Bolthole Index

Chester County, Pennsylvania

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in East Bradford Township, Pennsylvania

East Bradford Township, in Chester County, Pennsylvania, requires a building permit under the state Uniform Construction Code, which the township has adopted as its own building code1. The township's zoning ordinance, Chapter 115 of its code, controls how land can be used2. Septic and well permits come from the Chester County Health Department, not the township3.

At a glance

Building permit
Required; township administers the Uniform Construction Code14
Zoning
Township zoning ordinance (Chapter 115)2
Subdivision
Regulated by township Chapter 955
Septic permits
Chester County Health Department3
Wells
Permit required from the county6
Permit fees
Set by township resolution7
Owner-builder
Statewide exemption from contractor licensing for your own residence8

Who to call

Building permits

East Bradford Township Building, Zoning & Code Enforcement

Building permits, zoning and code enforcement inside East Bradford Township

610-436-5108

676 Copeland School Road West Chester, PA 19380

Septic permits

Chester County Health Department

Septic (on-lot sewage disposal) and well permits for Chester County, including East Bradford Township

610-344-6225

601 Westtown Road, Suite 295, West Chester, PA 19380

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 East Bradford Township means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in East Bradford Township, PA?

Yes. East Bradford Township has adopted the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code as its municipal building code, so construction inside the township needs a building permit1. The township's own office says permits are required to construct, enlarge, alter or demolish a structure, and to change its occupancy9.

A certificate of occupancy must be issued before a building can be used10. Permit fees are set by township resolution rather than written into the code, and they are generally not refunded once a permit is issued without a waiver from the Board of Supervisors7.

Who issues building permits in East Bradford Township?

The township's Building, Zoning & Code Enforcement office issues building permits and takes applications; call 610-436-5108 or visit 676 Copeland School Road, West Chester, PA 193809. Application forms are on the township's Documents and Forms page9.

A building permit application is not complete until prerequisite approvals, including zoning approval under Chapter 115, have been submitted11. Chapter 45 lets the township enforce the code through its own staff, third-party agencies or another municipality, so the person who reviews your plans may not be a township employee11.

For land outside the township, the Chester County page at Chester County covers the county.

Does East Bradford Township have zoning?

Yes. East Bradford Township zones its own land under Chapter 115 of the township code2. Chester County does not zone for its municipalities: every municipality in the county has adopted its own zoning ordinance and zoning map12.

Subdivision and land development inside the township are governed by Chapter 95 of the township code5. We could not confirm district-by-district rules for lot size, setbacks, RVs, tiny homes or accessory dwellings; ask the township's zoning and codes officer at 610-436-5108 before you buy9.

How do septic permits work in East Bradford Township?

The Chester County Health Department, not the township, issues permits for on-lot sewage systems and wells in Chester County3. A septic permit is required for new systems, repairs or modifications to existing systems13. New major permits require soil testing14.

No system or portion may be covered before final inspection and written approval by the county's Sewage Enforcement Officer15. A lot on public sewer may not need any of this, and we could not confirm which parts of East Bradford Township are sewered; ask the township and the Health Department at 610-344-622513.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in East Bradford Township?

We could not confirm East Bradford Township's rules on living in an RV, tiny home or camping on a lot. The township code has a separate chapter on recreational vehicles in addition to the zoning ordinance, and neither could be fully read. Ask the zoning and codes officer at 610-436-5108 before you plan anything9. Do not assume these uses are allowed because no permit is mentioned.

Building a home in East Bradford Township: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm zoning with the township office, including what Chapter 115 allows on your lot2.
  2. If you are dividing land or building a new lot, check Chapter 95 subdivision and land development rules5.
  3. If the lot is not on public sewer, apply to the Chester County Health Department for a septic permit and any well permit3.
  4. Apply for the building permit with the township, with zoning approval in hand11.
  5. Schedule inspections and obtain a certificate of occupancy before using the building10.

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

Chester County handles septic and well permits for every address in the county3. Pennsylvania state law sets the building code16.

Before buying, check septic soil suitability: only about 24% of the county's soils rate as not limited for a conventional drain field, so plan for a soil test or an engineered system17. Chester County's effective property tax rate is 1.3%18.

Watch-outs

  • Septic and well permits come from the Chester County Health Department, so a township building permit does not cover them3.
  • We could not confirm minimum lot size, setbacks, accessory dwellings, floodplain or driveway rules inside East Bradford Township; ask the township's zoning and codes officer at 610-436-51089.

Sources

  1. East Bradford Township Code Chapter 45 Building Construction (East Bradford Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. Township of East Bradford, PA - eCode360 table of contents (East Bradford Township), quoted and re-checked
  3. Sewage & Water, quoted and re-checked
  4. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
  5. Township of East Bradford, PA - eCode360 table of contents (East Bradford Township), quoted and re-checked
  6. Chester County Health Department Rules and Regulations, quoted and re-checked
  7. East Bradford Township Code Chapter 45 Building Construction (East Bradford Township), quoted and re-checked
  8. Contractor Licensing (2026 county census)
  9. East Bradford Township Building, Zoning & Code Enforcement (eastbradford.org)
  10. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
  11. East Bradford Township Code Chapter 45 Building Construction (East Bradford Township), quoted and re-checked
  12. Planning in Pennsylvania, quoted and re-checked
  13. Chester County Health Department (chesco.org)
  14. Permits for On-Lot Sewage Disposal Systems, quoted and re-checked
  15. Application & Permit Procedure for On-Lot Sewage Disposal Systems, quoted and re-checked
  16. Uniform Construction Code (UCC) (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. 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
  18. 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 East Bradford Township

East Bradford Township’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Construction inside East Bradford township

    • Adopted as amended from time to time
    • 2015 International Fire Code with Appendix D also adopted by Ord. 02-2020 (6-9-2020)
    • Construction must also meet Chapter 95 design standards
    “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 municipal building code of east bradford township.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside East Bradford township

    • Only the chapter listing was opened; the zoning chapter text was not read.
    “chapter 115 zoning (§ 115-1 – § 115-155)”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision and land development inside East Bradford township

    • Chapter text not opened; only chapter listing confirmed
    “chapter 95 subdivision and land development (§ 95-1 – § 95-44)”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Building code administration fees inside East Bradford township

    • Amounts are set by Board resolution, not in the code; no refunds once a permit is issued without Board waiver (§ 45-7)
    “fees assessable by east bradford township for the administration and enforcement undertaken pursuant to this chapter and the code shall be established by east bradford township by resolution from time to time.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Building permit applications inside East Bradford township

    • Enforcement may be by township employee, third-party agencies, intermunicipal agreement, or contract with another municipality (§ 45-3)
    “a permit application pursuant to this chapter shall not he considered complete and accepted by the code administrator unless and until all prerequisite approvals have been submitted as approved, including zoning pursuant to chapter 115,”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside East Bradford township
  • Inspections — Inspections inside East Bradford township
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy inside East Bradford township
  • Zoning districts — Zoning districts inside East Bradford township
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside East Bradford township
19 more unanswered
  • Minimum lot size
  • Setbacks
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • 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

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

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