Retaining walls over 4 feet in Bucks County require a building permit under the PA UCC. Walls with surcharge loads or near property lines typically need engineered stamped plans.
Under the PA Uniform Construction Code (34 Pa. Code Ch. 403) adopting IRC §R404.4 and IBC §1807, retaining walls up to 4 feet in height measured from bottom of footing to top of wall are generally exempt from permit when not supporting a surcharge. Walls taller than 4 feet, or any height with a surcharge load (driveway, structure, slope, or soil beyond the wall), require a building permit and plans stamped by a PA-licensed professional engineer. Drainage behind the wall must be addressed with weep holes, drain tile, or filter fabric. Most Bucks townships also impose zoning setback requirements of 3 to 5 feet from property lines for walls over 3 feet tall. Tiered walls closer than twice the height of the lower wall are treated as a single combined wall for permit and engineering purposes. Stormwater management review may be triggered for disturbance over 5,000 sq ft.
Unpermitted wall over 4 feet: stop-work order, retroactive permit with double fee, required engineering review. Fines $200 to $1,000 plus potential demolition if wall fails inspection. Drainage failures causing neighbor property damage expose owner to civil liability.
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