Springfield Township, Pennsylvania: building permits, zoning and septic rules

At a glance

Building permits

Township building permit required for residential new construction, additions and alterations¹

Zoning

Township zoning applies; submit a zoning application with a detailed plot plan²³

Zoning application fee

Application lists $125, non-refundable; confirm current fee with the township⁴

Septic permits

Bucks County Department of Health; approval and final inspection before occupancy⁵⁶

Wells

Bucks County Health issues well permits¹

Move-in approval

Residential UCC certificate of occupancy required before use or occupancy⁷

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 Springfield Township, PA?

Springfield Township generally requires a building permit for residential new construction, additions and alterations.¹ New residential structures and additions require stamped building plans; the township requests a set of detailed construction drawings and a digital copy with the building application.¹

Pennsylvania requires a building permit before covered residential construction begins, while exempting specified limited work and ordinary repairs subject to other laws and ordinances.⁸ Ask the township Building Code Official to classify your project before treating a repair or accessory structure as exempt.¹

Who handles building permits and zoning in Springfield Township?

For Springfield Township in Bucks County, send building and zoning questions to permits@springfieldbucks.org or call 610-346-6700.¹ The township lists a Building Code Official and a Zoning Officer through Barry Isett & Associates.⁹

Building and zoning applications start with the township, while septic and well permits come from Bucks County Department of Health.¹ Contact the county Sewage Program for on-site sewage applications and questions about repairing a malfunctioning system.¹⁰ For county context beyond the township, see the Bucks County guide.

Does Springfield Township have zoning, and what about lot size and setbacks?

Springfield Township has its own zoning, and a zoning permit application must include a detailed plot plan.²³ The application lists Agriculture, Resource Protection, Rural Residential, Development and other districts, along with overlays; those labels alone do not establish what a parcel can accommodate.¹¹

Springfield Township directs applicants to the allowed uses for the parcel’s zoning district and the associated minimum lot size and setback requirements.⁹ Ask the Zoning Officer to confirm the district, applicable overlays and dimensions for your proposed home.⁹ The zoning application lists a non-refundable $125 zoning fee; confirm the current charge before submitting payment.⁴

How do septic and well permits work in Springfield Township?

Bucks County Department of Health issues on-lot sewage and well permits for Springfield Township.¹ County sewage rules require a permit for covered installation, construction, alteration, repair, connection or occupancy involving an individual or community sewage system; lot size does not determine the permit requirement.⁵

A structure served by a permitted on-lot system cannot be occupied until written Approval to Cover and the county Sewage Enforcement Officer’s final inspection.⁶ Bucks County also permits wells outside Pennsylvania DEP regulation and requires licensed well-water contractors for construction or abandonment.¹² Ask County Health to resolve water supply and sewage feasibility before committing to a house location.¹²⁵

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

We could not confirm Springfield Township’s private-lot RV occupancy, temporary camping, tiny-home occupancy or minimum dwelling-size rules; ask the township Zoning Officer for a written determination on the proposed use.⁹ Springfield Township requires zoning approval before a use or change in use of land or buildings.¹

For a residential building governed by Pennsylvania’s UCC, a certificate of occupancy is required before use or occupancy.⁷ A composting toilet does not settle the sewage question: Pennsylvania requires approved treatment or disposal of washwater and excess liquid for a new residence using water-conservation toilets.¹³

Building a home in Springfield Township: what steps come first?

1. Ask the Zoning Officer to identify the parcel’s district, allowed residential use, lot requirements and setbacks.⁹
2. Prepare the detailed plot plan for township zoning approval and obtain County Health guidance on sewage and well applications.³¹
3. Submit township building plans and the building application before starting covered construction.¹⁸
4. Arrange required construction inspections, keeping work accessible and notifying the construction code official when ready.¹⁴
5. Obtain the required sewage approval and final inspection, plus the residential certificate of occupancy, before moving in.⁶⁷

What should you check before buying land in Springfield Township?

For a driveway on a Springfield Township road, the township directs applicants to its Road Opening Application and asks that the proposed driveway be staked before applying.¹ A driveway involving state highway land or a PennDOT drainage facility instead requires a PennDOT highway occupancy permit.¹⁵

Pennsylvania municipalities review and issue or deny approvals for development in Special Flood Hazard Areas; ask Springfield Township to identify the floodplain requirements for the parcel.¹⁶ The township zoning application also warns that driveway, well, erosion-control and stormwater approvals may be needed, so include those questions in the initial project review.³

Watch-outs

• The $125 fee listed on the zoning application is non-refundable; ask Springfield Township to confirm the current zoning and building charges before paying.⁴
• A UCC agricultural-building exclusion applies only to qualifying structures without habitable space, public occupancy or agricultural processing space; a farm building is not automatically a dwelling exemption.¹⁷
• Septic Approval to Cover and a final county inspection are separate prerequisites to occupancy from the residential certificate of occupancy.⁶⁷

Sources

1. Springfield Township Planning & Zoning — Building Permits (springfieldbucks.org)
2. Springfield Township Zoning Permit Application 2026 (Springfield Township), quoted and re-checked
3. Springfield Township Zoning Permit Application 2026 (Springfield Township), quoted and re-checked
4. Springfield Township Zoning Permit Application 2026 (Springfield Township), quoted and re-checked
5. Bucks County Department of Health On-Lot Sewage Rules and Regulations, quoted and re-checked
6. Rules and Regulations Governing Individual and Community On-Lot Sewage Disposal Systems, quoted and re-checked
7. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
8. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
9. Springfield Township Zoning Officer (springfieldbucks.org)
10. Bucks County Department of Health — Sewage Program (buckscounty.gov)
11. Springfield Township Zoning Permit Application 2026 (Springfield Township), quoted and re-checked
12. Residential Well Inspection Program, quoted and re-checked
13. 25 Pa. Code § 73.65. Recycling toilet, incinerating toilet or composting toilet (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
14. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
15. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
16. PennsylvaniA Floodplain Development Guide (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
17. Pennsylvania Construction Code Act (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.