Bolthole Index

York County, Pennsylvania

Building permits, zoning and septic in Fairview Township, York County, PA

Fairview Township in York County, Pennsylvania has its own zoning ordinance1 and adopts the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code for building work2. Building permits and zoning approval both come through the township, not York County3. Septic permits come from a local sewage agency under the state Act 537 program; we could not confirm which one serves the township4.

At a glance

Building permit
Required; the township enforces the state Uniform Construction Code23
Zoning
Township zoning ordinance covers all land in the township1
Rural district
RL Rural Living; 80,000 sq. ft. minimum lot on an existing street56
Setbacks (RL house)
30 ft each side, 50 ft rear7
Septic
Permit required through a local sewage agency; township office not confirmed48
Certificate of occupancy
Required, issued with the zoning use and occupancy certificate9
Private wells
Homeowners drilling their own well are exempt from the driller licensing requirement10

Who to call

Building permits

Fairview Township building code official and zoning enforcement officer (York County, PA)

Building permits under the Uniform Construction Code and zoning permits, with final inspections coordinated between the two

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 14, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Fairview Township means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in Fairview Township, PA?

Yes. Fairview Township adopts the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, and its chapter says the township adopts all building codes the state code mandates, updating automatically as the state code changes2. Pennsylvania law requires a permit for new residential construction11, and York County itself does not issue building permits3.

Inspections are required, and the applicant must ask for them from both the township's building code official and its zoning enforcement officer1213. A certificate of occupancy is issued together with the zoning use and occupancy certificate9. Permits that the township's own ordinances require, such as zoning, driveway and sewage permits, stay in force alongside the building permit1413.

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

Fairview Township, York County has a zoning ordinance that applies to all land inside the township, adopted under the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code1. York County has no countywide zoning ordinance, so the township's chapter is the rule that matters15.

The rural district is RL Rural Living; the growth areas include RS Single-Family Residential and several village and business districts5. In RL, a new single-family house needs a lot of at least 80,000 sq. ft. on an existing street or 40,000 sq. ft. on a new street6. Required setbacks are 30 ft on each side and 50 ft at the rear7. Impervious coverage is capped at 20% on an existing street and 30% on a new one16, and height is capped at 35 ft17. Front setbacks and lot width depend on the class of road7.

Can you add an accessory apartment in Fairview Township?

In the RL Rural Living district, an accessory apartment is allowed only by special exception from the zoning hearing board, using the criteria in § 300-76 of the township code18. Plan for a hearing before the board rather than a counter approval, and talk to the zoning enforcement officer before you design the space13.

How do septic permits work in Fairview Township?

Pennsylvania requires a permit for an individual on-lot sewage system, and local agencies issue those permits under Act 537 with technical oversight from DEP419. Which local agency serves Fairview Township we could not confirm; the township office can tell you whether its own sewage enforcement officer handles it. Township ordinances confirm that sewage permits remain required alongside the building permit1413.

Only about 18% of the soils in York County rate as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system20.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in Fairview Township?

We could not confirm whether Fairview Township allows living in an RV or a tiny home on a private lot. Its rural-district use table lists RV parks and campgrounds, which is a different question from living in one on your own land. Ask the zoning enforcement officer before you buy or move anything onto the lot13. Pennsylvania's statewide campground rules do not answer it either21.

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

  1. Confirm the zoning district and the road class your lot fronts, since lot area and setbacks depend on both57.
  2. Get septic site testing started early; sewage permits are separate from the building permit4.
  3. If the driveway meets a state road, a PennDOT highway occupancy permit applies22.
  4. Apply for zoning approval and the building permit with the township, and request inspections from both the code official and the zoning officer1213.
  5. Finish with the final inspection and certificate of occupancy before moving in9.

What stays with York County, and what to check before you buy in Fairview Township?

York County does not issue building permits and delegates zoning to its municipalities315. For rules on land outside the township, see the York County page. Countywide, the median property tax bill is about $3,947 a year at an effective rate near 1.7%2324. Check floodplain status before buying, because construction in a flood plain gets additional review25.

Watch-outs

  • Several Pennsylvania townships share the name Fairview; search results often show Fairview Township in Erie County, whose rules do not apply here1.
  • We could not confirm who issues septic permits inside Fairview Township, whether RVs or tiny homes may be lived in on private lots, or the township's fee schedule; call the township office for each13.
  • Final inspections run through two officers, and the applicant must request both12.

Sources

  1. Township of Fairview, PA: Chapter 300 Zoning, General and Legal Provisions (Fairview Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. Chapter 113: Construction Codes, Uniform - Township of Fairview, PA (Fairview Township), quoted and re-checked
  3. York County Planning Commission - Building Permit Reports (2026 county census)
  4. Municipal On-Lot Sewage Service Areas, quoted and re-checked
  5. Article IV: Rural Area Zoning Districts - Township of Fairview, PA (Fairview Township), quoted and re-checked
  6. Article IV: Rural Area Zoning Districts - Township of Fairview, PA (Fairview Township), quoted and re-checked
  7. Article IV: Rural Area Zoning Districts - Township of Fairview, PA (Fairview Township), quoted and re-checked
  8. 25 Pa. Code § 72.22. Permit issuance (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. Chapter 113: Construction Codes, Uniform - Township of Fairview, PA (Fairview Township), quoted and re-checked
  10. Apply for a Water Well Drillers License and Rig Permit, quoted and re-checked
  11. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  12. Chapter 113: Construction Codes, Uniform - Township of Fairview, PA (Fairview Township), quoted and re-checked
  13. Fairview Township building code official and zoning enforcement officer (York County, PA) (ecode360.com)
  14. Chapter 113: Construction Codes, Uniform - Township of Fairview, PA (Fairview Township), quoted and re-checked
  15. Data Center Development in York County (2026 county census)
  16. Article IV: Rural Area Zoning Districts - Township of Fairview, PA (Fairview Township), quoted and re-checked
  17. Article IV: Rural Area Zoning Districts - Township of Fairview, PA (Fairview Township), quoted and re-checked
  18. Article IV: Rural Area Zoning Districts - Township of Fairview, PA (Fairview Township), quoted and re-checked
  19. Act 537 Sewage Facilities, 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. RV and Tent Campsites (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  22. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  23. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  24. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  25. Apply for a Uniform Construction Code Building Permit, quoted and re-checked

Written October 14, 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 Fairview Township

Fairview Township’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Construction inside Fairview Township under the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code

    • Code updates automatically as the state UCC is amended
    • Chapter effective February 5, 2007
    “it is the intent of this chapter that, by adopting the code, fairview township adopts all building or other codes which have been adopted and mandated by the code”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Construction inside Fairview Township

    • Final inspections are coordinated between the township building code official and zoning enforcement officer
    • Applicant must request inspections from both
    “it shall be the responsibility of the applicant to request such inspections or permits from both the township's building code official and zoning enforcement officer”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Use and occupancy inside Fairview Township

    • Issued together with the zoning use and occupancy certificate
    “final inspections and occupancy certificates as required under or issued in conjunction with the code shall be conducted and issued with, and at the same time as, final inspections and use and occupancy certificates required by chapter 300, zoning.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    All land inside Fairview Township, York County

    • Adopted under the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code
    • Uses are by right (P), special exception (SE) or conditional use (CU)
    “this chapter shall be known as and may be cited as "the township of fairview zoning ordinance,"”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts inside Fairview Township

    • Rural district: RL Rural Living
    • Growth area districts include RS Single-Family Residential, RMU, VR, VMU, VB and AB (airport business)
    • Overlay districts are in Article VI
    “ab airport business zoning district this zoning district predominately includes airport, airport service and airport-related uses”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    New single-family detached dwelling in the RL Rural Living district inside Fairview Township

    • 80,000 sq. ft. when sited along an existing street; 40,000 sq. ft. when sited along a new street
    • Minimum lot width varies by street class: 350 ft. arterial, 300 ft. collector, 250 ft. existing local, 95 ft. new local
    • Separate density and conservation-area standards apply to parent tracts of five acres or more

    minimum lot area per unit, existing street: >= 80000 sq ft · minimum lot area per unit, new street: >= 40000 sq ft

    “lot area per unit (minimum) 80,000 sq. ft. 40,000 sq. ft. 5 acres”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Single-family detached dwelling in the RL Rural Living district inside Fairview Township

    • Front setback is 150 ft. arterial, 125 ft. collector, 100 ft. existing local, 75 ft. new local
    • Front setback is 25 ft. if the residential building was erected when that setback applied
    • Accessory structures have different setbacks in the same table

    side setback, each side: >= 30 ft · rear setback: >= 50 ft

    “setback, side (minimum each side) 30 ft. 30 ft. 75 ft. 20 ft. sfd/50 ft. all other nonresidential, nonagriculture uses setback, rear (minimum) 50 ft.”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Single-family detached dwelling in the RL Rural Living district inside Fairview Township

    • Maximum impervious coverage 20% for a dwelling on an existing street, 30% on a new street
    • Minimum vegetative coverage 60%

    maximum impervious coverage, existing street: <= 20 percent

    “impervious lot coverage (maximum) 20% 30% 15%”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Single-family detached dwelling in the RL Rural Living district inside Fairview Township

    • Accessory structures may not be higher than the principal structure

    maximum building height: <= 35 ft

    “building height (maximum) 35 ft. 35 ft. 35 ft. not permitted to be higher than the principal structure”
  • Accessory dwellingsLimited

    Accessory apartments in the RL Rural Living district inside Fairview Township

    • Special exception from the zoning hearing board
    • Criteria in § 300-76
    “accessory apartment se § 300-76 agri-tainment/agri-tourism se § 300-76”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    Driveways inside Fairview Township

    • State highway driveways require a PennDOT permit, which was not researched
    “any permits required by fairview township ordinances, or state or federal statutes or regulations, which are not superseded by the code, including but not limited to, zoning, driveway, sewage, highway or npdes permits, as applicable, shall continue to be required.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Fairview Township
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling floor area inside Fairview Township
  • Living in an RV — RV occupancy on private lots inside Fairview Township
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping inside Fairview Township
  • Tiny homes — Tiny homes inside Fairview Township
11 more unanswered
  • Manufactured homes
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit process

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

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