Building Permits & Sewage Permit Information

Jones Township, Elk County, administers and enforces the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code program for several neighboring municipalities in Elk, Cameron and McKean Counties. By entering into an inter-municipal agreements, we are able to provide a comprehensive full-time building code inspection program for our local rural communities.

Do I Need a Building Permit?
Although most construction projects require a building permit, the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code (PA UCC) does provide a number of specific residential exemptions.

THE FOLLOWING RESIDENTIAL WORK DOES NOT REQUIRE A BUILDING PERMIT:

1. Fully detached accessory buildings to single-family dwellings with a building footprint less than 1,000 square feet.
2. Agricultural Buildings. Agricultural buildings are defined under Section 7210.103 of the PA UCC as; “A structure utilized to store farm implements, hay, feed, grain or other agricultural or horticultural products or to house poultry, livestock or other farm animals, a milk house and a structure used to grow mushrooms. The term includes a carriage house owned and used by members of a recognized religious sect for the purposes of housing horses and storing buggies. The term shall not include habitable space or spaces in which agricultural products are processed, treated or packaged and shall not be construed to mean a place of occupancy by the general public.” Horse barns for private use are considered agricultural, horse barns for commercial stables and equestrian training facilities are not considered agricultural.
3. Alterations to residential buildings which do not make structural changes or changes to means of egress. Under this subsection, a structural change does not include a minor framing change needed to replace existing windows or doors.
4. Ordinary repairs to residential buildings. Roof replacement is an ordinary repair. However replacing the structural roof framing does require a permit.
5. Installation of aluminum or vinyl siding onto an existing residential or an existing commercial building.
6. A recreational cabin if the following conditions are met:
   1. The cabin is equipped with at least one smoke detector, one fire extinguisher and one carbon monoxide detector in both the kitchen and sleeping quarters.
   2. The owner of the cabin files a notarized Affidavit with the municipality: L&I Department form UCC-13 attesting to the fact that the building meets the definition of a recreational cabin. Please click here for additional requirements for recreational cabins.
7. Fences that are not over 6 feet in height.
8. Prefabricated swimming pools accessory to a Group R-3 occupancy which are less than 24 inches deep, do not exceed 5,000 gallons, and are installed entirely above ground.
9. Installation of an uncovered deck where the floor of the deck is no more than 30 inches above grade, provided construction of the deck does not alter the means of egress

Building Permit Applications are located HERE

Other Building Requirements are located HERE