Spring Township, Pennsylvania: building permits, zoning and septic

At a glance

Building approval

Building and/or zoning permits required for new construction and alterations¹

Zoning

Township zoning applies; ask the zoning officer about the parcel²

Septic applications

Written application to the township secretary³

Septic maintenance

Pump every 3 years; inspect every 6 years⁴

Owner-builder

No statewide license for most contractors; township requirements may apply⁵

Occupancy

UCC-covered residential buildings need a certificate of occupancy⁶

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 Spring Township, PA?

Spring Township requires building and/or zoning permits for new construction and alterations, including additions, decks, sheds, garages and pools; ask the Code Enforcement / Zoning office which approvals your project needs.¹ The township publishes a building application for most construction and remodeling projects, plumbing and changes of heating sources.⁷

For residential work covered by Pennsylvania’s Uniform Construction Code, the construction code official must inspect permitted construction, and the permit holder must keep the work accessible for inspection.⁸ A UCC-covered residential building cannot be used or occupied before a building code official issues a certificate of occupancy.⁶

Does Spring Township have zoning, and can you live in an RV or tiny home?

Spring Township has its own zoning officer and zoning hearing board; direct parcel-use questions to the township rather than treating the county’s zoning answer as permission to build.² The township offers a zoning permit application for minor construction, temporary uses and changes of property use.⁷

We could not confirm Spring Township’s rules for living in an RV, temporary camping, tiny homes, accessory dwellings, minimum dwelling size, district lot sizes or setbacks. Ask the township zoning officer to identify the parcel’s district and explain whether your proposed dwelling and any temporary accommodation are allowed. Request the applicable dimensional standards before choosing a building footprint. The township directs applicants to check which building and zoning approvals are required before starting work.⁹

How do septic permits work inside Spring Township?

Spring Township’s code directs written septic permit applications to the township secretary and assigns inspections to a township-appointed Sewage Enforcement Officer.³ Pennsylvania generally requires local-agency approval before installing or constructing an on-lot sewage system or occupying a building it serves, subject to statutory exceptions.¹⁰ Ask the township secretary for the current Sewage Enforcement Officer and the site-evaluation application before committing to an unsewered parcel.

Spring Township requires septic tanks to be pumped every 3 years and inspected every 6 years; ask for the seller’s maintenance records.⁴ For a new residence using a composting or incinerating toilet, Pennsylvania still requires an approved way to treat washwater or excess liquid; the toilet alone does not resolve wastewater disposal.¹¹

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

1. Ask Spring Township Code Enforcement / Zoning which building and zoning approvals apply to the proposed home and any outbuildings.¹
2. For an on-lot sewage system, contact the township secretary for the septic application and Sewage Enforcement Officer before arranging construction.³¹⁰
3. Obtain the appropriate building and zoning forms from the township; the forms page distinguishes building projects from minor construction and temporary uses.⁷
4. Keep UCC-permitted residential construction accessible and notify the construction code official when work is ready for inspection.⁸
5. Obtain the required residential certificate of occupancy before moving into a UCC-covered home.⁶

Pennsylvania has no statewide licensing requirement for most contractors, but municipalities may impose requirements of their own; doing the work yourself does not answer the township approval question.⁵¹

What should you check before buying land in Spring Township?

Ask Spring Township about road access early: the township publishes a road occupancy application for new driveways, widening a driveway at the road entrance and utility work within township road rights-of-way.⁷ Work on state highway land, including constructing or changing a driveway, instead triggers PennDOT’s Highway Occupancy Permit requirements.¹² Development within a Special Flood Hazard Area requires a municipal floodplain development permit or equivalent before work begins.¹³

Spring Township also has subdivision and land-development regulations; ask about review before buying land you intend to divide.¹⁴ For a search extending beyond the township, consult the Centre County guide. We could not confirm township well approvals, mandatory utility connections or current building permit fees; ask the township Code Enforcement / Zoning office for the applicable requirements and fee schedule.

Watch-outs

• A qualifying agricultural building can be exempt from Pennsylvania’s Construction Code Act, but the exemption excludes habitable space and does not remove municipal land-use requirements.¹⁵
• We could not confirm RV or tiny-home occupancy rules in Spring Township; obtain a parcel-specific answer from the township zoning officer before planning to live on the land.²
• Spring Township’s septic pumping and inspection obligations continue after purchase: pump every 3 years and inspect every 6 years.⁴

Sources

1. Code Enforcement / Zoning - Spring Township, PA (Spring Township), quoted and re-checked
2. Code Enforcement / Zoning - Spring Township, PA (Spring Township), quoted and re-checked
3. Spring Township Secretary / Sewage Enforcement Officer (ecode360.com)
4. Code Enforcement / Zoning - Spring Township, PA (Spring Township), quoted and re-checked
5. Contractor Licensing (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
6. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
7. Spring Township Application Forms (springtownship.org)
8. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
9. Spring Township Code Enforcement / Zoning (springtownship.org)
10. 25 Pa. Code § 72.22. Permit issuance (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
11. 25 Pa. Code § 73.65. Recycling toilet, incinerating toilet or composting toilet (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
12. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
13. PennsylvaniA Floodplain Development Guide (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
14. Township of Spring, PA eCode360 table of contents (Spring Township), quoted and re-checked
15. Pennsylvania Construction Code Act — Chapter 1 (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.