Bolthole Index

Mercer County, Pennsylvania

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Farrell, Pennsylvania

The City of Farrell, Pennsylvania (Mercer County) has its own zoning ordinance, Chapter 380, and requires a zoning permit and certificate of use and occupancy12. Building work is governed by Pennsylvania's statewide Uniform Construction Code, which requires a building permit before work starts3. Septic permits come from a local sewage agency under state law, not from the zoning office4.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes: Farrell adopted its own zoning ordinance (Chapter 380)1
Zoning permit
Zoning permit and certificate of use and occupancy under the zoning ordinance2
Building permit
Required under Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code3
Septic
Permit from a local sewage agency before building on septic4
Subdivision
City subdivision and land development rules apply5
Owner-builder
No state contractor licence for most owner work6

Who to call

Zoning

City of Farrell Zoning Officer

Zoning permits and certificates of use and occupancy under Chapter 380 of the Farrell city code

Planning & zoning

Mercer County Regional Planning Commission (MCRPC)

Publishes municipal zoning references for Mercer County and sends parcel questions to the local zoning officer

724.981.2412

mail@mcrpc.com

2491 Highland Road, Hermitage, PA 16148

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

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Does Farrell, PA have zoning, and what does it cover?

Yes. The City of Farrell, Pennsylvania has its own zoning ordinance, Chapter 380 of the city code, adopted by city council in 20151. The ordinance sets zoning districts and publishes a zoning map as Attachment 17. Farrell is one of Mercer County's municipalities that zone; the county itself does not zone, so city limits are where Farrell's ordinance applies8.

What the districts allow for RVs, tiny homes, minimum lot size and setbacks depends on which district a parcel sits in, and we could not confirm those details. Ask the Farrell zoning officer, and pull the zoning map before you make an offer.

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

Yes. Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code requires a building permit before construction starts, and Farrell sits under that code like every Mercer County municipality39. Most Pennsylvania municipalities enforce the code locally with their own staff or certified third-party agencies, and we could not confirm which one handles building permits in Farrell10. Start with the Farrell code office.

Separately, Farrell's zoning ordinance requires a zoning permit and a certificate of use and occupancy2. A residential building may not be occupied without a state certificate of occupancy once the final inspection passes11.

How do septic permits work inside Farrell?

Pennsylvania law says no one may build or occupy a building served by an on-lot sewage system without first getting a permit from the local agency4. In Mercer County, which has no county health department, that is the municipal local agency and its certified sewage enforcement officer12.

We could not confirm whether a given Farrell address is on public sewer or needs an on-lot system. The city code has a sewers chapter we did not read. Ask the city code office whether your lot must connect to public sewer before you plan a septic field.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Farrell?

We could not confirm Farrell's rules for living in an RV or tiny home. The zoning ordinance has a section on recreational equipment parking that we did not read, and the use tables for each district decide where dwellings of any kind are allowed7. Pennsylvania's state rules on RV camping apply only to state park campgrounds, so they do not answer the question for a private lot13. Call the Farrell zoning officer before parking an RV on a lot you plan to occupy.

Building a home in Farrell: the steps, in order

  1. Get the zoning district for the parcel from the zoning map and confirm the use is allowed7.
  2. If you are dividing a lot, check Farrell's subdivision and land development chapter first5.
  3. Apply for a zoning permit and certificate of use and occupancy2.
  4. Confirm sewer or septic with the local agency before design is final4.
  5. Obtain the Uniform Construction Code building permit3.
  6. Book the required inspections, including foundation and final14.
  7. If the lot touches a state highway, a PennDOT driveway permit is needed15.
  8. Get the certificate of occupancy before moving in11.

What stays with Mercer County, and what to check before you buy in Farrell?

Land outside Farrell city limits follows the rules of the township or borough it sits in, and the county's rulebook for that land is on the Mercer County page. Mercer County's subdivision ordinance applies only where a municipality has no ordinance of its own16.

Before you buy, confirm the zoning district, whether the lot is on public sewer, and flood status: development in a Special Flood Hazard Area needs a floodplain permit from the municipality17. Pennsylvania has no general contractor licence for most owner work on your own home6.

Watch-outs

  • The zoning chapter's district tables, setbacks and RV rules were not confirmed, so ask the Farrell zoning officer before relying on any use or dimension7.
  • Pennsylvania's recreational cabin exemption does not allow an unpermitted permanent residence18.
  • Which agency issues building permits inside Farrell was not confirmed, so ask the city code office who administers the Uniform Construction Code there10.

Sources

  1. Chapter 380 Zoning - City of Farrell, PA (eCode360) (Farrell), quoted and re-checked
  2. Chapter 380 Zoning - City of Farrell, PA (eCode360) (Farrell), quoted and re-checked
  3. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
  4. 25 Pa. Code § 72.22. Permit issuance (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  5. City of Farrell, PA Code of Ordinances - table of contents (eCode360) (Farrell), quoted and re-checked
  6. Contractor Licensing (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  7. Chapter 380 Zoning - City of Farrell, PA (eCode360) (Farrell), quoted and re-checked
  8. Mercer County Regional Planning Commission (MCRPC) (mcrpc.com)
  9. Uniform Construction Code, quoted and re-checked
  10. Uniform Construction Code (UCC), quoted and re-checked
  11. 34 Pa. Code Chapter 403, quoted and re-checked
  12. PA DEP - Sewage Enforcement Officers (Act 537) (2026 county census)
  13. RV and Tent Campsites (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
  15. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. Subdivision Process – Mercer County Regional Planning, quoted and re-checked
  17. PennsylvaniA Floodplain Development Guide (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. PA Dept. of Labor & Industry — Uniform Construction Code (2026 county census)

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 Farrell

Farrell’s own rules

  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Certificate of use and occupancy under Farrell's zoning ordinance, inside the city

    • Only the section heading was read; triggers and exceptions not verified.
    “§ 380-45 application for zoning permit and certificate of use and occupancy.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Farrell city limits

    • Evidence is the chapter heading and table of contents; the article text was not read.
    “chapter 380 zoning [history: adopted by the city council of the city of farrell 11-16-2015 by ord. no. o-15-2015. amendments noted where applicable.]”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts and zoning map inside Farrell city

    • District names and boundaries were not read; the zoning map is Attachment 1 to Chapter 380.
    “article iii zoning districts § 380-11 purpose and character of zoning districts. § 380-12 boundaries of zoning districts. § 380-13 zoning map.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision and land development inside Farrell city

    • Only the chapter title was read; thresholds not verified.
    “chapter 332 subdivision and land development (§ 332-1 – § 332-2)”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Farrell or Mercer County directly.

  • Building permit — Building permits in Farrell city
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption in Farrell city
  • Building code adopted — Building code in Farrell city
  • Inspections — Building inspections in Farrell city
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in Farrell city
20 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
  • Driveway access
  • 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 Farrell publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Mercer County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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