Delaware County, PA Ordinances (2026)

Delaware County has no countywide barking-dog ordinance. Persistent barking is handled as a municipal noise nuisance, and Pennsylvania's Dog Law requires owners to confine and control dogs statewide.

No countywide rule; each Delco municipality governs amplified sound. Middletown Township bars radios, stereos, amplifiers, and loudspeakers from being audible more than 100 feet from the property.

Delaware County sets no construction-hours rule; each municipality does. Middletown Township bars construction noise beyond the property line between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. and all day on Sundays and legal holidays.

Delaware County does not regulate industrial noise. Each municipality controls it through zoning performance standards and noise ordinances. Middletown, for example, restricts parking-lot sweepers and commercial equipment overnight.

Delaware County has no countywide quiet-hours law. Each of the 49 municipalities sets its own. Middletown Township, for example, bars unnecessary noise that disturbs neighbors at any hour and restricts loud activity overnight.

Delaware County sets no leaf-blower rule. Municipalities do. Middletown Township bars power blowers and other domestic yard tools outdoors from one hour after sunset until 8 a.m. the next morning.

Vehicle noise is set by Pennsylvania statute, not Delaware County. 75 Pa.C.S. § 4523 requires every vehicle on a highway to stay within the sound level the state prescribes; loud exhaust and muffler defects are enforced statewide.

Neither Delaware County nor its municipalities can regulate aircraft noise. The FAA controls aircraft operations and noise under federal law. Complaints go to the airport operator or the FAA, not the county.

Delaware County sets no decibel ordinance. Pennsylvania fixes motor-vehicle decibel limits statewide (67 Pa. Code § 157.11), while general property-line decibel limits, where they exist, are set by each municipality.

Delaware County has no outdoor-music ordinance. Live and amplified outdoor music is governed by each municipality. Middletown Township uses a 100-foot audibility limit but exempts bona fide concerts in parks and public venues.

Delaware County sets no maximum-occupancy rule for short-term rentals. Occupancy caps are established by each municipality. For county tax purposes, only the 30-day 'permanent resident' threshold matters, not a headcount.

Delaware County, PA levies a Hotel and Short Term Rental occupancy tax. Effective April 1, 2026 the rate is 5%, due on rentals to all persons. Stays over 30 consecutive days ('permanent residents') are exempt. This is separate from Pennsylvania's 6% state hotel tax.

Delaware County has no rule requiring a host or local contact to be present or nearby during a short-term rental. Any host-presence or 24-hour-contact requirement comes from the municipality's STR ordinance.

There is no countywide short-term-rental registry in Delaware County, PA. Registration is handled by each municipality's rental-property ordinance. The only county-level filing is the county hotel/STR occupancy-tax return with the Treasurer.

Delaware County has no countywide parking requirement for short-term rentals. Off-street parking minimums for STR guests, where they exist, are set by each borough or township's zoning ordinance under the PA Municipalities Planning Code.

Delaware County itself issues no short-term-rental permit. In Pennsylvania, permitting authority belongs to each of the county's 49 boroughs, townships and cities under the Municipalities Planning Code, so requirements vary by town.

Delaware County has no countywide short-term-rental noise ordinance. Guest noise is controlled by each municipality's general noise or nuisance ordinance and by any STR-specific conditions the borough or township attaches to a rental.

Delaware County does not require short-term rentals to be an owner's primary residence. Whether a home can be a non-owner-occupied STR is decided by each municipality's zoning ordinance under the PA Municipalities Planning Code.

Delaware County sets no cap on how many nights a home can be rented short-term. Any annual night limit is imposed by the individual borough or township. The county's only night-based number is the 30-day tax exemption threshold.

Delaware County does not require short-term-rental hosts to carry specific liability insurance. Any insurance or proof-of-coverage requirement is set by the municipality as a condition of its STR permit or rental license.

Open burning is regulated by PA DEP air rules (25 Pa. Code §129.14) and by each municipality, not by Delaware County. Southeastern PA counties sit in an air basin where open burning of material is prohibited, with narrow exceptions like cooking and small recreational fires.

Pennsylvania state law, not Delaware County, governs consumer fireworks. Adults 18+ may use them, but never within 150 feet of a building or vehicle, on others' property without permission, from a vehicle or building, at people, or while impaired.

Delaware County is a densely developed Philadelphia suburb and is not a designated wildfire hazard zone. Pennsylvania has no WUI or defensible-space code for this area, so there are no wildfire-zone building or clearance requirements at the county level.

Delaware County has no countywide fire-pit ordinance. The PA Fire Code (adopted through the state Construction Code) sets the baseline: recreational fires must stay 25 feet from structures, and portable outdoor fireplaces 15 feet, though one- and two-family homes are excepted for portable units.

Delaware County sets no defensible-space or brush-clearance mandate. Suburban southeastern Pennsylvania is not a designated wildfire zone, so overgrowth is handled as a municipal property-maintenance issue, not a county fire rule. Your township or borough sets weed and vegetation limits.

Smoke detectors are required by Pennsylvania's building codes, not by Delaware County. The PA Uniform Construction Code adopts the International Residential Code, which mandates smoke alarms in each bedroom, outside sleeping areas, and on every level of a dwelling.

Small backyard recreational fires are allowed as an exception to PA DEP open-burning limits, but must stay 25 feet from structures under the PA Fire Code and be constantly attended. Delaware County sets no rule; municipalities enforce and may declare burn bans.

Propane storage is governed by the PA Fire Code (International Fire Code Chapter 61) and NFPA 58, adopted through the state Construction Code, not by Delaware County. Small residential cylinders are allowed, but there are limits on quantity and placement near buildings.

Delaware County sets no grill rule. The PA Fire Code (IFC §308) restricts open-flame and LP-gas grills on balconies and near combustible buildings, and cooking fires are exempt from the DEP open-burning ban. Multifamily balcony grilling is the main restriction.

Backyard smokers count as cooking, which is exempt from Pennsylvania's open-burning ban, so they are allowed at Delaware County homes. The PA Fire Code restricts open-flame and solid-fuel cooking on combustible multifamily balconies; single-family use is generally unrestricted.

Delaware County sets no countywide rule for parking RVs, boats, or trailers at a home. Each of the 49 boroughs, townships, and cities regulates it under the PA Municipalities Planning Code. Rules vary widely, so check your local code.

There is no Delaware County on-street parking law. Each municipality controls curb parking, permit zones, and restrictions on its streets under the PA Vehicle Code, which lets local authorities set parking rules by ordinance. County parks are the only county-owned parking Delco controls directly.

Pennsylvania, not the county, defines an abandoned vehicle. Under 75 Pa.C.S. §102, a vehicle is presumed abandoned once it sits inoperable or illegally on public property more than 48 hours, or on private property without consent more than 24 hours. Removal is then handled by local police and authorized salvors.

Delaware County has no countywide overnight on-street parking ban; that is set by each municipality. The one county rule: in county parks, no vehicle may be left parked on park property after sunset, and parks are open only dawn to dusk.

Delaware County sets no rule for parking oversized vehicles at a residence. Size, weight, and residential-street limits are set by each municipality under the PA Municipalities Planning Code, while highway dimension and weight limits come from the statewide PA Vehicle Code.

Delaware County does not create or enforce loading zones on public streets. Under the PA Vehicle Code, each borough, township, or city designates loading and no-parking zones by ordinance and marks them with signs or curb paint. The county controls only loading at its own facilities.

Delaware County sets no countywide rule on parking commercial trucks, box vans, or work vehicles at a residence. Each municipality restricts commercial-vehicle parking in residential zones under the PA Municipalities Planning Code. The statewide PA Vehicle Code governs weight and highway operation.

Delaware County does not regulate parking on your own driveway or front yard. Whether you may park on an unpaved surface, in a front yard, or how many vehicles you may keep is set by each borough or township zoning ordinance under the PA Municipalities Planning Code.

Delaware County does not paint or regulate curb markings on public streets. Colored curb markings (no-parking, fire zones, loading) are established by municipal ordinance and painted by each borough, township, or city. Residents may not paint public curbs themselves.

Delaware County has no separate EV-charger ordinance. Home charger installations follow the statewide Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code (electrical permit through your municipality), and any required charging stations at new development are set by local zoning, not the county.

Delaware County, PA restricts no fence materials; each municipality does under the PA Municipalities Planning Code. Upper Darby Township, for example, allows chain-link fences only in rear and side yards except in R-3 and R-4 zones, and prohibits electrified fencing. Confirm permitted materials with your borough or township.

Delaware County, PA sets no countywide fence-height rule. Under the PA Municipalities Planning Code, each of the county's 49 boroughs and townships sets its own limits. For example, Upper Darby Township caps fences at six feet above grade, with front-yard fences in R-3 districts limited to four feet. Check your

Delaware County, PA sets no retaining-wall rule; each borough or township regulates walls under the PA Municipalities Planning Code and the statewide Uniform Construction Code. In Upper Darby Township, retaining walls under four feet need only a fence permit, while walls over four feet require a building permit. Check your

There is no county fence permit in Delaware County, PA. Whether a permit is required depends on your borough or township under the PA Municipalities Planning Code. Upper Darby Township, for example, requires a fence permit for every new or replacement fence, with a fee of $20 plus $20 per

Delaware County, PA sets no fence-placement requirements; each municipality does under the PA Municipalities Planning Code. Upper Darby Township, for example, bars fences from front yards in R-C, R-C-1, R-1 and R-2 Residence Districts, with a corner-lot exception. Confirm front-, side- and rear-yard rules with your borough or township.

Delaware County, PA sets no rule on shared or boundary fences. Placement and height are governed by your municipality's zoning code under the PA Municipalities Planning Code, while cost-sharing for a division fence between farm or enclosed land falls under Pennsylvania's Partition Fence Act (53 P.S. §1701 et seq.). Most

Delaware County, PA approves or bans no fence materials; each borough or township decides under the PA Municipalities Planning Code. Wood, vinyl, aluminum and (in rear/side yards) chain-link are typically allowed; electrified and often barbed-wire fencing are restricted. In Upper Darby, chain-link is limited to rear and side yards. Confirm

Delaware County has no countywide leash law. Under the statewide PA Dog Law, every dog must be confined to the owner's premises, secured by a collar and chain, or under a person's reasonable control. Your borough or township sets any local leash rule; county parks require leashing.

Pennsylvania prohibits breed-specific bans: the PA Dog Law bars municipalities from regulating dangerous dogs by breed. Instead, any dog — regardless of breed — that attacks or severely injures may be declared a 'dangerous dog' and must be confined in a proper enclosure. Delaware County adds no breed rule.

Delaware County has no general wildlife-feeding ordinance, but Pennsylvania restricts feeding certain wildlife statewide. The PA Game Commission bans intentional feeding of bears, elk, and deer, and can prohibit feeding that causes a nuisance or spreads disease. Your municipality may add local anti-feeding rules.

Delaware County sets no beekeeping rule. Statewide, the PA Bee Law requires every beekeeper to register apiaries with the PA Department of Agriculture ($10 for about two years). Whether hives are allowed on your lot and any setbacks are set by your borough or township zoning.

Delaware County has no separate hoarding ordinance, but Pennsylvania's animal-cruelty and neglect laws apply countywide. Failing to provide necessary food, water, shelter, and vet care is a summary or misdemeanor offense. Providence Animal Center conducts humane law enforcement across Delaware County.

Delaware County sets no rule on backyard chickens or livestock — this is municipal zoning. Each of the 49 boroughs and townships decides whether hens are permitted, how many, and setbacks. Densely built areas like Upper Darby generally prohibit poultry; check your municipal zoning code.

Delaware County sets no livestock ordinance. Whether you can keep cattle, horses, goats, pigs, or sheep is decided by your borough or township zoning under the PA Municipalities Planning Code. Densely developed Delco municipalities generally bar livestock; only lower-density townships permit it on qualifying lots.

Delaware County has no cat-specific ordinance and Pennsylvania's Dog Law does not cover cats, so there is no statewide licensing or leash rule for cats. Any rules on free-roaming, feral colonies, or cat numbers come from your borough or township. Providence Animal Center handles cat rescue and adoption.

Delaware County has no exotic-pet ordinance. Pennsylvania regulates exotic wildlife statewide: a Game Commission permit is required to possess exotic wildlife such as bears, big cats, wolves, and certain reptiles. Some venomous and native species are restricted or barred. Your municipality may add zoning limits.

Delaware County sets no cap on how many dogs or cats you may own. Under state law, any dog three months or older must be licensed with the County Treasurer, and a kennel license is required for keeping large numbers. Municipal codes may cap household pet numbers.

Delaware County, PA sets no building-height limit. Under the PA Municipalities Planning Code, each borough or township caps structure height by zoning district. In Upper Darby Township's R-2 district the maximum building height is 35 feet, and accessory buildings may not exceed 15 feet. Confirm the limit for your parcel

Delaware County, PA sets no lot-coverage limit. Under the PA Municipalities Planning Code, each borough or township caps building or impervious coverage by zoning district. In Upper Darby Township's R-2 district, maximum building coverage is 30%. Confirm the coverage cap for your parcel with your municipality.

Delaware County, PA sets no building setbacks. Under the PA Municipalities Planning Code, each of the county's 49 boroughs and townships sets its own front, side and rear yard minimums by zoning district. In Upper Darby Township's R-2 district, the minimum front yard is 20 feet, rear yard 20 feet,

Delaware County has no countywide tree-removal permit. Removing a street tree in the public right-of-way requires the local shade-tree commission's action under state law, while a tree entirely on your own property is generally yours to remove unless your municipality's zoning code says otherwise.

Delaware County sets no countywide lawn-height limit. Each of the 49 boroughs, townships and cities sets its own maximum through a property-maintenance or grass-and-weeds ordinance. Lower Chichester Township, for example, caps grass at twelve inches.

Backyard composting is legal across Delaware County and encouraged by the county's Act 101 recycling program. There is no county compost permit, but municipal property-maintenance and nuisance rules require that piles not create odors, attract rodents or become a health hazard.

Delaware County does not regulate tree trimming on residential streets. In municipalities that have adopted the Pennsylvania Shade Tree Act, a shade-tree commission has exclusive control of trees in the public right-of-way. Trees wholly on your own land are yours to prune.

There is no Delaware County weed ordinance. Each municipality bans noxious weeds and overgrown vegetation through its own property-maintenance code. Lower Chichester Township, for example, forbids noxious plant growth and grass over twelve inches.

Rainwater harvesting is legal in Pennsylvania and Delaware County has no ban. The county and its municipalities generally encourage rain barrels and cisterns as stormwater best practices, though large systems tied to a building can trigger local plumbing or stormwater-management review.

Delaware County has no rule against native-plant or meadow landscaping. Native gardens are encouraged for stormwater and pollinator benefits, but you must still meet your municipality's weed and grass-height ordinance, which can flag an unmaintained lot as overgrown.

Delaware County publishes no lawn-watering schedule. Mandatory outdoor-water restrictions in Pennsylvania take effect only when the Governor declares a drought emergency; the DEP's drought coordinator issues informational watch and warning notices, and your water utility may add its own rules.

Delaware County sets no rule on artificial turf. Whether synthetic grass is allowed, and any impervious-coverage or stormwater conditions, is decided by your borough or township zoning and stormwater ordinances under the PA Municipalities Planning Code.

Above-ground residential pools are regulated by your municipality under the PA Uniform Construction Code, not by Delaware County. If the pool holds water more than 24 inches deep it is a pool under the ISPSC 2021 and needs a barrier and a municipal permit.

A residential hot tub or spa is regulated like a pool under the PA Uniform Construction Code's ISPSC 2021, enforced by your municipality. Public or club spas are inspected by the Delaware County Health Department under the state Public Bathing Law.

Delaware County sets no residential pool-fence rule. Backyard pools follow the PA Uniform Construction Code, which adopts the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code of 2021: a barrier generally at least 48 inches high with self-closing, self-latching gates, enforced by your municipality.

Residential pool safety follows the PA Uniform Construction Code's adopted International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (2021), enforced by your municipality. Public and community pools add Delaware County Health Department inspection under the state Public Bathing Law and 28 Pa. Code Chapter 18.

For a backyard residential pool, get a construction permit from your municipality under the PA Uniform Construction Code, not the county. Delaware County's Health Department only permits public/community pools and spas, which need a state Public Bathing Place certificate.

Delaware County issues no tree-removal permit. For street trees, the local shade-tree commission controls removal under state law; for private trees, a permit is needed only where a municipality's tree-conservation or zoning ordinance requires one. Many Delco towns have no private-tree permit at all.

Delaware County issues no home-occupation permit. You apply to your borough, township, or city under its zoning ordinance and the PA Municipalities Planning Code. A true no-impact home business is a permitted use needing no zoning approval in residential districts.

Delaware County does not zone. Home businesses are governed by your borough, township, or city zoning ordinance under the PA Municipalities Planning Code. State law requires municipalities to allow a 'no-impact home-based business' as a permitted use in all residential zones.

Delaware County sets no sign rule for home businesses. Signage is governed by your municipality's zoning ordinance under the MPC. State law's 'no-impact home-based business' allows no outside appearance of a business, including signs or lights.

Pennsylvania has no cottage food exemption. To sell home-baked goods you register your home kitchen as a 'limited food establishment' with the PA Department of Agriculture, get inspected, and pay a small fee. There is no sales cap. This is a state program, not county.

A home daycare in Delaware County is certified by the PA Department of Human Services, not the county. Caring for four to six unrelated children requires a DHS family child care home certificate of compliance under 55 Pa. Code Chapter 3290, plus compliance with municipal zoning.

Delaware County has no countywide rule on where you store trash cans. Each municipality regulates container storage, screening and curb placement through its property-maintenance and solid-waste chapters. Cans are typically kept out of front yards except on collection day.

Delaware County has no countywide blight code. Each of the 49 boroughs, townships and cities enforces exterior-property and blight standards, most via the International Property Maintenance Code. Upper Darby, for example, enforces Chapter 417 (Property Maintenance) through its Code Enforcement Division.

Delaware County has no countywide grass-height limit. Each borough and township sets its own. Upper Darby Township, for example, bars grass, weeds and similar vegetation from exceeding 10 inches in height and enforces it through code enforcement.

Delaware County has no countywide vacant-lot ordinance. Each of the 49 municipalities requires owners to keep empty lots clear of weeds, debris and dumping under its property-maintenance code, and may bill the owner if the town has to abate the nuisance.

Delaware County has no countywide garage-sale rule. Each borough or township decides whether yard sales need a permit and how many you may hold per year. Many Delco municipalities require a low-cost permit and cap sales at two to four per year.

Under Pennsylvania Act 101, any municipality with 10,000+ people — or 5,000–10,000 with density over 300 per square mile — must run a source-separation recycling program. Most Delaware County towns qualify, so curbside recycling is mandatory. Residents separate at least three materials plus leaf waste.

Delaware County does not collect trash. Each borough, township or city arranges collection — some municipally (like Upper Darby, which collects refuse and bills owners), others through a contracted or private hauler. Set-out times and days are set locally.

Delaware County has no countywide bin-placement rule. Each municipality's solid-waste ordinance sets how close to collection day you may put trash and recycling at the curb and how soon empties must be brought back in — commonly the evening before through the pickup day.

Delaware County has no countywide bulk-trash program. Each municipality handles large items its own way. Upper Darby Township, for example, collects bulk trash for $10 per item, arranged and paid in advance with the Township.

Dumping trash on roads, another person's land, or the state's waters is a crime under 18 Pa.C.S. §6501 (scattering rubbish) and the Solid Waste Management Act (35 P.S. §6018.610). A first offense is a summary offense; repeat and hauler dumping become misdemeanors with steep fines.

Delaware County does not regulate yard-sale signs on private property. Temporary garage-sale signs are governed by your borough or township sign ordinance, which typically limits size, placement, and how long they may stay up. Right-of-way postings are usually banned.

Delaware County has no sign ordinance for private property. Political-sign rules (size, number, how long before and after an election) are set by your borough or township zoning code, which under the U.S. Constitution must treat signs content-neutrally.

Delaware County does not regulate accessory dwelling units. Under Pennsylvania's Municipalities Planning Code, zoning (including whether an ADU or in-law suite is allowed) is set by your borough, township, or city. Check your local zoning ordinance.

Delaware County has no rule on converting a garage to living space. Because it changes the use of a structure, a garage conversion is governed by your municipality's zoning ordinance and the state building code (UCC), enforced by your local code office.

Delaware County sets no tiny-home rule. Whether a tiny house on a foundation is allowed is decided by your municipality's zoning ordinance, and it must meet the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code. Movable tiny homes on wheels are usually treated as RVs.

Delaware County sets no shed rule. Sheds are governed by your municipality's zoning ordinance, which fixes height and how close to the property line a shed may sit. Radnor Township, for example, limits accessory buildings to 20 feet and a 3-foot setback.

Delaware County does not regulate carports. As accessory structures, carports fall under your municipality's zoning ordinance, which sets height limits and setbacks. In Radnor Township, carports are treated as accessory structures subject to the same rules.

Delaware County parks are open to the public only from dawn to dusk (exception by permit only). No one may remain in a county park after hours unless authorized by the Parks and Recreation Department. Violations are summary offenses fined up to $300.

Delaware County has no light-trespass ordinance. Whether a neighbor's floodlight spilling onto your property is a violation depends on your municipality's lighting standards, or general nuisance law. The county does not enforce residential glare complaints.

Delaware County has no countywide dark-sky ordinance. Outdoor-lighting and shielding rules are set by each borough or township through its zoning or subdivision code under the state Planning Code. Some Delco municipalities have adopted lighting standards; check yours.