Bolthole Index

Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

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

Mount Joy Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania zones its own land: the Township Zoning Officer enforces Chapter 135 for the Board of Supervisors1. Building work needs a permit under the Township's Mount Joy Township Construction Code, which adopts Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code2. Septic permits come from the Township Sewage Enforcement Officer3. Call the Township office at (717) 367-89174.

At a glance

Zoning
Township zoning, enforced by the Zoning Officer1
Building permit
Required where a Construction Code permit applies5
Building code
Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, adopted by the Township2
Septic permit
Township Sewage Enforcement Officer, before the zoning permit6
Driveway
Township driveway permit or PennDOT highway occupancy permit7

Who to call

Zoning

Mount Joy Township Office (Zoning Officer, Construction Code and Sewage Enforcement)

Township office for zoning permits, Construction Code permits and the Township sewage permit; septic and zoning staff can be reached through the main number

(717) 367-8917

8853 Elizabethtown Road, Elizabethtown, PA 17022

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

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Does Mount Joy Township, PA have zoning?

Yes. Mount Joy Township, Lancaster County, has its own zoning ordinance, Chapter 135 of the Township code, and a Zoning Officer appointed by the Board of Supervisors enforces it1. The published districts include R-3 High-Density Residential, C-1 Limited Commercial, C-2 General Commercial, MU Mixed Use, LI Light Industrial, GI General Industrial and IN Institutional8.

We could not confirm the lot-size, setback and minimum-dwelling-size figures for the residential and agricultural districts, nor how the zoning code treats RVs, tiny homes or accessory dwellings. Ask the Zoning Officer at (717) 367-8917 for the district your parcel sits in before you plan a house, a second dwelling or an RV4.

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

Yes. Mount Joy Township requires a Construction Code permit before contractors perform regulated work, and the owner and contractor must obtain and post it5. The Township adopts the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code as the Mount Joy Township Construction Code2. A Township Construction Code Official reviews plans, issues permits and inspects the work9.

Work that the Uniform Construction Code exempts is exempt from the Township Construction Code, but it must still meet other Township ordinances, including zoning2. We could not confirm a Township owner-builder or agricultural-building exemption; ask the Township office. The Lancaster County government does not run building permits here, because Pennsylvania municipalities administer them10.

How do septic permits work in Mount Joy Township?

A lot in Mount Joy Township that needs on-lot sewage disposal must get a sewage permit from the Township Sewage Enforcement Officer, and the Zoning Officer will not issue a zoning permit until that permit exists where it applies6. Septic permits therefore start with the Township, not a county health department; Lancaster County does not have one11.

Lancaster County's soils vary: about 45% are rated not limited for a conventional drain field, so many lots still need a site evaluation or an engineered system12. We could not confirm a Township septic-inspection rule, a well-permit rule or whether an alternative off-grid toilet is allowed; the Sewage Enforcement Officer is the person to ask4.

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

We could not confirm it. The Township's code index points to recreational-vehicle parking and storage regulations, but we did not find an operative rule on living in an RV, and we found no provision on tiny homes. The one confirmed item is temporary use: a temporary certificate of use and occupancy for tents or trailers can be issued only on order of the Zoning Hearing Board, for no more than 6 months13. Ask the Zoning Officer before you move any RV onto land4.

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

  1. Ask the Zoning Officer which district the lot is in and what it allows1.
  2. Secure any subdivision or land-development approval that applies14.
  3. Get a sewage permit from the Township Sewage Enforcement Officer6.
  4. Get access: a Township driveway permit under Chapter 67 or a PennDOT highway occupancy permit7.
  5. File the zoning permit application with plans in duplicate, drawn to scale; the Zoning Officer has 90 days after a complete filing to finish the examination15.
  6. Pay the Township's administrative fee at application and the plan-review and estimated inspection fees before the Construction Code permit issues16.
  7. Pass inspections, then obtain the certificate of use and occupancy from the Zoning Officer before anyone moves in17.

What to check before you buy land in Mount Joy Township

Confirm the zoning district, the septic outlook and the road frontage first. Fee amounts are not confirmed; the Township office can quote current zoning and Construction Code fees16. The Township code has a floodplain chapter, but we could not confirm its permit steps, so check your parcel with the Township office4.

Property tax figures are for Lancaster County as a whole: the effective rate is about 1.4% and the median bill about $3,941 a year1819. For land outside the Township, see the Lancaster County page.

Watch-outs

  • Mount Joy Borough is a separate municipality, and Mount Joy Township, Adams County is a different township; confirm you are dealing with Mount Joy Township in Lancaster County, whose office is in Elizabethtown4.
  • UCC-exempt work is still subject to other Township ordinances, so a building that needs no Construction Code permit can still need zoning approval2.
  • We could not confirm lot sizes, setbacks, RV or tiny-home rules or any owner-builder exemption; call the Township office at (717) 367-8917 before you buy4.

Sources

  1. Chapter 135, Article XXVII: Administration and Enforcement (Mount Joy Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. Chapter 57: Building Regulations (Mount Joy Township), quoted and re-checked
  3. Chapter 135, Article XXVII: Administration and Enforcement (Mount Joy Township), quoted and re-checked
  4. Mount Joy Township Office (Zoning Officer, Construction Code and Sewage Enforcement) (mtjoytwp.org)
  5. Chapter 57: Building Regulations (Mount Joy Township), quoted and re-checked
  6. Chapter 135, Article XXVII: Administration and Enforcement (Mount Joy Township), quoted and re-checked
  7. Chapter 135, Article XXVII: Administration and Enforcement (Mount Joy Township), quoted and re-checked
  8. Township of Mount Joy, PA Code of Ordinances (Mount Joy Township), quoted and re-checked
  9. Chapter 57: Building Regulations (Mount Joy Township), quoted and re-checked
  10. West Hempfield Township (Lancaster County) - Permits (2026 county census)
  11. PA DEP - Act 537 Onlot Disposal System (2026 county census)
  12. 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
  13. ecode360.com (Mount Joy Township), quoted and re-checked
  14. Township of Mount Joy, PA Code of Ordinances (Mount Joy Township), quoted and re-checked
  15. ecode360.com (Mount Joy Township), quoted and re-checked
  16. Chapter 57: Building Regulations (Mount Joy Township), quoted and re-checked
  17. ecode360.com (Mount Joy Township), quoted and re-checked
  18. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  19. 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 Mount Joy Township

Mount Joy Township’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Residential and nonresidential work inside Mount Joy Township for which a Construction Code permit is required.

    • The owner, lessee if any, and contractor jointly determine that the required Construction Code permit and other approvals have been obtained before work.
    • UCC-exempt construction is exempt from the Township Construction Code but remains subject to other applicable Township ordinances.
    “It shall be unlawful for any contractor or subcontractor to perform any work for which a Construction Code permit is required unless the owner and contractor obtain and post a Construction Code permit as required by this Construction Code.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction governed by the Mount Joy Township Construction Code inside Mount Joy Township.

    • The Township adopts Pennsylvania UCC standards as amended from time to time.
    • UCC exemptions remain exempt from the Township Construction Code but must comply with other applicable Township ordinances.
    “The Township hereby adopts the standards which the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry has adopted as the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code identified in Section 403.21 of the L & I Regulations, as such regulations and standard codes adopted by such regulations may be amended from time to time, as the Mount Joy Township Construction Code”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Construction Code-permitted construction inside Mount Joy Township.

    • Plan-review and estimated inspection fees must be paid before permit issuance.
    • Additional necessary inspections are reimbursable within 15 days of the invoice.
    “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

    Structures, buildings, or land inside Mount Joy Township for which a zoning permit is required.

    • The Zoning Officer must inspect and ascertain compliance before issuance.
    • A temporary certificate may be issued before full completion only where public health, safety, or welfare is not endangered; it may not exceed six months.
    “It shall be unlawful to use and/or occupy any structure, building or land or portion thereof for which a zoning permit is required until a certificate of use and occupancy has been issued by the Zoning Officer.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Mount Joy Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

    • The Zoning Officer administers and enforces Chapter 135 on behalf of the Township Board of Supervisors.
    “The provisions of this chapter shall be administered and enforced by an agent, to be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Board of Supervisors, who shall be known as the "Zoning Officer."”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts inside Mount Joy Township.

    • The official Code of Ordinances publishes district articles including R-3 High-Density Residential, C-1 Limited Commercial, C-2 General Commercial, MU Mixed Use, LI Light Industrial, GI General Industrial, and IN Institutional.
    “Article XII R-3 – High-Density Residential District”
  • Camping on your landLimited

    Temporary use or occupancy involving tents or trailers inside Mount Joy Township.

    • A temporary certificate of use and occupancy may be issued only upon Zoning Hearing Board order.
    • The certificate period may not exceed six months.
    • The applicant must remove the authorized structure or use at expiration without cost to the Township.

    maximum temporary certificate period: <= 6 months

    “The Zoning Officer may also issue a temporary certificate of use and occupancy for such temporary uses as tents, trailers and buildings on construction sites, use of lands for public or semipublic purposes or other temporary use and/or occupancy upon order of the Zoning Hearing Board.”
  • Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

    On-lot sewage disposal proposed for a lot inside Mount Joy Township.

    • A sewage permit issued by the Township Sewage Enforcement Officer is a prerequisite to zoning-permit issuance where applicable.
    “No zoning permit shall be issued unless the applicant presents the Zoning Officer with proof that any applicable subdivision and/or land development approval has been granted, a sewage permit has been issued by the Township Sewage Enforcement Officer for the lot”
  • Septic permitRequired

    A lot inside Mount Joy Township needing a zoning permit and on-lot sewage disposal approval.

    • The permit is issued by the Township Sewage Enforcement Officer.
    • This evidence establishes the requirement as a prerequisite to zoning-permit issuance, not the full sewage-permit procedure.
    “No zoning permit shall be issued unless the applicant presents the Zoning Officer with proof that any applicable subdivision and/or land development approval has been granted, a sewage permit has been issued by the Township Sewage Enforcement Officer for the lot”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision and land development inside Mount Joy Township where approval is applicable.

    • Zoning-permit issuance requires proof that applicable subdivision and/or land-development approval has been granted.
    “No zoning permit shall be issued unless the applicant presents the Zoning Officer with proof that any applicable subdivision and/or land development approval has been granted”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    A lot inside Mount Joy Township for which access is needed in connection with a zoning permit.

    • Either a Township driveway permit under Chapter 67 or a PennDOT highway occupancy permit is required in order to gain access to the lot.
    “a driveway permit under Chapter 67, Driveways, or a highway occupancy permit issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has been issued in order that access may be gained to the lot”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Zoning and Construction Code permits inside Mount Joy Township.

    • Zoning permit fees prescribed by the Board of Supervisors must be paid before issuance.
    • Construction Code applicants pay the Township administrative fee at application and plan-review and estimated inspection fees before issuance.
    • Unpermitted early work incurs an expedited-processing fee equal to the application fee in addition to the normal fee.
    “An applicant for a permit under this Construction Code shall pay the Township's administrative fee to the Township at the time of application. Prior to the issuance of a Construction Code permit, the applicant shall pay to the Construction Code Official the plan review fee and the estimated fee for all inspections required.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning-permit applications inside Mount Joy Township.

    • The application must be made by the owner, lessee, or their authorized agent.
    • Plans in duplicate drawn to scale are required.
    • The Zoning Officer examines a filed application including required fees within 90 days.
    • Required approvals include applicable subdivision/land-development approval, sewage permit, potable water supply, and driveway or highway occupancy permit.

    zoning application examination period: <= 90 days (Measured from filing a complete application including required fees.)

    “The Zoning Officer shall complete this examination within 90 days from the date the application, including all required fees, was filed with the Township.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built construction inside Mount Joy Township.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Single-family residential districts inside Mount Joy Township.
  • Minimum lot size — Single-family residential and agricultural/rural districts inside Mount Joy Township.
  • Setbacks — Single-family residential and agricultural/rural districts inside Mount Joy Township.
  • Lot coverage — Residential districts inside Mount Joy Township.
10 more unanswered
  • Living in an RV
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • 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 Mount Joy Township publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Lancaster County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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