Borough of Matamoras, PA: building permits, zoning and septic rules

At a glance

Building permit

Required for covered residential construction under Pennsylvania’s UCC⁴

Zoning

Borough zoning applies; zoning approval precedes a building permit²¹

Septic

Local-agency approval for on-lot systems; borough Sewage Enforcement Officer contact available⁵³

Occupancy

Residential UCC certificate of occupancy required before use⁶

Off-grid sanitation

A composting toilet does not remove the need for approved washwater disposal for a new residence⁷

Who to call

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

Do you need a building permit in the Borough of Matamoras, PA?

Covered residential construction in Matamoras needs a building permit under Pennsylvania’s Uniform Construction Code before work begins.⁴ Matamoras requires a zoning permit before the borough Building Code Official can issue a building permit, so start with the borough Zoning Department.¹ The zoning application expressly says zoning approval does not replace building or sewage permits.¹ Ask the borough to identify the Building Code Official for your project and provide the current building-permit application and fee schedule.¹

The borough’s zoning guide excludes normal maintenance and minor repairs or alterations that do not structurally change a building from zoning-permit requirements; the UCC has its own scope and exemptions.¹⁴

Does the Borough of Matamoras have zoning, and can you live in an RV or tiny home?

Matamoras has borough zoning and an official zoning map; the parcel’s district is the starting point for a proposed home or land use.²⁸ We could not confirm the borough’s RV occupancy, temporary camping, tiny-home, minimum dwelling size, lot size or setback rules; ask the borough Zoning Department to address your proposed use and parcel before buying.¹

For a zoning application, Matamoras asks for a scaled survey or plot plan showing existing and proposed buildings, building height, sewage tanks and disposal area, and distances to property lines.¹ The Zoning Officer forwards conditional uses and special exceptions to the appropriate board, so ask which approval path applies to your project.¹

How do septic permits work inside the Borough of Matamoras?

Pennsylvania generally requires a local-agency permit before installing or contracting to construct an on-lot sewage system, or occupying or using a building served by that system, subject to statutory exceptions.⁵ The county’s official directory lists a Matamoras Borough Sewage Enforcement Officer; contact that office about the parcel’s sewage approval and whether an on-lot system is appropriate.³ We could not confirm public sewer connection requirements for a particular Matamoras property; ask the borough before budgeting for septic.¹

A composting or incinerating toilet does not settle sewage disposal for a new residence: Pennsylvania requires an on-lot system or another approved method for washwater or excess liquid.⁷

Building a home in the Borough of Matamoras: what are the steps?

1. Ask the Matamoras Zoning Department to identify the parcel’s district and the zoning approval path for the intended home and use.⁸¹
2. Submit the completed zoning application, associated fee, recorded deed and scaled survey or plot plan; obtain zoning approval before the building permit.¹
3. If an on-lot sewage system will serve the home, resolve local-agency sewage permitting before construction or contracting for the system.⁵
4. Obtain the required residential building permit before covered construction, then notify the construction code official when work is ready for inspection and keep construction accessible.⁴⁹
5. Obtain the residential certificate of occupancy before using or occupying the home.⁶

What stays with Pike County, and what should Matamoras buyers check?

Matamoras regulates subdivision of land, while Pike County reviews subdivision and land-development plans in an advisory role using municipal regulations.¹⁰¹¹ For land outside the borough, consult the Pike County guide and identify the municipality governing the parcel rather than carrying Matamoras zoning rules across the boundary.¹²

For development in a Special Flood Hazard Area, Pennsylvania requires a municipal floodplain development permit or its equivalent before development activities occur; ask Matamoras to identify the floodplain reviewer for your parcel.¹³ Building or changing a driveway on state highway land, or connecting to a PennDOT drainage facility, requires PennDOT approval.¹⁴ We could not confirm Matamoras-specific well requirements; ask the borough before arranging a private well.¹

Watch-outs

• Matamoras zoning approval does not replace building or sewage permits.¹
• We could not confirm permission to occupy an RV or tiny home in Matamoras; ask the borough Zoning Department about the intended use before purchasing.¹
• Pennsylvania’s absence of statewide licensing for most construction contractors does not exempt covered residential work from building permits.¹⁵⁴

Sources

1. Matamoras Borough Zoning Department (matamorasborough.com)
2. Chapter 124 Zoning - Borough of Matamoras, PA (eCode360) (Borough of Matamoras), quoted and re-checked
3. Matamoras Borough Sewage Enforcement Officer (cms7files.revize.com)
4. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
5. 25 Pa. Code § 72.22. Permit issuance (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
6. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
7. 25 Pa. Code § 73.65. Recycling toilet, incinerating toilet or composting toilet (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
8. Chapter 124 Zoning - Borough of Matamoras, PA (eCode360) (Borough of Matamoras), quoted and re-checked
9. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
10. Table of Contents - Borough of Matamoras, PA (eCode360) (Borough of Matamoras), quoted and re-checked
11. Planning and Mapping, quoted and re-checked
12. Planning and Mapping, quoted and re-checked
13. PennsylvaniA Floodplain Development Guide (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
14. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
15. Contractor Licensing (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.