Bolthole Index

Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Murrysville, Pennsylvania

Murrysville, Pennsylvania, in Westmoreland County, adopted the state Uniform Construction Code, so building work needs a municipal permit1. The municipality also runs its own zoning through its Community Development Department2. Septic permits are required inside Murrysville under its own sewer chapter3. Westmoreland County itself has no zoning ordinance, so the county does not set these rules for you4.

At a glance

Building permit
Required; Murrysville adopted the Uniform Construction Code1
Zoning
Murrysville zones its own land by district (R-R, R-1 and others)56
Septic
On-lot sewage permit required under Murrysville's sewer chapter3
Minimum lot, R-R district
2 acres without public sewage and water5
Minimum lot, R-1 district
2 acres without public sewage and water6
Certificate of occupancy
Required before occupancy after construction7
Owner-builder
No state contractor license for most work; owner-built permit rules unconfirmed8
RV and tiny home living
Not confirmed; ask the Community Development Department2

Who to call

Building permits

Murrysville Department of Community Development

Building, zoning and land operation permits, inspections, sewage taps, and subdivision and land development review inside Murrysville

724-327-2100

4100 Sardis Road, Murrysville, PA 15668

Planning & zoning

Westmoreland County Department of Planning and Development

County-level planning only; the county has no building-permit office or zoning ordinance and sends residents to their municipality

724-830-3600

40 N Pennsylvania Ave, 5th Floor, Suite 520, Greensburg, PA 15601

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 Murrysville means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Murrysville have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Murrysville, Pennsylvania zones its own land; the Community Development Department administers planning, zoning, subdivision and land development2. Rules differ by district, so find your parcel's district on the municipal zoning map before you buy.

In the R-R Rural Residential District, a house needs at least 2 acres without public sewage and water, and 1 1/2 acres with both5. Required yards are 50 feet in front and 50 feet in back, with two side yards totaling 100 feet and neither under 40 feet9. Lot coverage is capped at 20%10, and height at 40 feet11.

In the R-1 Low Density Residential District, the minimum is 2 acres without public sewage and water and 1 acre with both6. Front and rear yards are 50 feet, and side yards total 60 feet with neither under 25 feet12. Lot coverage is capped at 25%13.

We could not confirm Murrysville's rules on minimum dwelling size or accessory dwellings; ask the Community Development Department.

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

Yes. Murrysville adopted the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code in its municipal code1, and the state requires property owners to get a building permit before starting work14. Westmoreland County does not issue building permits; all permits are handled at the municipal level15.

Inside Murrysville, the Community Development Department takes questions about building, zoning and land operation permits, new residential construction, inspections and sewage taps2. The municipality's governing body decides how code plan review and inspections are carried out16. Building permit fees fall under the municipal fee chapter17.

A certificate of occupancy is required before you move in after construction governed by an approved building permit7.

How do septic permits work inside Murrysville?

Murrysville's own code requires a permit for on-lot sewage disposal systems3, and Pennsylvania law bars using a building served by an on-lot system without a permit from the local agency18. The municipality's sewer chapter also covers replacement areas and spray irrigation systems3. The Community Development Department handles questions about sewage taps2.

Soils matter: across Westmoreland County only about 0.7% of soils rate as not limited for a conventional drain field19. Conventional drain fields rate poorly here, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system. We could not confirm the sewer-connection rule that decides when public sewer is required; ask the Community Development Department.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Murrysville?

We could not confirm Murrysville's rules on living in an RV, camping on private land, or occupying a tiny home. Do not assume these uses are allowed. Zoning is set by the municipality, not the county4, so ask the Murrysville Community Development Department, which handles zoning questions2, before you park or place anything. The county's lack of a zoning ordinance says nothing about what applies inside Murrysville.

Building a home in Murrysville: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the zoning district and lot size with the Community Development Department2.
  2. Plan for septic: a permit is required for an on-lot system3, and a site evaluation comes first.
  3. If you are dividing land, ask about subdivision approval, which the municipality regulates20.
  4. Apply for the building permit under the Uniform Construction Code1.
  5. Pass the required inspections21.
  6. Get a certificate of occupancy before moving in7.

What stays with Westmoreland County, and what should you check before you buy?

Westmoreland County has no zoning ordinance4. Its subdivision ordinance applies only in municipalities that have not adopted their own22; for county-level planning, call the Westmoreland County planning office15. The county page for the rest of the county is Westmoreland County.

A driveway onto a state highway needs a PennDOT permit23. In a mapped flood hazard area, the municipality must issue a floodplain development permit before work begins24. Homeowners who drill their own well on their own land are not covered by the state driller licensing rules25. County-wide, the effective property tax rate is 1.3%26.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm Murrysville's rules on RVs, tiny homes, accessory dwellings, driveways or floodplain development; ask the Community Development Department2.
  • Pennsylvania's building code exempts qualifying agricultural buildings, but Murrysville's own zoning and other rules may still apply to them27.
  • Setbacks, lot coverage and lot size differ by zoning district, so confirm your parcel's district before you rely on any figure5.

Sources

  1. Chapter 96: Construction Codes, Uniform - Municipality of Murrysville, PA (Murrysville), quoted and re-checked
  2. Murrysville Department of Community Development (murrysville.com)
  3. Chapter 193: Sewers - Municipality of Murrysville, PA (Murrysville), quoted and re-checked
  4. Subdivision, Development & Zoning, quoted and re-checked
  5. Article III: District Regulations - Municipality of Murrysville, PA (Murrysville), quoted and re-checked
  6. Article III: District Regulations - Municipality of Murrysville, PA (Murrysville), quoted and re-checked
  7. Article XI: Administration and Enforcement - Municipality of Murrysville, PA (Murrysville), quoted and re-checked
  8. Contractor Licensing (2026 county census)
  9. Article III: District Regulations - Municipality of Murrysville, PA (Murrysville), quoted and re-checked
  10. Article III: District Regulations - Municipality of Murrysville, PA (Murrysville), quoted and re-checked
  11. Article III: District Regulations - Municipality of Murrysville, PA (Murrysville), quoted and re-checked
  12. Article III: District Regulations - Municipality of Murrysville, PA (Murrysville), quoted and re-checked
  13. Article III: District Regulations - Municipality of Murrysville, PA (Murrysville), quoted and re-checked
  14. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked
  15. Westmoreland County Department of Planning and Development (westmorelandcountypa.gov)
  16. Chapter 96: Construction Codes, Uniform - Municipality of Murrysville, PA (Murrysville), quoted and re-checked
  17. Chapter 96: Construction Codes, Uniform - Municipality of Murrysville, PA (Murrysville), quoted and re-checked
  18. 25 Pa. Code § 72.22. Permit issuance (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  19. 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
  20. Article XI: Administration and Enforcement - Municipality of Murrysville, PA (Murrysville), quoted and re-checked
  21. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  22. Subdivision, Development & Zoning, quoted and re-checked
  23. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  24. PennsylvaniA Floodplain Development Guide (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  25. Private Wells, quoted and re-checked
  26. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  27. Pennsylvania Construction Code Act — Chapter 1 (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 Murrysville

Murrysville’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction regulated inside Murrysville municipality.

    • The adopted code is the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code as amended and supplemented under the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act and Department of Labor and Industry regulations.
    “hereby adopts the Uniform Construction Code”
  • InspectionsLimited

    Construction-code enforcement inside Murrysville municipality.

    • The governing body determines the enforcement method by resolution.
    • The Department of Labor and Industry agreement option is limited to structures other than one- and two-family dwellings and utility and miscellaneous-use structures.
    • Third-party electrical inspection agencies must be registered with the municipality and Department of Labor and Industry before inspecting in the municipality.
    “plan review, inspections, and enforcement”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Structures and land uses inside Murrysville municipality covered by § 220-112.

    • Required before occupancy following completion of construction, reconstruction, or enlargement governed by an approved building permit.
    • Also required for the specified changes of use and Zoning Hearing Board-authorized nonconforming changes.
    “A certificate of occupancy [...] shall be required”
  • Septic permitRequired

    On-lot sewage disposal systems inside Murrysville municipality.

    • The detailed permit conditions in § 193-25 were not retrieved within the research limit.
    “Article III On-Lot Sewage Disposal Systems [...] § 193-25 Permits required. § 193-26 Replacement areas. § 193-27 Individual residential spray irrigation systems (IRSI systems).”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision and land development inside Murrysville municipality.

    • Final land-development-plan approval is required where the zoning ordinance requires it before a zoning certificate may issue.
    “final approval [...] has been granted by the Council.”
  • Short-term rentalsAllowed (with conditions)

    Short-term rentals of residential dwelling units and existing premises inside Murrysville municipality.

    • Use is permitted in all zoning districts.
    • The chapter does not apply to hotel/motel/inn, bed-and-breakfast, boarding house, or group home as defined in the zoning ordinance.
    • An owner must first obtain and maintain a short-term-rental permit from the Zoning Officer.

    maximum rental period: <= 30 days (A singular short-term rental use in excess of 30 days is prohibited.)

    “Use is permitted in all zoning districts.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Municipal building-permit fees inside Murrysville municipality.

    • The code incorporates the fee prescribed in Chapter 112, Fees, as amended, into associated building-permit fees.
    “The ICC Electrical Code § 404.2 insert: "fee prescribed in Chapter 112, Fees, as amended, as included in associated building permit fees."”

Rules another office applies inside Murrysville

Murrysville 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 sizeSpecified

    Principal single-family residential uses in the R-1 Low Density Residential District inside Murrysville municipality.

    • Minimum area is one acre with public sewage and water and two acres without public sewage and water.

    minimum lot area with public sewage and water: 1 acre · minimum lot area without public sewage and water: 2 acres

    “Unless otherwise stated in Article V of this chapter, this table shows the area and bulk regulations in the R-R, R-1, R-2 and R-3 Zoning Districts. [...] Minimum lot area with public sewage and water | 1 1/2 acres | 1 acre | 20,000 square feet [...] Minimum lot area without public sewage and water | 2 acres | 2 acres | 2 acres”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Principal residential uses in the R-R Rural Residential District inside Murrysville municipality.
      “Unless otherwise stated in Article V of this chapter, this table shows the area and bulk regulations in the R-R, R-1, R-2 and R-3 Zoning Districts. [...] Minimum lot area with public sewage and water | 1 1/2 acres | 1 acre | 20,000 square feet [...] Minimum lot area without public sewage and water | 2 acres | 2 acres | 2 acres”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Principal single-family residential uses in the R-1 Low Density Residential District inside Murrysville municipality.

    • Front yard: 50 feet; side yards: two totaling 60 feet, neither less than 25 feet; rear yard: 50 feet.

    front yard: 50 feet · rear yard: 50 feet

    “Required front yard | 50 feet | 50 feet | 40 feet [...] Required side yard | 2 sides, total 100 feet, neither less than 40 feet | 2 sides total 60 feet, neither less than 25 feet [...] Required rear yard | 50 feet | 50 feet | 30 feet”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Principal residential uses in the R-R Rural Residential District inside Murrysville municipality.
      “Required front yard | 50 feet | 50 feet | 40 feet [...] Required side yard | 2 sides, total 100 feet, neither less than 40 feet | 2 sides total 60 feet, neither less than 25 feet [...] Required rear yard | 50 feet | 50 feet | 30 feet”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Principal single-family residential uses in the R-1 Low Density Residential District inside Murrysville municipality.

    maximum lot coverage: <= 25 percent

    “Maximum lot coverage | 20% | 25% | 50% | 40%”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Building heightSpecified

    Principal single-family residential uses in the R-1 Low Density Residential District inside Murrysville municipality.

    maximum building height: <= 40 feet

    “Maximum building height | 40 feet | 40 feet | 40 feet | Single-family, 40 feet Two-family, 40 feet Triplex, 40 feet Fourplex, 40 feet Townhouse, 40 feet Garden apartment, 60 feet Multifamily dwelling, 60 feet”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Principal residential uses in the R-R Rural Residential District inside Murrysville municipality.
      “Maximum building height | 40 feet | 40 feet | 40 feet | Single-family, 40 feet Two-family, 40 feet Triplex, 40 feet Fourplex, 40 feet Townhouse, 40 feet Garden apartment, 60 feet Multifamily dwelling, 60 feet”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Murrysville or Westmoreland County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Murrysville municipality.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings inside Murrysville municipality.
  • Living in an RV — Residential occupancy of recreational vehicles on private land inside Murrysville municipality.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Murrysville municipality.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Murrysville municipality.
8 more unanswered
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain

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

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