Building Safety in Abington, PA (2026)
8 verified building safety rules for Abington, Pennsylvania, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Elevator Maintenance
In Abington Township, buildings with passenger elevators must keep at least half of them, rounded up, running whenever the building is occupied, under the township's amendment to IPMC § 606.2, with a narrow exception for single-elevator buildings undergoing testing or service.
Abington Elevator Uptime Requirement
Some RestrictionsAbington Township Code § 98-2 (amending IPMC § 606.2)
606.2 Elevators. In buildings equipped with passenger elevators, not less than 1/2 of the total number of elevators, rounded up to the next whole number of total elevators, shall be maintained in operation at all times when the building is occupied. Exception: Buildings equipped with only one elevator shall be permitted to have the elevator temporarily out of service for testing or servicing.
Fire Sprinkler Requirements
Abington Township requires approved automatic sprinkler systems in commercial, educational, industrial, institutional, office, public assembly, residential, and vehicle service or parking buildings whenever they are newly built, substantially altered, or converted to a more hazardous use, under Fire Prevention Code Section F-1500.12. A narrow exception exists for small, fire-separated classroom buildings.
Abington Township Fire Sprinkler Rule
Significant RestrictionsAbington Township Code § 85-4G (F-1500.12)
G. F-1500.12. Approved automatic sprinkler equipment required throughout certain buildings. ... (1) General requirements. (a) Approved automatic sprinkler equipment shall be installed and maintained throughout buildings and structures as the type set forth below as hereafter erected, substantially altered or where the use changes to a more intensive and/or a more hazardous use as determined by ...
Door Locking Hardware
Abington Township's Fire Prevention Code requires stair enclosure doors in buildings taller than six stories or 65 feet to stay unlocked on the inside. Section 85-4(K) rewrote F-1500.16 so occupants can always open a stairwell door during a fire, exempting only the street-floor door or a door held by a fail-safe electric lock wired to the detection system.
Abington High-Rise Stair Door Locking Rule
Some RestrictionsAbington Township Code § 85-4(K)
K. F-1500.16 shall read as follows: [Amended 6-13-1974 by Ord. No. 1377] F-1500.16 Special provisions for all high-rise multiple-occupancy, office, dwelling, institutional, educational or storage buildings with an elevation of more than six stories or 65 feet in height above the mean grade level: These buildings shall conform to the requirements of this section in addition to all other requirem...
Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Abington Township requires a new carbon monoxide detector within 40 feet of every bedroom before any single-family, two-family or multifamily home closes, under Code § 123-1. Section 123-4 requires the detector be U/L rated and approved, and § 123-6 requires a signed affidavit at settlement. Violating the article is a summary offense punishable by up to $1,000 or 30 days in jail.
Abington CO Detector Sale Requirement
Some RestrictionsAbington Township Code § 123-1
A new carbon monoxide detector, commonly referred to as a "C/O detector," must be installed within 40 feet of all bedrooms in all single-family, two-family, and multiple-family dwellings sold in Abington Township after the effective date of this article. ... This requirement must be met at or before the time of settlement.
Building Permits
Abington Township regulates construction, alteration, repair, removal, demolition, use, location, occupancy and maintenance of buildings under the BOCA Basic Building Code, 1996 Thirteenth Edition, adopted by Section 62-1. The Department of Code Enforcement issues permits and charges a fee under Section 112.3 for each category of work, including a permanent use and occupancy permit before any building is occupied.
Abington Building Permit Requirements
Some RestrictionsAbington Township Code § 62-1; § 62-2(E) (Section 112.3.A, 112.3.N)
§ 62-1. Adoption of standards by reference. The Township of Abington, in order to regulate construction, alteration, repair, removal, demolition, use, location, occupancy and maintenance of buildings and structures within the township, hereby adopts the provisions of the BOCA Basic Building Code 1996, Thirteenth Edition ... and from the date on which this chapter shall take effect, the provisio...
Electrical Permits
Abington Township charges a separate electrical permit application fee under Section 112.3(Q), scaled to the price quoted for the electrical work, on top of administering the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code under Chapter 67, which incorporates the International Codes into the Township's building requirements.
Abington Electrical Permit Fee and Code
Some RestrictionsAbington Township Code § 67-2; § 62-2(E) (Section 112.3.Q)
§ 67-2. Adoption and incorporation by reference. The Uniform Construction Code, contained in 34 Pa. Code, Chapters 401 through 405, as amended from time to time, is hereby adopted and incorporated herein by reference as the municipal building code of the Township, and this includes each of the various International Codes incorporated into the code Act. ... Section 112.3.Q. Electrical Permit. An...
Plumbing Permits
Abington Township adopted the 2006 International Plumbing Code as its own Plumbing Code under Code § 121-15, and § 121-16 amends its permit-fee, refund and violation sections for local use. All plumbing work in the township needs a permit and a licensed plumber; violating the adopted code is a summary offense punishable by up to a $1,000 fine or 30 days in jail.
Abington Plumbing Code Adoption Rule
Some RestrictionsAbington Township Code § 121-15
That document known as the International Plumbing Code, 2006 Edition, including appendixes B, C, D, E, F and G, as published by the International Code Council, three copies of which are on file in the office of the Township Secretary of the Township of Abington, shall be and hereby is adopted as the Plumbing Code of the Township of Abington, regulating and governing the design, construction, qu...
Building Inspections
Abington Township's Code Enforcement Department inspects buildings before issuing a permanent use and occupancy permit, and charges separate special and repeat inspection fees under Section 112.3(O) whenever a reinspection is needed because the work still fails to comply. The permanent certificate issues only once the building passes every Township code requirement.
Abington Building Inspection and Occupancy Fees
Some RestrictionsAbington Township Code § 62-2(E) (Section 112.3.N(ii), 112.3.O)
(ii) Permanent Use and Occupancy Permit. A permanent use and occupancy permit will be issued when, upon inspection, the Code Enforcement Department determines that the building or structure passes all Township code requirements. The fee for a permanent use and occupancy permit shall be calculated as follows: Residential and institutional buildings and structures: $75 Residential rental units: $...
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