Building permits, zoning and septic in Borough of Lewisburg, Pennsylvania

At a glance

Building permit

Required before UCC-covered residential construction; contact CKCOG⁵¹

Zoning

Borough zoning applies; zoning approval precedes building permits²¹

Septic

Local-agency approval for on-lot systems, subject to state exceptions⁶⁴

Occupancy

UCC-covered residential buildings need a certificate of occupancy⁷

Subdivision

Borough subdivision and land-development chapter applies⁸

Off-grid sanitation

A composting toilet does not remove new-home washwater treatment requirements⁹

Who to call

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

Does Borough of Lewisburg have zoning for RVs and tiny homes?

Lewisburg has its own zoning ordinance, and a zoning permit is required in the borough.²¹ Take a proposed use and site sketch to CKCOG, the listed Lewisburg zoning contact, before choosing a building design.¹ Ask for the parcel’s zoning district, permitted dwelling types, minimum lot and dwelling sizes, setbacks, height and lot coverage; we could not confirm those district-specific standards or permission for residential RV use, tiny homes or accessory dwellings.² Do not treat the presence of a zoning application as approval for a particular use.¹⁰

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

A building permit is required before UCC-covered residential construction in Lewisburg, subject to the state regulation’s exceptions for specified work.⁵ Lewisburg’s code includes a Uniform Construction Code chapter, and the borough directs code-enforcement inquiries to CKCOG.³¹⁰ CKCOG’s Union County application guidance says building permits will not be issued until zoning requirements are satisfied, and permitted construction requires inspections.¹ Ask CKCOG for the current project checklist and local building-permit fees before submitting plans.¹ For covered residential construction, arrange the required inspections and obtain a certificate of occupancy before moving in.¹¹⁷

How do septic permits work inside Borough of Lewisburg?

Pennsylvania’s on-lot sewage program assigns ordinary permitting and enforcement to local agencies, with DEP oversight; large-volume systems are an exception to the ordinary local-agency arrangement.⁴ Ask the Lewisburg Borough Office whether the property needs public water/sewer connection approval and, for an on-lot proposal, which local agency and Sewage Enforcement Officer serve the address.¹⁴ State law generally requires an on-lot permit before installation or contracting for construction, subject to specified exemptions.⁶ A composting or incinerating toilet in a new residence still requires an approved way to treat washwater or excess liquid; choosing such a toilet does not resolve the sewage design.⁹

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

1. Ask CKCOG to review the proposed use for borough zoning approval; Lewisburg zoning approval must be settled before building-permit issuance.¹
2. Confirm water/sewer connection approval with the municipality and ask about driveway approval, a valid street address from Union County GIS, and any required flood-area elevation certificate.¹
3. Obtain the UCC building permit before covered construction begins, and request CKCOG’s Lewisburg application forms, including the listed disclosure form.⁵¹
4. Schedule required construction inspections while the work remains accessible, then secure the residential certificate of occupancy before using the home.¹¹⁷

What should you check before buying in Borough of Lewisburg?

Use the Union County guide for land outside the borough; inside Lewisburg, start with the borough’s own zoning ordinance and its CKCOG zoning contact.²¹ Before a purchase, ask the Borough Office whether the planned work needs historic-district review; the borough publishes a historic-district map and HARB application.¹⁰ For subdivision or land development, Lewisburg has its own ordinance chapter, so ask for review requirements before assuming a parcel can be divided.⁸ Municipalities must review development in a Special Flood Hazard Area under the applicable floodplain ordinance.¹² A driveway involving state-highway land or a PennDOT drainage facility also needs PennDOT approval.¹³

Watch-outs

• We could not confirm residential RV, tiny-home or accessory-dwelling permission in Lewisburg; ask CKCOG for a determination for the proposed use and zoning district.²¹
• Lewisburg Borough requires driveway permits; ask the Borough Office about the local application before work begins.¹⁰

Sources

1. Central Keystone Council of Governments (CKCOG) (ckcog.com)
2. Borough of Lewisburg, PA Code of Ordinances - Table of Contents (eCode360) (Borough of Lewisburg), quoted and re-checked
3. Borough of Lewisburg, PA Code of Ordinances - Table of Contents (eCode360) (Borough of Lewisburg), quoted and re-checked
4. Act 537 Sewage Facilities (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
5. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
6. 25 Pa. Code § 72.22. Permit issuance (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
7. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
8. Borough of Lewisburg, PA Code of Ordinances - Table of Contents (eCode360) (Borough of Lewisburg), quoted and re-checked
9. 25 Pa. Code § 73.65. Recycling toilet, incinerating toilet or composting toilet (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
10. Lewisburg Borough Office (lewisburgborough.org)
11. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
12. PennsylvaniA Floodplain Development Guide (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
13. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit (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.