Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Adamstown Borough, Pennsylvania

At a glance

Building permit

Required; the borough adopts the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code²⁵

Zoning

Yes, the borough has its own zoning chapter¹

Subdivision

Regulated by a borough subdivision and land development chapter⁶

Septic

Permit from a local agency's Sewage Enforcement Officer; borough agency unconfirmed⁴⁷

Who to call

Adamstown Borough office, 717-484-2280³

RV or tiny home living

Not confirmed; depends on the borough zoning ordinance¹

Who to call

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

Does Adamstown, PA have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs and tiny homes?

Adamstown Borough has its own zoning chapter in its code of ordinances, so land use inside the borough is set by the borough, not by Lancaster County¹. Lancaster County's planning department only reviews and advises on municipal zoning; each municipality administers its own districts⁸.

We could not confirm what the borough's districts allow for RV living, tiny homes, minimum lot size or setbacks. Those answers sit in the zoning chapter and zoning map, and the borough office is the place to ask which district a parcel is in before you commit to a plan³. Pennsylvania's state rules on RV stays cover state park campgrounds, not living on your own lot, so they do not answer the question⁹.

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

Yes for construction work: Pennsylvania requires a Uniform Construction Code building permit before any construction or building work begins⁵. Adamstown Borough adopts the state standards as its construction code, so the borough is where the application goes². The borough's permits page lists a combined zoning or building permit application³.

We could not confirm the borough's fee schedule or whether it uses a contracted third-party inspection agency. Ask the borough office for the current fees and the inspection contact³. A qualifying recreational cabin can be excluded from the code by filing the right affidavit with the municipality, but that is a narrow exclusion with conditions, not a general owner-builder exemption¹⁰.

How do septic permits work inside Adamstown?

Septic permits in Pennsylvania come from a local agency under the state sewage law, usually through a Sewage Enforcement Officer, and the borough's building office does not replace that step⁴. A permit is required before a building served by an on-lot system is occupied or used⁷.

We could not confirm whether Adamstown itself, a group of municipalities or another body serves as the local agency for the borough, or whether the lot you are looking at is on public sewer instead. Ask the borough office first, since the borough runs a water and sewer system, and request a site evaluation before you make an offer³.

Building a home in Adamstown: the steps, in order

1. Ask the borough office for the zoning district of the parcel and the permitted uses there³.
2. Confirm whether the lot is on public sewer and water or needs an on-lot system, and get the local sewage agency's site evaluation if it does⁴.
3. If you are dividing land, expect the borough's subdivision and land development rules to apply⁶.
4. Apply for the zoning or building permit with the borough².
5. Get the required inspections as the work proceeds¹¹.
6. Obtain a certificate of occupancy before anyone uses the building¹².

What stays with Lancaster County and the state?

Septic permits, state highway driveway access and floodplain documentation do not depend on borough zoning. A driveway onto a Commonwealth highway needs a highway occupancy permit before access is permitted¹³. Construction in a floodplain needs documentation sealed by a registered design professional¹⁴. Private wells are not covered by a state construction standard, and homeowners drilling their own wells are excluded from the driller licensing rule¹⁵. For land outside the borough, see the Lancaster County page; Lancaster County's property tax rate and other county figures are on that page.

Watch-outs

• We could not confirm the text of the borough's zoning chapter, so district rules for RVs, tiny homes, lot size and setbacks need a call to the borough office³.
• Building code details in the borough's chapter cite older code editions, and the state has since updated the Uniform Construction Code, so ask which edition the borough enforces².
• A subdivision or lot line change inside the borough goes through borough review as well as the county planning department's advisory review⁶.

Sources

1. Borough of Adamstown, PA code of ordinances table of contents (eCode360) (Borough of Adamstown), quoted and re-checked
2. Adamstown Chapter 109 Construction Codes, Uniform (Borough of Adamstown), quoted and re-checked
3. Adamstown Borough office (adamstownborough.org)
4. Municipal On Lot Sewage Service Areas, quoted and re-checked
5. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
6. Borough of Adamstown, PA code of ordinances table of contents (eCode360) (Borough of Adamstown), quoted and re-checked
7. 25 Pa. Code § 72.22. Permit issuance (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
8. Simplified Zoning, quoted and re-checked
9. RV and Tent Campsites (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
10. Advisories — Advisory on Recreational Cabin Exclusion, quoted and re-checked
11. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
12. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
13. Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code Chapter 403, quoted and re-checked
14. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
15. Apply for a Water Well Drillers License and Rig Permit, quoted and re-checked

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.