Bolthole Index

Mifflin County, Pennsylvania

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Derry Township, Pennsylvania

Derry Township in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania has its own zoning chapter, so zoning questions go to the township, not the county12. Building permits for Derry Township are handled by Bureau Veritas3. A new building that will have a septic system needs a sewage permit from the township's Sewage Enforcement Officer before a building permit can issue4.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes, the township has its own zoning chapter (Chapter 215)1
Building permit
Required under Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code; Bureau Veritas handles them here53
Septic
Sewage permit from the township's certified Sewage Enforcement Officer, needed before a building permit4
Septic inspections
Every four years in sewage-management districts6
Public water
Connection required if a qualifying line is within 150 feet7
Owner-builder
No state contractor license for most construction; township rule unconfirmed8
Private well
Homeowners may drill their own well without a state driller license9

Who to call

Building permits

Bureau Veritas

Building permits for Derry Township and eight other Mifflin County municipalities

(717) 242-0992

75 Reserve Lane, Lewistown, PA 17044

Planning & zoning

Mifflin County Planning and Development Department

Points zoning questions to the municipality; reviews subdivisions where the township has no ordinance of its own

717-248-6733

20 North Wayne Street, Lewistown, PA 17044

Septic permits

Sewage Enforcement Officer directory (PA DEP)

State directory of active Sewage Enforcement Officers by county, for finding the officer who permits septic systems in the township

Online permits →

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

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Does Derry Township, PA have zoning?

Yes. Derry Township's published code has a zoning chapter, Chapter 2151. Mifflin County has no countywide zoning, and its own zoning page lists Derry Township among the municipalities that adopted their own ordinances210. Pennsylvania counties can only zone land in municipalities that have no zoning ordinance of their own, so the county cannot step in here11.

What the zoning allows for RVs, tiny homes, accessory dwellings, minimum lot size and setbacks, we could not confirm; the detailed district schedule was not available to us. Ask the Derry Township supervisors' office for the zoning map and district rules before you buy. The county planning department will send you back to the township12.

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

Yes, building work in Derry Township falls under Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code, which the township adopted as its municipal building code513. Mifflin County's building-permits page says Bureau Veritas handles building permits for Derry Township3. Call (717) 242-0992 or visit 75 Reserve Lane in Lewistown3.

Small jobs such as fences and some low decks have statewide exemptions, and agricultural buildings without habitable space are excluded from the code1415. A certificate of occupancy is required before a building can be used16. Permit fees are set by township resolution, and we could not confirm current amounts17.

How do septic permits work in Derry Township?

The township, not the county, runs septic permitting. Derry Township employs a certified Sewage Enforcement Officer, and its on-lot sewage program is administered by the Board of Supervisors18. Pennsylvania requires a permit from the local agency before an on-lot system is installed or a building served by one is occupied19.

The order matters: no building or occupancy permit issues for a new building with sewage-generating facilities until the Sewage Enforcement Officer has issued a valid sewage permit4. In the township's sewage-management districts, systems are inspected regularly, every four years after the initial inspection6. Countywide, only about 11% of soils rate as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system20. Find the current officer through the state directory or by asking the township21.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in Derry Township?

We could not confirm. The township's code has a zoning chapter, but the use table that would govern RV living, camping and tiny homes was not available to us1. Pennsylvania's published RV rules cover state park campgrounds only and do not answer whether you can live in an RV on your own land22.

Any dwelling, including a manufactured home, still needs the township's zoning approval, a sewage solution and a certificate of occupancy before use2316. Ask the township office in writing about RVs, tiny homes and temporary camping before you buy.

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

  1. Ask the township office which zoning district the parcel is in and what it allows1.
  2. If you are dividing land, the township approves subdivisions; plans must be approved and recorded before a lot is sold or a building permit issued24.
  3. Get a sewage permit from the township's Sewage Enforcement Officer, which must come before the building permit4.
  4. Apply to Bureau Veritas for the building permit3.
  5. If the driveway meets a state highway, get a PennDOT highway occupancy permit25.
  6. Keep work open for inspections, then get the certificate of occupancy2627.

What to check before you buy land in Derry Township

Ask whether a Municipal Authority of the Borough of Lewistown water line lies within 150 feet of the parcel; if one does, the property must connect, at the owner's cost7. Without public water, Pennsylvania lets homeowners drill their own wells without a driller license, though we found no township well rule either way9.

Check floodplain status, since development in a mapped flood hazard area needs a municipal floodplain permit28. Mifflin County's effective property tax rate is 1.6%29, and the typical county home is valued around $199,72730. Land outside Derry Township follows the county's rules, which are on the Mifflin County page.

Watch-outs

  • Several Pennsylvania counties have a Derry Township; this guide covers the one in Mifflin County, near Lewistown3.
  • The township's sewage-management program, including four-year inspections, applies only to districts identified in its Act 537 plan, so ask which applies to your parcel186.
  • We could not confirm township rules on RVs, tiny homes, accessory dwellings, lot size, setbacks, driveways or owner-built homes; ask the township office before you commit1.

Sources

  1. Township of Derry, PA Code of Ordinances — Table of Contents (Derry Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. Mifflin County - Zoning, quoted and re-checked
  3. Bureau Veritas (mifflincountypa.gov)
  4. Article IV: On-Lot Subsurface Sewage Disposal Facilities (Derry Township), quoted and re-checked
  5. Chapter 97: Construction Codes, Uniform (Derry Township), quoted and re-checked
  6. Article IV: On-Lot Subsurface Sewage Disposal Facilities (Derry Township), quoted and re-checked
  7. Chapter 207: Water (Derry Township), 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. Zoning, quoted and re-checked
  11. Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, Section 602 (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  12. Mifflin County Planning and Development Department (mifflincountypa.gov)
  13. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
  14. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  15. Pennsylvania Construction Code Act — Chapter 1 (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. pa.gov, quoted and re-checked
  17. Chapter 97: Construction Codes, Uniform (Derry Township), quoted and re-checked
  18. Article IV: On-Lot Subsurface Sewage Disposal Facilities (Derry Township), quoted and re-checked
  19. 25 Pa. Code § 72.22. Permit issuance (Pennsylvania statewide rule), 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. Sewage Enforcement Officer directory (PA DEP) (pa.gov)
  22. RV and Tent Campsites (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  23. Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  24. ecode360.com (Derry Township), quoted and re-checked
  25. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  26. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  27. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  28. PennsylvaniA Floodplain Development Guide (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  29. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  30. Typical home value (Zillow): 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 Derry Township

Derry Township’s own rules

  • Building permitLimited

    A new building inside Derry Township that will contain sewage-generating facilities and use an individual sewage system.

    • A valid sewage permit from the municipality's certified Sewage Enforcement Officer is required before a building permit may issue.
    • This evidence does not establish the full Township building-permit rule for projects without individual sewage systems.
    “No building or occupancy permit shall be issued by the municipality or its Codes Enforcement Officer for a new building which will contain sewage generating facilities until a valid sewage permit has been obtained from the municipality's certified Sewage Enforcement Officer.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction governed by the municipal building code inside Derry Township.

    • The adopted Uniform Construction Code is amended from time to time.
    • Administration and enforcement may be performed by a municipal employee, retained official or agency, an intermunicipal arrangement, another municipality, or a Labor and Industry agreement as authorized by § 97-3.
    “is hereby adopted and incorporated herein by reference as the municipal building code”
  • Certificate of occupancyLimited

    New buildings inside Derry Township that will contain sewage-generating facilities and use an individual sewage system.

    • A valid sewage permit from the municipality's certified Sewage Enforcement Officer is required before an occupancy permit may issue.
    • This evidence does not establish the full Township certificate-of-occupancy rule for other projects.
    “No building or occupancy permit shall be issued by the municipality or its Codes Enforcement Officer for a new building which will contain sewage generating facilities until a valid sewage permit has been obtained from the municipality's certified Sewage Enforcement Officer.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Derry Township, Mifflin County, Pennsylvania.

    • The published Township code identifies Chapter 215 as its zoning chapter.
    “Chapter 215 Zoning (§ 215-1 – § 215-134)”
  • Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

    On-lot sewage disposal systems in Derry Township sewage-management districts.

    • The program applies only to portions of the municipality identified as sewage-management districts in its Act 537 Official Sewage Facilities Plan.
    • The Township employs a certified Sewage Enforcement Officer; DEP also participates in Act 537 planning-module approval.
    “The purpose of this article is to provide for the inspection, maintenance and rehabilitation of on-lot sewage disposal systems; to further permit the municipality to intervene in situations which are public nuisances or hazards to the public health; and to establish penalties and appeal procedures necessary to the proper administration of a sewage management program. This program shall be administered by the Board of Supervisors.”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    On-lot sewage disposal systems in Derry Township sewage-management districts.

    • The ordinance provides for initial inspections in applicable districts and regular inspections every four years thereafter.
    • Inspections are performed by a licensed pumper/hauler or another authorized municipal agent.

    regular inspection interval: per 4 years (After initial inspections; performed in conjunction with prescribed maintenance.)

    “Regular inspections shall be carried out every four years thereafter in conjunction with the maintenance prescribed in § 172-33. These inspections shall be performed by a licensed pumper/hauler or other authorized agent of the municipality.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Alternative on-site domestic wastewater systems in Derry Township.

    • The code describes alternative systems as a means of sanitary waste disposal, but on-lot-system provisions apply in areas designated as sewage-management districts under the Township Act 537 plan.
    • Installation requires the sewage-permit process where applicable.
    “Septic tanks, subsurface waste disposal systems, and/or alternative systems may be used as a means of sanitary waste disposal in Derry Township.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupWater (with conditions)

    Properties inside Derry Township with a qualifying Authority water line or water-supply system within 150 feet at its nearest point.

    • The property must abut the Authority line or system and have a house, building, structure, or other property for human occupancy, employment, recreation, or other human use and occupancy.
    • The owner bears the cost, including connection, tapping, and other Authority fees.
    • The Authority is defined as the Municipal Authority of the Borough of Lewistown, its successors and assigns.

    water-system distance: <= 150 feet (Measured at the nearest point; qualifying property is deemed to abut a line in a public street or right-of-way on either side.)

    “which is located within 150 feet [...] shall connect [...] to the water line and/or water supply system”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision and land development inside Derry Township.

    • The Township retains authority to approve or deny subdivision and land-development plans.
    • A subdivision plan must be approved and recorded, and Township-required improvements constructed or guaranteed, before a lot may be sold, a building permit issued, or a building erected in the subdivision.
    “The Township shall retain the authority to approve or deny all subdivision plans and land development plans”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Fees for Township administration and enforcement of the Uniform Construction Code.

    • Fees are established by Township governing-body resolution from time to time; no current amount was established by the opened code text.
    “shall be established by the governing body, by resolution from time to time.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Derry Township.
  • Inspections — Building-code inspections for construction inside Derry Township.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings inside Derry Township.
  • Minimum lot size — Residential lots inside Derry Township.
  • Setbacks — Structures inside Derry Township zoning districts.
11 more unanswered
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Short-term rentals

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

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