Bolthole Index

Washington County, Pennsylvania

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

Smith Township, Pennsylvania, in Washington County, enforces its own zoning chapter through a Township Zoning Officer, and a certificate of occupancy is required before any building or lot is used12. Residential construction here needs a building permit under Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code3. Septic permits come from a local sewage agency under state law, not from the county planning office4.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes, the Township's own zoning chapter, enforced by a Zoning Officer1
Building permit
Required for residential construction under the state Uniform Construction Code3
Certificate of occupancy
Required before a building, structure or lot is used or occupied2
Septic
Permit from the local sewage agency; which officer covers a given parcel is unconfirmed5
Minimum lot, A-1 district
2 acres without public sewers, 1 acre with6
Minimum lot, R-1 district
1 acre without public sewers, 10,890 square feet with7
Owner-builder
No general exemption; only qualifying recreational cabins and agricultural buildings are carved out89

Who to call

Building permits

Smith Township Office (Zoning Officer and Permitting Administrator)

Zoning permits and certificates of occupancy through the Zoning Officer; building permit applications through the Permitting Administrator

(724) 947-9456

planning@smithtownship.org

1848 Smith Township State Road, Slovan, PA 15078

Septic permits

Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Southwest Regional Office

State oversight of the Act 537 sewage program and local Sewage Enforcement Officers 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 Smith Township means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Smith Township, PA have zoning?

Yes. Smith Township enforces its own zoning chapter, administered by a Zoning Officer appointed by the Board of Supervisors1. Washington County itself has no countywide zoning, so the Township ordinance, not the county, decides what you can build on a parcel in Smith Township10.

Lot size depends on the district. In the A-1 Rural Residential District, a single-family dwelling needs 2 acres without public sewers and 1 acre with them6, and lots may cover at most 30%11. In the R-1 Suburban Residential District, the minimum is 1 acre without public sewers and 10,890 square feet with them7, with 35% maximum lot coverage12. Principal buildings in both districts are capped at 2 1/2 stories, but no more than 45 feet1314.

Rules for RVs, tiny homes, accessory dwellings and temporary camping are unconfirmed. Ask the Smith Township Zoning Officer before you buy.

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

Residential construction in Smith Township needs a building permit under Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code3. The state rule says an owner or authorized agent who builds, enlarges, alters, repairs, moves or changes the occupancy of a residential building must first apply to the building code official and get the permit15.

The Township's contact page lists an outside firm as its building and electrical inspector16. We could not confirm the Township's own code-adoption ordinance or its permit fees, so ask the Township office what the permit application requires.

Separately, the zoning code requires a certificate of occupancy from the Zoning Officer before a building, structure or lot is used or occupied. The application is on a Township form and includes a fee2. Agricultural buildings are excluded from the Uniform Construction Code, but that exclusion does not exempt them from zoning, septic or floodplain rules17.

Who do you contact in Smith Township about permits?

The Smith Township office takes zoning and permit questions at the Township building, 1848 Smith Township State Road, Slovan16. The contact page lists a Permitting Administrator reachable at planning@smithtownship.org and a Zoning Officer reachable through the main number by extension16. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4 pm16.

Washington County's Planning Commission does not take zoning questions. Its own page says to direct all zoning, subdivision and land development questions to the municipality where the property is located18. The county's review is a separate, mandatory environmental review of subdivision plans before the Township can give final approval.

How do septic permits work in Smith Township?

Pennsylvania requires a permit from the local sewage agency before installing, constructing, occupying or using a building served by an on-lot septic system5. In Washington County the local agency, not a county health department, carries out septic permitting and enforcement19. We could not confirm which Sewage Enforcement Officer covers parcels in Smith Township, so ask the Township office before you plan a system.

State law exempts an individual system serving an owner's or immediate family's residence on a contiguous tract of at least 10 acres, subject to conditions on ownership date, local ordinance, notification and siting5. Only about 0.2% of soils in Washington County rate as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system20. The Department of Environmental Protection's Southwest Regional Office oversees the program for the county21.

Can you live in an RV, tiny home or mobile home in Smith Township?

A mobile home used as a single-family dwelling on an individual lot must connect to public water and public sewer if available. If they are not available, the owner must provide a potable water supply from a well and an on-lot sewage disposal system meeting state Department of Environmental Protection standards22. The mobile home must also be connected to available utilities providing adequate heat and light before occupancy22.

We could not confirm Township rules on living in an RV, tiny-home occupancy or temporary camping. Do not assume they are allowed. Ask the Zoning Officer through the Township office16.

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

  1. Call the Township office to confirm the zoning district of the parcel and whether public sewer is available16.
  2. Check the minimum lot size for that district67.
  3. Contact the local sewage agency for an on-lot septic permit if no public sewer serves the parcel5.
  4. Apply to the Township for a building permit under the Uniform Construction Code15.
  5. Get the zoning certificate and certificate of occupancy through the Zoning Officer before using the building2.
  6. If the driveway meets a state highway, apply to PennDOT for a highway occupancy permit23.

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

For land outside Smith Township, see the Washington County page. County-level facts: the effective property tax rate is 1.1%24, and the county's Planning Commission reviews subdivision and land development plans for landslides, wetlands, flooding, mine subsidence and natural heritage areas before a municipality grants final approval18.

If the parcel lies in a floodplain, construction regulated by the Uniform Construction Code needs documentation prepared and sealed by a registered design professional25. Wells are not permitted by the Township or county: homeowners who drill their own wells on their own land are not covered by the state's driller licensing26.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm the Township's building-code adoption ordinance, permit fee schedule, subdivision approval process or driveway rules, so ask the Smith Township office before you commit to a plan16.
  • A zoning permit and a certificate of occupancy are separate from the building permit, and the certificate is required before a building or lot is used2.
  • Washington County's Planning Commission does not review applications for compliance with local zoning ordinances; that stays with the Township18.

Sources

  1. Township of Smith, PA — Chapter 27, Part 17: Administration and Enforcement (Smith Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. Township of Smith, PA — Chapter 27, Part 17: Administration and Enforcement (Smith Township), quoted and re-checked
  3. PA Dept. of Labor & Industry — Uniform Construction Code (2026 county census)
  4. Municipal On Lot Sewage Service Areas, quoted and re-checked
  5. 25 Pa. Code § 72.22. Permit issuance (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  6. Township of Smith, PA — Chapter 27, Part 5: A-1 Rural Residential District (Smith Township), quoted and re-checked
  7. Township of Smith, PA — Chapter 27, Part 6: R-1 Suburban Residential District (Smith Township), quoted and re-checked
  8. pa.gov (2026 county census)
  9. Pennsylvania Construction Code Act — Chapter 1 (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  10. Washington County PA - Planning / Subdivision & Land Development (2026 county census)
  11. Township of Smith, PA — Chapter 27, Part 5: A-1 Rural Residential District (Smith Township), quoted and re-checked
  12. Township of Smith, PA — Chapter 27, Part 6: R-1 Suburban Residential District (Smith Township), quoted and re-checked
  13. Township of Smith, PA — Chapter 27, Part 5: A-1 Rural Residential District (Smith Township), quoted and re-checked
  14. Township of Smith, PA — Chapter 27, Part 6: R-1 Suburban Residential District (Smith Township), quoted and re-checked
  15. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. Smith Township Office (Zoning Officer and Permitting Administrator) (smithtownship.org)
  17. Pennsylvania Construction Code Act, quoted and re-checked
  18. Subdivision and Land Development Review Application, quoted and re-checked
  19. Municipal On Lot Sewage Service Areas, 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. Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Southwest Regional Office (pa.gov)
  22. Township of Smith, PA — Chapter 27, § 1213: Mobile Homes on Individual Lots (Smith Township), quoted and re-checked
  23. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  24. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  25. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
  26. Apply for a Water Well Drillers License and Rig Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked

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 Smith Township

Smith Township’s own rules

  • InspectionsLimited

    Inspections and surveys for compliance with the Township zoning chapter.

    • This evidence addresses zoning-compliance inspections, not the full construction-code inspection schedule.
    “Conduct inspections and surveys to determine compliance or noncompliance with this chapter.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Use or occupancy of a building, structure, lot, or part thereof inside Smith Township.

    • The application must be written on a Township form, completed by the owner or authorized agent, state that authorized use or construction complies with applicable requirements, and include the fee established under § 1707.
    • Upon inspection, all ordinance regulations and zoning-certificate conditions must be met; where work was under a building permit, the Building Inspector must certify Township Building Code compliance.
    “It shall be unlawful to use or occupy or permit the use or occupancy of any building, structure or lot, or part thereof, until a certificate of occupancy has been issued therefor by the Zoning Officer.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Smith Township.

    • Chapter 27 is administered and enforced by the Township Zoning Officer.
    “The provisions of this chapter shall be administered and enforced by a Zoning Officer, who shall be appointed by the Board of Supervisors.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    A mobile home used as a single-family dwelling on an individual lot outside a mobile-home park where public sewer is unavailable.

    • The owner must provide an on-lot sewage disposal system meeting PA DEP standards.
    “If not, the owner shall provide a potable water supply from his own or an adjacent well and shall provide an on-lot sewage disposal system that shall meet the standards of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP).”
  • Mandatory utility hookupConditional

    A mobile home used as a single-family dwelling on an individual lot outside a mobile-home park inside Smith Township.

    • Public water and public sewer connection is required if available.
    • If unavailable, the owner must provide potable water from the owner's or an adjacent well and an on-lot sewage disposal system meeting PA DEP standards.
    • Before occupancy, the mobile home must be connected to available utilities providing adequate heat and light.
    “The mobile home shall be connected to public water and a public sewer system, if available. If not, the owner shall provide a potable water supply from his own or an adjacent well and shall provide an on-lot sewage disposal system that shall meet the standards of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP).”

Rules another office applies inside Smith Township

Smith Township does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Single-family dwellings in the A-1 Rural Residential District inside Smith Township.

    • The table is subject to modifications by express standards and criteria for conditional uses or special exceptions in Part 11.

    minimum lot area without public sewers: 2 acres · minimum lot area with public sewers: 1 acres

    “Single-family dwelling | Without public sewers | 2 acres | With public sewers | 1 acre”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Lots in the A-1 Rural Residential District inside Smith Township.

    • The table is subject to modifications by express standards and criteria for conditional uses or special exceptions in Part 11.

    maximum lot coverage: <= 30 percent

    “Minimum lot width | 200 feet Maximum lot coverage | 30% Minimum front yard | 50 feet”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Principal single-family structures in the A-1 Rural Residential District inside Smith Township.

    • Height exceptions are governed by § 1205; the table is subject to modifications by express standards and criteria for conditional uses or special exceptions in Part 11.

    maximum height of other principal structures: 2 1/2 stories, but no more than 45 feet (Applies to principal structures other than farm structures and farm feed-storage structures.)

    “Maximum height | Farm structures, other than feed storage | 50 feet | Farm feed storage structures | 100 feet | All other principal structures | 2 1/2 stories, but no more than 45 feet”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — Residential construction inside Smith Township.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Smith Township.
  • Building code adopted — Construction inside Smith Township.
  • Minimum dwelling size — New conventional single-family dwellings inside Smith Township.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Smith Township.
12 more unanswered
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees

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

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