Bolthole Index

Delaware County, Pennsylvania

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

Marple Township, Pennsylvania, in Delaware County, requires a building permit from its own Code Enforcement Officer for residential construction, alterations and plumbing, electrical, gas or mechanical work1. The township adopts and enforces its own zoning2, and no recreational vehicle, camper or boat may be used for living or sleeping on any lot3. Septic and well permits come from the Delaware County Health Department, not the township4.

At a glance

Building permit
Required; apply to the township Code Enforcement Officer1
Building code
Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, adopted by the township5
Zoning
Township zoning ordinance adopted by the Board of Commissioners2
RV living
Prohibited on any lot3
Driveways and sidewalks
Require a township permit6
Septic and wells
Delaware County Health Department issues permits4
Owner-builder
Pennsylvania allows owners to do uncompensated work on their own primary residence; township rule unconfirmed7
Property tax
Delaware County effective rate about 2%8

Who to call

Building permits

Marple Township Code Enforcement (Director of Codes/Zoning)

Residential building permits under the Uniform Construction Code and township zoning questions in Marple Township

610-356-4040

227 S Sproul Road, Broomall, PA 19008-2397

Septic permits

Delaware County Health Department, Environmental Health

Permits, inspections and enforcement for on-lot sewage systems, and permits for wells, in Delaware County

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

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Does Marple Township have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs and tiny homes?

Marple Township sets its own zoning; the Board of Commissioners adopted the township zoning chapter, and Delaware County does not administer it29. Residential land is divided into districts named R-A, R-B, R-C, R-1, R-1A, R-2, R-3 and R-4, and each has its own building coverage and height limits1011. Check the district for your parcel before you assume a number, because the limits are not the same across districts.

In Marple Township, no recreational vehicle, boat, camper or pickup component may be used for living or sleeping quarters on any lot3. We could not confirm township rules for tiny homes, accessory dwelling units or temporary camping, so ask the Code Enforcement office before you plan any of them12.

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

Yes. In Marple Township, an owner or authorized agent who wants to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a residential building must first apply to the township Code Enforcement Officer and obtain the permit1. The same applies to electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing systems the Uniform Construction Code regulates. The township adopted that statewide code as its municipal building code5.

Sidewalks and driveways also need a township permit6. Delaware County does not issue building permits; it sends building-permit questions to the municipality's code enforcement officials13. Permit fees are set by township resolution and change over time, so ask the office for the current schedule14.

How do septic permits work in Marple Township?

The Delaware County Health Department is responsible for inspections, investigations, permit issuance and enforcement under Pennsylvania's Act 537, and it issues permits for on-lot sewage systems and for wells415. A permit is required for new systems, repairs and modifications, except repairs that need no digging equipment16. New major permits require soil testing16.

We could not confirm whether any Marple Township rule adds to the county's process, or whether your lot is expected to connect to public sewer. Ask the Code Enforcement office and the Health Department which applies before you buy1215. Delaware County's soils rate poorly for conventional drain fields, so expect a site evaluation17.

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

  1. Confirm your parcel's zoning district and its coverage and height limits with the Code Enforcement office1012.
  2. If you are dividing a lot, expect subdivision approval before lots are sold or buildings go up18.
  3. Apply to the Code Enforcement Officer for the building permit1.
  4. If the lot is not on public sewer, get septic and well permits from the Delaware County Health Department4.
  5. If the driveway meets a state highway, a highway occupancy permit is required19.
  6. Have the required inspections done, then get the certificate of occupancy before anyone moves in2021.

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

Inside Marple Township, the township handles building permits and zoning, while septic and wells stay with the Delaware County Health Department24. For land outside the township, see the Delaware County page.

In identified floodplain areas, the Floodplain Administrator inspects work during construction and at completion22. Delaware County's effective property tax rate is about 2%8. The typical home value in Delaware County is about $373,57523. We could not confirm a township owner-builder rule; Pennsylvania's statewide exclusion covers uncompensated work on an owner's own primary residence7.

Watch-outs

  • Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code bars using or occupying a residential building without a certificate of occupancy21; we could not confirm the township's own process, so ask the Code Enforcement office what it issues at the end of a project.
  • Zoning limits differ by district, and the township schedule lists them in tables, so get your parcel's district and numbers from the township before relying on any figure10.
  • We could not confirm which office permits private wells inside the township beyond the county Health Department's well permits; call the Health Department to verify24.

Sources

  1. Chapter 116 Construction Code, Uniform - Township of Marple, PA (Marple Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. Chapter 300 Zoning - Township of Marple, PA (Marple Township), quoted and re-checked
  3. Article I General and Special Provisions - Township of Marple, PA (Marple Township), quoted and re-checked
  4. Sewage and Water, quoted and re-checked
  5. Chapter 116 Construction Code, Uniform - Township of Marple, PA (Marple Township), quoted and re-checked
  6. Chapter 116 Construction Code, Uniform - Township of Marple, PA (Marple Township), quoted and re-checked
  7. Contractor Licensing (2026 county census)
  8. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  9. delcopa.gov, quoted and re-checked
  10. Chapter 300 Zoning attachments - Township of Marple, PA (Marple Township), quoted and re-checked
  11. Chapter 300 Zoning attachments - Township of Marple, PA (Marple Township), quoted and re-checked
  12. Marple Township Code Enforcement (Director of Codes/Zoning) (marpletwp.com)
  13. Development Review, quoted and re-checked
  14. Chapter 116 Construction Code, Uniform - Township of Marple, PA (Marple Township), quoted and re-checked
  15. Delaware County Health Department, Environmental Health (delcopa.gov)
  16. Permits for On-Lot Sewage Disposal Systems, 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. Chapter 265 Subdivision of Land - Township of Marple, PA (Marple Township), quoted and re-checked
  19. Uniform Construction Code Chapter 403, quoted and re-checked
  20. Uniform Construction Code Chapter 403, quoted and re-checked
  21. Uniform Construction Code Chapter 403, quoted and re-checked
  22. Chapter 143 Floodplain Management - Township of Marple, PA (Marple Township), quoted and re-checked
  23. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data
  24. Sewage and Water, quoted and re-checked

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 Marple Township

Marple Township’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Residential construction, alteration, repair, moving, demolition, occupancy changes, and regulated building systems inside Marple Township.

    • Owner or authorized agent must first apply to the Code Enforcement Officer.
    • The rule applies to work regulated by the Uniform Construction Code.
    “An owner or authorized agent who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a residential building or erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace an electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system regulated by the Uniform Construction Code shall first apply to the Code Enforcement Officer and obtain the required permit.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction governed by Marple Township's municipal building code.

    • The incorporated Uniform Construction Code is amended from time to time.
    “The Uniform Construction Code, contained in 34 Pa. Code, Chapters 401-405, as amended from time to time, is hereby adopted and incorporated herein by reference as the municipal building code of Marple Township.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Construction or development in identified floodplain areas in Marple Township.

    • Inspection is during the construction period and at completion as necessary.
    • This claim is limited to floodplain-regulated work.
    “During the construction period, the Floodplain Administrator or other authorized official shall inspect the premises to determine that the work is progressing in compliance with the information provided on the permit application and with all applicable municipal laws and ordinances. He/she shall make as many inspections during and upon completion of the work as are necessary.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Marple Township.

    • Chapter 300 was adopted by the Township Board of Commissioners and amended as applicable.
    “Adopted by the Board of Commissioners of the Township of Marple”
  • Living in an RVProhibited

    Use of recreational vehicles, boats, campers, or pickup components for living or sleeping quarters on any lot in Marple Township.

    “No recreational vehicle, boat, camper or pickup component shall be used for living or sleeping quarters”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivisions and land developments inside Marple Township.

    • The chapter requires compliance with its provisions and identifies approval before sale of lots or erection or repair of buildings.
    “§ 265-6 Subdivisions and land developments to comply with provisions. § 265-7 Approval prior to sale of lots, erection or repair of buildings.”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    Residential sidewalks and driveways inside Marple Township.

    • Permit requirement is under § 116-9 residential construction provisions.
    “An owner or authorized agent who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a residential building or erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace an electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system regulated by the Uniform Construction Code shall first apply to the Code Enforcement Officer and obtain the required permit. The following shall require a permit: [...] Sidewalks and driveways.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Fees for Township administration and enforcement of the Uniform Construction Code.

    • Fees are established by Township governing-body resolution from time to time.
    “established by the governing body by resolution”
  • Permit processPartial

    Residential construction regulated by the Uniform Construction Code inside Marple Township.

    • The owner or authorized agent must apply to the Code Enforcement Officer and obtain the required permit.
    • The opened provision does not provide a complete Township application checklist or fee schedule.
    “An owner or authorized agent who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a residential building or erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace an electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system regulated by the Uniform Construction Code shall first apply to the Code Enforcement Officer and obtain the required permit.”

Rules another office applies inside Marple Township

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

  • Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Residential zoning districts R-A, R-B, R-C, R-1, R-1A, R-2, R-3, and R-4 inside Marple Township.

    • The cited Township schedule identifies separate development standards by residential district; exact coverage percentages require review of the schedule table.
    “Maximum building coverage (percent of lot area)”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Residential zoning districts R-A, R-B, R-C, R-1, R-1A, R-2, R-3, and R-4 inside Marple Township.

    • The cited Township schedule identifies separate development standards by residential district; exact height limits require review of the schedule table.
    “Maximum height - principal structures (feet)”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work inside Marple Township.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Residential construction and occupancy inside Marple Township.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Marple Township.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Marple Township.
  • Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units inside Marple Township.
6 more unanswered
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • 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 Marple Township publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Delaware County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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