Lower Bucks Municipal Code Directory

Every municipality in Bucks County adopts its own zoning ordinance, subdivision and land development ordinance, building code, and property maintenance code. There is no countywide zoning; each of the 54 municipalities controls its own land use. The first step in any real estate matter is identifying which municipality governs the property and finding the applicable code.

Below are direct links to the municipal codes for Lower Bucks County municipalities near the office. Most are hosted on eCode360 (General Code), a free, searchable platform. Bookmark the one that covers your property.

Lower Bucks Municipal Codes

Countywide Zoning & Planning Resources

• Bucks County GIS Zoning Map: Interactive, parcel-level zoning overlay for the entire county. Click any parcel to see its zoning district, assessment data, and link to the applicable ordinance language. This is the single most useful tool for quick zoning lookups.
• Bucks County Planning Commission (BCPC): Reviews all subdivision, land development, and municipal ordinance proposals countywide under the PA Municipalities Planning Code. Staff includes planners, landscape architects, GIS specialists, and transportation planners. Resource library maintains archived comprehensive plans and zoning ordinances for all 54 municipalities.
• BCEDC Industrial/Office Zoning Map: Interactive map showing industrial and office zoning districts, available sites, and parcel data. Useful for commercial and industrial property searches.
• eCode360 Library: Search all Pennsylvania municipalities on eCode360. If your municipality is not listed above, search here: most Bucks County municipalities use this platform.

Use & Occupancy Inspections: The Closing Trap

Several Lower Bucks municipalities require a Use & Occupancy (U&O) inspection or resale certificate in connection with the sale of residential property. This is separate from any home inspection the buyer orders. It is a municipal code compliance requirement, and failing to obtain or deliver it exposes the seller to fines. Lenders, title companies, and the agreement of sale typically treat it as a condition of closing as a practical matter, but confirm with the specific municipality whether its ordinance ties the requirement to settlement itself or to reoccupancy after the sale, the two are not the same thing and the distinction affects timing. Out-of-area attorneys and agents miss this regularly.

The U&O inspection typically checks for building code violations, unpermitted work, property maintenance issues, and zoning compliance. If the property fails, the seller (or sometimes the buyer, depending on the agreement of sale) must make repairs before closing or escrow funds for the work.

Common requirements by municipality:

• Bristol Township: Requires zoning and chimney and electrical certifications delivered to the buyer at or before settlement (Code Ch. 154, §154-4), and a separate occupancy certificate application when the property is reoccupied after the sale (§154-8). A seller who does not comply is subject to a fine of up to $600 under §154-7, not a bar on closing. Inspection scheduled through Code Enforcement. Expect 2 to 4 week lead time.
• Falls Township: Requires a residential resale Use & Occupancy certificate before transfer. As of 2021, Falls replaced the full resale inspection for owner-occupied homes with a certification of major components (heating, chimney, sewer, electrical panel) plus a property history review that lists any open permits or violations. Handled through Code Enforcement & Zoning. Confirm current procedure directly with the Township.
• Bensalem Township: Requires a Residential Resale Use & Occupancy Permit, but there is no township inspection of the house itself. The seller must submit three certifications from licensed professionals: an electrical service panel certification from an approved electrical underwriter, a heating system maintenance certification from a licensed mechanical contractor, and a chimney, flue, or vent certification (NFPA 211 Level II) from a licensed chimney sweep. File the application at least one month before settlement; the fee is $100. Administered by the Building and Planning Department.
• Middletown Township: Requires a Level II chimney and flue inspection under NFPA 211 on every residential sale or transfer, for any home with a fuel-burning appliance such as an oil or gas furnace, a fireplace, or a wood or pellet stove. The inspection must be performed by a CSIA-certified chimney sweep. It is administered by Fire & Emergency Management, the Fire Marshal's Office, not Building & Zoning, and it does not apply to all-electric homes or homes with a vent-less fireplace. Confirm current requirements directly with the Fire Marshal's Office.
• Bristol Borough: Check with Borough code enforcement: requirements may apply for certain property types.

Not every municipality requires U&O inspections. Some smaller boroughs (Hulmeville, Langhorne Manor, Penndel) may not, but confirm with the municipality directly. Do not assume.

Building Permits & Unpermitted Work

Virtually every municipality requires a building permit for structural work, electrical work, plumbing changes, new construction, additions, decks, sheds over a certain size, and HVAC changes. Pennsylvania adopted the Uniform Construction Code (UCC) statewide, so the International Building Code, International Residential Code, and related codes apply everywhere, but each municipality enforces them locally.

The most common problem I see in real estate transactions: unpermitted work. The seller finished the basement, added a bathroom, enclosed a porch, or built a deck, all without permits. This creates several issues: the buyer's lender may refuse to close, the U&O inspection may fail, the title company may flag it, and the buyer inherits the code violation. If the work does not meet code, the municipality can require it torn out and redone properly.

If you are selling property with prior renovations, confirm with the municipality that permits were pulled. If they were not, talk to an attorney about your options before listing.

Legal and factual content on this page was last verified: Sep. 2026. If you are reading this significantly after that date, confirm key provisions with current statute text or contact our office.