Bolthole Index

Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Mount Joy Borough, Pennsylvania

Mount Joy Borough, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, requires a Construction Code permit before building work starts1. The borough sets its own zoning, which applies throughout its limits2. New homes are expected to connect to public water and sewer3; on-lot septic permits are not confirmed for the borough, so ask the borough office.

At a glance

Building permit
Required: a Construction Code permit from the borough before work starts1
Zoning
Borough zoning chapter applies throughout the borough2
Water and sewer
Public water and sewer expected for each principal building unless infeasibility is shown to the Mount Joy Borough Authority3
Without public water and sewer
Minimum lot of 1 acre and 150 feet wide, unless a stricter rule applies3
Minimum home size
500 square feet of heated, enclosed floor area per dwelling unit4
Certificate of occupancy
Required where a borough zoning permit is required5
RV and tiny home living
Not confirmed: ask the borough codes and zoning office4

Who to call

Building permits

Mount Joy Borough Office (Codes and Zoning)

Building (Construction Code) permits, zoning permits and other borough permits inside Mount Joy Borough

(717) 653-2300

borough@mountjoypa.org

300 Orchard Road Mount Joy, PA 17552

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 Mount Joy means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Bolthole Index earns from qualifying purchases.

Do you need a building permit in Mount Joy, PA?

Yes. Mount Joy Borough requires a Construction Code permit before any work begins, and the owner, any lessee and the contractor jointly must confirm that all required permits and approvals are in place first1. A required zoning permit and any subdivision or land-development approval must accompany a complete Construction Code permit application1. The borough's own page says building and zoning permits are required for a new home and for additions6.

Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code is the statewide building code behind these permits7. Fees are due when you apply, estimated inspection fees are due before the permit issues, and starting work early adds an expedited-processing fee8.

Who issues building and zoning permits in Mount Joy Borough?

Mount Joy Borough's own codes and zoning office issues them, not Lancaster County. The borough's Construction Code Official reviews plans, issues Construction Code permits and inspects the work9. Zoning applications are made in writing on a borough form and submitted with the required fees10.

Contact the Mount Joy Borough Office at 300 Orchard Road, (717) 653-2300, or borough@mountjoypa.org6. The borough says to contact the Codes and Zoning Office if you are unsure which permits a project needs6.

Does Mount Joy have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes and lot size?

Yes. Mount Joy Borough has its own zoning chapter, and activities it regulates must conform to it2. Lancaster County does not run one countywide zoning code; each municipality sets its own11.

Each dwelling unit in the borough needs at least 500 square feet of enclosed, heated floor area, mostly above ground4. That figure rules out many very small tiny homes, but we could not confirm how the borough treats tiny homes, RVs, temporary camping or accessory dwellings, so ask the Codes and Zoning Office before buying. Maximum building height varies by district12.

How do septic permits and water service work in Mount Joy Borough?

Each principal building in the borough is expected to have public water and public sewage service before occupancy, unless the applicant proves to the Mount Joy Borough Authority that service is not feasible3. Where both services will not be provided, the lot must be at least 1 acre and 150 feet wide, unless a stricter provision applies3.

The borough has a holding-tank ordinance run through the Mount Joy Borough Authority13. For on-lot septic systems elsewhere in Lancaster County, municipal Sewage Enforcement Officers issue the permits14. We could not confirm who handles an on-lot septic permit inside Mount Joy, so call the borough office first. Pennsylvania has no construction standard for private water wells15.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Mount Joy, PA?

We could not confirm it. The borough's zoning materials we reviewed did not settle long-term RV occupancy or tiny-home occupancy, so treat either as unapproved until the Codes and Zoning Office says otherwise. Pennsylvania's rules on RV stays at state park campgrounds do not answer the question for private land16.

Any dwelling also needs a certificate of use and occupancy before anyone moves in, and the borough may withhold it until other borough ordinances are met5.

Building a home in Mount Joy: the steps, in order

  1. Ask the Codes and Zoning Office which zoning district the lot is in and what it allows6.
  2. Confirm public water and sewer service with the Mount Joy Borough Authority3.
  3. File the zoning application on the borough form, then the Construction Code permit application with fees108.
  4. Have the work inspected by the Construction Code Official9.
  5. Obtain the certificate of use and occupancy before moving in5.

A subdivision or land-development plan also needs borough approval17.

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

Lancaster County's planning department gives advisory reviews of subdivision and land-development plans, and approval from the municipality is still required18. Expedited county review is unavailable in Mount Joy Borough18. For land outside borough limits, see the Lancaster County page.

Check the floodplain too: development in the one-hundred-year floodplain needs a borough zoning permit19. A driveway onto a state road needs a PennDOT highway occupancy permit20. Lancaster County's effective property tax rate is 1.4%21.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm who issues on-lot septic permits, or any rule on RVs, tiny homes, accessory dwellings or owner-built homes, inside Mount Joy Borough; call the Mount Joy Borough Office at (717) 653-23006.
  • The borough's holding-tank ordinance does not by itself say who permits every on-lot septic system13.
  • Starting work before the permit issues adds an expedited-processing fee8.

Sources

  1. Chapter 110: Construction Codes, Uniform (Borough of Mount Joy), quoted and re-checked
  2. Chapter 270, Article I: Administration and Enforcement (Borough of Mount Joy), quoted and re-checked
  3. Chapter 270, Article III: District Regulations (Borough of Mount Joy), quoted and re-checked
  4. ecode360.com (Borough of Mount Joy), quoted and re-checked
  5. ecode360.com (Borough of Mount Joy), quoted and re-checked
  6. Mount Joy Borough Office (Codes and Zoning) (mountjoyborough.com)
  7. Uniform Construction Code (UCC) (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  8. Chapter 110: Construction Codes, Uniform (Borough of Mount Joy), quoted and re-checked
  9. Chapter 110: Construction Codes, Uniform (Borough of Mount Joy), quoted and re-checked
  10. ecode360.com (Borough of Mount Joy), quoted and re-checked
  11. Simplified Zoning, quoted and re-checked
  12. Chapter 270, Article VIII: General Regulations (Borough of Mount Joy), quoted and re-checked
  13. Chapter 210: Sewers and Sewage Disposal (Borough of Mount Joy), quoted and re-checked
  14. Municipal On Lot Sewage Service Areas, quoted and re-checked
  15. Apply for a Water Well Drillers License and Rig Permit, quoted and re-checked
  16. RV and Tent Campsites (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. LCPD Review of Subdivision and / or Land Development Plans, quoted and re-checked
  19. ecode360.com (Borough of Mount Joy), quoted and re-checked
  20. Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code Chapter 403, quoted and re-checked
  21. Effective property tax rate: 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 Mount Joy

Borough of Mount Joy’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Work inside Mount Joy borough requiring a Construction Code permit.

    • Owner, lessee, if any, and contractor jointly must determine that all required permits and approvals have been obtained before work.
    • A required zoning permit and required subdivision or land-development approval must accompany a complete Construction Code permit application.
    “a Construction Code permit [...] has been obtained before performing any work.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Construction subject to Mount Joy Borough Construction Code permits.

    • The Borough adopts specified L&I inspection regulations; additional inspections may require reimbursement.
    “The Construction Code Official shall perform plan review of construction documents, issue Construction Code permits, inspect construction, provide the Building Code Official with reports of inspections and recommendations upon issuance of certificates of occupancy, and administer and enforce this Construction Code.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    A structure, sign, land area, or portion thereof for which a Borough zoning permit is required.

    • Temporary certificates require proof that occupancy can occur safely; absent a different written term, their maximum term is six months.
    • The Borough may withhold the certificate until other Borough ordinances are complied with.

    temporary certificate maximum duration: <= 6 months (unless otherwise specified in writing)

    “until a certificate of use and occupancy”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Mount Joy borough limits.

    • Activities regulated by Chapter 270 must conform to that chapter.
    “apply throughout the Borough of Mount Joy”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Each dwelling unit inside Mount Joy borough limits.

    • Floor area must be enclosed, habitable, indoor, heated, and primarily above ground level.

    minimum dwelling floor area: >= 500 square feet (must be enclosed, habitable, indoor, heated floor area primarily above ground level)

    “Each dwelling unit shall include a minimum of 500 square feet of enclosed, habitable, indoor, heated floor area, which shall be primarily above the ground level.”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Structures inside Mount Joy borough zoning districts.

    • The cited listed features are exceptions to the maximum height specified for each district.
    • The specific district-height table was not extracted in this research pass.
    “maximum structure height specified for each district”
  • Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

    Holding-tank sewage disposal inside Mount Joy borough limits.

    • This finding identifies the local authority named in the Borough holding-tank ordinance; it does not establish the authority for all on-lot septic permitting.
    “AUTHORITY Mount Joy Borough Authority, a body politic and corporate created pursuant to the Pennsylvania Municipality Authorities Act.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Holding tanks, including chemical toilets, retention tanks, and vault pit privies, inside Mount Joy borough limits.

    • The holding-tank ordinance establishes procedures for use and maintenance.
    • A principal building is otherwise required to have public water and public sewage service before occupancy unless infeasibility is proven to Mount Joy Borough Authority.
    “holding tanks designed to receive and retain sewage”
  • Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

    Each principal building inside Mount Joy borough limits.

    • An applicant may prove to the satisfaction of Mount Joy Borough Authority that public water and public sewage service are not feasible.
    • Where both services will not be provided before occupancy, minimum lot area is one acre and minimum lot width is 150 feet unless another chapter provision is more restrictive.

    minimum lot area without public water and public sewage service: >= 1 acre (unless a more restrictive chapter provision applies) · minimum lot width without public water and public sewage service: >= 150 feet (unless a more restrictive chapter provision applies)

    “served by public water service and public sewage service prior to occupancy”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Development within the one-hundred-year floodplain inside Mount Joy borough limits.

    • The proposed work must comply with floodplain regulations and other applicable Borough ordinances.
    • The Floodplain Administrator reviews for needed state and federal permits before issuance and inspects during construction.
    • Certain floodway or setback-area development additionally requires DEP Regional Office permits.
    “A Borough zoning permit is required for any development within the one-hundred-year floodplain.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Construction Code permits inside Mount Joy borough limits.

    • Application and plan-review fees are due at application.
    • Estimated inspection fees are due before permit issuance.
    • Additional inspection costs must be reimbursed within 15 days after invoice.
    • Work started before permit issuance incurs an expedited-processing fee equal to the fee that should have been paid at application, in addition to the normal application fee.

    additional-inspection invoice payment period: <= 15 days (after date of invoice)

    “Applicants for permits under this Construction Code shall pay to the Borough at the time of application all fees established for the review of the application and plans. Prior to the issuance of a Construction Code permit, applicants shall pay to the Borough the estimated fees for all inspections required.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning-permit applications inside Mount Joy borough limits.

    • Applications must be written, on a Borough form, submitted with required fees to designated Borough staff.
    • For a new or expanded principal building or three or more added parking spaces, at least two scale site-plan copies are required.

    minimum site-plan copies: >= 2 copies (new principal building, principal-building expansion, or addition of three or more parking spaces)

    “made in writing on a form provided by the Borough”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Mount Joy borough limits.
  • Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land inside Mount Joy borough limits.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Mount Joy borough limits.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Mount Joy borough limits.
  • Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units inside Mount Joy borough limits.
5 more unanswered
  • 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 Borough of Mount Joy publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Lancaster County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Lancaster County: county rules, score and offices