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

At a glance

Zoning

Township zoning chapter exists; Franklin County does not zone¹³

Building permit

Required under the state Uniform Construction Code²

Septic

Permit from a local agency, state DEP oversight⁴

Driveway on a state road

PennDOT permit required⁶

Subdivision

Regulated by the township and reviewed by the county planning commission⁷⁸

RV, tiny home, lot size

Not confirmed; ask the township office⁵

Who to call

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 14, 2026.

Does Antrim Township, PA have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes and lot size?

Yes. Antrim Township, in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, has its own zoning: the township's code of ordinances includes a chapter titled Zoning¹. Franklin County itself does not run a countywide zoning ordinance; the county's own page says townships and boroughs control zoning and land use³. Zoning for a parcel in Antrim therefore comes from the township, not the county.

We could not read the zoning chapter's text, so we cannot confirm district names, minimum lot sizes, setbacks, or whether living in an RV or tiny home is allowed on a given parcel. Do not assume any of those are unrestricted. Ask the Antrim Township office,⁵, which zoning district a parcel sits in and what that district allows before you sign a contract.

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

Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code requires a construction or building permit before work starts², and Antrim Township's code of ordinances has a chapter on uniform construction codes⁹. In practice, a new home, addition, or change to electrical, plumbing or mechanical systems in Antrim Township should be treated as permit-required, with inspections and a certificate of occupancy before use¹⁰¹¹.

We could not confirm which agency (township staff or a third-party code agency) issues building permits in Antrim, or what the permit fees are. Franklin County does not issue them: the county planning department does not issue building, zoning or septic permits¹². Call the township office first⁵.

How do septic permits work in Antrim Township, PA?

Pennsylvania requires a permit for an individual on-lot sewage system, and the permit comes from a local agency, usually through a certified Sewage Enforcement Officer, with the state Department of Environmental Protection overseeing the program⁴¹³. Which local agency serves Antrim Township was not confirmed.

For planning, the share of Franklin County soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional drain field is 30.6%¹⁴. That is a county-wide figure and a strict rating, so many lots will need a site evaluation and some will need an engineered system. Whether a parcel must connect to public sewer or water in Antrim is also unconfirmed; ask the township office⁵ before you assume a septic system is allowed.

Building a home in Antrim Township, PA: the steps, in order

1. Ask the township office which zoning district the parcel is in and whether your use is allowed⁵¹.
2. If you are dividing the parcel, expect subdivision and land development review; Antrim has a subdivision chapter, and Franklin County's planning commission also reviews plans⁷⁸.
3. Get septic site testing through the local sewage enforcement officer, unless public sewer serves the lot⁴.
4. If the driveway meets a state road, a PennDOT highway occupancy permit is required⁶.
5. Get a building permit under the Uniform Construction Code before starting².
6. Pass the required inspections and obtain a certificate of occupancy before anyone lives in the building¹¹.

What stays with Franklin County, and what to check before you buy in Antrim Township?

Franklin County does not set Antrim's zoning³, and its planning department points landowners to the municipality for building, zoning and septic permits¹². The county does keep a role in subdivision plan review, and plans for Antrim Township are among those submitted digitally¹⁵.

Before buying, check flood exposure (construction in a floodplain needs documentation sealed by a registered design professional¹⁶), road access, and the tax picture: Franklin County's effective property tax rate is 1.1%¹⁷, with a median bill of $2,634 a year¹⁸. These tax figures are county-level.

Watch-outs

• We could not confirm the text of Antrim Township's zoning chapter, so RV, tiny-home, minimum-size and setback rules are unconfirmed; ask the township office⁵.
• The agency that issues building permits and the sewage enforcement officer serving Antrim Township were not confirmed; ask the township office before paying for plans⁵.
• Subdivision rules from the township override the county's⁸; read both if you plan to split a parcel.

Sources

1. Antrim Township, PA Code of Ordinances - Overview (American Legal Publishing) (Antrim Township), quoted and re-checked
2. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
3. Data Center Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
4. Municipal On Lot Sewage Service Areas, quoted and re-checked
5. Antrim Township Office (twp.antrim.pa.us)
6. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit, quoted and re-checked
7. Antrim Township, PA Code of Ordinances - Overview (American Legal Publishing) (Antrim Township), quoted and re-checked
8. Data Center Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
9. Antrim Township, PA Code of Ordinances - Overview (American Legal Publishing) (Antrim Township), quoted and re-checked
10. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
11. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
12. Franklin County Planning Department (franklincountypa.gov)
13. PA DEP - Sewage Enforcement Officers (Act 537) (2026 county census)
14. 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
15. Planning, quoted and re-checked
16. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
17. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
18. Median property tax bill: 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.