York County, PA Ordinances (2026)

Loud vehicles and modified exhausts are covered by Pennsylvania's Vehicle Code, which applies countywide in York County. Every motor vehicle must have a working muffler with no cutout or bypass, and must not exceed the sound levels set by state regulation.

Neither York County nor Pennsylvania regulates aircraft noise in flight; that authority belongs to the Federal Aviation Administration under federal law. Local complaints about York Airport or overflights are directed to the airport or the FAA, not to a county noise office.

York County does not set construction-hours limits. Permitted work hours and construction-noise windows are adopted by your borough, city, or township. Many York-area municipalities restrict noisy construction to daytime (commonly 7 a.m. to dusk on weekdays) and limit weekend or holiday work.

York County does not set countywide rules for outdoor music, festivals, or backyard events on private property; those are governed by your borough or township. In York County parks, outdoor amplified music requires Parks permission, and radios may not be played loudly.

York County does not regulate industrial or commercial noise countywide. Boroughs, cities, and townships control it through their zoning ordinances and performance standards under the PA Municipalities Planning Code, typically limiting noise at the property line in residential zones.

York County does not have a countywide barking-dog noise ordinance; persistent-barking nuisance complaints are handled under your municipality's noise or nuisance code. Statewide, Pennsylvania's Dog Law requires all dogs three months and older to be licensed and kept confined.

York County sets no leaf-blower ordinance. Any limits on gas-powered leaf blowers, allowed hours, or noise levels are adopted by your borough, city, or township. Most York-area municipalities treat leaf-blower noise under their general noise-disturbance provisions rather than a dedicated rule.

York County, PA does not run a countywide quiet-hours rule for private property. Nighttime noise limits are set by your borough, city, or township under the PA Municipalities Planning Code. For example, the City of York bars band concerts, block parties, and similar events between 11 p.m. and 8 a.m.

York County sets no countywide decibel standard for property noise. Pennsylvania does set enforceable motor-vehicle decibel limits by state regulation, measured 50 feet from the road: for cars, 76 dBA at 35 mph or less and 82 dBA above 35 mph.

York County has no countywide amplified-music rule for private property; municipalities regulate it. But within the York County park system, loudspeakers, PA systems, and amplifiers are prohibited under County Code Chapter 75, and radios or stereos may not be played in a loud or boisterous manner.

York County does not require short-term rentals to be your primary residence. Any owner-occupancy or primary-residence restriction comes from your borough or township zoning ordinance, not the county.

There is no county-wide short-term-rental registry in York County, PA. Registration or licensing, where required, is imposed by your borough, city, or township. Separately, tax collectors must register with the PA Department of Revenue.

York County levies a 5% hotel room excise tax that applies to short-term rentals of under 30 days, on top of Pennsylvania's 6% state hotel occupancy tax. Airbnb and other booking agents collect and remit both.

York County has no county-wide noise ordinance for rentals. Quiet hours and noise limits are set by your borough, city, or township. State law only governs specific sources like vehicle noise.

York County sets no host-presence or on-site-manager requirement. Whether a host or local contact must be reachable or present is a municipal rule set by your borough or township.

York County requires no short-term-rental insurance. Any liability-coverage requirement is set by your borough or township ordinance; otherwise coverage is a matter of your policy and platform.

York County has no short-term-rental parking requirement. Off-street parking minimums and guest-parking limits come from your borough or township zoning code, not from the county.

York County itself issues no short-term-rental permit. Any permit or zoning approval is set by your borough, city, or township under the PA Municipalities Planning Code, not by the county. Check your local zoning officer.

York County sets no occupancy cap for short-term rentals. Maximum guest counts come from your borough or township zoning code and from the statewide building/property-maintenance code, not from the county.

York County imposes no annual limit on the number of nights a home can be rented short-term. Any night cap is set by your borough or township zoning ordinance, not the county.

General fence standards are set by your borough or township, not York County. York Township requires the finished side to face outward, bars fences in sight triangles and rights-of-way, and prohibits fences that obstruct drainage.

Boundary and finished-side fence rules are set locally, not by York County. In York Township, a fence may be placed on the property line but its finished side must face the adjoining property, and it cannot obstruct drainage.

Material limits come from your municipality, not York County. York Township prohibits barbed and razor wire except for industrial uses or to confine farm animals, and bans electrically charged fences except for farm animals.

York County does not set fence heights. Your borough or township zoning ordinance does, under the PA Municipalities Planning Code. In York Township, residential fences may not exceed 4 feet in a front yard or 6 feet in any other yard.

Retaining walls are governed by your municipality and Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code, not by York County. In York Township, retaining walls over 4 feet must meet the UCC, and walls over 6 feet need a 42-inch protective fence on top.

Permitted fence materials are decided by your borough or township, not York County. Common materials like wood, vinyl, aluminum, and chain-link are typically allowed; barbed wire and electric fences are restricted, as in York Township.

There is no county fence permit. Whether you need a zoning permit depends on your borough or township. In York Township it is unlawful to construct or alter any structure until the Zoning Officer issues a zoning permit, which covers fences.

Maximum lot coverage is set by your borough or township, not York County. In York Township, coverage caps range from 30-40 percent of net lot area in low-density residential districts to as high as 85 percent in dense commercial districts.

Building setbacks are set by your borough or township zoning ordinance under the PA Municipalities Planning Code, not by York County. In York Township's low-density residential districts, typical minimums are 20-25 feet front, 10-15 feet side, and 20-25 feet rear.

Maximum building height is set by your borough or township zoning ordinance, not York County. In York Township, principal residential buildings are capped at 35 feet and accessory structures at 15 feet.

Propane storage is regulated by the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, which adopts the International Fire Code and NFPA 58, not by a separate York County rule. Container size, placement, and clearances follow those statewide codes and are enforced by your municipality.

Everyday open burning is regulated by your municipality and by PA DEP (25 Pa. Code Sec. 129.14). York County's Board of Commissioners can, and does, impose a temporary 30-day countywide burn ban during dry conditions that supersedes any municipal ordinance.

Recreational backyard fires are allowed under DEP rules when used solely for cooking or recreation, but the specific setbacks and container rules come from your borough or township, not York County. A countywide burn ban overrides everything during dry spells.

Pennsylvania's Act 74 of 2022 governs fireworks statewide, not York County. Adults 18+ may buy and use consumer (1.4G) fireworks, but never within 150 feet of an occupied structure, on public property, or on another person's property without permission.

York County does not zone or permit residential fire pits; that is set by your borough or township. In York County parks, fires are allowed only in Director-approved fireplaces and must be charcoal or wood.

York County sets no defensible-space or brush-clearance mandate; south-central Pennsylvania is not a designated wildfire-code region. Vegetation and weed clearing near structures is a municipal property-maintenance matter, while land-disturbance for clearing is regulated for erosion by the York County Conservation District.

Smoke and CO alarm requirements come from Pennsylvania statewide law, not York County. The PA Uniform Construction Code (IRC R314) requires smoke alarms in new and permitted work, and the Carbon Monoxide Alarm Standards Act (35 P.S. Sec. 7221 et seq.) requires CO alarms in fossil-fuel or garage rentals.

York County is not in a designated wildfire hazard zone and Pennsylvania has no Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) code. There are no defensible-space or fire-hardening building mandates here. Wildfire risk is managed through DCNR forest-fire wardens and the county's drought burn bans.

York County itself sets no rule for RVs, boats, or trailers on residential streets or lots — that is decided by your borough, city, or township under Pennsylvania's Municipalities Planning Code. The only county-level restriction is inside York County Parks, where boat-trailer and pull-behind areas are marked.

Overnight on-street parking bans are set by individual boroughs and townships, not York County. The county's only overnight restriction applies inside York County Parks, which are closed dusk to dawn: no one may remain in the park — or leave a vehicle there — overnight except at designated fishing and

Loading zones are established and enforced by municipalities in York County, not the county. York City's Article 513 governs loading and unloading of parked vehicles. Within York County Parks, stopping in a marked loading or passenger zone is allowed only for prompt loading and unloading.

On-street parking in York County is regulated by each municipality, not the county. York County has no jurisdiction over public streets in its boroughs and townships. In York City, for example, Article 513 of the codified ordinances governs on-street operation and parking, backed by Pennsylvania's Vehicle Code (Title 75).

York County does not regulate painted curbs — curb colors and no-parking markings on public streets are established by each municipality and PennDOT under Pennsylvania's Vehicle Code (Title 75). Residents may not paint or mark a public curb themselves; only the governing authority may.

Where a semi, box truck, or work vehicle can park at a home is decided by your York County borough or township zoning code, not the county. The county's only commercial-vehicle rule is in York County Parks, where tractor-trailers and commercial motor vehicles are barred except authorized service vehicles and

Pennsylvania law defines when a vehicle is legally abandoned, and municipal police handle removal. Under 75 Pa.C.S. § 102, a vehicle is presumed abandoned if left inoperable or illegally on public property for over 48 hours, or on private property without consent for over 24 hours.

How many vehicles you can keep in a driveway, and whether the surface must be paved, is a municipal zoning question in York County — not a county rule. York County does not regulate residential driveways; each borough, city, and township sets its own standards under Pennsylvania's Municipalities Planning Code.

Oversized and overweight vehicle parking is regulated by municipalities across York County, not the county. York City's Article 513 addresses oversize/overweight vehicles and street weight limits. Within York County Parks, a vehicle may not take up more than one designated parking space unless a Park Ranger approves.

York County has no county ordinance on electric-vehicle charging stations or EV-only parking spaces. Installation and required charging spaces are governed by municipal zoning and the statewide building/electrical code adopted under Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code. Enforcement of EV-space misuse falls to your municipality.

York County sets no rule on backyard smokers. A smoker used solely to cook food falls under the state open-burning cooking exemption and the county burn ban's grill exemption. Nuisance smoke and placement are municipal matters.

York County has no ordinance restricting backyard barbecue grills. Propane and charcoal grills stay legal even during a countywide burn ban. Balcony/multifamily grill limits, when they exist, come from the state Fire Code and your municipality, not the county.

York County does not regulate keeping horses, cattle, goats, pigs, or sheep. In Pennsylvania, whether livestock is allowed, minimum lot sizes, and setbacks are set by your borough, city, or township zoning ordinance under the Municipalities Planning Code, so rules vary sharply between rural townships and built-up boroughs.

York County does not regulate backyard beekeeping. Statewide, every Pennsylvania beekeeper must register colonies with the PA Department of Agriculture under the Bee Law. Where hives may be placed, and any hive limits or setbacks, are set by your borough or township zoning ordinance, not the county.

York County does not regulate backyard chickens. In Pennsylvania, keeping poultry is a land-use question decided by your borough, city, or township zoning ordinance under the Municipalities Planning Code. Some York County municipalities (like Hanover Borough) have residential-chicken rules; others treat it as an accessory or agricultural use.

Leash rules in York County, PA come from two layers. In county parks, Chapter 75 requires every dog on a tethered leash under immediate control. Statewide, the PA Dog Law (3 P.S. §459-305) bars a dog from straying off the owner's property. Everyday street leashing is set by your borough

No Pennsylvania municipality may ban or restrict a dog by breed. The PA Dog Law, 3 P.S. §459-507-A(c), states a local dog ordinance may not prohibit or limit a specific breed. So no borough or township in York County can outlaw pit bulls or any breed; dangerous dogs are handled

York County has no exotic-pet ordinance. In Pennsylvania, keeping exotic wildlife such as big cats, bears, wolves, and venomous reptiles requires a permit from the PA Game Commission under the Game and Wildlife Code. Your borough or township may add local restrictions through zoning.

Pennsylvania does not license or leash cats, and York County sets no cat ordinance. The one firm statewide rule is rabies: 3 P.S. §455.8 requires every cat over three months of age to be vaccinated. Cat nuisance, roaming, or feral-colony questions are handled by your borough or township.

York County has no countywide wildlife-feeding ordinance. Statewide, the PA Game Commission prohibits feeding bears and elk and can order a stop to any feeding that draws bears or deer into conflict. Feeding pigeons or strays that creates a nuisance is handled by your borough or township.

York County sets no cap on how many dogs or cats you may own. Any per-household pet limit comes from your borough, city, or township ordinance. Statewide, the PA Dog Law simply requires each dog three months or older to be licensed with the York County Treasurer and vaccinated against

York County has no ordinance using the word 'hoarding,' and animal-cruelty enforcement is statewide. Severe cases are prosecuted under Pennsylvania's Title 18 cruelty and neglect statutes, while the PA Dog Law's 26-dog kennel threshold and local pet limits cap large accumulations. The York County SPCA takes in seized animals.

York County imposes no countywide lawn-watering restriction. Limits, if any, are set by your water supplier (such as the York Water Company) or your municipality, and typically appear only during a declared drought under the state drought program.

York County itself sets no grass-height limit. In Pennsylvania, tall grass and weeds are regulated by your borough, city, or township under the Municipalities Planning Code, so the cutting threshold depends on where you live within the county.

York County does not require a permit to remove a tree on private property; tree-removal ordinances, if any, are set by your borough or township. Removing trees in York County Parks is prohibited without the Director's written permission.

Pennsylvania places no restriction on collecting rainwater, and York County does not ban it. Rain barrels and cisterns for garden use are legal statewide; larger or plumbed systems must meet the building and plumbing code enforced by your municipality.

York County has no countywide weed ordinance. Noxious weeds and overgrown vegetation are declared a nuisance and abated by your borough, the City of York, or your township under local codes authorized by the Municipalities Planning Code.

York County does not require or ban native-plant landscaping. Native meadows and pollinator gardens are legal and encouraged, but any 'natural landscaping' exemption from weed-height rules depends on your borough or township ordinance.

York County does not require a permit to trim a tree on your own property; any tree-trimming rules come from your borough or township. Inside York County Parks, however, county code flatly bans cutting, trimming, or defacing any tree without written permission.

York County has no rule on artificial turf. Whether synthetic grass is allowed, and any permit or stormwater requirement, is decided by your borough, city, or township zoning and building codes, not the county.

The York County Solid Waste Authority actively encourages backyard composting and mulch-mowing and runs a county yard-waste drop-off at the Resource Recovery Center. Nuisance limits on a compost pile come from your municipality.

Pennsylvania has no cottage-food law and no county rule. Home food sellers register with the state as a "Limited Food Establishment" through the PA Department of Agriculture, which inspects the home kitchen. Only non-hazardous, shelf-stable foods are allowed.

Home daycare is licensed by the PA Department of Human Services, not York County. A family child care home caring for four to six unrelated children needs a DHS Certificate of Compliance under 55 Pa. Code Chapter 3290, plus municipal zoning approval.

York County issues no home-occupation permit. Whether a permit or zoning approval is needed depends on your borough or township ordinance under the PA Municipalities Planning Code. No-impact home-based businesses are allowed by right statewide.

York County sets no home-business sign rule. Signage is governed by your borough or township zoning ordinance under the state Municipalities Planning Code. Many ordinances bar business signs for no-impact home-based businesses entirely.

Land-use zoning in York County is done by boroughs, cities, and townships under Pennsylvania's Municipalities Planning Code, not the county. State law requires every zoning ordinance to permit no-impact home-based businesses by right in all residential zones.

Above-ground pools deeper than 24 inches need a UCC permit and a compliant barrier under Pennsylvania code. Small prefab pools less than 24 inches deep and under 5,000 gallons are exempt. The county sets no separate rule.

Pennsylvania adopts the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) statewide. A pool barrier must be at least 48 inches high, measured on the side facing away from the pool. Your municipal building department enforces it.

Spas and hot tubs are regulated statewide under Pennsylvania's ISPSC. A spa or hot tub with a lockable safety cover meeting ASTM F1346 is exempt from the surrounding-barrier requirements. Your municipality enforces this, not the county.

York County itself issues no pool permits. Under Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code, your borough, city, or township building department requires a UCC construction permit for any pool holding water more than 24 inches deep.

Under Pennsylvania's adopted ISPSC, pool barrier openings must not pass a 4-inch sphere, and pedestrian gates must open outward, self-close, and self-latch. There is no county pool-safety office; municipal building officials enforce these.

York County itself does not run a property-maintenance or blight code. Under Pennsylvania's Municipalities Planning Code, blight, dilapidated structures, and exterior upkeep are regulated by your individual borough, city, or township — for example the City of York, Hanover, or Spring Garden Township.

Pennsylvania has no statewide grass-height rule, and York County sets none county-wide. Weed and tall-grass limits — often a 6- to 10-inch maximum — are adopted and enforced by each York County borough, city, or township as a nuisance ordinance.

How and where you store garbage and recycling containers is set by your York County borough or township, not the county. Most local codes require lidded, verminproof containers stored out of front-yard view except on collection day. York County has no county-wide bin ordinance.

Maintenance of vacant lots — overgrowth, debris, and nuisance conditions — is regulated by your York County borough or township, not the county. Pennsylvania lets municipalities require owners to keep vacant parcels clear; York County has no county-wide vacant-lot code.

York County does not license or limit yard and garage sales. Whether you need a permit, how many sales you may hold per year, and sign rules are all set by your individual borough, city, or township. Many require a free or low-cost permit and cap sales at two to

York County requires no permit to remove a single tree, but clearing land that disturbs 5,000 square feet or more triggers an erosion-and-sediment-control plan reviewed by the York County Conservation District under 25 Pa Code Chapter 102.

Under Pennsylvania's Act 101, recycling is mandatory in 18 York County municipalities, determined by population and density. About 99% of the county's population has access to curbside or drop-off recycling. Your specific municipality sets the accepted materials and collection schedule.

No matter where you live in York County, your hauler must deliver household garbage to the York County Resource Recovery Center, a waste-to-energy plant run by the York County Solid Waste Authority. Curbside collection itself is arranged by your municipality or a private hauler.

The York County Solid Waste Authority runs disposal facilities but does not set curbside bin-placement rules. When and how you place carts at the curb is governed by your borough or township ordinance and its contracted hauler — typically no earlier than the evening before collection.

York County residents can self-haul bulk trash and special-handling items directly to the York County Resource Recovery Center. Fees are $85 per ton with a $20 minimum for loads up to 470 pounds; tire-only loads are $200 per ton. Electronics-only loads are accepted free.

Dumping trash, tires, or debris on public or private property in York County is a crime under Pennsylvania's scattering-rubbish law, 18 Pa.C.S. §6501. A first offense is a summary offense carrying a $50–$300 fine plus mandatory cleanup hours; repeat offenses are misdemeanors with up to $1,000 fines.

York County has no light-trespass ordinance. Whether spillover light onto a neighbor's property is regulated depends on your borough or township zoning ordinance. Absent a local rule, neighbors' remedy is a private nuisance claim under Pennsylvania common law.

York County has no dark-sky or outdoor-lighting ordinance for private property. Lighting standards — shielding, maximum brightness, and curfews — are set by individual boroughs and townships in their zoning or subdivision ordinances under the PA Municipalities Planning Code.

York County sets no countywide shed rule. Whether a shed needs a permit, and its size, height, and setback from property lines, are set by your borough, city, or township zoning and building codes under Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code and the Municipalities Planning Code.

York County sets no tiny-home rule. Whether you can live in a tiny house, and whether it is treated as a dwelling, an RV, or a manufactured home, is decided by your borough, city, or township zoning ordinance and Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code.

York County does not regulate accessory dwelling units. Whether an in-law suite, backyard cottage, or garage apartment is allowed, and the size and permit rules, are set by your borough, city, or township zoning ordinance under the PA Municipalities Planning Code.

York County does not regulate garage conversions. Turning a garage into living space is a change of use governed by your borough, city, or township zoning ordinance plus Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code, which requires a building permit for the work.

York County has no carport ordinance. Whether a carport is allowed, how big it can be, and how far it must sit from property lines are governed by your borough, city, or township zoning ordinance, with a building permit under Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code.

In the York County Park System no one may be in a park between dusk and dawn, except at designated fishing and boating sites. The Parks Director may extend hours by permit. Violating park rules carries a fine of $75 to $800.

York County does not regulate yard signs. Political-sign rules come from your borough, city, or township. Under a 2024 federal Third Circuit ruling binding in Pennsylvania, municipalities cannot treat political signs more strictly than commercial or holiday signs.

York County has no garage-sale-sign rule. Where you may post yard-sale signs, their size, and how long they can stay up are set by your borough, city, or township sign ordinance. Signs in the road right-of-way are commonly prohibited.