Bolthole Index

Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Penn Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

Penn Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania requires a Construction Code permit before building work starts1. The township also has its own zoning chapter with published districts2. Septic permits are a separate track handled by a local sewage enforcement agency under state law, not by the building office3. Lancaster County itself does not run building permits or zoning4.

At a glance

Building permit
Required; the township issues Construction Code permits1
Zoning
Township zoning chapter with published districts5
Septic
Permit required; issued by a local sewage enforcement agency3
RV living
Not confirmed; ask the township zoning officer2
Camping
Accessory camping sites in CN and AG districts need a lot of at least 20 acres and no permanent building6
Manufactured homes
Single-family use allowed by right in CN, AG, SR, RM and V, subject to § 27-4027
Wells
No state permit for homeowners drilling their own well8

Who to call

Building permits

Penn Township Office (Zoning Officer and permits)

Building, zoning and stormwater permit applications, driveway permits and subdivision applications for land inside Penn Township

717-665-4508

97 N Penryn Rd, Manheim, PA 17545

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

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Do you need a building permit in Penn Township, PA?

Yes. Penn Township adopts the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code as its own Penn Township Construction Code9, and Construction Code permits must be obtained before performing any work1. Penn Township also requires a permit to convert a residential storage basement into living space1.

The township's construction code official reviews plans, issues Construction Code permits and inspects the work10. A building permit application is incomplete without a required zoning permit and proof of any subdivision or land-development approval11. Inspection fees are due before the permit is issued, and extra inspection costs must be repaid within 15 days of an invoice12. Penn Township posts its current fee schedule with its permit forms13.

Pennsylvania law also lets owners of qualifying recreational cabins seek exclusion from the Uniform Construction Code by filing a UCC-13 affidavit or proof of insurance with the municipality14. We could not confirm a separate township owner-builder exemption, so ask the Zoning Officer before relying on it.

Who issues building permits in Penn Township, and how do you reach them?

The Penn Township office issues building permits for land inside the township, not Lancaster County. Lancaster County leaves building permits to its individual townships, boroughs and the City of Lancaster4.

The township office is at 97 N Penryn Rd, Manheim, PA 17545, and permit questions go to the Zoning Officer at 717-665-450813. Office hours are Mon-Thurs 7am-5:30pm13. Applicants print the building permit, zoning permit or stormwater forms and submit them by mail or in person13.

For land outside the township, use the Lancaster County page; the county's rules there do not replace Penn Township's own.

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

Penn Township has its own zoning chapter, and uses and development stay subject to its district and use regulations2. The published districts include CN Conservation, AG Agricultural, SR Suburban Residential, V Village and RM Medium Density Residential, plus commercial, mixed-use, industrial and overlay districts5. Lancaster County leaves zoning to municipal ordinances15.

Single-family detached dwellings, including manufactured homes that meet § 27-402, are permitted by right in the CN, AG, SR, RM and V districts7. Accessory dwelling units for a relative are also permitted in those districts, with further § 27-402 requirements16.

Accessory camping sites are allowed in the CN and AG districts only on a lot of at least 20 acres with no permanent building, and not in SR, RM or V6. We could not confirm rules on long-term RV living, tiny homes, minimum house size, setbacks or lot size, so ask the Zoning Officer for your parcel's district. Short-term rentals are a special exception in only the COM and LC business districts17.

How do septic permits work in Penn Township, PA?

Pennsylvania requires a permit before an individual or community on-lot sewage system is installed18. In Lancaster County, local agencies, generally through Sewage Enforcement Officers, issue those permits with Department of Environmental Protection oversight3.

An exemption can apply to certain owner-occupied structures on contiguous tracts of at least 10 acres, but a local agency may require a permit by ordinance anyway19. We could not confirm which agency administers septic permits inside Penn Township or its township-level septic rules, so call the township office at 717-665-4508 before you buy13.

Soils matter: about 45% of Lancaster County soils rate as not limited for a conventional drain field20. The rest need a site evaluation and sometimes an engineered system.

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

  1. Ask the Zoning Officer which zoning district your parcel is in and whether your use is permitted there2.
  2. Confirm subdivision or land-development approval if you are dividing land or building on a new lot21.
  3. Get septic site approval from the local sewage enforcement agency, and confirm which one the township uses3.
  4. Get a zoning permit, then file the Construction Code permit application with proof of any required approvals11.
  5. If the driveway meets a state highway, get a PennDOT highway occupancy permit22. We could not confirm the township's rules for driveways onto township roads.
  6. Schedule the required inspections and obtain a certificate of occupancy before moving in23.

What stays with Lancaster County and the state in Penn Township?

Septic permits come from a local agency under state law, not from the building office3. Pennsylvania does not require a state permit for homeowners drilling their own wells on their own land, though licensed drillers do need permits8. Driveways onto state highways need a PennDOT permit22.

Before buying, check the floodplain: construction in a floodplain needs documentation sealed by a registered design professional24. Lancaster County's effective property tax rate is 1.4%25. Lancaster County is densely settled, with about 592 people per square mile26.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm Penn Township's rules on long-term RV living, tiny homes, minimum house size, setbacks and lot size; ask the Zoning Officer at 717-665-4508 before buying13.
  • Pennsylvania has several townships named Penn, so confirm the parcel is in Penn Township, Lancaster County (Manheim address) before relying on this page13.
  • We could not confirm which agency issues septic permits inside Penn Township; get septic site approval before closing on land3.

Sources

  1. Chapter 5 Code Enforcement — Township of Penn, PA (Penn Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. Chapter 27 Zoning — Township of Penn, PA (Penn Township), quoted and re-checked
  3. Municipal On Lot Sewage Service Areas, quoted and re-checked
  4. West Hempfield Township (Lancaster County) - Permits (2026 county census)
  5. Part 2 District Regulations — Township of Penn, PA (Penn Township), quoted and re-checked
  6. Part 2 District Regulations — Township of Penn, PA (Penn Township), quoted and re-checked
  7. Part 2 District Regulations — Township of Penn, PA (Penn Township), quoted and re-checked
  8. Apply for a Water Well Drillers License and Rig Permit, quoted and re-checked
  9. Chapter 5 Code Enforcement — Township of Penn, PA (Penn Township), quoted and re-checked
  10. Chapter 5 Code Enforcement — Township of Penn, PA (Penn Township), quoted and re-checked
  11. Chapter 5 Code Enforcement — Township of Penn, PA (Penn Township), quoted and re-checked
  12. Chapter 5 Code Enforcement — Township of Penn, PA (Penn Township), quoted and re-checked
  13. Penn Township Office (Zoning Officer and permits) (penntwplanco.org)
  14. Advisories — Advisory on Recreational Cabin Exclusion, quoted and re-checked
  15. Planning Commission, quoted and re-checked
  16. Part 2 District Regulations — Township of Penn, PA (Penn Township), quoted and re-checked
  17. Part 2 District Regulations — Township of Penn, PA (Penn Township), quoted and re-checked
  18. 25 Pa. Code § 72.22. Permit issuance (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  19. Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act, quoted and re-checked
  20. 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
  21. Chapter 5 Code Enforcement — Township of Penn, PA (Penn Township), quoted and re-checked
  22. Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code Chapter 403, quoted and re-checked
  23. Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code Chapter 403, quoted and re-checked
  24. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
  25. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  26. Population density: 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 Penn Township

Penn Township’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Work inside Penn Township for which a Construction Code permit is required.

    • The owner, lessee, if any, and contractor jointly must determine that all required permits and approvals are obtained before work.
    • A contractor or subcontractor may not perform work requiring a permit unless the owner and contractor obtain and post it.
    • The Township additionally requires permits for conversion of a residential storage basement into residential living space.
    “permit [...] obtained before performing any work”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction regulated by the Penn Township Construction Code inside Penn Township.

    • The adopted standards may be amended from time to time.
    • Township additions to the referenced building code apply.
    “The Township hereby adopts the standards which the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry has adopted as the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code identified in § 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 Penn Township Construction Code with the following additions to the International Building Code/2006 or such future edition of the International Building Code as may be adopted from time to time:”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Construction Code work inside Penn Township.

    • The construction code official performs plan review and inspections.
    • Applicants must pay estimated required-inspection fees before permit issuance and reimburse additional inspection costs when necessary.
    “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.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Penn Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

    • Uses and development remain subject to Chapter 27 district and use regulations.
    “The zoning districts designated on the Penn Township Zoning Map and this chapter are intended to serve the purposes described as follows, in addition to serving the overall objectives of this chapter, the Comprehensive Plan and the MPC:”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts inside Penn Township.

    • The published district list includes CN Conservation, AG Agricultural, SR Suburban Residential, V Village, RM Medium Density Residential, MU Mixed-Use, COM Commercial, LC Limited Commercial, Q Quarry, I Industrial, CLI Commercial/Light Industrial, Airport Safety Overlay, and Natural Resources Overlay districts.
    “The zoning districts designated on the Penn Township Zoning Map and this chapter are intended to serve the purposes described as follows, in addition to serving the overall objectives of this chapter, the Comprehensive Plan and the MPC:”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Development requiring subdivision or land-development approval inside Penn Township.

    • A Construction Code permit application is incomplete without proof of any required subdivision or land-development approval.
    • Other governmental permits, licenses, approvals, or variances may be required.
    “Chapter 22 Subdivision and Land Development”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Construction Code permit applications inside Penn Township.

    • Application and plan-review fees are due at application.
    • Estimated inspection fees are due before permit issuance.
    • Additional necessary-inspection costs must be reimbursed within 15 days after invoice.
    • Inspection costs are due before issuance of a certificate of use and occupancy.

    additional inspection-cost reimbursement deadline: 15 days after invoice (When additional inspections become necessary during construction)

    “If additional inspections become necessary during the course of construction, applicants shall reimburse the Township and/or the construction code official for all such costs within 15 days after the date of an invoice for such costs.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Construction Code permit applicants inside Penn Township.

    • At filing, the applicant must provide adequate evidence of all permits, licenses, approvals, or variances required by authorities having jurisdiction.
    • The application is incomplete without a required zoning permit and proof of required subdivision or land-development approval.
    • The permit copy must be posted visibly on the property.
    “shall post a copy of the Construction Code permit”

Rules another office applies inside Penn Township

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

  • Camping on your landLimited

    Accessory camping sites in the CN Conservation and AG Agricultural Districts inside Penn Township.

    • The lot must contain at least 20 acres.
    • No permanent building is permitted.
    • The use is not allowed in SR, RM, or V under the displayed table.

    minimum lot area: >= 20 acres (Accessory camping site without any permanent building)

    “20-acre minimum lot area, without any permanent building”
  • Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

    Manufactured mobile homes as single-family detached dwellings in the CN, AG, SR, RM, and V districts inside Penn Township.

    • Manufactured homes must meet the additional requirements referenced in § 27-402.
    • The displayed table marks the single-family detached dwelling use permitted by right in each listed district.
    “Single-Family Detached Dwelling (For Manufactured (mobile) homes, See § 27-402) | P | P | P | P | P”
  • Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

    Accessory dwelling units for relatives in the CN, AG, SR, RM, and V districts inside Penn Township.

    • The use is an accessory dwelling unit for a relative.
    • The referenced § 27-402 contains additional requirements not retrieved in the opened text.
    “Accessory Dwelling Unit for Relative (See § 27-402) | P | P | P | P | P”
  • Short-term rentalsLimited

    Short-term rentals in Penn Township business districts.

    • The displayed business-district table lists the use as special-exception only in COM and LC.
    • The use is not allowed in MU, CLI, I, and Q under the displayed table.
    • The table cross-references § 27-402 for further requirements.
    “Short-Term Rental (See § 27-402) | N | SE | SE | N | N | N”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-performed residential construction inside Penn Township.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of structures inside Penn Township.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Penn Township.
  • Minimum lot size — Residential lots inside Penn Township.
  • Setbacks — Development inside Penn Township.
12 more unanswered
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Tiny homes
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain

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 Penn 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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