Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Randolph, New Hampshire
Town of Randolph is a town in Coos County, New Hampshire. Town of Randolph adopts its own zoning, so inside its limits Town of Randolph’s rules apply, not the county’s. Septic permits inside Town of Randolph come from the state health agency. 14 rules below are quoted from official sources and independently re-checked, most recently on October 29, 2026. Rules for unincorporated land are on the Coos County page.
Answers from the rulebook for Town of Randolph
Town of Randolph’s own rules
Building permitRequired
New buildings and structures, including prefabricated structures, inside Randolph town limits
Permit also required for swimming pools, manufactured homes, external wood boilers, wind powered equipment, solar panels and exterior signs.
Alterations that change use, exterior dimensions, basic materials, or the number of bedrooms also require a permit.
No building can begin until written approval of the building permit application is obtained; verbal discussion does not constitute permission.
Applicants must also submit NHDES sewage disposal approval where the work adds load to a septic system, and a NH energy code certification from the PUC or plans certified by a NH registered architect.
Board of Selectmen issues the permit; the form notes the board meets the 2nd and 4th Monday of the month.
“you must have a permit before a building or structure (including a prefabricated structure) is constructed, extended or placed.”
Local zoningPresent (with conditions)
All land inside Randolph town limits; the town's own Land Use Ordinance (zoning ordinance) governs use and dimensional standards town-wide.
Uses not listed as permitted or allowed by special exception, conditional use permit or special use permit are prohibited (section 4.01).
The ordinance states that it is subject to change by amendment at town meeting; the text reviewed is the version amended March 10, 2026.
Adoption in 1988 is a historical statement from the town's information sheet, not a stated effective date of the current text, so effective_at is left null.
“any use not listed as permitted or allowed by special exception, conditional use permit or special use permit in this ordinance is prohibited.”
Minimum lot sizeSpecified
Residential lots across Randolph town; the ordinance sets one town-wide standard, and no separate residential district schedule was found in the text opened.
Lot must also have minimum continuous frontage of 200 feet on a public Class V or higher street or a planning-board-approved private street.
Larger lot sizes or lower densities may be required by the planning board for on-site wastewater and water supply protection.
Only one principal building or principal use is permitted per lot.
Nonconforming lots of record that do not meet minimum lot size or frontage are buildable only if other requirements, including suitability for on-site wastewater disposal and water supply, are met.
minimum lot size: >= 80000 sq ft of buildable land (Buildable land must meet the minimum soil type requirements of the subdivision regulations; planning board may require larger lots.) · minimum road frontage: >= 200 ft
“(80,000 sf / 1.84 ac minimum for new construction)”
SetbacksSpecified
Front yard setback for structures on lots in Randolph town (single town-wide standard)
Distance measured from the nearest right-of-way.
Driveways and parking lots have a separate 25-foot side and rear space requirement (section 5.04).
front setback from nearest right-of-way: >= 25 ft
“5.03 front setbacks. every structure placed on a lot shall have a setback of at least 25 feet from the nearest right-of-way.”
2 more reviewed findings on this topic
Specified — Side and rear setbacks for structures on lots in Randolph town (single town-wide standard)
“every structure placed on a lot shall have a space of at least 25 feet from the side and rear lot lines; however, minor extensions to structures, such as, but 11 not limited to, greenhouses, bay windows, steps, stoops or porches, may project to a point no closer than 20 feet from the lot line.”
Specified — Structures and paved areas near perennial streams or water bodies in Randolph town
“no structure or paved area, excluding streets, driveways and bridges, shall be located within 100 feet of the ordinary high water mark of a perennial stream or body of water.”
Building heightSpecified
Height of structures on lots in Randolph town (single town-wide standard)
Restriction does not apply to farm buildings (section 5.05).
Permit form measures height to the highest point of the building.
maximum structure height: <= 35 ft (Farm buildings excluded)
“5.05 height. no structure erected on any lot shall exceed 35 feet in height, except that this restriction shall not apply to farm buildings.”
Manufactured homesAllowed
Single-family manufactured housing as a residence on private land in Randolph town
Listed as a permitted residential use for single-family manufactured housing; placement of a manufactured home also requires a building permit.
Manufactured homes are included in the structure definition and must meet setbacks and height limits.
“3. manufactured housing (single-family).”
Accessory dwellingsAllowed
Accessory dwelling units on a lot with a single-family dwelling inside Randolph town
Attached ADUs: within or attached to a single-family dwelling or attached garage, with an interior door to the principal unit.
Detached ADUs (guest cottage, barn or garage) must contain no more than two bedrooms and no more than 1,200 sq. ft. of gross floor area.
Two-family dwellings are a permitted use separately; the ADU use is limited to single-family dwellings with one ADU.
detached ADU maximum bedrooms: <= 2 bedrooms · detached ADU maximum gross floor area: <= 1200 sq ft
“1. single- and two-family dwellings, and single-family dwellings with one accessory dwelling unit.”
Driveway accessRequired
New or substantially altered driveways and private streets connecting to town roads in Randolph town (state highways excluded; state permit applies there)
Driveway permit issued by the Board of Selectmen before construction or substantial alteration.
Driveways must be shown on the building permit sketch and the form lists 750 ft maximum length and 12% maximum slope.
Driveways connecting to a state highway require a written permit from the commissioner of transportation under RSA 236:13 instead.
maximum driveway length: <= 750 ft · maximum driveway slope: <= 12 %
“a driveway permit shall be obtained from the selectmen before construction or substantial alteration of any driveway or private street is begun, unless the street or road to which the driveway connects is a state highway, in which case submission of a written permit issued by the commissioner of transportation under rsa 236:13 shall constitute full compliance with the requirement of this section.”
Short-term rentalsAllowed
Short-term rental of one dwelling unit per property inside Randolph town
Permitted use under section 4.02(a)(6), limited to one unit per property.
Lodging (more than one unit or rooms beyond the short-term rental definition) requires a special exception from the Zoning Board of Adjustment.
Owner-occupied two-family dwellings and single-family dwellings with an ADU are included in the definition, as stated.
“5. open space development as provided for in section 6.06. 6. short term rental”
Permit processPartial
Building permit application process at Randolph Town Hall, 130 Durand Road
Application requires a dimensioned sketch, abutter list, septic and driveway information, and state approvals.
The form says a permit may take up to a month if information is incomplete or questions arise.
Applicants must apply even if they expect refusal; a refusal may be appealed to the board of adjustment for a variance.
Verbal discussion does not constitute permission to begin work.
“no building can begin until you have obtained a written approval of your building permit application.”
Rules another office applies inside Town of Randolph
Town of Randolph does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.
Who permits septicState (with conditions)
Sewage disposal system design and permitting for construction inside Randolph town; the NH Department of Environmental Services applies this rule inside the town.
Schema requires geography statewide for state-kind scope; the state rule applies to land inside Randolph town.
“a sewage disposal permit from the des, water supply & pollution control division is required if the proposed construction involves a new structure or if it will have the effect of increasing the load on an existing sewage disposal system.”
Septic permitRequired
New structures and additions that add load to a septic system inside Randolph town
Required when adding bedrooms or converting existing rooms to bedrooms in an existing residential structure.
Required when converting from seasonal to full-time use or occupancy, or from residential-only to residential plus commercial use or commercial use only.
Permit form requires the NHDES septic system design approval number and date before the building permit is issued.
“a sewage disposal permit from the des, water supply & pollution control division is required if the proposed construction involves a new structure or if it will have the effect of increasing the load on an existing sewage disposal system.”
Still unanswered
We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Randolph or Coos County directly.
Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from permitting in Randolph town
Building code adopted — Building code adopted for new construction inside Randolph town
Inspections — Building inspections for new construction inside Randolph town
Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes inside Randolph town
Zoning districts — Zoning districts within Randolph town
9 more unanswered
Minimum dwelling size
Lot coverage
Septic inspection
Off-grid sanitation
Well permit
Mandatory utility hookup
Agricultural exemption
Building in a floodplain
Permit fees
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 Randolph publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Coos County’s page lists the county offices to call.
Off-grid gear
Going off-grid in Town of Randolph means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:
