Warwick Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania Building Permit Guide

In Warwick Township, Bucks County (not the Warwick Townships in Lancaster or Chester County), the Department of Planning & Zoning, led by Director Brandy Mckeever, BCO, CZO, processes building, zoning, grading, fire and use and occupancy permits at the township building, 1733 Township Greene, Jamison (215-343-6100). Keystone Municipal Services is listed as the township’s building inspector, and electrical plan review and inspection go to a third-party agency the applicant chooses. Under the 2026 fee schedule, Resolution 2026-07, a new house costs $125 plus $0.55 per square foot of gross floor area before plan review.

What requires a building permit in Warwick Township?

The township says building permits are needed for all structural interior and exterior changes, and it publishes a long list that goes beyond structural work. Most building projects also need a zoning permit, and the township reminds applicants that one project may need several permits.

A separate grading permit is required for any earth disturbance or new impervious coverage over 1,000 square feet, any change to existing drainage patterns, and every in-ground pool regardless of size; those projects must also record a stormwater management agreement against the deed.

What Warwick Township decides and what the state holds

L&I’s list shows Warwick opted in to enforce the Uniform Construction Code on June 7, 2004 and keeps local amendments; it also runs UCC and property maintenance appeals through its own board ($750 plus a $750 escrow). The Board of Supervisors adopts the fee schedule each year, the zoning ordinance, the use and occupancy ordinance (Ordinance 11-09), the floodplain ordinance and the on-lot septic pumping program, and registers deeds, tenants, non-conforming uses and some contractors.

Warwick Township building department: who handles permitting

Planning & Zoning processes every permit and use and occupancy certificate, and its staff include the zoning officer (who is also the floodplain administrator), code enforcement officers and fire inspectors. Building plans are reviewed and inspected by certified staff, with Keystone Municipal Services named as building inspector on the department page. Electrical plan review and inspections are done by a third-party agency of the applicant’s choice, which sends its results to the township.

Warwick Township permit types

Building, zoning, grading, road occupancy and fire permit applications are filed in person at the township building; faxed applications are not accepted. A shorter list of simple permits can be filed online in BS&A: lawn sprinklers, uncovered decks 30 inches or lower, sheds under 144 square feet, HVAC and water heater replacements, roofing, demolition, paved surfaces under 1,000 square feet, fences up to 6 feet with no pool, low walls, dumpsters, storage units, signs, home occupations and open burning. Online applicants see the review status, correspond by email and pay after approval, with a $3 online surcharge.

Residential permits

• Every application: two copies of all plot plans, construction plans and specifications, the signed application and a non-refundable $50 deposit that is credited to the permit fee; missing items send the application back.
• Supplements: the building permit is not complete without the matching supplement for alternative energy, finished basements, lawn irrigation, pools or roofing; zoning permits have their own supplements for fences, patios, pools, signs, wells, temporary structures and impervious surface.
• Wells: a new or rebuilt water well posts a $500 escrow, held until the Bucks County Health Department inspection and well testing pass.

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

Commercial permits

New non-residential buildings pay $150 plus $1.50 per square foot for the building permit and $125 per 1,000 square feet for zoning; a fit-out or change of use in an existing building pays a $105 zoning fee. Sprinkler and alarm systems, kitchen exhaust hoods and storage tanks have separate fire protection fees, and non-residential uses pay annual fire code inspection fees from $60 to $500 by floor area.

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

What comes before the building permit

• Zoning Hearing Board. Variances, special exceptions and appeals of the zoning officer; a residential application costs $1,000 plus a $750 escrow.
• Grading and stormwater. Grading fees include one plan review and two site inspections: $275 to $500 for 1,001 to 5,000 square feet of new impervious surface and at least $700 for an in-ground pool.
• Floodplain. Building, reconstructing or altering a house or accessory structure in the floodplain needs the township floodplain permit.
• Sewer, water and septic. Public water and sewer come from the Warwick Township Water & Sewer Authority or the Warminster Municipal Authority; on-lot systems are regulated by the Bucks County Department of Health and must be registered with the township.
• Land development. Subdivision and land development plans are submitted by appointment only, at least 30 days before the target Planning Commission meeting, with separate filings to the Bucks County Planning Commission and Conservation District and a PennDOT or township road occupancy permit.

Warwick Township permit costs and fees

The Board of Supervisors adopted the amended 2026 fee schedule on January 5, 2026 by Resolution 2026-07. Permits subject to plan review also pay a plan review fee ($75 minimum plus $0.17 per dollar of the complete permit cost, waived when no review is needed), and the $4.50 state fee is added to every building permit.

Worked example: a new house with 3,000 square feet of gross floor area has a building permit fee of $125 plus 3,000 × $0.55, or $1,775, plus the $200 zoning fee (with land development approval), the plan review fee and $4.50. Work begun without a permit pays double, residential permit extensions cost 15% of the original fee, and green projects the township accepts (such as Energy Star or LEED) get a 10% permit discount and expedited review.

Trade permits and who may pull them

Contractors on new construction and commercial jobs register with the township every year for $160 per contractor or subcontractor, with insurance certificates naming the township as certificate holder and additional insured; the older registration form also lists residential additions. Every contractor gives the township its state HICPA registration number where that law applies. The township’s pages describe no local trade license.

• Electrical: plan review and inspections by a third-party agency of the applicant’s choice; the township posts a list of electrical underwriting agencies and charges its own fees per device or by cost on alterations.
• Plumbing: per-fixture fees with a $200 minimum for a whole new house system; lawn sprinkler tie-ins include the backflow preventer.
• Mechanical: new HVAC equipment on cost; replacements and water heaters can be filed online.
• Fire: sprinkler heads, detectors and alarms, kitchen exhausts and tanks go through the township fire inspectors.

How to apply for a Warwick Township building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

The township returns applications that lack the two plan sets, the signature or the deposit, and a building application without its supplement is incomplete. Plan review can be expedited at double the standard plan review and zoning fees. State rules give the township 15 business days to decide a complete residential application and 30 for commercial work.

Inspections and resale certificates in Warwick Township

Certified inspectors visit at several points before completion, and electrical inspections are made by the chosen third-party agency. A pre-final walkthrough with the building inspector costs $100, expedited inspections add 50% ($50 minimum), and priority scheduling adds 25%. New houses need a use and occupancy certificate ($250); the township does not issue temporary certificates for new construction during the growing season, and occupying a building before the certificate doubles the fee.

Every home sale needs a residential resale use and occupancy certificate under Ordinance 11-09 ($200, one re-inspection included); a new tenant needs the residential rental use and occupancy application at the same fee. Apply at least 30 days before settlement; the contact named on the application must call the township to book the inspection, ideally three to four weeks ahead. The inspector checks that past work had permits and none are open, that guards, handrails and address numbers are in place, and, on a well or septic lot, that a certified well test is supplied, the septic system works and is registered, and a visual inspection report from the past year is on file. Landlords also register each tenant with the township by January 31 every year ($10 per rental), and every new owner files a deed registration ($10) within 30 days of recording or faces a $600 penalty.

Pennsylvania building code in Warwick Township

Warwick enforces the UCC under its 2004 opt-in, with local amendments, through its Planning & Zoning Department and its listed inspection agency. FEMA’s Community Status Book lists Warwick Township, Bucks County (community 420209) as participating in the National Flood Insurance Program, with flood maps effective March 16, 2015, and in the Community Rating System at class 7, a 15% premium discount. Septic tanks must be pumped at least every three years under the township’s on-lot program.

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

Warwick Township permit search and official resources

Online applicants follow their permits in BS&A’s activity screen. Other permit and property files are requested in writing on the township or state Right-to-Know form; the Open Records Officer answers within five business days, copies cost 25 cents a page, and records can be inspected at the municipal building during business hours.

• Warwick Township Planning and Zoning
• Permits and forms
• BS&A online permitting
• Online permitting pamphlet
• 2026 fee schedule (Resolution 2026-07)
• Building permit application
• Zoning permit application
• Grading, earth disturbance and drainage permit
• Residential resale use and occupancy application (April 2026)
• Contractor registration
• Electrical underwriting inspection agencies
• Floodplain management
• Right to Know
• Pennsylvania L&I municipal UCC elections list
• FEMA Community Status Book, Pennsylvania

Warwick Township building permit FAQs

Which Warwick Township does this cover?

Warwick Township in Bucks County, with its township building at 1733 Township Greene, Jamison. The Warwick Townships in Lancaster and Chester counties are separate municipalities.

Can I apply for a permit online?

Only for the simpler permits on the township’s BS&A list, such as sheds under 144 square feet, low decks, fences up to 6 feet without a pool, HVAC and water heaters. Other applications are filed in person.

How much is a building permit for a new house?

$125 plus $0.55 per square foot of gross floor area, plus a plan review fee, the zoning fee and $4.50.

Do I need a permit to replace my roof?

Yes. Reroofing is on the building permit list, and roofing permits can be filed online.

What is needed to sell a house in Warwick Township?

A resale use and occupancy certificate: a $200 application filed 30 days before settlement and a township inspection.

Who inspects electrical work?

A third-party electrical inspection agency chosen by the applicant, which reports to the township.

Do I need a grading permit for a patio?

Only if the patio or other new impervious surface exceeds 1,000 square feet or changes drainage; every in-ground pool needs one.

Simplify Warwick Township, Bucks County 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 Warwick Township, Bucks County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.