Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Hilltown Township, Pennsylvania

At a glance

Building permit

Required under the state Uniform Construction Code; the township enforces it³⁴

Zoning

Township zoning ordinance (Chapter 160) with published districts¹⁵

Who to call

Hilltown Township Building & Zoning, 215-453-6000⁶

Septic permit

Bucks County Department of Health (on-lot sewage permits)²

Driveway

Township road occupancy permit for driveways onto township roads⁷

Resale certificate

No new certificate of occupancy needed for re-sale of a residence⁸

Who to call

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

Do you need a building permit in Hilltown Township, PA?

Yes. Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code requires property owners to obtain a building permit before starting work⁴, and Hilltown Township's Building & Zoning department enforces that code inside the township³. Residential projects, including electrical, plumbing and mechanical work, use the township's residential building permit application, and a separate zoning permit application is also published⁶.

Inspections are part of the process: all inspections, electrical included, are scheduled with the township office at least 24 hours ahead⁹. A UCC certificate of occupancy must be issued before a new building can be used¹⁰. Hilltown Township says a new certificate of occupancy is not required for the re-sale of a residence⁸.

Who issues building permits in Hilltown Township, and how do you reach them?

Hilltown Township's Building & Zoning department issues building permits and zoning permits for land inside the township; Bucks County does not run a building department¹¹. The office is at 13 West Creamery Road, Box 260, Hilltown, PA 18927, and the main number is 215-453-6000⁶.

The township publishes a drop box at the front of the municipal building for all building, zoning and land development needs¹². A zoning fee is due when a zoning permit application is submitted, and the township posts a 2026 fee schedule¹³. We could not confirm the fee amounts, so ask the office for the current figures.

Does Hilltown Township have zoning, and what does it mean for your lot?

Hilltown Township has its own zoning ordinance, enforced by the Building & Zoning department¹. The ordinance (Chapter 160) was codified in June 2019 and approved by the Board of Supervisors on August 26, 2019⁵. Bucks County itself does not administer countywide zoning; each municipality does¹⁴.

The township publishes a zoning map, a table of allowable uses by district and a table of performance standards for lot size and setbacks. We could not confirm the district minimum lot sizes, setbacks, RV or tiny-home rules, so look up your parcel's district and ask the zoning officer before you buy. Any subdivision or land development must also follow the township's subdivision and land development ordinance and stormwater rules¹⁵.

How do septic permits work in Hilltown Township?

Septic permits in Bucks County come from the Bucks County Department of Health, which is the permitting authority under the county's on-lot sewage regulations². A permit is required before installing, altering, repairing or occupying a structure that needs an on-lot system¹⁶. A site evaluation is requested in writing, and extra soil testing may be required¹⁷.

Before anyone occupies the building, the system needs a written Approval to Cover and a final inspection by the Department's Sewage Enforcement Officer¹⁸. Across Bucks County, about 22% of soils rate as not limited for a conventional drain field¹⁹, so many lots need a thorough site evaluation or an engineered system. The township's website lists sewage forms, but we could not confirm whether any township office adds its own septic approval, so ask the township office as well. The county health department is at²⁰.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Hilltown Township?

We could not confirm Hilltown Township's rules for living in an RV, tiny home or manufactured home. These are set by the township zoning ordinance and its use tables, which we could not read in full. Call the Building & Zoning department at 215-453-6000 with your parcel address and the use you have in mind before you buy or move anything onto the land⁶.

Because the township zones its own land¹, an answer from another Bucks County municipality does not carry over.

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

1. Look up your parcel's zoning district and check the township's table of allowable uses and performance standards⁵.
2. Confirm septic feasibility with the Bucks County Department of Health, which handles on-lot sewage permits².
3. Check subdivision, land development, zoning and stormwater requirements if you are dividing or developing land¹⁵.
4. Apply for a zoning permit and a residential building permit with the township; the zoning fee is due at submission¹³.
5. If the driveway meets a township road, apply for a township road occupancy permit⁷.
6. Schedule inspections at least 24 hours ahead⁹.
7. Obtain the UCC certificate of occupancy before using the building¹⁰.

What to check before you buy land in Hilltown Township

Start with the zoning district and any subdivision or stormwater limits, since the township regulates all development¹⁵. Driveways onto state roads are a PennDOT matter rather than a township one; we could not confirm that process, so ask PennDOT or the township office⁷.

County figures for Bucks County give context: the median property tax bill is $5,833 a year²¹ at an effective rate of 1.4%²², and the typical home value is $533,660²³. If the parcel lies in a flood plain, state rules require sealed documentation from a registered design professional²⁴. For land outside Hilltown, see the Bucks County page.

Watch-outs

• Septic permits come from the Bucks County Department of Health, not the township, so budget for that review before you design a house².
• The township's zoning use tables and dimensional standards are separate attachments we could not confirm; get your parcel's district rules from the zoning officer⁵.
• Subdivision and land development must follow township ordinances and Bucks County Planning Commission review, in addition to building permits²⁵.

Sources

1. Building & Zoning - Hilltown Township (Hilltown Township), quoted and re-checked
2. Bucks County Department of Health On-Lot Sewage Rules and Regulations, quoted and re-checked
3. Building & Zoning - Hilltown Township (Hilltown Township), quoted and re-checked
4. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
5. Building & Zoning - Hilltown Township (Hilltown Township), quoted and re-checked
6. Hilltown Township Building & Zoning Department (hilltown.org)
7. Building & Zoning - Hilltown Township (Hilltown Township), quoted and re-checked
8. Building & Zoning - Hilltown Township (Hilltown Township), quoted and re-checked
9. Building & Zoning - Hilltown Township (Hilltown Township), quoted and re-checked
10. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
11. PA Department of Labor & Industry - Uniform Construction Code (2026 county census)
12. Building & Zoning - Hilltown Township (Hilltown Township), quoted and re-checked
13. Building & Zoning - Hilltown Township (Hilltown Township), quoted and re-checked
14. Bucks County Ordinances & Resolutions (2026 county census)
15. Building & Zoning - Hilltown Township (Hilltown Township), quoted and re-checked
16. Bucks County Department of Health On-Lot Sewage Rules and Regulations, quoted and re-checked
17. Bucks County Department of Health On-Lot Sewage Rules and Regulations, quoted and re-checked
18. Rules and Regulations Governing Individual and Community On-Lot Sewage Disposal Systems, quoted and re-checked
19. 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
20. Bucks County Department of Health (buckscounty.gov)
21. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
22. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
23. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data
24. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
25. Bucks County Planning Commission Overview, 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.