Kingston Township, Pennsylvania: building permits, zoning and septic

At a glance

Building permit

Required before UCC-covered residential work¹

Zoning

Township zoning officer administers local zoning²

Septic permits

Local-agency approval; confirm the serving Sewage Enforcement Officer⁴

Occupancy

Zoning certificates and UCC residential occupancy approval apply⁶⁷

Owner-builder

No general statewide contractor license for most work; building approval still applies⁸¹

Wells

State licenses commercial drillers; local well requirements need confirmation⁹

Who to call

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 15, 2026.

Does Kingston Township have zoning, and what does that mean for a land purchase?

Kingston Township has its own zoning, administered by the township zoning officer; zoning permits are issued for compliant construction and uses, or through board or court approval.² Ask the township zoning office to identify the parcel’s district and the applicable lot size, setbacks, height and dwelling-use provisions before choosing a house plan.²

Subdivision and land development also fall under the township’s own ordinance, and development remains subject to zoning use, density, setback and parking requirements.¹⁰ For land outside the township, consult the Luzerne County guide and verify which zoning authority serves the address.¹¹

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

A new home in Kingston Township needs the required residential building permit before covered construction starts under Pennsylvania’s Uniform Construction Code.¹ The township’s Zoning/Code Enforcement Officer serves as Building Code Official and conducts zoning and building inspections; start with that office for the application and inspection arrangements.³

Zoning approval addresses whether the construction and use comply with township land-use rules, while the residential building permit addresses UCC-covered work.²¹ Pennsylvania does not require a statewide contractor license for most construction work, but that does not remove the residential building-permit requirement for an owner-built home.⁸¹

How do septic permits and wells work inside Kingston Township?

For a Kingston Township property served by an individual or community on-lot sewage system, Pennsylvania generally requires a local-agency permit before installation, contracting for construction, construction, occupancy or use.¹² Local agencies administer on-lot sewage permitting and employ Sewage Enforcement Officers, with DEP providing oversight.⁴¹³ We could not confirm the township’s current Sewage Enforcement Officer contact; ask township administration for the serving office before arranging a septic evaluation.⁵

For wells, Pennsylvania licenses commercial water-well drillers and requires their drilling permits; the state rule distinguishes homeowners drilling their own wells on owned or leased land.⁹ We could not confirm Kingston Township’s own well-approval or public water and sewer connection requirements; ask township administration to route those parcel-specific questions.⁵

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Kingston Township?

We could not confirm Kingston Township’s rules for living in an RV, temporary camping while building, tiny-home occupancy or accessory dwellings; ask the township zoning officer about the proposed use and parcel before buying a vehicle or structure.⁵ Kingston Township zoning permits authorize compliant construction and uses, so obtain the township’s answer for the specific living arrangement.²

A residential building covered by the Pennsylvania UCC cannot be occupied without a certificate of occupancy from a building code official.⁷ Kingston Township also issues zoning certificates of occupancy for compliant construction and uses and for legal nonconforming uses.⁶

Building a home in Kingston Township: what are the steps?

1. Ask the township zoning officer to review the parcel’s intended residential use and zoning requirements.²
2. Resolve sewage approval with the serving local agency before contracting for an on-lot system, and ask township administration to identify the Sewage Enforcement Officer.¹²⁵
3. Submit the township zoning application to administration in person, by mail or by email, and arrange the required residential building permit with the Building Code Official before covered work starts.¹⁴³¹
4. Keep permitted construction accessible and notify the construction code official when work is ready for inspection.¹⁵
5. Obtain the required zoning and residential certificates of occupancy before moving into the completed home.⁶⁷

What should you check before buying land in Kingston Township?

Ask Kingston Township’s Zoning/Code Enforcement Officer about floodplain review early: the office also serves as the township’s Floodplain Management Coordinator and reviews applications to build in floodplain areas.³ If a proposed driveway involves state highway land or connects to a PennDOT drainage facility, Pennsylvania requires a Highway Occupancy Permit.¹⁶ We could not confirm township-road driveway requirements; ask township administration which office reviews access to the parcel.⁵

Luzerne County’s soil figures show only 2.4% rated not limited for a conventional septic drain field; that county-wide figure calls for a site evaluation rather than proving that septic is impossible on a particular township lot.¹⁷

Watch-outs

• We could not confirm Kingston Township’s current building and zoning fees; request the project-specific schedule from township administration.⁵
• A building permit does not authorize moving into a UCC-covered home before the required residential certificate of occupancy.⁷

Sources

1. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
2. Kingston Township Code, Chapter 27 Zoning, Part 8 Administration and Enforcement (Kingston Township), quoted and re-checked
3. Kingston Township Zoning/Code Enforcement Officer & Building Code Official (kingstontownship.com)
4. Act 537 Sewage Facilities (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
5. Kingston Township Administration — Zoning/Code Enforcement (kingstontownship.com)
6. Kingston Township Code, Chapter 27 Zoning, Part 8 Administration and Enforcement (Kingston Township), quoted and re-checked
7. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
8. Contractor Licensing (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
9. Apply for a Water Well Drillers License and Rig Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
10. Kingston Township Code, Chapter 22 Subdivision and Land Development, Part 1 (Kingston Township), quoted and re-checked
11. Zoning | Luzerne County, PA (2026 county census)
12. 25 Pa. Code § 72.22. Permit issuance (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
13. Pennsylvania DEP — Act 537 Sewage Facilities Program (pa.gov)
14. Zoning Application and Permit – Kingston Township (Kingston Township), quoted and re-checked
15. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
16. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
17. 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

Written October 15, 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.