Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Rich Square, North Carolina

Town of Rich Square’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  All land inside Rich Square town's corporate limits.

  • The ordinance applies as established on the Official Zoning Map.

  “The provisions of this ordinance shall be applicable to all land within the corporate limits of the Town of Rich Square, North Carolina as established on the map entitled “Official Zoning Map, Town of Rich Square.””

• Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

  Single- and double-wide mobile homes throughout Rich Square town limits.

  • The home must be permanently affixed, have wheels, axles, and tow hitches removed, have a permanent foundation, and not be titled with DMV.

  “The second ordinance amendment reflects that for mobile homes (Single and Double-Wide) throughout Rich Square's city limits are allowed but are required to be permanently affixed, have all wheels, axles, and tow hitches removed, have a permanent foundation, and to not be titled with the DMV.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Rich Square planning and zoning permits.

  • The town page identifies the fee schedule as effective January 2, 2025; individual amounts were not extracted from the linked document.

  “Planning and Zoning Fees (Effective 01-02-2025)”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Rich Square

Town of Rich Square does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Building permitRequired

  Residential construction inside Rich Square town limits administered through Northampton County Code Enforcement.

  • A Rich Square zoning authorization, including the tax parcel number, is required before the building permit can issue.
  • For new construction or additions, two sets of scaled plans are required and the county states a five-day minimum plan review.
  • Permits expire six months after issue if no inspections are requested, or after work has been discontinued for 12 months from the last inspection.

  “If construction is within the town limits of Conway, Garysburg, Gaston, Jackson, Lasker, Rich Square, Seaboard, Severn, or Woodland, you must obtain a zoning authorization from that town before a building permit can be issued.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction inside Rich Square town subject to the North Carolina State Building Code.

  • State-law exceptions in G.S. 160D-1110(c) and G.S. 160D-1110.1(h) apply.

  “Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, and subsection (h) of G.S. 160D-1110.1, no person shall commence or proceed with any of the following without first securing all permits required by the North Carolina State Building Code and any other State or local laws applicable to any of the following activities:”

• InspectionsRequired

  Work performed under a building permit inside Rich Square town.

  • The inspector conducts inspections requested by the permit holder for each scheduled inspection.
  • An approved architect/engineer alternate-inspection certification can apply to a component or element.

  “Subject to the limitation imposed by G.S. 160D-1104(d), as the work pursuant to a building permit progresses, local inspectors shall make as many inspections thereof as may be necessary to satisfy them that the work is being done according to the provisions of any applicable State and local laws and of the terms of the permit.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  New buildings, occupied additions or enlargements, and altered or moved existing buildings inside Rich Square town that are subject to a building permit.

  • A temporary certificate may permit occupancy for a stated period if the inspector finds the building may safely be occupied before final completion.

  “Except as provided by subsection (b) of this section, no new building or part thereof may be occupied, no addition or enlargement of an existing building may be occupied, and no existing building that has been altered or moved may be occupied, until the inspection department has issued a certificate of compliance.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Garage apartments in the R-20 Medium-Density Residential District inside Rich Square town.

  • The ordinance classifies garage apartments as conditional uses subject to Section 10-5-3.

  “In the R-20 district, the following shall be conditional uses, subject to the provisions of Section 10-5-3: [...] Garage apartments”

• Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

  On-site septic authorization for residential construction inside Rich Square town.

  • The county document requires septic authorization before its residential permit process; state law provides the local health department permitting path and alternative engineered or authorized-evaluator options.

  “Authorization for a Septic System is required. Please contact the Northampton County Environmental Health Department at 252-534-5841.”

• Septic permitRequired

  A residence, business, public assembly, or wastewater-system installation inside Rich Square town in an area not served by an approved wastewater system.

  • Exception: work may proceed under the conditions and criteria of an engineered option permit or Authorized On-Site Wastewater Evaluator permit option.
  • No improvement permit or construction authorization is required for maintenance of a wastewater system.

  “No person shall commence or assist in the installation, construction, or repair of a wastewater system unless an Improvement Permit and a Construction Authorization have been obtained from the Department or the local health department unless that person is acting in accordance with the conditions and criteria of an engineered option permit pursuant to G.S. 130A-336.1 or the Authorized On-Site Wastewater Evaluator permit option pursuant to G.S. 130A-336.2.”

• Permit processPartial

  Residential building permit process for construction inside Rich Square town limits.

  • Rich Square zoning authorization must be obtained before the county building permit issues.
  • For new construction or additions, the county requires two sets of legible scaled plans and allows a five-day minimum plan review.

  “New construction or additions to or within an existing structure must be accompanied by two (2) sets of legible building plans (drawn to scale-11 x 17 minimum size). Allow five (5) days minimum for plan review.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Rich Square or Northampton County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder residential work inside Rich Square town.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Rich Square town.
• Lot coverage — Lots inside Rich Square town.
• Living in an RV — Residential occupancy of an RV on private land inside Rich Square town.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Rich Square town.

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.