Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Belmont, New Hampshire
Town of Belmont is a town in Belknap County, New Hampshire. Town of Belmont adopts its own zoning, so inside its limits Town of Belmont’s rules apply, not the county’s. Septic permits inside Town of Belmont come from the state health agency. 18 rules below are quoted from official sources and independently re-checked, most recently on October 29, 2026. Rules for unincorporated land are on the Belknap County page.
Answers from the rulebook for Town of Belmont
Town of Belmont’s own rules
Building permitRequired
Construction, alteration, relocation, or demolition of structures inside Belmont town (not the unincorporated county area).
FAQ says a permit is required for structural work; cosmetic work is exempt (siding, shingles, same-size door or window, painting).
Permit must be on site before work starts.
Permits expire if not substantially acted upon within 6 months.
Fences do not require a permit.
“both nh state law and town of belmont ordinances require that a building permit be obtained.”
InspectionsRequired
Permitted construction inside Belmont town.
Inspection schedule is issued with the permit; the owner must call the land use office to schedule inspections.
Building inspector reviews detailed plans for code compliance.
“a required inspection schedule is provided with the permit. the owner is responsible to call the land use office to schedule required inspections.”
Local zoningPresent (with conditions)
Land inside Belmont town limits. Belmont town adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance (enacted 1986, edition 2018).
Zoning applies in addition to septic, floodplain, wetlands, and subdivision rules.
“The Town of Belmont is divided into six zoning districts hereinafter referred to as "Districts".”
Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)
Zoning districts inside Belmont town (commercial, industrial, residential single family, residential multi-family, rural, village).
Permitted uses by district are in Article 5 Table 1; lot requirements are in Table 2.
Article 3 includes the district boundaries and zoning map.
“The Town of Belmont is divided into six zoning districts hereinafter referred to as "Districts".”
Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)
Land inside Belmont town. Minimum lot size in acres is set per zoning district in Article 5 Table 2 (main residential single-family and rural districts). The numeric values were not reliably extracted from the PDF table and are a followup.
Lot size is reduced or varies with municipal sewer and with municipal sewer and water.
Lots must also comply with the Belmont subdivision regulations.
Open-space development allows lot size reductions under Article 6 Table 3.
“Minimum lot size in Acres. Must also comply with the requirements of the Belmont Subdivision Regulations.”
SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)
Structure setbacks from property lines inside Belmont town, set by zoning district in Article 5 Table 2 (main residential single-family and rural districts).
Front setback is 50 feet for all lots on Route 106 and Route 140.
Side and rear setbacks on a preexisting nonconforming lot are reduced to one-half of the district setback, or the lesser amount.
Accessory buildings up to 300 sq ft and 14 ft in height may have side and rear setbacks reduced by 50%.
Exempt from property-line setbacks: cluster mailbox units, bus stop shelters, and above-ground fuel tank structures required by law. Fences are not required to meet setbacks.
Setbacks from lakes, rivers, streams, and brooks are set by the Belmont wetlands conservation ordinance.
Setbacks from cemeteries follow RSA 289:3 (25 feet).
front setback Route 106 and Route 140: 50 feet
“Minimum Structure Setbacks2,3,4,5,6, 7,12,13,14 from Property Line (in feet)”
Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)
Land inside Belmont town, by zoning district in Article 5 Table 2 (residential single-family and rural districts). Coverage is measured as non-green area.
Open-space development has its own lot-area rules (Article 6 Table 3).
“Percent of Lot Coverage (non-green area)”
Building heightSpecified
All structures in all zoning districts inside Belmont town.
Height is measured from the highest point of the structure to the average finished grade immediately surrounding the structure.
Exceptions: domestic radio and television antennas, silos for feed crops, church towers, water storage structures, chimneys, wind operated devices, and aggregate processing structures.
In commercial and industrial zones a structure may exceed 45 feet by special exception granted by the zoning board of adjustment.
maximum building height: <= 45 feet (listed structure types and special exception in commercial and industrial zones)
“The height limitations for all structures in all districts shall not exceed forty-five (45) feet”
Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)
Recreational vehicle use on residential land inside Belmont town. Long-term occupancy as a residence is not allowed.
One unit may be stored or used as accessory to an existing primary residential use for temporary recreational use by the owner or a non-paying guest.
Use may not exceed 45 days in any twelve-month period unless the unit is attached to NH state approved on-site water and septic or sewer facilities, in which case use may not exceed six months in any twelve-month period.
The unit is not a structure for zoning purposes and may not be used as a primary residence.
RVs may not be used in conjunction with a commercial or industrial use.
maximum use period: <= 45 days per twelve-month period (six months per twelve-month period if attached to NH state approved on-site water and septic or sewer facilities)
“Such use shall not exceed 45 days during any twelve-month period unless the unit is attached to NH State approved on-site water and septic or sewer facilities.”
Mandatory utility hookupConditional
New buildings inside Belmont town that require a new connection to the Belmont municipal sewer system.
Connection requires a Belmont municipal sewer permit submitted with the building permit application.
The FAQ does not state a mandatory connection distance; the sewer ordinance was not opened, so whether connection is mandatory is unknown.
“if your proposal requires a new connection to the belmont sewer system, a copy of permit must be submitted with the application.”
One more reviewed finding on this topic
Conditional — New buildings inside Belmont town that require a new connection to the Belmont municipal water system.
“if your proposal requires a new connection to the belmont water system, a copy of that permit must be submitted with the application.”
Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)
Land divisions inside Belmont town, under the Belmont subdivision regulations.
Lots and roads must meet the zoning ordinance and the subdivision regulations.
Open-space subdivisions and density bonuses are handled by the planning board.
“Must also comply with the requirements of the Belmont Subdivision Regulations.”
Driveway accessRequired
New or altered driveway access serving a permitted project inside Belmont town.
Either a Town of Belmont or NH state driveway permit is required, depending on the road.
The FAQ notes the explanation of proposed driveway work is required on the application.
“town of belmont or state or nh driveway permit.”
Permit feesPublished (with conditions)
Building permit fees for work inside Belmont town.
Fees are paid by cash or check payable to the Town of Belmont.
Fees for denied permits are returned; fees for approved permits are nonrefundable.
The fee schedule itself was linked from the FAQ but not opened, so amounts are not recorded.
“current fee schedule can be obtained at the belmont land use office or on line at building permit fee schedule.”
Permit processPublished (with conditions)
Building permit process inside Belmont town.
Zoning administrator reviews for zoning compliance; planning board chair signs off; building inspector reviews the building code; the building inspector issues the required inspection list.
Permits are usually available within 7 to 10 business days; state law provides up to 30 days for review.
Incomplete applications are not processed.
“submit a completed application, with all required plans and sketches to the land use office”
Rules another office applies inside Town of Belmont
Town of Belmont does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.
Owner-builder exemptionConditional
Owner-performed plumbing in a single-family detached or townhouse residence inside Belmont town, as stated by the Belmont Land Use Office.
Work must still comply with the applicable plumbing codes.
A permit is still required (the FAQ says a separate plumbing permit can be obtained for plumbing-only work).
Owner-builder electrical work is allowed only in a single-family residence the owner occupies or will occupy as a bona fide personal abode, and a permit is still required.
“by state law a property owner or the property owner's agent may install, repair, or replace plumbing in the property owner's own single-family detached or townhouse residence, including new construction.”
Who permits septicState (with conditions)
Individual septic systems serving land inside Belmont town. The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) approves septic systems; the town requires the NHDES approval to be submitted with building permits.
Belmont building permits require the NHDES septic approval when a project adds an occupied structure, adds bedrooms, or reconstructs.
“a permit from nh des for new/expanded uses on individual septic systems.”
Septic permitRequired
New occupied structures, expanded bedroom counts, and reconstruction of structures served by individual septic systems inside Belmont town.
The approved NHDES septic approval must accompany the Belmont building permit application.
Applies to proposals that add a new occupied structure, expand the number of bedrooms, or reconstruct.
“if your proposal requires a new nh des approved septic approval (i.e. new occupied structure, expansion of the number of bedrooms, reconstruction, etc.), that approval must be submitted with the application.”
Still unanswered
We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Belmont or Belknap County directly.
Minimum dwelling size — Minimum floor area for a new dwelling inside Belmont town.
Tiny homes — Tiny homes as a primary dwelling inside Belmont town.
Septic inspection — Septic system inspection for land inside Belmont town.
Off-grid sanitation — Off-grid or non-septic sanitation for a home inside Belmont town.
Well permit — Drilling a private well for a home inside Belmont town.
3 more unanswered
Agricultural exemption
Building in a floodplain
Short-term rentals
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.
Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Town of Belmont publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Belknap County’s page lists the county offices to call.
Off-grid gear
Going off-grid in Town of Belmont means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:
