Bolthole Index

Delaware County, Pennsylvania

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Brookhaven, Pennsylvania

Brookhaven Borough, Pennsylvania requires a building permit before you build, alter or enlarge a building, and the borough's own Zoning Officer enforces its zoning code12. Building permits follow the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, which the borough has adopted3. Septic permits and wells are a Delaware County Health Department matter, not a borough one4.

At a glance

Building permit
Required before constructing, altering or enlarging a building; issued by the borough Building Inspector1
Zoning
Yes, a borough zoning code enforced by the Zoning Officer2
Building code
Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, adopted by the borough3
Certificate of occupancy
Required for new, altered or moved buildings and for a change in use5
Sewer
Public sewer connection required within 30 days of a served notice; $2,500 per EDU tapping fee6
Septic and wells
Delaware County Health Department issues on-lot sewage and well permits countywide4
Manufactured housing
Zoning permit required; must meet federal and state standards7

Who to call

Zoning

Brookhaven Borough Municipal Office (Zoning Officer)

Zoning permits, zoning code questions and zoning hearing board requests inside Brookhaven Borough

(610) 874-2557

2 Cambridge Road, Suite 100, Brookhaven, PA 19015

Building permits

Brookhaven Borough Building & Code Enforcement

Building permits, Uniform Construction Code enforcement, contractor registration and online permit payment inside Brookhaven Borough

(610) 874-2557

2 Cambridge Road, Suite 100, Brookhaven, PA 19015

Online permits →

Septic permits

Delaware County Health Department, Environmental Health

Permits, inspections and enforcement for on-lot sewage systems, and permits for private wells, countywide

(484) 276-2100

environmental@co.delaware.pa.us

1400 N Providence Road Suite 212, Media, PA 19063

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Borough of Brookhaven means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Brookhaven, PA have zoning, and what does it mean for lots, setbacks and RVs?

Yes. Brookhaven Borough, Delaware County, has its own zoning code, and the borough Zoning Officer administers and enforces it2. The code divides the borough into districts, including the R-1A, R-1, R-2, R-2S and R-3 residence districts8. Dimensions depend on the district. In R-1A, a single-family detached dwelling needs a front yard of 30 feet and side yards of 10 feet on each side9, building coverage is capped at 30 percent10, and height is capped at 35 feet11. In R-2S, a semi-detached single-family dwelling needs at least 1,520 square feet of floor area12.

A zoning permit is also needed for changes to a driveway, and for sheds, fences and additions13. Manufactured or industrialized housing needs a zoning permit and manufacturer certification to federal and state standards7. We could not confirm borough rules on living in an RV, tiny homes or accessory dwellings, so ask the Zoning Officer before you plan around any of them.

Do you need a building permit in Brookhaven, PA, and who issues it?

Yes. No one may build, alter or enlarge a building in Brookhaven Borough without first applying to the Building Inspector and obtaining a permit1. Brookhaven Borough's Building & Code Enforcement department enforces the building code and borough ordinances14, and Delaware County does not issue building permits for the borough15. Storm doors, screened porch enclosures and cosmetic or nonstructural changes are exempt1.

The borough has adopted the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code as its building code3. A building permit for a new building, structural alteration or addition needs a set of plans and specifications showing the work16. Fees are set by borough resolution, plus a $2 state fee on each permit17. Pay online through the borough's payment portal14.

Who do you call about building and zoning permits in Brookhaven?

Both go through the Brookhaven Borough municipal office at (610) 874-2557, 2 Cambridge Road, Suite 10013. The borough's Building & Code Enforcement department handles building permits and Uniform Construction Code inspections14, and the Zoning Officer handles zoning permits and zoning code questions13. Delaware County's Planning Department does not take building permit questions and sends them to the municipality's code enforcement officials, so calling the county first only adds a step18.

How do septic permits and sewer connections work in Brookhaven?

Brookhaven Borough has a public sanitary sewer. A property owner whose dwelling needs sewage disposal must connect within 30 days after the borough serves notice that sewer is in the street in front of the property6. A connection permit from the Plumbing Inspector comes first, and a required connection carries a $2,500 per EDU tapping fee6.

For on-lot systems and wells, the Delaware County Health Department issues permits and enforces Act 537 across the county4. A septic permit is required for new systems, repairs and modifications that need digging equipment19. We could not confirm which Brookhaven lots, if any, are allowed an on-lot system instead of sewer, so ask the borough office and the Health Department20. Conventional drain fields rate poorly across Delaware County, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system21.

Building a home in Brookhaven: the steps, in order

  1. Call the borough office at (610) 874-2557 to confirm your lot's zoning district and any zoning permit you need13.
  2. Check the district's setbacks, coverage and height before you design8.
  3. File plans and specifications with the Building Inspector and obtain the building permit before starting work16.
  4. Arrange the sewer connection permit and pay the tapping fee when the borough requires connection6.
  5. Have the required inspections done: foundation, plumbing, mechanical and electrical, frame and masonry, wallboard, and final22.
  6. Request a certificate of occupancy with your building-permit application; it is required before a new or altered building is occupied5.

What stays with Delaware County, and what to check before you buy in Brookhaven

Delaware County handles on-lot septic and well permits4 and reviews subdivisions and land development under its planning process, with municipal approval also required before recording23. If your parcel is outside the borough, the county page has the answers for Delaware County.

Before buying, confirm flood exposure and driveway access. Construction in a floodplain needs documentation sealed by a registered design professional24, and a driveway onto a state highway needs a highway occupancy permit25. Delaware County's effective property tax rate is 2%26, and the median property tax bill is $6,001 a year27.

Watch-outs

  • A certificate of occupancy is required for a building that is erected, structurally altered or moved, and for a change in use or occupancy including the sale, rental or lease of a dwelling unit5.
  • Contractors working in the borough must register with the borough, and residential contractors need a state home improvement contractor license, so confirm that before hiring14.
  • We could not confirm borough rules on RV living, tiny homes, accessory dwellings, short-term rentals or owner-builder work; ask the Zoning Officer or Building Inspector in writing before you rely on any of them13.

Sources

  1. Chapter 1408: Building Permits and Fees - Borough of Brookhaven, PA (Borough of Brookhaven), quoted and re-checked
  2. Zoning – Brookhaven Borough (Borough of Brookhaven), quoted and re-checked
  3. Chapter 1407: Uniform Construction Code - Borough of Brookhaven, PA (Borough of Brookhaven), quoted and re-checked
  4. Sewage and Water, quoted and re-checked
  5. Brookhaven Borough Zoning Ordinance (Borough of Brookhaven), quoted and re-checked
  6. Chapter 1042: Sewers - Borough of Brookhaven, PA (Borough of Brookhaven), quoted and re-checked
  7. Brookhaven Borough Zoning Ordinance (Borough of Brookhaven), quoted and re-checked
  8. Brookhaven Borough Zoning Ordinance (Borough of Brookhaven), quoted and re-checked
  9. Brookhaven Borough Zoning Ordinance (Borough of Brookhaven), quoted and re-checked
  10. Brookhaven Borough Zoning Ordinance (Borough of Brookhaven), quoted and re-checked
  11. Brookhaven Borough Zoning Ordinance (Borough of Brookhaven), quoted and re-checked
  12. Brookhaven Borough Zoning Ordinance (Borough of Brookhaven), quoted and re-checked
  13. Brookhaven Borough Municipal Office (Zoning Officer) (brookhavenboro.com)
  14. Brookhaven Borough Building & Code Enforcement (brookhavenboro.com)
  15. Delaware County Planning Department - Development Review (2026 county census)
  16. Chapter 1408: Building Permits and Fees - Borough of Brookhaven, PA (Borough of Brookhaven), quoted and re-checked
  17. Chapter 1407: Uniform Construction Code - Borough of Brookhaven, PA (Borough of Brookhaven), quoted and re-checked
  18. Development Review, quoted and re-checked
  19. Permits for On-Lot Sewage Disposal Systems, quoted and re-checked
  20. Delaware County Health Department, Environmental Health (delcopa.gov)
  21. 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
  22. Uniform Construction Code Chapter 403, quoted and re-checked
  23. Development Review, quoted and re-checked
  24. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
  25. Uniform Construction Code Chapter 403, quoted and re-checked
  26. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  27. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 24, 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 Borough of Brookhaven

Borough of Brookhaven’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction, alteration, or enlargement of buildings inside Brookhaven borough limits.

    • Application must be made by the owner or contractor to the Building Inspector and the permit must be obtained before proceeding.
    • Storm doors and enclosing an existing porch with screened windows and screened doors only do not require a permit.
    • Cosmetic and nonstructural modifications are exempt.
    • A permit is cancelled if active work does not begin within three months after issue.
    “No person shall proceed with the construction, alteration or enlargement of any building or any part thereof in the Borough unless application for a permit has been made by the owner of the building or the contractor to the Building Inspector and a permit has been properly obtained”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Building work inside Brookhaven borough limits.

    • The code is adopted as amended from time to time.
    • The Borough elects to administer and enforce the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act and regulations.
    “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 the Borough.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Occupancy or use of buildings and land inside Brookhaven borough limits.

    • Required for a building erected, structurally altered, or moved; a change in use or occupancy; a nonconforming-use change; or a use requiring a special permit.
    • For a new or altered building, written application must be made with the building-permit application.
    • For completed conforming new or altered construction, the certificate is to be issued within 15 days after written request.
    “A certificate of occupancy shall be obtained from the Building Inspector for any of the following: (a) Occupancy and use of a building hereafter erected, structurally altered or moved; (b) Change in the use or in the occupancy of an existing building, including the sale, rental or lease of a dwelling unit;”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Brookhaven borough limits.

    • The Borough Zoning Officer administers and enforces the Zoning Code.
    “The Zoning Officer will be responsible for the administration and enforcement of this Zoning Code.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts inside Brookhaven borough limits.

    • The official zoning ordinance publishes district chapters including R-1A, R-1, R-2, R-2S, and R-3 residence districts.
    “For the purposes of this Zoning Code the Borough is hereby divided into fifteen districts, which shall be designated as follows: R1A Residence District R1 Residence District R2 Residence District R2S Residence District R3 Residence District”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Manufactured or industrialized housing inside Brookhaven borough limits.

    • A zoning permit is required.
    • The housing must be certified by its manufacturer as conforming to applicable federal and state construction and safety standards identified in the latest adopted Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code.
    “A zoning permit shall be required for manufactured or industrialized housing certified by the manufacturer to conform to applicable Federal and State construction and safety standards as identified in the latest adopted version of the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    A dwelling or unit requiring sewage disposal inside Brookhaven borough limits when served with a notice concerning the sanitary sewer in the street in front of the property.

    • The owner or occupier must connect within 30 days after receipt of duly served notice.
    • A connection permit from the Plumbing Inspector is required before making a sanitary-sewer connection.
    • For a required connection, the owner must pay a $2,500 per EDU tapping fee, provide 15 days' written notice before connecting/installing the lateral, and obtain Borough inspection and approval before covering the lateral.

    connection deadline after served notice: 30 days · tapping fee: 2500 USD/EDU (For owners of improved premises required to connect to the Borough sewer system.)

    “The owner or occupier of any property on which there is erected a dwelling or unit requiring the disposal of sewage shall, within 30 days after receipt of notice duly served upon such owner or occupier, connect his or her disposal system with the sanitary sewer in the street in front of such dwelling or unit.”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    Changes to driveways inside Brookhaven borough limits.

    • A zoning permit is required before the change.
    “The following are some items requiring zoning approval. changes to driveways”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Construction permits issued inside Brookhaven borough limits.

    • Fees are established by the governing body by resolution from time to time.
    • The Borough additionally assesses $2 on each construction or building permit under the Act and Code.

    additional state-treasury fee: per 2 USD (Each construction or building permit issued under the Act and Code.)

    “Fees assessable by the Borough for the administration and enforcement undertaken pursuant to this chapter and the Code shall be established by the governing body by resolution from time to time. In addition to any other fees, the Borough shall assess a fee of $2 on each construction or building permit issued under the authority of the Act and Code”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    New buildings, structural alterations, and additions inside Brookhaven borough limits.

    • Plans and specifications must be filed for each new building, structural alteration, or addition.
    • Plans must state the nature and extent of proposed work; be dated, drawn to scale, and identify the architect, engineer, or draftsman.
    • Plans must include elevation, street height, lawn grade, driveways, plot plan, sewer layout, drainage facilities, and surface-drainage runoff arrows.
    “For each new building, structural alteration or addition to an existing building, there shall be filed a set of plans and specifications, clearly setting forth the nature and extent of the work proposed to be done.”

Rules another office applies inside Borough of Brookhaven

Borough of Brookhaven does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Single-family semi-detached dwellings in the R-2S Residence District inside Brookhaven borough limits.

    • The stated floor-area and building-area minima apply to the single-family semi-detached dwelling category in the R-2S table.

    minimum floor area: 1520 square feet (Single-family semi-detached dwelling.) · minimum building area: 760 square feet (Single-family semi-detached dwelling.)

    “Minimum Floor Area Single-family semi-detached: 1,520 square feet. Two-family semi-detached: 840 square feet. Minimum Building Area Single-family semi-detached: 760 square feet.”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Single-family detached dwellings in the R-1A Residence District inside Brookhaven borough limits.

    • Rear-yard minimum is subject to § 1280.16.

    front yard: 30 feet (Minimum from building line to street line.) · side yard: 10 feet (Minimum for each side of a single-family detached dwelling.) · rear yard: 50 feet (Minimum; subject to § 1280.16.)

    “Front Yard 30 feet, minimum, from building line to the street line. Side Yards 10 feet, minimum, for each side of the building for single family detached dwellings. [...] Rear Yard 50 feet, minimum, subject to section 1280.16”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Single-family detached dwellings in the R-1A Residence District inside Brookhaven borough limits.

    • Impervious coverage is separately limited to 45 percent maximum.

    building coverage: <= 30 percent (R-1A single-family detached dwellings.)

    “Building Coverage 30 percent, maximum. Impervious Coverage 45 percent, maximum.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Single-family detached dwellings in the R-1A Residence District inside Brookhaven borough limits.

    maximum building height: <= 35 feet (R-1A single-family detached dwellings.)

    “Building Coverage 30 percent, maximum. Impervious Coverage 45 percent, maximum. Height 35 feet, maximum.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Borough of Brookhaven or Delaware County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-performed residential construction inside Brookhaven borough limits.
  • Inspections — Building construction inside Brookhaven borough limits.
  • Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land inside Brookhaven borough limits.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Brookhaven borough limits.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Brookhaven borough limits.
9 more unanswered
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • 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 Borough of Brookhaven publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Delaware County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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