Bolthole Index

Lehigh County, Pennsylvania

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Catasauqua, Pennsylvania

Inside the Borough of Catasauqua in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, building permits follow the state Uniform Construction Code, which the borough has adopted1. Zoning is set by the borough itself under Chapter 2802, not by Lehigh County3. Septic permits come from a certified Sewage Enforcement Officer4; we could not confirm which agency covers Catasauqua.

At a glance

Building permit
Required under the Uniform Construction Code; small sheds, carports, garages and greenhouses under 300 sq ft are exempt5
Who issues it
The borough's appointed building code official6
Zoning
Borough zoning applies throughout the borough2
Zoning appeals
Zoning hearing board6
Septic
Permit from the local agency; Catasauqua's agency not confirmed4
Permit fees
Set by borough council resolution7
Owner-builder
Pennsylvania has no statewide licence requirement for most construction contractors8

Who to call

Building permits

Catasauqua Borough Building and Zoning (Keycodes Inspection Agency)

Building permits, zoning permits, inspections and certificates of occupancy inside the borough

Also useful

Catasauqua Borough Office

Borough hall: permit applications, forms and general questions

610-264-0571

90 Bridge Street, Catasauqua, PA 18032

Septic permits

PA DEP - Sewage Enforcement Officer (SEO) Program

State Act 537 contact; use its Active SEOs by County directory to find the officer who permits on-lot septic in Lehigh County

717-772-2186

ra-seotrng@pa.gov

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

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Borough of Catasauqua 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.

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

Yes. The Borough of Catasauqua applies Chapter 280 zoning to all land inside the borough, administered by the borough zoning officer and zoning hearing board, with variances and special exceptions available2. Lehigh County itself states it has no authority over zoning3, so the borough's chapter is the rulebook for a lot in Catasauqua.

We could not confirm what Chapter 280 says about RV occupancy, tiny homes, accessory dwellings, minimum lot size or setbacks in each district2. Ask the zoning officer through the borough office9 before you assume any of those uses are allowed. Do not rely on county-level answers about RVs or lot size: they describe unincorporated Lehigh County, not the borough.

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

Yes. The borough has adopted the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code as its municipal building code1, and the state requires a permit before construction, enlargement, alteration, repair, moving or demolition of a residential building10. The borough's code says carports, detached private garages, greenhouses and sheds with a building area under 300 square feet that are accessory to detached one-family dwellings are exempt from the UCC; a zoning permit may still apply5.

The borough's appointed building code official and zoning officer, Keycodes Inspection Agency, reviews applications, issues permits, coordinates inspections and issues certificates of completion and occupancy6. Lehigh County does not issue the permit. Fees are set by borough council resolution; we did not retrieve the current schedule7.

How do septic permits work inside Catasauqua?

Pennsylvania requires a permit from the local agency before an onlot sewage system is installed, built, occupied or used4. Local agencies, which can be a municipality, a group of municipalities or a county health department, employ the Sewage Enforcement Officers who issue those permits11. The state does not name the specific Lehigh County agency for Catasauqua11.

We could not confirm whether a given Catasauqua lot is on public sewer or needs an onlot system. Ask the borough office9 about sewer service, and use the DEP directory of active Sewage Enforcement Officers by county to find the permitting officer12. Private wells are also treated at the state level; the state has no construction standards for private water wells13.

How do you build a home in Catasauqua? The steps, in order

  1. Call the borough office to confirm the lot's zoning district and whether the use is allowed9.
  2. Get the borough's residential building and zoning permit application from its permit forms page6.
  3. Confirm sewer or arrange a septic permit before you build4.
  4. Submit the application to the building code official and zoning officer and wait for approval6.
  5. Schedule the required inspections, which include foundation, plumbing, mechanical, electrical, frame and masonry, wallboard and a final inspection14.
  6. Obtain the certificate of occupancy before anyone uses the building15.
  7. If you disagree with a zoning officer's decision, appeal to the zoning hearing board6.

What stays with Lehigh County, and what to check before you buy in Catasauqua?

Lehigh County does not zone or issue building permits for land inside the borough3; the county answer for land outside any borough is on the Lehigh County page. Subdivision and land development plans fall under the borough's own ordinance where one is in effect16.

Before you buy, ask the borough about the lot's zoning district, whether it sits in a floodplain, and whether it is on public sewer. Lehigh County's effective property tax rate is 1.7%17, with a median annual bill of $4,59118.

Watch-outs

  • Rules in Chapter 280 vary by zoning district, and we could not confirm district-level lot sizes, setbacks or RV rules, so ask the zoning officer for the specific lot2.
  • A small shed under 300 square feet may skip the building permit but can still need a zoning permit5.
  • We could not confirm which agency issues septic permits in Catasauqua; ask the borough office or use the state's SEO directory12.
  • Permit fee amounts are set by borough council resolution and we did not retrieve the current schedule7.

Sources

  1. Borough of Catasauqua Code, Chapter 130 Codes, Uniform (Uniform Construction Code) (Borough of Catasauqua), quoted and re-checked
  2. Borough of Catasauqua Code, Chapter 280 Zoning, Article I (Borough of Catasauqua), quoted and re-checked
  3. 2018 Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing, quoted and re-checked
  4. 25 Pa. Code § 72.22. Permit issuance (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  5. Borough of Catasauqua Code, Chapter 130 Codes, Uniform (Uniform Construction Code) (Borough of Catasauqua), quoted and re-checked
  6. Catasauqua Borough Building and Zoning (Keycodes Inspection Agency) (catasauqua.org)
  7. Borough of Catasauqua Code, Chapter 130 Codes, Uniform (Uniform Construction Code) (Borough of Catasauqua), quoted and re-checked
  8. Contractor Licensing (2026 county census)
  9. Catasauqua Borough Office (catasauqua.org)
  10. Part XIV, quoted and re-checked
  11. Municipal On Lot Sewage Service Areas, quoted and re-checked
  12. PA DEP - Sewage Enforcement Officer (SEO) Program (pa.gov)
  13. Apply for a Water Well Drillers License and Rig Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. Part XIV, quoted and re-checked
  15. pa.gov, quoted and re-checked
  16. Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code (Pennsylvania statewide rule), 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.

Answers from the rulebook for Borough of Catasauqua

Borough of Catasauqua’s own rules

  • Building permitLimited

    Construction under the UCC inside Catasauqua borough; small accessory structures exempt

    • Exemption applies only to carports, detached private garages, greenhouses and sheds under 300 sq ft accessory to detached one-family dwellings
    • Exemption added 4-6-2015 by Ord. 1312; zoning permits may still apply under Chapter 280

    exempt accessory structure building area: < 300 sq ft (accessory to detached one-family dwellings)

    “carports, detached private garages, greenhouses, and sheds that have a building area of less than 300 square feet and that are accessory to detached one-family dwellings are exempt from the requirements of the uniform construction code. [added 4-6-2015 by ord. no. 1312]”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Construction inside Catasauqua borough

    • Adopts the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, 34 Pa. Code Chapters 401-405, as amended
    • Administration method set by council resolution (employee, third-party agency, intermunicipal agreement, or L&I)
    “the uniform construction code, contained in 34 pa. code, chapters 401-405, as amended from time to time, is hereby adopted and incorporated herein by reference as the municipal building code of the borough of catasauqua.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    All land inside Catasauqua borough

    • Chapter 280 zoning administered by borough zoning officer and zoning hearing board; variances and special exceptions available
    “this chapter shall apply throughout the borough of catasauqua. any activity regulated by this chapter shall only occur in such a way that conforms with the regulations of this chapter.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Building code administration and enforcement fees inside Catasauqua borough

    • Fees set by council resolution from time to time; fee schedule not retrieved
    “fees assessable by the borough of catasauqua for the administration and enforcement undertaken pursuant to this article and the code shall be established by borough council by resolution from time to time.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption inside Catasauqua borough
  • Inspections — Inspections inside Catasauqua borough
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy inside Catasauqua borough
  • Zoning districts — Zoning districts inside Catasauqua borough
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in R-1 to R-3 districts, Catasauqua borough
21 more unanswered
  • Minimum lot size
  • Setbacks
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit process

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 Catasauqua publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Lehigh County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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