Off-Grid Living in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania

I'll be upfront: Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania is a tricky one to research because there's no county-wide zoning here. The county itself told me (via its Planning and Development page) that out of 40 municipalities, only a handful, Montrose being the main example, actually have their own zoning ordinance and planning commission. Everyone else either has no zoning at all or has signed on to follow the county's Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance (SALDO) instead. That's a huge structural fact for anyone hoping to go off-grid here: whether you can just buy raw land and live on it in a tiny home, camper, or cabin depends almost entirely on which specific township or borough the parcel sits in, not on any countywide rule.

On building, Pennsylvania's statewide Uniform Construction Code (UCC) is the baseline that applies everywhere, but enforcement is local, meaning whatever municipality (or its designated UCC agency) has jurisdiction over your parcel is who issues permits and inspects. I did not find a Susquehanna County-run building permit office, so this is a township-by-township question.

Septic is administered locally under Pennsylvania's Act 537 Sewage Facilities Act. In practice, the county's own FAQ page explains that a Sewage Enforcement Officer (SEO), hired by your township or borough, runs the perc test and site investigation that determines whether your land can support an on-lot system. That SEO also handles the sewage planning module in coordination with PA DEP. So septic and, by extension, greywater (which PA regulates as sewage) both run through your local municipality's SEO, not a county office.

Rainwater harvesting for non-potable use appears fine under general state rules, though I couldn't find a Susquehanna County-specific ordinance addressing it either way, so treat that as unconfirmed rather than a hard yes.

Wells follow the state's Act 610 framework, meaning Pennsylvania doesn't require a state well permit but does require a licensed well driller. The Susquehanna County Conservation District is a useful resource here, especially if you're doing anything near a water body, like building a pond, since they help administer Chapter 105 water-obstruction permits.

Living disconnected from the grid electrically isn't addressed by any county ordinance I could find. Given the patchwork of local zoning, it's plausible many townships have no utility-hookup mandate at all, but that's genuinely a township-by-township call you need to make yourself.

Bottom line: start with the county's Planning and Development office to find out if your target parcel falls under a zoned municipality or the county's SALDO, then call that specific township or borough for zoning, dwelling-type, and septic questions.