Bolthole Index

Lehigh County, Pennsylvania

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Upper Milford Township, Pennsylvania

Upper Milford Township in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania sets its own zoning through Ordinance No. 1751, while Lehigh County itself has no zoning authority2. A building permit is required under the state Uniform Construction Code3. Septic permits come from a local agency under Act 537, not the county planning office4.

At a glance

Zoning
Township zoning ordinance applies to all land in Upper Milford1
Building permit
Required under the state Uniform Construction Code; ask the township office who issues it35
Septic
Permit required from a local agency's Sewage Enforcement Officer46
Zoning districts
AC, R-A, RS-R, S-R, C, I, CON, VC, VR plus two overlays7
Owner-builder
Pennsylvania has no statewide contractor license for most construction8
Driveway on a state road
PennDOT highway occupancy permit required9

Who to call

Planning & zoning

Upper Milford Township office

The township's own office for zoning questions and the township code; ask here who issues building permits and which district a parcel is in

610-966-3223

5671 Chestnut St, Zionsville PA 18092

Online permits →

Septic permits

PA DEP Sewage Enforcement Officer program

State Act 537 program contact; the septic permit for a parcel is issued by the local agency's certified Sewage Enforcement Officer, found through the state's active-SEO directory

717-772-2186

Roads & driveways

PennDOT District 5

Highway occupancy permits for a new or altered driveway onto a state highway

610-871-4106

1002 Hamilton Street, Allentown, PA 18101

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

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Does Upper Milford Township have zoning?

Yes. Upper Milford Township adopted its zoning ordinance, Ordinance No. 175, through the Board of Supervisors on May 21, 2026, and it covers all land inside the township1. Lehigh County has no authority over zoning, so the township, not the county, decides what can be built on a lot2.

The ordinance sets these districts: AC, R-A, RS-R, S-R, C, I, CON, VC and VR, plus the COSDO-OD and CZAMB-OD overlays that applicants may opt into7. The official zoning map shows which district a parcel sits in7.

What lot size and setbacks apply in Upper Milford Township?

Rules differ by district, so check the district first. In the S-R Suburban Residential district, a single-family detached home without central water or sewage needs a lot of at least 43560 square feet10. With central water only the figure is 39000 square feet, and with central sewage only it is 27000 square feet10.

For the same S-R case without central water or sewage, the front yard is at least 25 feet, the rear yard at least 25 feet and each side yard at least 15 feet11. Building coverage tops out at 20 percent and impervious coverage at 40 percent12. Building height is capped at 35 feet13. Other districts have their own values, and the township office can confirm the figures for a specific parcel.

Do you need a building permit in Upper Milford Township?

A building permit is required for residential construction under Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code (UCC), which sets the statewide building code3. An owner who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move or demolish a residential building must first apply to the building code official and obtain the permit5.

The UCC is enforced locally by municipalities or by certified third-party agencies14. We could not confirm which office or agency issues UCC permits inside Upper Milford Township, so ask the township office at 610-966-3223 before you plan work15. Zoning approval is a separate township matter1.

How do septic permits work in Upper Milford Township?

Septic systems fall under Pennsylvania's Act 537, which is largely administered by local agencies rather than the state16. Local agencies are responsible for issuing permits for individual and community on-lot sewage systems, with exceptions for large-volume systems4.

A permit must be obtained from the local agency before installation, construction, occupancy or use17. A narrow exemption can apply to an owner's or immediate family's residence on a contiguous tract of at least 10 acres, subject to owner-of-record date and siting conditions17. We could not confirm which local agency or Sewage Enforcement Officer serves Upper Milford Township; the state's active-SEO directory and the township office can tell you18. Across Lehigh County, about 17.8% of soils rate "not limited" for a conventional drain field, so many lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system19.

Building a home in Upper Milford Township: the steps, in order

  1. Call the township office at 610-966-3223 to confirm your zoning district and what the ordinance allows on the lot157.
  2. Get a septic evaluation and permit from the local agency before you contract for construction17.
  3. Apply for a UCC building permit from the building code official or third-party agency the township directs you to5.
  4. If the driveway meets a state highway, apply to PennDOT for a highway occupancy permit9.
  5. Keep work accessible for the required inspections, including foundation, systems, frame and a final inspection20.
  6. Obtain a certificate of occupancy before you live in the building21.

What stays with Lehigh County and the state?

Lehigh County has no zoning authority, so it does not decide land use inside Upper Milford Township2. Subdivision and land development plans are regulated by the municipality's own ordinance under the state Municipalities Planning Code22.

A driveway onto a state road needs a PennDOT permit9, and development in a mapped flood hazard area needs a municipal floodplain permit before work starts23. The county's own page for land outside the township is at Lehigh County.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm which office issues building permits, inspections or certificates of occupancy inside Upper Milford Township; call the township office at 610-966-322315.
  • Rules on RVs, tiny homes, accessory dwellings and short-term rentals inside the township were not confirmed, so ask the township office before you plan to live in anything other than a permitted dwelling1.
  • Septic permits are issued by a local agency, not by the building permit office, and a permit is needed before construction or occupancy17.
  • Statewide campground limits at state parks do not answer whether you may live in an RV on your own land here24.

Sources

  1. Upper Milford Township Zoning Ordinance, Ordinance No. 175 (Upper Milford Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. 2018 Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing, quoted and re-checked
  3. PA Department of Labor & Industry - Uniform Construction Code (2026 county census)
  4. Municipal On-Lot Sewage Service Areas, quoted and re-checked
  5. Part XIV, quoted and re-checked
  6. PA DEP - Act 537 Sewage Facilities Program (2026 county census)
  7. Upper Milford Township Zoning Ordinance, Ordinance No. 175 (Upper Milford Township), quoted and re-checked
  8. Contractor Licensing (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  10. Upper Milford Township Zoning Ordinance, Ordinance No. 175 (Upper Milford Township), quoted and re-checked
  11. Upper Milford Township Zoning Ordinance, Ordinance No. 175 (Upper Milford Township), quoted and re-checked
  12. Upper Milford Township Zoning Ordinance, Ordinance No. 175 (Upper Milford Township), quoted and re-checked
  13. Upper Milford Township Zoning Ordinance, Ordinance No. 175 (Upper Milford Township), quoted and re-checked
  14. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
  15. Upper Milford Township office (uppermilford.net)
  16. Municipal On-Lot Sewage Service Areas, quoted and re-checked
  17. 25 Pa. Code § 72.22. Permit issuance (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. PA DEP Sewage Enforcement Officer program (pa.gov)
  19. 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
  20. Part XIV, quoted and re-checked
  21. pa.gov, quoted and re-checked
  22. Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  23. PennsylvaniA Floodplain Development Guide (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  24. RV and Tent Campsites (Pennsylvania statewide rule), 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.

Answers from the rulebook for Upper Milford Township

Upper Milford Township’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent

    All land inside Upper Milford township

    • Ordinance No. 175 adopted by the Board of Supervisors on May 21, 2026
    “zoning ordinance upper milford township lehigh county, pennsylvania ordinance no. 175 as adopted by the upper milford township board of supervisors on may 21st, 2026”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts inside Upper Milford township

    • CZAMB-OD and COSDO-OD are overlay districts applicants may opt into
    • Boundaries are shown on the official zoning map

    districts: AC, R-A, RS-R, S-R, C, I, CON, VC, VR, plus COSDO-OD and CZAMB-OD overlays

    “zoning districts are hereby established as follows: ac agricultural conservation r-a rural agricultural rs-r rural suburban residential s-r suburban residential c commercial i industrial con conservation vc village commercial vr village residential”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Single-family detached dwelling in the S-R Suburban Residential district inside Upper Milford township; other districts have their own values in § 155.069

    • Lot area depends on whether township-approved central water and/or sewage service is provided
    • More restrictive use-specific requirements in Article V apply
    • Table text extracted from PDF is jumbled; verify rows against the ordinance

    S-R lot area, no central water or sewage: >= 43560 sq ft · S-R lot area, central water only: >= 39000 sq ft · S-R lot area, central sewage only: >= 27000 sq ft

    “43560 s.f. 150 25 25 15 20 40 - 35 39000 s.f. 150 25 25 15 20 40 - 35 27000 s.f. 100 25 25 10 30 50 - 35”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Single-family detached dwelling in the S-R Suburban Residential district inside Upper Milford township; other districts differ

    • Setbacks in feet, as stated in § 155.069
    • More restrictive use-specific requirements elsewhere in the chapter apply
    • Table text extracted from PDF is jumbled

    S-R front yard, no central water/sewage: >= 25 ft · S-R rear yard, no central water/sewage: >= 25 ft · S-R side yard each, no central water/sewage: >= 15 ft

    “43560 s.f. 150 25 25 15 20 40 - 35 39000 s.f. 150 25 25 15 20 40 - 35 27000 s.f. 100 25 25 10 30 50 - 35”
  • Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Single-family detached dwelling in the S-R district inside Upper Milford township; other districts differ

    • Building coverage and impervious coverage vary by water/sewer availability
    • Table text extracted from PDF is jumbled

    S-R max building coverage, no central water/sewage: <= 20 percent · S-R max impervious coverage, no central water/sewage: <= 40 percent

    “43560 s.f. 150 25 25 15 20 40 - 35 39000 s.f. 150 25 25 15 20 40 - 35 27000 s.f. 100 25 25 10 30 50 - 35”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Single-family detached dwelling in the S-R district inside Upper Milford township; other districts differ

    • Table text extracted from PDF is jumbled

    S-R max building height: <= 35 ft

    “43560 s.f. 150 25 25 15 20 40 - 35 39000 s.f. 150 25 25 15 20 40 - 35 27000 s.f. 100 25 25 10 30 50 - 35”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — Building permits inside Upper Milford township
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Upper Milford township
  • Building code adopted — Building code inside Upper Milford township
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Upper Milford township
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Upper Milford township
19 more unanswered
  • Minimum dwelling size
  • 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 fees
  • 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 Upper Milford Township publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Lehigh County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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