Off-Grid Living in Sullivan County, Pennsylvania

I'll be upfront: Sullivan County, Pennsylvania is one of those places where the county itself does almost none of the land-use regulating. There's no county-level zoning ordinance. Zoning, building permits, and occupancy rules are handled township by township (eight townships plus four boroughs), often coordinated through the Sullivan County Council of Governments (COG). So almost everything below comes with the same caveat: "ask your specific township."

Zoning: The Sullivan County Planning Commission maintains planning data and administers a countywide Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance (required to comply with the PA Municipalities Planning Code), but it does not zone land itself. Whether your parcel has any zoning restrictions at all depends entirely on whether your township has adopted an ordinance. Some have, some haven't.

Dwellings, tiny homes, RVs: I found no county-specific rule on minimum dwelling size or RV/tiny-home living. Some townships (Colley, Fox, Hillsgrove) issue their own Land Use Permits through the COG. Absent local rules, the state's Uniform Construction Code baseline applies, but you need to confirm with your township whether they've layered on anything stricter.

Building permits: Handled at the township level, coordinated through the COG's permits page. There's no single county building department, so who inspects your build (a township official or a third-party UCC agency) depends on where you are.

Septic: Pennsylvania's Act 537 Sewage Facilities Act sets the statewide framework, but the person who actually reviews your on-lot sewage permit is your township's Sewage Enforcement Officer (SEO), a locally-employed but state-certified official. Greywater falls under the same regulatory umbrella since PA treats it as sewage; I found no separate Sullivan County greywater rule.

Rainwater harvesting: No county-specific restriction found. It inherits the general state posture: fine for non-potable uses, but not an approved substitute for a permitted water supply on a permanent residence.

Wells: Pennsylvania doesn't require a well permit for private landowners, though the driller must be licensed. The Sullivan County Conservation District plays a support role, offering soil and water testing kits, not permitting. The PA Department of Health has also compiled regional well-water data covering Sullivan County that's worth a look before you drill.

Off-grid utility disconnection: No county ordinance addresses this. It's a township-level call tied to occupancy permitting through the COG process, so again, check with your township's zoning or building officer directly.

Bottom line: this is a county where "it depends on your township" is not a cop-out, it's the actual legal structure. Budget time for a couple of phone calls before you buy land or start building.