Bolthole Index

Northampton County, Pennsylvania

Building permits, zoning and septic in the Borough of Hellertown, Pennsylvania

The Borough of Hellertown, Pennsylvania requires building permits before covered residential construction and has its own zoning districts.123 Start with the borough Code/Zoning Office for building and zoning applications; onsite sewage permitting belongs to the applicable local sewage agency, whose Hellertown contact we could not confirm.45

At a glance

Building permits
Required before covered residential construction12
Zoning
Borough districts and overlays apply3
Septic permits
Local sewage agency; Hellertown contact unconfirmed56
RV and tiny-home living
Not confirmed; ask the borough Code/Zoning Office about the proposed use and district43
Owner-builder
State licensing relief does not waive building permits; borough requires an owner-work statement724
Construction-code fees
Set by borough resolution; request the current schedule8

Who to call

Building permits

Borough of Hellertown Zoning and Code Enforcement Office

Borough building and zoning inquiries; ask for the Zoning/Codes Department.

610-838-7041

685 Main Street Hellertown, PA 18055

Codes & inspections

Borough of Hellertown Code/Zoning Office — application requirements

Building and zoning application requirements, owner-performed work and sidewalk inspection scheduling.

Septic permits

Pennsylvania DEP Act 537 Sewage Facilities Program

State guidance on the local-agency sewage permitting framework; not identified as the issuer of ordinary Hellertown onsite sewage permits.

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

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Borough of Hellertown means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does the Borough of Hellertown have zoning?

The Borough of Hellertown has municipal zoning, including residential, mixed, town-center, commercial, industrial and conservation districts, plus overlays.3 A Northampton County zoning answer does not replace Hellertown’s own district rules.3 Before choosing a house design, ask the borough Code/Zoning Office to identify the parcel’s district and applicable overlays, then confirm the proposed use, lot area, setbacks, coverage and height.43

We could not confirm Hellertown’s district-specific minimum lot sizes, dwelling sizes or setbacks, or whether an RV, tiny home or accessory dwelling would be allowed on a particular lot; ask the borough office for a written determination before buying for those uses.34

Do you need a building permit in the Borough of Hellertown?

Hellertown has adopted Pennsylvania’s Uniform Construction Code, and covered residential construction requires a building permit before work begins.12 Contact the Borough of Hellertown Zoning and Code Enforcement Office at 610-838-7041 for building and zoning questions.9 Hellertown’s construction-code administration fees are established by borough resolution; request the current schedule rather than using a state-administered project fee as a local estimate.8

Pennsylvania’s relief from general contractor licensing for qualifying owner work does not remove the residential building-permit requirement.72 Hellertown requires a signed statement when the homeowner will perform the work.4

How do septic permits work inside the Borough of Hellertown?

For a Hellertown property proposing an onlot sewage system, Pennsylvania generally requires a permit from the applicable local agency before installation, contracting for construction, construction, occupancy or use, subject to statutory exceptions.6 Pennsylvania’s local sewage agencies carry out onsite sewage permitting and enforcement; DEP provides the program framework rather than automatically issuing every household septic permit.510

We could not confirm Hellertown’s current Sewage Enforcement Officer or parcel-specific public-sewer connection requirements; ask borough administration to identify the responsible sewage agency and confirm service before ordering a system.9 A composting toilet for a new residence still requires approved treatment of washwater or excess liquid under Pennsylvania’s sanitation rules.11

Building a home in the Borough of Hellertown: what comes first?

Start with the borough Code/Zoning Office before committing to construction: Hellertown directs applicants to contact that office before beginning any project.4

  • Confirm the parcel’s zoning district, overlays and proposed residential use.3
  • Resolve sewage service and the responsible local sewage agency; obtain any required onlot sewage permit before contracting for system construction.65
  • Prepare the exterior-work site plan showing boundaries, structures, proposed improvements and setbacks, and supply the project cost and owner-work statement where applicable.4
  • Obtain applicable site-plan approval and building-permit approval before construction.4
  • Arrange required construction inspections and obtain the residential certificate of occupancy before moving in.1213

What should you check before buying in the Borough of Hellertown?

Hellertown requires a sidewalk and curb inspection before a property sale or transfer, and the Code Office asks applicants to schedule well ahead of closing.4 Put that inspection on the purchase checklist alongside zoning and sewage questions.436

For a proposed driveway built or changed on state-highway land, or work connecting to a PennDOT drainage facility, Pennsylvania requires a highway occupancy permit.14 Ask the borough Code/Zoning Office to identify any additional local access or floodplain approvals before finalizing the site layout.4 For land outside Hellertown in Northampton County, consult the Northampton County guide and identify the municipality responsible for the address; Hellertown’s zoning applies within the borough.315

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm permission for RV living, tiny-home occupancy or an accessory dwelling in Hellertown; ask the borough Code/Zoning Office about the specific parcel and use.43
  • Hellertown building and zoning approvals do not replace an applicable local-agency onlot sewage permit.26
  • A Hellertown residential building governed by the UCC cannot be occupied without the building code official’s certificate of occupancy.13

Sources

  1. Borough of Hellertown, PA: Chapter 160 Construction Codes, Uniform (Borough of Hellertown), quoted and re-checked
  2. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  3. Borough of Hellertown, PA: Chapter 450 Zoning (Borough of Hellertown), quoted and re-checked
  4. Borough of Hellertown Code/Zoning Office — application requirements (hellertownborough.org)
  5. Municipal On Lot Sewage Service Areas, quoted and re-checked
  6. 25 Pa. Code § 72.22. Permit issuance (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  7. Contractor Licensing (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  8. Borough of Hellertown, PA: Chapter 160 Construction Codes, Uniform (Borough of Hellertown), quoted and re-checked
  9. Borough of Hellertown Zoning and Code Enforcement Office (hellertownborough.org)
  10. Pennsylvania DEP Act 537 Sewage Facilities Program (pa.gov)
  11. 25 Pa. Code § 73.65. Recycling toilet, incinerating toilet or composting toilet (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  12. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  13. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  15. Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, Section 602 (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked

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.

Answers from the rulebook for Borough of Hellertown

Borough of Hellertown’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Construction inside Hellertown borough

    • Administration may be by borough employee, third-party agencies, intermunicipal agreement, contract with another municipality, or Dept. of Labor and Industry for non-1/2-family structures, as set by council resolution.
    • Preexisting building ordinances continue only where they equal or exceed the code (§ 160-5).
    “the uniform construction code, contained in 34 pa. code, chapters 401 to 405, as amended from time to time, is hereby adopted and incorporated herein by reference as the municipal building code of this municipality.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts in Hellertown borough

    • Districts per TOC: R-1, R-2, M, TC, SC, I, C, HC plus FRO and TROO overlays; zoning map is Attachment 1.
    “article iv districts and boundaries § 450-8 classes of districts. § 450-9 district boundaries. § 450-9.1 conditional uses. § 450-10 r-1 residential. § 450-11 r-2 residential. § 450-12 m mixed. § 450-13 tc town center. § 450-14 sc shopping center. § 450-15 i industrial. § 450-16 c conservation. § 450-17 hc highway commercial district. § 450-17.1 flexible redevelopment overlay district. § 450-17.2 troo trail oriented overlay district.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Construction code administration fees inside Hellertown borough

    • Fee amounts are not in the code; council sets them by resolution from time to time. Zoning fees appear in § 450-77 (not opened).
    “fees assessable by the municipality for the administration and enforcement undertaken pursuant to this chapter and the code 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 Borough of Hellertown or Northampton County directly.

  • Building permit — Building permits inside Hellertown borough
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Hellertown borough
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Hellertown borough
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Hellertown borough
  • Minimum dwelling size — R-1 and R-2 districts, Hellertown borough
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
  • 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 Hellertown publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Northampton County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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