In Springettsbury Township, York County, the Community Development Department (717-757-3521) reviews and issues building permits, and its full-time inspectors carry out the inspections, with third-party inspectors when needed. Under Resolution 2026-29, approved January 22, 2026, a residential permit costs 1.5% of the construction cost with a $25 minimum, each building or zoning inspection is $75, and applications are emailed with no prepayment: the township sends an invoice.
What requires a building permit in Springettsbury Township?
The township lists the work that needs a building permit under the Uniform Construction Code, and its FAQ explains the smaller residential projects that still need a permit from the township.
Building permit
- New buildings, additions, alterations and demolition
- Changes of use or occupancy, and accessibility work
- Plumbing, mechanical and electrical work
- Signs
- Retaining walls over 4 feet high
- Adding or removing interior walls, or changing exit routes
- Decks and porches over 30 inches above grade or covered by a roof
- Swimming pools, including the required barrier or fence
Residential permit application
- Sheds of 150 square feet or less, behind the house, at least 3 feet from side and rear lines and no more than 8 feet tall
- Larger sheds, treated as accessory buildings with a 10-foot rear setback
- Fences up to 6 feet along side and rear lines
- Patios, garages, roofs, repairs and interior work listed on the residential form
The FAQ says permits are required for most work in the township and must be obtained before work starts. Fences over 2 feet are not allowed in a sight triangle, nothing may be built in a street, drainage or sewer right-of-way or other public easement, and fences on corner lots, between duplex units or next to a highway must meet extra criteria. A larger accessory building may also need a seepage pit.
Building or remodeling a home here? Alliance handles residential permit expediting, so the crew isn't waiting on the counter.
What Springettsbury decides and what the state holds
The building standards are Pennsylvania’s Uniform Construction Code, which the township adopted by ordinance with its own administration, board of appeals and fees; L&I’s list shows it opted in on July 1, 2004 with no amendments. The Board of Supervisors sets the zoning ordinance, including the floodplain and steep slope overlay districts, the subdivision and stormwater ordinances, the plumbing license rules and the fee schedule.
Springettsbury Township building department: who handles permitting
The Community Development Department handles building permits, inspections, zoning, land development and property code enforcement. Randall Heilman is Director of Community Development and Rachael Keagy is Zoning Officer, code enforcement officer and Building Code Official. The township employs full-time inspectors certified in their fields and brings in third-party inspectors when needed.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Office | Community Development, Springettsbury Municipal Complex, 1501 Mt. Zion Road, York, PA 17402 |
| Phone and fax | 717-757-3521; fax 717-757-7856 |
| Applications | By email to Permits@springettsbury.com |
| Office hours | Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., except township holidays |
| Inspection booking | 717-757-3521, weekdays 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., at least 48 hours ahead |
The City of York has its own permit bureau; see the York guide, and the York County guide for the county as a whole.
Springettsbury Township permit types
The township uses three main forms: a residential permit application for all work on residential property, a non-residential permit application for everything else, and a plumbing permit application. Sign, road cut, highway occupancy and Zoning Hearing Board forms are in the township’s document finder.
Residential permits
The residential form covers new homes, additions, repairs, interior work, fences, sheds, patios, decks, garages, pools, roofs and retaining walls. It is emailed with a site plan showing lot lines, setbacks and every structure on the lot (a satellite image with the work drawn on is generally acceptable for some applications), construction information and any state approvals such as DEP or PennDOT permits. The township allows up to 15 days for review, restarting the clock each time it must ask for more information, and accepts no prepayment.
Commercial permits
Non-residential applications are emailed only, with no hard copies, along with a site plan or the suite’s location in a larger building, stormwater and sewer information and any outside approvals; the township posts a separate list of plan requirements. Review takes up to 30 business days and restarts after each request for information.
Commercial permits carry minimum fees set by construction cost, each band including a number of inspections: $150 with two inspections below $20,000, $450 with four from $20,000, $750 with six from $40,000, $1,050 with eight from $60,000, $1,350 with ten from $80,000, $1,875 with 14 from $100,000, $2,625 with 23 from $150,000 and $3,375 with 30 from $200,000 to $250,000, then 2% of cost. Plan review is billed at permit issue, or on cancellation or abandonment, at $75 per half hour.
For tenant improvements and new commercial builds, Alliance handles commercial permit applications through issuance. More on this: commercial building permits explained.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →What comes before the building permit
- Zoning. The Zoning Officer and a deputy administer the zoning ordinance; variances and special exceptions go to the Zoning Hearing Board ($600 for the first request), and a change of use or owner needs a zoning use and occupancy permit ($200). Filing deadlines for 2026 meetings are posted.
- Stormwater. Stormwater plans are reviewed at cost plus 10%, with an inspection escrow of $5 per square foot, from $500 to $10,000.
- Sewer. Connections pay a $2,568 tapping fee, plus district charges of $382 per EDU in the East York Pump District or $721 per EDU in the Northwestern Sanitary Sewer Collection District, and a sewer construction permit application is $50.
- Demolition. The Historic Preservation Committee reviews demolition permits to decide whether a building should be photographed and documented first.
Springettsbury Township permit costs and fees
Fees come from Resolution 2026-29, approved January 22, 2026, which is the schedule posted in the township’s document finder; the FAQ page still links the earlier Resolution 2024-36 schedule of April 25, 2024, which charged 1% of cost for residential permits. Fees are invoiced by email after review.
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Residential permit | 0.015 × cost of construction, minimum $25 |
| Residential demolition | 0.015 × cost, minimum $25 |
| Building and/or zoning inspection | $75 each |
| Re-inspection after a failed or incomplete inspection | $100 |
| Commercial inspections, by construction cost | $150 (under $20,000, 2 inspections) up to $3,375 ($200,000–$250,000, 30 inspections); 2% of cost above $250,000 |
| Commercial plan review / extra inspections | $75 per half hour / $75 each |
| Commercial application submittal / administrative fee | 25% of estimated permit fee / $4 plus 10%, minimum $24 |
| Zoning permit, accessory structure under 1,000 sq ft | $50 |
| Permit renewal, first / second six months | 50% / 25% of original fee |
| Certificate of occupancy / temporary certificate | No charge / $50 |
| Work started without a permit | Permit fee × 2 |
| UCC Board of Appeals | $150 plus the York County board’s fees |
Worked from the resolution: a $40,000 home addition carries a permit fee of 0.015 × $40,000 = $600, plus $75 for each building or zoning inspection on its list and the $4.50 state UCC fee. A plumbing permit for eight fixtures with two inspections is $50 + 8 × $5 + 2 × $75 = $240. Every re-inspection fee must be paid before the certificate of use and occupancy is issued.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Zoning hearing fees are $600 for a first variance or special exception request and $100 for each additional request, $650 to challenge a Zoning Officer decision and $1,500 for a conditional use, curative amendment or ordinance or map amendment; a hardship fee waiver is available on application. Residential sketch plans cost $1,000, and developers pay $1,894 per proposed dwelling unit in place of contributing land under Resolution 2017-27.
Septic work is priced in the same resolution: $210 for a sewage permit for a new on-lot system or a major repair or modification, $75 for a minor repair or temporary holding tank, $90 for a soil probe and $375 for a first six-hole percolation test, with inspections of construction, malfunctions and real estate transactions billed at $50 an hour. The on-lot management program’s administration and SEO inspection fee is $60, and a request to extend the septic pumping interval costs $150.
Trade permits and who may pull them
- Plumbing: only a master plumber licensed by Springettsbury Township may apply for a plumbing permit, giving the township master license number. The permit costs $50 plus $5 a fixture and $75 an inspection; annual licenses are $50 for a master, $10 for a journeyman and $3 for an apprentice, with a $30 exam fee and a $100 temporary master license. An application lapses 180 days after filing unless pursued, and paid fees are not refunded.
- Electrical and mechanical: covered by the building permit and inspected by township inspectors, whose inspections include electrical, mechanical, energy, fire protection and life safety.
- Garbage disposals: $10 for a home unit and $30 for a commercial one.
The township’s pages show no local electrician or general contractor license. Home improvement contractors register with the state Attorney General.
How to apply for a Springettsbury Township building permit
Residential, non-residential or plumbing (by a township-licensed master plumber).
Setbacks, sight triangles and easements on the zoning map and FAQ.
Lot lines, setbacks, structures, streets and easements, with drawings and specifications.
DEP, PennDOT or other permits the work needs.
Send it to Permits@springettsbury.com; incomplete applications are not accepted.
The township emails it after review; no prepayment.
From the list issued with the permit, 48 hours ahead.
Rather not deal with the building department?
Get a free quote →Review, corrections and what causes delay
The township gives 15 business days for a residential building permit and 30 for commercial, in line with state rules, and its forms say the review period restarts each time it must ask for more information. Missing site plan details, absent outside approvals, a zoning hearing or a stormwater plan review are the usual causes of delay. Permits expire one year after issue and may be renewed every six months for up to one more year.
Inspections in Springettsbury Township
When a permit is issued the applicant receives the list of required inspections for the project. Inspections are booked Monday to Friday between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. by calling 717-757-3521 at least 48 hours ahead, and cancelled on the same number as soon as possible. Inspectors cover building, plumbing, accessibility, energy, electrical, mechanical, fire protection and life safety work. The inspections page charges $100 for the second and every later re-inspection; the 2026 resolution prices each building or zoning inspection at $75 and a re-inspection after a failed or incomplete inspection at $100.
The certificate of use and occupancy is issued with the building permit at no charge once all inspections pass and re-inspection fees are paid; a temporary certificate costs $50. The fee schedule also lists a $200 zoning use and occupancy permit for a change of use or owner; the township’s pages do not describe a separate resale inspection of houses.
Pennsylvania building code in Springettsbury Township
Springettsbury has enforced the Uniform Construction Code since July 1, 2004, with no amendments, through its own Community Development staff, and a UCC appeal costs $150 plus the York County Board of Appeals fee schedule. FEMA’s Community Status Book lists Springettsbury Township (community 421031) as participating in the National Flood Insurance Program, with flood maps effective December 16, 2015, and the zoning ordinance maps a floodplain overlay district.
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
Springettsbury Township permit search and official resources
Each month the township posts a permit list for the year to date, the September 2026 report showing each permit’s type, number, issue date, address, work description, status and contractor, which works as a simple permit search by address. For older files the township invites a file review by calling the department, or a right-to-know request by mail, email, fax or in person, answered within five business days with a possible 30-day extension.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →- Building permits
- Building inspections and scheduling
- Community development FAQ
- Resolution 2026-29 fee schedule (PDF)
- Residential permit application (PDF)
- Non-residential permit application (PDF)
- Plan requirements for non-residential permits (PDF)
- Plumbing permit application (PDF)
- Permits approved, September 2026 report (PDF)
- Zoning districts and Zoning Hearing Board
- 2026 filing deadlines and meeting dates (PDF)
- Historic Preservation Committee
- Township forms and documents finder
- Right-to-know requests
- L&I municipal UCC elections list
- FEMA Community Status Book, Pennsylvania
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Springettsbury Township building permit FAQs
How much is a residential building permit?
1.5% of the construction cost, at least $25, under Resolution 2026-29, plus $75 for each building or zoning inspection and the $4.50 state fee.
Do I need a permit for a shed?
Yes. A shed of 150 square feet or less, no taller than 8 feet, may go behind the house at least 3 feet from the side and rear lines on a residential permit; anything larger is an accessory building with a 10-foot rear setback.
Do I need a permit for a fence?
Yes. Fences up to 6 feet are generally allowed along side and rear lines, and the residential application with a site plan is required.
How do I schedule an inspection?
Call 717-757-3521 at least 48 hours ahead; inspections run weekdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Can my handyman pull a plumbing permit?
No. Plumbing permits are applied for by a master plumber licensed by Springettsbury Township.
How long is a permit good for?
One year from issue, renewable every six months for up to one more year at 50% and then 25% of the original fee.
What is the sewer tapping fee?
$2,568 per connection, plus a district charge per EDU in the East York Pump District ($382) or the Northwestern Sanitary Sewer Collection District ($721).
Do I pay when I apply?
No. The township accepts no prepayment and emails an invoice.
Simplify Springettsbury 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.
Ready to break ground in Springettsbury Township sooner?
Let Alliance prepare, file, and track your Springettsbury Township permits while your crew stays on the job.
More Pennsylvania permitting guides
York County
Read guide →West Manchester Township
Read guide →Fairview Township, York County
Read guide →Springfield Township, Delaware County Building Permit Guide
Read guide →State College Building Permit Guide
Read guide →Swatara Township Building Permit Guide
Read guide →This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Springettsbury Township permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.