits.”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    All zoning districts in Doylestown borough

    • Numeric lot area and width figures are in the § 502 table attachment, not captured; see §§ 504-506.
    “§ 504 lot area. § 505 minimum lot width.”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    All zoning districts in Doylestown borough

    • Front, side and rear yard rules in §§ 510-520; numeric values in the § 502 table attachment, not captured.
    “the dimensional requirements for all zoning districts in doylestown borough are summarized in the table of dimensional requirements (§ 502).”
  • Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

    All zoning districts in Doylestown borough

    • Percentages are in the § 502 table, not captured.
    “for any building or group of buildings on a lot, neither the building coverage nor the floor area requirements shall exceed the maximum percentiles specified in § 502.”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    All zoning districts in Doylestown borough

    • Exceptions in § 523: rooftop mechanical/elevator penthouses up to 12 feet above roof line, visually screened.
    • Numeric maximums are in the § 502 table, not captured.
    “penthouses whose purpose is to handle the equipment necessary for required elevator installation or rooftop mechanical equipment shall not exceed 12 feet in height above the finished roof line. all rooftop mechanical systems shall be visually screened”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    UCC administration and enforcement fees inside Doylestown borough

    • Amounts are in the borough fee schedule, which was not opened.
    “all fees assessable, chargeable, or otherwise imposed for the administration and enforcement undertaken pursuant to this part 1 and the code shall be as established and set forth in the doylestown borough fee schedule adopted by resolution of borough council from time to time.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Borough of Doylestown or Bucks County directly.

  • Building permit — Building permits inside Doylestown borough
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Doylestown borough
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Doylestown borough
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Doylestown borough
  • Living in an RV — RV occupancy inside Doylestown borough
11 more unanswered
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Short-term rentals

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 Borough of Doylestown publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Bucks County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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