Bolthole Index

Washington County, Pennsylvania

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in the Borough of New Eagle, Pennsylvania

The Borough of New Eagle, in Washington County, Pennsylvania, requires a building permit for building, altering or moving a structure1. The borough adopted the state Uniform Construction Code as its own building code2. We could not confirm a borough zoning ordinance, so ask the borough before you plan a use. Properties next to a public sanitary sewer must use it, not a septic tank3.

At a glance

Building permit
Required for erecting, altering or moving a building1
Building code
Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, adopted by the borough2
Zoning
Set by the borough, not the county; ordinance not confirmed4
Septic
Septic tanks prohibited on lots abutting the public sewer3
Subdivision
Approval needed before a sale or permit in a new subdivision5
Floodplain
Floodplain permit required before construction or development6
Owner-builder
Not confirmed in the borough; only a qualifying recreational cabin is excluded from the code statewide7

Who to call

Planning & zoning

Washington County Planning Commission

County review of subdivision and land development plans; zoning questions go to the borough

(724) 228-6811

95 W Beau St, Washington, PA 15301

Septic permits

Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Southwest Regional Office

State oversight of the Act 537 sewage program for Washington County

412-442-4000

400 Waterfront Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15222

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 Borough of New Eagle means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in New Eagle, PA?

Yes. The Borough of New Eagle requires a building permit for the erection, construction or alteration of any residential or commercial building, and for moving a building into or within the borough1. The borough enforces the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code as its Municipal Building Code2.

Applications go to Borough Council with the approved lot or plot plan8. The Building Code Official must approve the application, and the borough's code calls for approval or denial within 30 days1. Fees are set by Borough Council resolution, so ask the borough for the current schedule9.

Who issues building permits in New Eagle borough, and how do you reach them?

Inside New Eagle, the borough, not Washington County, issues building permits: applications are submitted to Borough Council and approved by the borough's Building Code Official1. We could not confirm a borough phone number or office page, so call the Borough of New Eagle municipal office to ask for the Building Code Official.

Inspections are required, and the borough requires 48 hours' notice to the Building Code Official before an inspection10. No inspections happen until the permit has been picked up and paid for10. A permit approved but not picked up and paid for within 30 days becomes void8.

Does New Eagle have zoning?

We could not confirm. We did not find a New Eagle zoning ordinance or a statement that the borough has none, so we cannot say what applies to RVs, tiny homes, minimum lot size or setbacks inside the borough. Pennsylvania boroughs, not counties, generally decide zoning, and Washington County says zoning questions belong with the municipality where the property sits4. Call the Borough of New Eagle before you buy and ask for the zoning district, permitted uses and setbacks for the parcel.

Subdivision is regulated: before any sale of part of a tract, or a permit in a proposed subdivision, the owner must apply for and secure approval5. Plans are also reviewed by the Washington County Planning Commission11.

How do septic permits work in New Eagle, PA?

For many New Eagle lots, septic is not an option. Every owner whose property abuts a public sanitary sewer of the New Eagle Municipal Sewer Authority must connect at their own cost12. Using a septic tank, cesspool or privy vault instead is unlawful on those properties3. An owner already using another method must connect within 60 days after written notice, with extensions of up to six months available for causes beyond the owner's control12.

For a lot that does not abut the sewer, we could not confirm who issues on-lot sewage permits inside the borough. Pennsylvania assigns on-lot sewage permits to a local agency, which can be a municipality, county or health department13. Ask the borough which agency covers your parcel, and use the Department of Environmental Protection's Southwest Regional Office for oversight questions14.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in New Eagle?

We could not confirm. We found no borough provision on RV occupancy, temporary camping or tiny homes, and without a located zoning ordinance we cannot say they are allowed or banned. Pennsylvania's rule on RVs applies to state park campgrounds, not to your own lot. Ask the Borough of New Eagle in writing before you move anything onto a lot. Manufactured housing is covered statewide by the Uniform Construction Code for permits, certificates of occupancy, utility connections and grading15.

Building a home in New Eagle: the steps, in order

  1. Ask the Borough of New Eagle for the zoning district and any setback rules for the parcel; we could not confirm them.
  2. Confirm whether the lot abuts the public sewer; if it does, plan to connect12.
  3. If you are dividing land, secure subdivision approval first5.
  4. Check floodplain status; a floodplain permit is required before construction or development in the borough6.
  5. Submit a building permit application with the approved plot plan to Borough Council8.
  6. Pick up and pay for the permit, then give the Building Code Official 48 hours' notice for each inspection10.
  7. Get a certificate of occupancy before using the building, as the state code requires16.

What stays with Washington County, and what to check before you buy

The county does not decide zoning or building permits inside New Eagle. Washington County reviews subdivision plans and leaves zoning compliance to the municipality11. A driveway or street that meets a state highway needs PennDOT review and a highway occupancy permit when PennDOT requires one17. Pennsylvania does not set construction standards for private water wells and exempts homeowners drilling their own from driller licensing; we could not confirm whether the borough requires a well permit18.

For land outside the borough, see the Washington County page. Countywide, the effective property tax rate is 1.1%19.

Watch-outs

  • The borough's rules on RVs, tiny homes, lot size and setbacks are unconfirmed; ask the Borough of New Eagle before you buy. The county leaves zoning to the municipality4.
  • Washington County's Uniform Construction Code exclusion for a recreational cabin has strict conditions, and it is not a general owner-builder exemption7.
  • A lot abutting the public sewer cannot use a septic system3.

Sources

  1. Chapter 140: Construction Codes, Uniform - Borough of New Eagle, PA (Borough of New Eagle), quoted and re-checked
  2. Chapter 140: Construction Codes, Uniform - Borough of New Eagle, PA (Borough of New Eagle), quoted and re-checked
  3. Chapter 239: Sewers - Borough of New Eagle, PA (Borough of New Eagle), quoted and re-checked
  4. Subdivision & Land Development Review, quoted and re-checked
  5. Article III: Procedures - Borough of New Eagle, PA (Borough of New Eagle), quoted and re-checked
  6. Article II: Administration - Borough of New Eagle, PA (Borough of New Eagle), quoted and re-checked
  7. pa.gov, quoted and re-checked
  8. Chapter 140: Construction Codes, Uniform - Borough of New Eagle, PA (Borough of New Eagle), quoted and re-checked
  9. Chapter 140: Construction Codes, Uniform - Borough of New Eagle, PA (Borough of New Eagle), quoted and re-checked
  10. Chapter 140: Construction Codes, Uniform - Borough of New Eagle, PA (Borough of New Eagle), quoted and re-checked
  11. Washington County Planning Commission (washingtoncopa.gov)
  12. Chapter 239: Sewers - Borough of New Eagle, PA (Borough of New Eagle), quoted and re-checked
  13. Municipal On Lot Sewage Service Areas, quoted and re-checked
  14. Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Southwest Regional Office (pa.gov)
  15. Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
  17. Article III: Procedures - Borough of New Eagle, PA (Borough of New Eagle), quoted and re-checked
  18. Apply for a Water Well Drillers License and Rig Permit, quoted and re-checked
  19. Effective property tax rate: 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 Borough of New Eagle

Borough of New Eagle’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Erection, construction, alteration, or moving of a residential or commercial building, structure, dwelling, or portion thereof inside New Eagle borough.

    • Applications are submitted to Borough Council under Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code and Borough procedures with the approved lot or plot plan.
    • The Building Code Official must approve the application.
    • A permit is not issued until the landowner and/or developer picks it up and pays for it.

    approval_or_denial_deadline: <= 30 days

    “A building permit is required for the erection, construction or alteration of any residential or commercial building, structure, dwelling or portion thereof and the moving of a building into the Borough or from one place to another in the Borough.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction-code enforcement inside New Eagle borough.

    • The referenced Uniform Construction Code is amended from time to time.
    “The Uniform Construction Code, contained in 34 Pa. Code, Chapters 401 to 405, as amended from time to time, is adopted and incorporated herein by reference as the Municipal Building Code of the Borough of New Eagle.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Work covered by a New Eagle borough building permit.

    • Forty-eight-hour prior notification to the Building Code Official is mandatory.
    • Inspection requirements depend upon the scope of work involved.
    • No inspections occur until the permit has been picked up and paid for.

    prior_notice: >= 48 hours

    “Inspections are required and forty-eight-hour prior notification to the Building Code Official is mandatory. The inspection requirements will be detailed to the applicant at the time of the building permit application process, dependent upon the scope of work involved.”
  • Off-grid sanitationProhibited

    Property in the watershed area of New Eagle borough that abuts the described public sanitary sewer.

    • This prohibition is limited to properties abutting the public sanitary sewer.
    • It concerns disposal of acceptable sanitary sewage.
    “It shall be unlawful hereafter for any owner, lessee or occupier of any property in the watershed area of the Borough abutting upon any aforementioned public sanitary sewer to employ any means, either by septic tank, cesspool, privy vault, mine hole or otherwise, for the disposal of acceptable sanitary sewage other than into and through said public sanitary sewers.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    Property in the watershed area of New Eagle borough that abuts a public sanitary sewer owned, existing, acquired, or constructed by the New Eagle Municipal Sewer Authority.

    • Connection is at the owner's cost.
    • The rule applies to the house, building, or other structures on the property.
    • An owner using another sewage-disposal method must connect within 60 days after written notice, subject to an application for an extension of up to six months for causes beyond the owner's control.

    connection_notice_deadline: <= 60 days (May seek an extension of up to six months for causes beyond the owner's control.)

    “Every owner of property in the watershed area of the Borough of New Eagle whose property abuts upon any public sanitary sewer presently owned and in existence or to be acquired or constructed in the future by the New Eagle Municipal Sewer Authority shall connect, at its own cost, the house, building or other structures located on said property with the aforementioned public sanitary sewers for the purpose of disposing of all acceptable sanitary sewage emanating from said property.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision of land and land development inside New Eagle borough.

    • The owner or authorized agent must apply for and secure approval before a contract for sale or a structure permit in a proposed subdivision or land development.
    • All plans must be submitted to and reviewed by the Washington County Planning Commission under its prevailing rules and regulations.
    “Whenever any subdivision of land or land development is proposed, before any contract is made for the sale of any part thereof and before any permit for the erection of a structure in such proposed subdivision or land development shall be granted, the owner or his authorized agent shall apply for and secure approval of such proposed subdivision or land development in accordance with the following procedures for subdivision and land development.”
  • Driveway accessLimited

    A subdivision or land development inside New Eagle borough that adjoins a state highway or proposes streets entering onto a state highway.

    • The developer must submit plans to Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for review.
    • A highway occupancy permit is required when Pennsylvania Department of Transportation requires it.
    “In cases where the subdivision or land development adjoins an existing or proposed state highway or has proposed streets entering onto state highways, the developer shall submit the plans to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for review and obtain a highway occupancy permit when required.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Construction or development inside New Eagle borough under Chapter 167 floodplain management.

    • The Floodplain Administrator issues a permit only after determining proposed work conforms to this chapter and other applicable codes and ordinances.
    • Prior to issuance, required state and federal permits must have been obtained.
    • The Floodplain Administrator or authorized official inspects during construction and upon completion as necessary.
    “A permit shall be required before any construction or development is undertaken within any area of the Borough of New Eagle.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Building permits administered by New Eagle borough.

    • Fees are established by Borough Council resolution from time to time.
    “Fees assessed by the Borough for the administration and enforcement undertaken pursuant to this chapter and the code shall be established by the Borough Council by resolution from time to time.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building-permit applications inside New Eagle borough.

    • Applications must be submitted to Borough Council under Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code and Borough procedures with the approved lot or plot plan.
    • Approval or denial must occur within 30 days.
    • An approved permit becomes void if not picked up and paid for within 30 days of approval.

    approval_or_denial_deadline: <= 30 days

    “Applications for building permits shall be submitted to Borough Council and made as required by the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code according to Borough procedures and with the approved lot or plot plan as required by this chapter.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Borough of New Eagle or Washington County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside New Eagle borough.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of structures inside New Eagle borough.
  • Local zoning — Land inside New Eagle borough limits.
  • Zoning districts — Land inside New Eagle borough limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside New Eagle borough.
15 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
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • 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 Borough of New Eagle publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Washington County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Washington County: county rules, score and offices