8 Pa.C.S. § 1202
This is the official text of 8 Pa.C.S. § 1202, part of Pennsylvania’s Pa.C.S — part of the compiled statutory law of Pennsylvania, published by the state as "Pa.C.S." Browse the sections below, each linked to its official government source.
Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.
Specific powers.
Official statutory text
The powers of the borough shall be vested in the council. In the exercise of any specific powers involving the enactment of an ordinance or the making of any regulation, restriction or prohibition, the borough may provide for enforcement and penalties for violations. The specific powers of the borough shall include the following:
(1) To prescribe reasonable fees for the services of the borough's officers and to enforce the payment of the fees. This paragraph shall not be applicable to the services rendered by borough police officers in responding to motor vehicle accidents pursuant to 53 Pa.C.S. § 1392 (relating to prohibition of fees for police services).
(2) In the operation of its utilities, parking meters, parking lots, recreational facilities and other facilities and services, to make and regulate charges for them for general borough purposes.
(3) To impose fines and penalties, incurring partial or total forfeiture, or to remit the same.
(4) To prohibit and remove any nuisance or dangerous structure on public or private grounds, including, but not limited to, accumulations of garbage and rubbish, the storage of abandoned or junked automobiles and obstructions or nuisances in the streets of the borough. The borough may require the removal of any nuisance or dangerous structure by the owner or occupier of the grounds or remove the nuisance or dangerous structure itself and collect the cost of removal, together with a penalty of 10% of the cost, in the manner provided by law for the collection of municipal claims, or by action of assumpsit, or the borough may seek relief by bill in equity.
(5) To make regulations as may be necessary for the health, safety, morals, general welfare and cleanliness and beauty, convenience, comfort and safety of the borough.
(6) To make regulations respecting vaults, cesspools and drains.
(7) To make regulations relative to the accumulation of manure, compost and the like to the extent authorized by 3 Pa.C.S. Ch. 5 (relating to nutrient management and odor management).
(8) (Reserved).
(9) To the extent not otherwise prohibited by the act of December 7, 1982 (P.L.784, No.225), known as the Dog Law, to destroy dogs found at large contrary to laws of this Commonwealth, to prohibit or regulate, by ordinance, the running at large of dogs, cats or other pets and, in the enforcement of the regulations, to direct the seizure, detention or killing of dogs, cats or other pets, prescribing reasonable charges for their seizure and detention and to provide for their sale for the benefit of the borough in default of the redemption of the pet by its owners.
(10) To enact ordinances prohibiting or regulating the keeping or running at large of livestock and fowls and any other animals not covered in paragraph (9) and authorizing their seizure, detention or, in the case of unowned pigeons, humane destruction. The borough may prescribe reasonable charges for the seizure and detention of the animals and provide for their sale for the benefit of the borough in default of the redemption of the animals by their owners. Ordinances enacted under this paragraph shall not unreasonably interfere with any agricultural operation to the extent prohibited by applicable State law.
(11) To regulate the emission of smoke from chimneys, smokestacks and other sources to the extent the regulation is not otherwise prohibited by applicable Federal or State law. This paragraph shall not apply to locomotive smokestacks.
(12) To regulate the streets, sewers, public squares, common grounds, sidewalks, curbs, gutters, culverts and drains, and the heights, grades, widths, slopes and their construction, and to prohibit the erection or construction of any building or other obstruction to the convenient use of the same.
ibited by applicable Federal or State law. This paragraph shall not apply to locomotive smokestacks.
(12) To regulate the streets, sewers, public squares, common grounds, sidewalks, curbs, gutters, culverts and drains, and the heights, grades, widths, slopes and their construction, and to prohibit the erection or construction of any building or other obstruction to the convenient use of the same.
(13) To prohibit or regulate the riding, driving, parking or other passage of any animal or vehicle over, along
and across sidewalks. As used in this paragraph, the term "vehicle" shall include any device in, upon or by which any person or property may be transported. The term shall not include a self-propelled wheelchair or an electrical mobility device operated by and designed for the exclusive use of a person with a mobility-related disability.
(14) To adopt ordinances defining disorderly conduct or disturbing the peace within the limits of the borough and to provide for the imposition of penalties for the conduct in amounts, without limitation except as provided under this part, as council shall establish, and notwithstanding any laws of this Commonwealth upon disorderly conduct or disturbing the peace and the penalties.
(15) To adopt and enforce a construction code, a property maintenance code and a fire prevention code and exercise any additional reserved powers pursuant to Chapter 32A (relating to uniform construction code, property maintenance code and reserved powers).
(16) To prohibit and regulate the smoking or carrying of lighted cigarettes, cigars, pipes or matches and the use of matches or fire-producing devices. An ordinance enacted or regulation or resolution adopted under this paragraph shall not regulate smoking in a manner that conflicts with the act of June 13, 2008 (P.L.182, No.27), known as the Clean Indoor Air Act.
(17) To provide for fireworks and inflammable articles as follows:
(i) To regulate and prohibit, by ordinance, the manufacture of fireworks or inflammable or dangerous articles.
(ii) To grant permits for supervised public displays of fireworks and adopt rules and regulations governing the displays.
(iii) To adopt, by ordinance, rules and regulations not inconsistent with State regulations relating to the storage of inflammable articles.
(iv) To impose, by ordinance, other safeguards concerning inflammable articles as may be necessary.
(18) To require and regulate the numbering of buildings and lots.
(19) To make regulations respecting partition fences and the foundations and party walls of buildings.
(20) To provide for the prohibition, licensing and regulation of business as follows:
(i) In addition to licensing in accordance with
(1) To prescribe reasonable fees for the services of the borough's officers and to enforce the payment of the fees. This paragraph shall not be applicable to the services rendered by borough police officers in responding to motor vehicle accidents pursuant to 53 Pa.C.S. § 1392 (relating to prohibition of fees for police services).
(2) In the operation of its utilities, parking meters, parking lots, recreational facilities and other facilities and services, to make and regulate charges for them for general borough purposes.
(3) To impose fines and penalties, incurring partial or total forfeiture, or to remit the same.
(4) To prohibit and remove any nuisance or dangerous structure on public or private grounds, including, but not limited to, accumulations of garbage and rubbish, the storage of abandoned or junked automobiles and obstructions or nuisances in the streets of the borough. The borough may require the removal of any nuisance or dangerous structure by the owner or occupier of the grounds or remove the nuisance or dangerous structure itself and collect the cost of removal, together with a penalty of 10% of the cost, in the manner provided by law for the collection of municipal claims, or by action of assumpsit, or the borough may seek relief by bill in equity.
(5) To make regulations as may be necessary for the health, safety, morals, general welfare and cleanliness and beauty, convenience, comfort and safety of the borough.
(6) To make regulations respecting vaults, cesspools and drains.
(7) To make regulations relative to the accumulation of manure, compost and the like to the extent authorized by 3 Pa.C.S. Ch. 5 (relating to nutrient management and odor management).
(8) (Reserved).
(9) To the extent not otherwise prohibited by the act of December 7, 1982 (P.L.784, No.225), known as the Dog Law, to destroy dogs found at large contrary to laws of this Commonwealth, to prohibit or regulate, by ordinance, the running at large of dogs, cats or other pets and, in the enforcement of the regulations, to direct the seizure, detention or killing of dogs, cats or other pets, prescribing reasonable charges for their seizure and detention and to provide for their sale for the benefit of the borough in default of the redemption of the pet by its owners.
(10) To enact ordinances prohibiting or regulating the keeping or running at large of livestock and fowls and any other animals not covered in paragraph (9) and authorizing their seizure, detention or, in the case of unowned pigeons, humane destruction. The borough may prescribe reasonable charges for the seizure and detention of the animals and provide for their sale for the benefit of the borough in default of the redemption of the animals by their owners. Ordinances enacted under this paragraph shall not unreasonably interfere with any agricultural operation to the extent prohibited by applicable State law.
(11) To regulate the emission of smoke from chimneys, smokestacks and other sources to the extent the regulation is not otherwise prohibited by applicable Federal or State law. This paragraph shall not apply to locomotive smokestacks.
(12) To regulate the streets, sewers, public squares, common grounds, sidewalks, curbs, gutters, culverts and drains, and the heights, grades, widths, slopes and their construction, and to prohibit the erection or construction of any building or other obstruction to the convenient use of the same.
ibited by applicable Federal or State law. This paragraph shall not apply to locomotive smokestacks.
(12) To regulate the streets, sewers, public squares, common grounds, sidewalks, curbs, gutters, culverts and drains, and the heights, grades, widths, slopes and their construction, and to prohibit the erection or construction of any building or other obstruction to the convenient use of the same.
(13) To prohibit or regulate the riding, driving, parking or other passage of any animal or vehicle over, along
and across sidewalks. As used in this paragraph, the term "vehicle" shall include any device in, upon or by which any person or property may be transported. The term shall not include a self-propelled wheelchair or an electrical mobility device operated by and designed for the exclusive use of a person with a mobility-related disability.
(14) To adopt ordinances defining disorderly conduct or disturbing the peace within the limits of the borough and to provide for the imposition of penalties for the conduct in amounts, without limitation except as provided under this part, as council shall establish, and notwithstanding any laws of this Commonwealth upon disorderly conduct or disturbing the peace and the penalties.
(15) To adopt and enforce a construction code, a property maintenance code and a fire prevention code and exercise any additional reserved powers pursuant to Chapter 32A (relating to uniform construction code, property maintenance code and reserved powers).
(16) To prohibit and regulate the smoking or carrying of lighted cigarettes, cigars, pipes or matches and the use of matches or fire-producing devices. An ordinance enacted or regulation or resolution adopted under this paragraph shall not regulate smoking in a manner that conflicts with the act of June 13, 2008 (P.L.182, No.27), known as the Clean Indoor Air Act.
(17) To provide for fireworks and inflammable articles as follows:
(i) To regulate and prohibit, by ordinance, the manufacture of fireworks or inflammable or dangerous articles.
(ii) To grant permits for supervised public displays of fireworks and adopt rules and regulations governing the displays.
(iii) To adopt, by ordinance, rules and regulations not inconsistent with State regulations relating to the storage of inflammable articles.
(iv) To impose, by ordinance, other safeguards concerning inflammable articles as may be necessary.
(18) To require and regulate the numbering of buildings and lots.
(19) To make regulations respecting partition fences and the foundations and party walls of buildings.
(20) To provide for the prohibition, licensing and regulation of business as follows:
(i) In addition to licensing in accordance with
Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site
Need a lawyer in Pennsylvania?
Find a Pennsylvania lawyer
About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the
Open US Law dataset
(Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine
(Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.