Rostraver Township, Pennsylvania Building Permit Guide

In Rostraver Township both the zoning permit and the Uniform Construction Code building permit come from the township: Erik Mitchell, the Building, Ordinance and Zoning Officer (724-350-5977), works from the Municipal Building at 201 Municipal Drive (724-929-8877). Electrical permit applications and on-lot sewage permits go through K2 Engineering. Under Resolution 1351, adopted on August 18, 2025, a new house under 3,000 square feet costs $800 for the building permit plus a $175 zoning permit, and every sewered property that is sold needs the Sewage Department’s dye test and camera inspection.

What requires a building permit in Rostraver?

Since the 2017 opt-in, a house or commercial project in Rostraver usually needs two township approvals: a zoning permit and a building permit. The township’s regulation pages spell out the common cases.

Sheds need a zoning permit at any size; there is no charge under 200 square feet, and sheds up to 199 square feet in the A-1, R-1, R-2, R-3 and VR districts may sit 5 feet from the side and rear lines. Any building over 1,000 square feet needs a stormwater management permit as well. An excavated (in-ground) pool that can hold water 18 inches deep or more must be fully enclosed by a barrier at least 4 feet high with self-closing, self-latching gates, kept at least 5 feet from the pool’s walls; Chapter 178 says this barrier rule does not apply to above-ground pools. Fence heights are capped at 6½ feet on side and rear lines in residential and agricultural districts, 6½ feet in the B-1 and B-2 business districts and 10 feet in industrial districts; Ordinance 791, adopted September 21, 2026, removed the wording that tied the business and industrial limits to commercial or industrial use of the lot.

What Rostraver decides and what the state holds

The construction rules are the statewide Uniform Construction Code, which the Board of Commissioners chose to administer locally with Ordinance 683 on March 1, 2017; L&I lists the opt-in from April 1, 2017 with no local amendments. The township controls zoning (the 1995 Zoning Ordinance, Chapter 195 of the code, with a new GIS Zoning Map of July 2026 adopted by Ordinance 790 on July 20, 2026 without changing any parcel’s zoning), floodplain management (Chapter 97), stormwater (Chapter 164), road openings and driveways (Chapter 166), pools (Chapter 178) and its fee resolution.

Rostraver building department: who handles permitting

The Building, Ordinance and Zoning Officer issues zoning, occupancy and building permits, and the building permit application states that only the township’s approved inspector may inspect the work. Electrical permits are requested from K2 Engineering, which also issues permits for new and repaired on-lot septic systems and schedules percolation tests. Erik Mitchell holds the post and is the building code official on L&I’s list. Rostraver has no Planning Commission: since 2002 a Planning Agency made up of the Township Engineer (KLH Engineers), the Building and Zoning Officer and the Township Planner meets monthly on land developments, subdivisions and zoning changes.

Rostraver permit types

Two forms do most of the work. The UCC building permit application records the owner, the location and tax map number, the type of work (new construction, addition, alteration, repair, change of use, occupancy, pools) and the cost of construction. The combined zoning and occupancy application covers erecting, altering, extending, demolishing or occupying a structure or using land, with a sketch of existing and proposed buildings, roads and streams, the setbacks, sewage and water details, any new driveway entrance, disturbed acreage and impervious area, and the Westmoreland Conservation District’s erosion control approval where needed.

Residential permits

For a new house, the township asks for a plot plan with the setbacks from the property lines and the road, and a certificate of liability insurance naming Rostraver Township, 201 Municipal Drive, as certificate holder. A garage application needs a plot plan showing the house, the garage and its distances from the lines; the township gives the correct setbacks by phone if you have the parcel number. Mobile homes have their own fee, which covers up to two decks.

Building or remodeling a home here? Alliance handles residential permit applications, so the crew isn't waiting on the counter.

Commercial permits

Commercial work needs both a building permit and a zoning permit, including for remodeling, and commercial roofing needs a building permit. The building fee is the larger of 1% of the project cost or a formula based on the proposed floor area and the International Code Council’s square-foot construction costs; a copy of the current cost table is available at the township offices. A change of use needs a township occupancy permit before the new use opens.

For tenant improvements and new commercial builds, Alliance handles commercial building permits through issuance. More on this: commercial building permits explained.

What comes before the building permit

• Other agencies first. The township issues its permits only after required PennDOT, DEP and conservation district permits are in place.
• Zoning relief. Variances, special exceptions (including home occupations) and appeals go to the five-member Zoning Hearing Board, which meets on the second Wednesday of the month at 7:30 p.m.; conditional uses and rezoning are reviewed by the Planning Agency and decided by the Board of Commissioners.
• Stormwater. Creating 1,000 square feet or more of impervious area, or disturbing 5,000 square feet or more, needs a stormwater plan approved by the Township Engineer, or an approved exemption ($200, with two copies of the exemption calculations). Grading on more than 5 acres needs a township grading permit.
• Sewer or septic. Tap-ins to the public sewer go through the Sewage Department; new or repaired on-lot systems go through K2 Engineering.
• Driveways and roads. A new or widened driveway or any excavation in a township right-of-way needs a permit from the Township Engineer; boring under a road also needs the Road Supervisor, and overweight hauling needs a permit and bond.
• Floodplain. Development in the identified floodplain follows Chapter 97, Floodplain Management.

Rostraver permit costs and fees

Rostraver’s fees are set by Resolution 1351, adopted by the Board of Commissioners on August 18, 2025, which amends the township’s fee resolutions back to 2002. Its closing line, however, says the increases take effect on August 8, 2024 and that old rates apply to payments received on or before August 7, 2024, dates that match the previous fee resolution (No. 1322, adopted August 7, 2024) rather than the August 18, 2025 adoption.

Worked from the resolution: a new 2,600-square-foot house pays the $800 building permit and the $175 residential principal zoning permit, plus the $4.50 state fee, for $979.50 before any driveway, stormwater or sewer charges. A 3,400-square-foot house built for $500,000 pays 1%, or $5,000, for the building permit instead. Land development starts at $1,000 for up to 3 acres plus $75 for each extra acre, and a zoning change costs $750 plus the cost of its newspaper advertisement.

Trade permits and who may pull them

• Electrical: residential and commercial electrical permit applications are requested from K2 Engineering at permitting@k2engineering.net.
• Building, plumbing and mechanical work: covered by the township building permit and inspected by the approved Rostraver Township inspector; the application warns that an inspection by anyone the township has not approved will not be accepted.
• Sewer laterals: connections need a tap permit from the Sewage Department, and every sale triggers its dye test and lateral camera inspection.
• On-lot septic: permits and percolation tests through K2 Engineering.

The township’s pages set no local license for electricians, plumbers or general contractors. Contractors list their details and attach workers’ compensation insurance information (or a sworn exemption) to the zoning application; home improvement contractors register with the Attorney General under the state’s home improvement law.

How to apply for a Rostraver building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

State deadlines apply to the building permit itself (15 business days for residential work, 5 with a design professional’s certification, and 30 for commercial). What usually takes longer in Rostraver is the zoning side: a Zoning Hearing Board case waits for the monthly hearing, and conditional uses, rezoning and land development go through the monthly Planning Agency and then the Board of Commissioners. The township can suspend or revoke a zoning permit for unauthorized changes, incorrect or incomplete information, or issuance in error.

Inspections in Rostraver

The permit holder calls for each inspection, and no work may be covered until the township inspector has approved it. Keep the building permit on site and visible: if it is not there when the inspector arrives, the inspection has to be rescheduled and a re-inspection fee may apply. Additions, garages, porches and decks are charged $50 for each inspection. Nobody may occupy a new or altered building until a certificate of occupancy is issued, and the zoning application commits the owner to call the township for a final inspection before using a structure or land.

Rentals and home sales

Landlords must file a Status of Occupancy report for each rental unit within 15 days of any change of occupants and within 30 days of acquiring a rental property; failing to file can bring a penalty of up to $100 per violation. When a sewered property is sold, the Sewage Department must dye-test it and televise the lateral, unless the lateral was televised within the past five years, in which case only the dye test ($75) is needed. The full test costs $200 with at least 14 days’ notice, plus $175 for shorter notice or for a test after 3 p.m. The department advises booking it before the house is listed; the buyer is ultimately responsible for correcting any defects, and if the test cannot be done before closing a temporary certification needs at least $10,000 held in escrow.

Pennsylvania building code in Rostraver

Rostraver Township administers the Uniform Construction Code itself under Ordinance 683 of March 1, 2017 (L&I opt-in date April 1, 2017). FEMA’s Community Status Book lists Rostraver Township (community 422184) as participating in the National Flood Insurance Program, with flood maps effective March 17, 2011.

Pennsylvania has one Uniform Construction Code for the whole state, based on the 2021 International Codes since January 1, 2026. Most municipalities enforce it themselves or through a certified third-party agency; where a municipality has opted out, the Department of Labor and Industry handles commercial work and home owners hire a certified agency. Counties do not issue building permits. Pennsylvania rules

Rostraver permit search and official resources

There is no online permit search. The Building and Zoning Officer reports permit counts to the Board of Commissioners each month, and the board’s minutes record them (208 building permits issued in 2026 through August). To see a permit file, mail the township’s Request for Public Records form to the Municipal Building; the Township Secretary handles it, calls when the records are ready and charges $0.25 per copy. Anonymous requests are not accepted.

• Apply for a permit: common permits and approvals
• Planning and Zoning Department
• Regulations: decks, fences, sheds, pools and more
• UCC building permit application (PDF)
• Zoning and occupancy application (PDF)
• Fee schedule, Resolution 1351 (PDF)
• Stormwater management exemption application (PDF)
• Deck rules
• Fence rules
• Shed rules
• Swimming pool rules
• Rental occupancy reporting
• Zoning Hearing Board
• Rostraver Township Sewage Department
• Time of sale dye test and lateral inspection
• 2026 agendas and minutes
• Request to review records
• L&I municipal UCC elections list
• FEMA Community Status Book, Pennsylvania

Rostraver building permit FAQs

Who issues building permits in Rostraver Township?

The township itself, through its Building, Ordinance and Zoning Officer at 201 Municipal Drive (724-350-5977). Electrical permits are requested from K2 Engineering.

How much is a building permit for a new house?

$800 for a house under 3,000 square feet and 1% of the project cost above that, plus the $175 zoning permit and the $4.50 state fee, under Resolution 1351.

Do I need a permit to replace my roof?

Not for a house. A commercial roof needs a building permit.

Do I need a permit for a deck?

A deck under 30 inches high needs no building permit; a higher deck, or any deck with a roof, does.

Does a shed need a permit?

Yes, a zoning permit at any size, free under 200 square feet. A building over 1,000 square feet also needs a stormwater permit.

What is required when I sell a house?

A Sewage Department dye test and camera inspection of the sewer lateral, $200 with 14 days’ notice; if the lateral was televised in the past five years, only the $75 dye test is needed.

How high can my fence be without a permit?

6 feet along the sides and rear and 4 feet in front (6 feet at the building line). Between 6 and 6½ feet on the sides or rear a building permit is needed.

Simplify Rostraver Township permitting with Alliance Permitting

Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Pennsylvania. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the permitting authority through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Rostraver Township permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.