Bolthole Index

York County, Pennsylvania

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Manheim Township, York County, Pennsylvania

Manheim Township in York County, Pennsylvania sets its own zoning through Chapter 27 of the township code1. York County does not zone for it2. Building permits fall under Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code, and the York County Planning Commission does not issue them3. Septic permits are issued by a local agency under state law4; the township's own septic arrangement is unconfirmed.

At a glance

Zoning
Township zoning, Chapter 27 of the township code1
Districts
RR, A, CV, V, GC, plus a flood plain overlay (FP)5
Building permit
Required under Pennsylvania's UCC; issued by the municipality, not the county63
Septic
Permit from a local agency under state law; confirm which one with the township4
Owner-builder
Permit and code rules still apply to owners7
Driveway on a state road
PennDOT permit required8

Who to call

Zoning

Manheim Township code (Chapter 27 Zoning)

Zoning districts and dimensional rules for land inside Manheim Township; the township's zoning officer administers it

Planning & zoning

York County Planning Commission

County planning information and referrals to the right municipal permit office; it does not issue building permits

717-771-9870

28 E Market Street, 3rd Floor, York, PA 17401

Online permits →

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

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

Yes. Manheim Township, York County adopted its own zoning as Chapter 27 of the township code, and the code covers all land inside the township1. The township's zones are Rural Residential (RR), Agricultural (A), Conservation (CV), Village (V) and General Commerce (GC), with a Flood Plain (FP) overlay on top of them5.

In the RR zone, a single-family lot without public water or sewer needs at least 1 acre and 150 feet of width; with both public water and sewer the minimums drop to 21,780 square feet and 100 feet9. A house in RR needs a 35-foot front setback, 10 feet on each side and 30 feet at the rear10. Lot coverage is capped at 35% without public water and sewer and 45% with both11. The main building height limit is 35 feet12. We did not confirm the Agricultural zone's dimensions, so ask the township zoning officer for the Agricultural zone's rules before buying farmland.

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

Yes. Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code requires a building permit before construction, enlargement, alteration or repair of a residential building, and a certificate of occupancy before anyone lives in it613. York County does not issue building permits; the municipality does3.

We could not confirm whether Manheim Township runs its own code office or uses a certified third-party agency, so the first call is to the township office, which can also say what its fee schedule is. Statewide, municipalities that enforce the code locally set their own fees14. Agricultural buildings that meet the statute's definition are outside the Construction Code Act, though zoning still applies15.

How do septic permits work in Manheim Township, PA?

Pennsylvania requires a permit from a local agency before installing or using an on-lot sewage system4. Local agencies can be a municipality, a group of municipalities or a county health department, so the issuing office differs from place to place16. We could not confirm which agency issues septic permits inside Manheim Township; ask the township office.

An owner-or-family residence on a contiguous tract of at least 10 acres may qualify for a permit exemption, but only under specific owner-of-record, notification and siting conditions4. Soils matter too: USDA rates about 18% of York County soils as not limited for a conventional drain field, so most lots need a site evaluation and may need an engineered system17.

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

We could not confirm a rule for either one. The township's zoning code controls which uses are allowed in each district1, so an RV or tiny home used as a dwelling has to fit the district where the parcel sits and still meet the Uniform Construction Code if it is a building6. Pennsylvania's state park camping limits do not answer the question for private land. Ask the township zoning officer in writing before you buy or move anything onto a lot.

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

  1. Confirm the zoning district of the parcel on the township zoning map and read that district's lot, setback and height rules5.
  2. Check the flood plain overlay; where it applies, Chapter 8 of the township code supplements the zoning district18.
  3. Arrange septic testing with the local sewage agency4.
  4. Apply for the building permit through the township's code office or its third-party agency6.
  5. If the driveway meets a state road, get a PennDOT highway occupancy permit; PennDOT usually issues it within 30 days of a complete application8.
  6. Schedule the required inspections and obtain the certificate of occupancy19.

What to check before you buy land in Manheim Township, PA

Subdivision matters if you plan to split a tract: in the Agricultural zone, one lot may be subdivided for each 300 linear feet of road frontage20. A homeowner drilling a private well on their own land does not need a driller's license, though the state does not set construction standards for private wells21.

For money, York County's effective property tax rate is 1.7%22. For land outside Manheim Township, see the York County page.

Watch-outs

  • Several townships and boroughs in Pennsylvania share the name Manheim, including one in Lancaster County; confirm that any code, map or permit page is for Manheim Township in York County1.
  • We could not confirm Manheim Township's building permit office, septic agency, RV or tiny-home rules, or minimum dwelling size; ask the township office before you buy, since the county does not issue building permits3.
  • The township zoning code's flood plain overlay adds Chapter 8 requirements on top of the underlying zone18.

Sources

  1. Township of Manheim, PA Code, Ch. 27 Zoning, Part 2 Zone Regulations (§§ 201-208) (Manheim Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. Data Center Development in York County, quoted and re-checked
  3. York County Planning Commission (ycpc.org)
  4. 25 Pa. Code § 72.22. Permit issuance (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  5. Township of Manheim, PA Code, Chapter 27 Zoning (table of contents) (Manheim Township), quoted and re-checked
  6. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  7. Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act, quoted and re-checked
  8. Apply for a PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. Township of Manheim, PA Code, Ch. 27 Zoning, Part 2 Zone Regulations (§§ 201-208) (Manheim Township), quoted and re-checked
  10. Township of Manheim, PA Code, Ch. 27 Zoning, Part 2 Zone Regulations (§§ 201-208) (Manheim Township), quoted and re-checked
  11. Township of Manheim, PA Code, Ch. 27 Zoning, Part 2 Zone Regulations (§§ 201-208) (Manheim Township), quoted and re-checked
  12. Township of Manheim, PA Code, Ch. 27 Zoning, Part 2 Zone Regulations (§§ 201-208) (Manheim Township), quoted and re-checked
  13. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. PART XIV, quoted and re-checked
  15. Pennsylvania Construction Code Act — Chapter 1 (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. Act 537 Sewage Facilities, quoted and re-checked
  17. 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
  18. Township of Manheim, PA Code, Ch. 27 Zoning, Part 2 Zone Regulations (§§ 201-208) (Manheim Township), quoted and re-checked
  19. Part XIV, Uniform Construction Code, Chapter 403 Administration (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  20. Township of Manheim, PA Code, Ch. 27 Zoning, Part 2 Zone Regulations (§§ 201-208) (Manheim Township), quoted and re-checked
  21. Apply for a Water Well Drillers License and Rig Permit (Pennsylvania statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  22. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data

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 Manheim Township

Manheim Township’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent

    All land inside Manheim Township, York County, PA

    • Zoning is Chapter 27 of the township code, enacted as Ord. 2002-01, 2/7/2002, and later amended.
    “the uses permitted in the zones established by this chapter, and the permitted extent of these uses, are as shown in §§ 203 through 207.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts inside Manheim Township

    • Flood Plain Zone (FP) is an overlay on the underlying zones.

    zones: RR, A, CV, V, GC, FP

    “§ 203 rural residential zone (rr). § 204 agricultural zone (a). § 205 conservation zone (cv). § 206 village zone (v). § 207 general commerce zone (gc). § 208 flood plain zone (fp).”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Rural Residential (RR) zone, Manheim Township, non-farm uses incl. single-family dwellings

    • Lot must also meet setbacks and PA DEP requirements for on-site water and sewage including replacement system location.
    • Some uses have other minimums in Part 6.
    • Agricultural zone dimensions not captured; see followups.

    min lot area, public water and sewer: >= 21780 sq ft · min lot area, no public water or sewer: >= 1 acre · min lot width, public water and sewer: >= 100 ft · min lot width, no public water or sewer: >= 150 ft

    “farm 5 acres 5 acres all other uses** 1/2 acre (21, 780 square feet) 1 acre minimum lot width 100 feet 150 feet”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Rural Residential (RR) zone, single-family detached dwelling, Manheim Township

    • Farm buildings housing animals require 100 feet on all sides.
    • Part 4 setback modifications may apply.

    front setback: >= 35 ft · side setback each: >= 10 ft · rear setback: >= 30 ft

    “a. front setback. (1) single-family detached dwelling: 35 feet. (2) farm buildings housing animals: 100 feet.”
  • Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Rural Residential (RR) zone, Manheim Township

    • Limit is 45% where served by public water and public sewer.

    max impervious, no public water or sewer: <= 35 percent · max impervious, public water and sewer: <= 45 percent

    “a. lots not served by public water or public sewer: not more than 35% of the lot area may be covered with an impervious surface.”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Rural Residential (RR) zone, main buildings, Manheim Township

    • May extend to 3 1/2 stories/45 ft if each setback is increased one foot per foot over 35 ft.
    • Accessory buildings: two stories, not over 25 ft.
    • Farm buildings: no height limit if set back a distance at least equal to their height.

    max height main building: <= 35 ft (2 1/2 stories)

    “the height limit for a main building shall be 2 1/2 stories, but not over 35 feet”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision in the Agricultural zone, Manheim Township; subdivision ordinance is Chapter 22

    • Per-parent-tract quotas and road-frontage limits apply in the A zone.

    lots per road frontage: per 300 linear feet per lot

    “one lot shall be permitted to be subdivided for each 300 linear feet of road frontage.”
  • Building in a floodplainLimited

    Land in identified flood plain areas inside Manheim Township

    • Overlay on underlying zones; Chapter 8 governs and the more restrictive provision applies.
    “the flood plain zone described above shall be an overlay to the existing underlying zones, as shown on the official manheim township zoning map, and, as such, the provisions of chapter 8 shall serve as a supplement to the underlying zoning district provisions.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — Building permits inside Manheim Township
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Manheim Township
  • Building code adopted — Building code inside Manheim Township
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Manheim Township
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Manheim Township
15 more unanswered
  • Minimum dwelling size
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees
  • 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 Manheim 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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