Bolthole Index

Bucks County, Pennsylvania

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

Warrington Township, Pennsylvania in Bucks County adopts and enforces its own zoning ordinance, so lot size, setbacks and uses are set by the township, not the county1. A building permit is required for construction under Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code, and the township's building / code enforcement department takes inspection calls2. Septic permits come from the Bucks County Department of Health, not the township3.

At a glance

Zoning
Township zoning ordinance (Chapter 370) applies to all land in the township1
Building permit
Required under the state Uniform Construction Code; handled through the township codes department42
Septic permit
Bucks County Department of Health3
Lot size, RA district
3 acres minimum for a single-family detached dwelling5
Accessory dwelling
Multigenerational apartment is a special exception, not by right6
RV and tiny home living
Not confirmed; ask the zoning department7
Wells
No statewide permit for private wells; Bucks County permits some other wells89

Who to call

Building permits

Warrington Township Building / Code Enforcement

Residential and commercial building permit forms, inspections and use and occupancy information for the township

215-997-7501

Zoning

Warrington Township Zoning Department

Zoning review of building permit applications, variances, special exceptions, subdivision and land development, and permits for fences, sheds and swimming pools

215-343-9350

Septic permits

Bucks County Department of Health

On-lot sewage (septic) permits for every municipality in 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 Warrington Township means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Warrington Township, PA have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Yes. Warrington Township divides its land into zoning districts under Chapter 370 of the township code, including the RA Residential Agricultural and R1 Low-Density Residential districts110. Bucks County does not run zoning for the township; each municipality sets its own11.

In the RA district, a single-family detached dwelling needs at least 3 acres and 100 feet of lot width5. Setbacks there are 50 feet in front (or half the street line width), 20 feet on each side and 40 feet in the rear12. Impervious surface is capped at 15% and building height at 35 feet1314.

In the R1 district, the minimum is 40,000 square feet with public utilities and 3 acres without them15. Overlay districts have separate dimensional charts, so confirm the district for a specific parcel with the zoning department before you buy7.

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

Yes. Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code requires a building permit before construction or alteration of a residential building begins4. Bucks County does not issue building permits; the township or borough where the property sits handles them16.

In Warrington Township, permit applications come in through the codes department, and the zoning department then reviews each one against the township zoning ordinance and the floodplain management ordinance7. Inspections are scheduled by phone with the building department2. A certificate of occupancy is required before a new residential building can be used17.

We could not confirm the township's permit fee schedule or its building-permit steps in detail; call the codes department for current forms and fees2.

How do septic permits work inside Warrington Township?

Septic permits for Warrington Township come from the Bucks County Department of Health, not from the township3. A permit is required before installing, altering or occupying a structure served by an on-lot sewage system18.

The county rules also bar an on-lot system on premises where an approved public sewer is accessible19. Because the township's lot-size chart distinguishes dwellings with and without public utilities, whether a parcel can use a septic system at all depends on sewer availability; the township's sewer chapter was not confirmed, so ask the township office152.

The Bucks County Department of Health handles site evaluations and the final inspection before occupancy2021.

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

We could not confirm any township rule that allows or prohibits living in an RV or tiny home on a parcel in Warrington Township. Statewide rules about state park campgrounds do not answer the question for private land22.

What the township code does confirm is that a multigenerational apartment is listed as a special exception, not a by-right use, in its zoning districts6. Ask the zoning department about RVs, tiny homes and accessory dwellings before you buy7.

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

  1. Confirm the zoning district and its lot-size and setback rules with the township zoning department7.
  2. Check whether public sewer reaches the parcel; if it does not, request a site evaluation from the Bucks County Department of Health2321.
  3. Apply for subdivision approval if you are dividing land; the township regulates subdivision and land development in its Chapter 30524.
  4. Submit the building permit application through the codes department7.
  5. If the driveway meets a state highway, a PennDOT highway occupancy permit is also required25.
  6. Schedule inspections, get septic Approval to Cover, then obtain the certificate of occupancy2017.

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

Septic permits and some well permits sit with the Bucks County Department of Health, and subdivision plans are also reviewed by the Bucks County Planning Commission3926. For land outside the township, see the Bucks County page.

Bucks County's typical home value is $533,660 and its effective property tax rate is 1.4%2728. Only about 22% of county soils rate as not limited for a conventional septic drain field, so expect a site evaluation29. Floodplain rules also apply in the township; ask the codes office whether a parcel is in a mapped floodplain7.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm Warrington Township's building permit fees, RV or tiny-home rules, or minimum dwelling size; call the township zoning department at 215-343-9350 before you buy7.
  • Rules differ by zoning district and overlay district, so a lot-size answer for one district does not apply to another15.
  • Building permits do not replace the county septic permit; occupancy needs both20.

Sources

  1. Warrington Township Code Ch. 370 Zoning, Article IV Classification of Districts (Warrington Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. Warrington Township Building / Code Enforcement (warringtontownship.org)
  3. Sewage Program, quoted and re-checked
  4. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  5. Warrington Township Code Ch. 370 Zoning, Article IV Classification of Districts (Warrington Township), quoted and re-checked
  6. Warrington Township Code Ch. 370 Zoning, Article III Use Regulations (Warrington Township), quoted and re-checked
  7. Warrington Township Zoning Department (warringtontownship.org)
  8. Apply for a Water Well Drillers License and Rig Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. Residential Well Inspection Program, quoted and re-checked
  10. Warrington Township Code Ch. 370 Zoning, Article IV Classification of Districts (Warrington Township), quoted and re-checked
  11. Overview | Bucks County Planning Commission, quoted and re-checked
  12. Warrington Township Code Ch. 370 Zoning, Article IV Classification of Districts (Warrington Township), quoted and re-checked
  13. Warrington Township Code Ch. 370 Zoning, Article IV Classification of Districts (Warrington Township), quoted and re-checked
  14. Warrington Township Code Ch. 370 Zoning, Article IV Classification of Districts (Warrington Township), quoted and re-checked
  15. Warrington Township Code Ch. 370 Zoning, Article IV Classification of Districts (Warrington Township), quoted and re-checked
  16. PA Department of Labor & Industry - Uniform Construction Code (2026 county census)
  17. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. Bucks County Department of Health On-Lot Sewage Rules and Regulations, quoted and re-checked
  19. Bucks County Department of Health Rules and Regulations Governing Individual and Community On-Lot Sewage Disposal Systems, quoted and re-checked
  20. Rules and Regulations Governing Individual and Community On-Lot Sewage Disposal Systems, quoted and re-checked
  21. Bucks County Department of Health (buckscounty.gov)
  22. RV and Tent Campsites (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  23. Bucks County Department of Health On-Lot Sewage Rules and Regulations, quoted and re-checked
  24. Township of Warrington, PA - Code table of contents (eCode360) (Warrington Township), quoted and re-checked
  25. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  26. Bucks County Planning Commission Overview, quoted and re-checked
  27. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data
  28. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  29. 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

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 Warrington Township

Warrington Township’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Warrington Township

    • Chapter 370 Zoning amended through Ord. 2026-O-05 (adopted 2026-09-08) per eCode360.
    “for the purpose of this chapter, warrington township is hereby divided into districts, each with common unity of purpose and adaptability of use”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts inside Warrington Township

    • Includes RA, R1, R2, R2-I, R3, MR, mixed-use, institutional, commercial and industrial districts plus residential overlay districts.
    “§ 370-407 ra residential agricultural district. § 370-408 ra overlay district regulations. § 370-409 r1 low-density residential district.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    R1 Low-Density Residential District, single-family detached dwelling, inside Warrington Township

    • 3 acres required for a dwelling without public utilities.
    • Overlay districts have separate dimensional charts.

    minimum net lot area with public utilities: >= 40000 square feet · minimum net lot area without public utilities: >= 3 acres · minimum lot width at building setback line: >= 80 feet

    “minimum lot area: 40,000 square feet, except as follows: [1] use a1, agriculture: five acres. [2] use b1, single-family detached dwelling (without public utilities): three acres.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • SetbacksSpecified

    R1 Low-Density Residential District, single-family detached dwelling, inside Warrington Township

    • Front yard is 35 feet or 1/2 street line width.

    front yard: >= 35 feet (or 1/2 street line width) · side yard each: >= 15 feet · side yard total: >= 35 feet · rear yard: >= 35 feet

    “b1 single-family detached dwelling 40,000 square feet 80 20% 35 35 or 1/2 street line width 15 either side; total composite 35 35 yes”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    R1 Low-Density Residential District, single-family detached dwelling, inside Warrington Township

    • Expressed as maximum impervious surface ratio.

    maximum impervious surface ratio: <= 20 percent

    “(c) maximum impervious surface ratio: 20%.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Building heightSpecified

    R1 Low-Density Residential District, single-family detached dwelling, inside Warrington Township

    maximum building height: <= 35 feet

    “(d) maximum building height: 35 feet, except as follows:”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Accessory dwellingsLimited

    Multigenerational apartment as accessory use inside Warrington Township

    • Listed as a special exception (s) in the districts shown in Table 300, not a by-right use.
    • Specific standards in § 370-305 were not reviewed.
    “h1 multigenerational apartment s s s s s s s h2a nonprofessional home occupation”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision and land development inside Warrington Township

    • Only the chapter title was seen; its provisions were not reviewed.
    “chapter 305 subdivision and land development (§ 305-101 – § 305-702)”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — Building permits inside Warrington Township
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Warrington Township
  • Building code adopted — Building code inside Warrington Township
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Warrington Township
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Warrington Township
17 more unanswered
  • Minimum dwelling size
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees
  • Permit process

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

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