Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Temple, New Hampshire

Town of Temple’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  New structures, additions, changes of use, structural changes, certain interior alterations, relocated buildings, post-fire rebuilding, and pool installations inside Temple town.

  • Structures under 125 square feet serving as an accessory use to an existing building are excepted.
  • The guide lists further exceptions for specified maintenance and minor work.
  • Non-single-family and non-accessory-building proposals require Planning Board or Zoning Board of Adjustment approval.

  accessory structure exemption threshold: < 125 square feet (Must serve as an accessory use to an existing building.)

  “It shall be unlawful to erect and use any structure, alter, remodel [...] any existing building [...] without first obtaining a building permit from the Select Board or their agent”

• InspectionsRequired

  Structures and dwellings that will be occupied inside Temple town.

  • All inspections must be completed before occupancy and before the Selectmen issue a Certificate of Occupancy.

  “Before any structure or dwelling may be occupied, all inspections must be completed, and a certificate of occupancy issued by the Select Board.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Any structure or dwelling before occupancy inside Temple town.

  • All inspections must be completed first; the Selectmen issue the Certificate of Occupancy.

  “Before any structure or dwelling may be occupied, all inspections must be completed, and a certificate of occupancy issued by the Select Board.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Temple town, New Hampshire.

  • The ordinance is revised through March 14, 2026.

  “This ordinance shall be known, and may be cited as, the "Town of Temple Zoning Ordinance", hereinafter referred to as "this ordinance."”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Temple town.

  • District boundaries are shown on the Town of Temple, N.H. Zoning Map 1972, filed with the Town Clerk and incorporated by reference.

  zoning district count: 3

  “For the purpose of this Ordinance the Town of Temple is divided into the following three zoning districts hereinafter referred to as "Districts":”

• SetbacksSpecified

  New buildings, additions, and accessory buildings inside Temple town.

  • The requirement applies except where otherwise noted in the zoning ordinance.
  • New lot lines must also remain at least 35 feet from existing buildings or accessory buildings.

  minimum setback from lot line: >= 35 feet (Except as noted elsewhere in the zoning ordinance.)

  “Except as noted elsewhere in this ordinance, each new building, addition or accessory building shall be setback at least thirty-five feet from all lot lines.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Structures inside Temple town.

  maximum structure height: <= 40 feet

  “No structure shall be built over forty feet high.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured housing inside Temple town.

  • Manufactured housing must conform to sanitary-facility, road-and-driveway, parking, setback, height, and district lot-size provisions.
  • A manufactured home may be temporarily located for up to three years while a permanent dwelling is built if it complies with Section 8.

  temporary placement period: <= 3 years (Only while a permanent dwelling is being constructed and subject to Section 8.)

  “Manufactured housing shall conform to Sections 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, and the lot size requirement of the district in which it is located.”

• Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

  Accessory dwelling units on lots inside Temple town.

  • One attached and one detached ADU are permitted per lot only if they comply with Sections 7A or 7B.
  • An attached ADU must be part of the primary residence; owner residency, size, septic capacity, water supply, parking, permit, occupancy-permit, and PRD restrictions apply.
  • Manufactured housing units are not eligible for subdivision into attached ADUs.

  attached ADU maximum size: <= 1200 square feet (Also no more than 40% of the larger primary dwelling unit.) · detached ADU maximum size: <= 1500 square feet (Also no more than 67% of the larger primary dwelling unit.)

  “One attached accessory dwelling unit and one detached accessory dwelling unit is permitted per lot, provided they conform to the standards set forth in Section 7A or Section 7B.”

• Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

  New or altered septic systems associated with construction inside Temple town.

  • The Town Health Officer signs for new or altered septic systems and the general permit.
  • The town zoning ordinance requires State standards for new installations and major repairs.

  “The Health Officer (Peter Caswell) must sign for all new or altered septic systems as well as the general permit.”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Agricultural proposals requiring a building permit inside Temple town.

  • The guide identifies agriculture as excepted from the Planning Board's identified site-plan-review category for commercial, multifamily, and certain other uses.
  • The guide identifies the Select Board as the approval body for agriculture; this is not a blanket exemption from all permits or zoning requirements.

  “Prior to the granting of a permit for the development or change or expansion of any non-residential use or multi-family use, excepting agricultural use, Site Plan Review approval shall be granted by the Planning Board.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision requests inside Temple town.

  • The Temple Planning Board oversees subdivision requests.

  “Planning Board responsibilities include reviewing and amending the Zoning Ordinance as necessary, maintaining the Master Plan, and overseeing Subdivision Requests, Lot Line Adjustments, Site Plan Review and Earth Excavation Regulations.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  New roads and driveways inside Temple town, particularly portions near a public highway or creating drainage issues.

  • The portion within 30 feet of a public highway and any portion creating a drainage problem must meet Road Agent and Select Board requirements.
  • No driveway may serve more than one lot unless the Planning Board approves.
  • A separate driveway permit is required when the Road Agent signature is required under the permit guide.

  distance from public highway triggering standard: <= 30 feet (Also applies to any portion that could create a drainage problem along the public highway.)

  “No driveway shall serve more than one lot, unless granted approval by the Planning Board.”

• Short-term rentalsLimited

  Dwelling units created through a residential conversion to a multifamily dwelling inside Temple town.

  • The restriction applies to residential conversions under Article IV, Section 7C; it is not evidence of a townwide short-term-rental rule.
  • The conversion also requires Planning Board site-plan approval, owner residency at permit application, septic and water approvals, and a building permit before construction.

  minimum rental or sublet period: >= 30 days (Applies to dwelling units in a multifamily residential conversion under Section 7C.)

  “Dwelling units are not to be used or rented as transient quarters and the right to rent or sublet shall not be permitted for periods less than 30 days.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building permits inside Temple town.

  • The Building Inspector's signature is always required.
  • The Health Officer signs for new or altered septic systems and the general permit.
  • The Road Agent signs for a new driveway requiring a separate driveway permit.
  • A building permit is good for one year from issue.

  building permit validity: 1 year (From date of issue.)

  “Completed applications are sent to the select board at the municipal office. The application may be referred to the Planning Board or the Zoning Board of Adjustment for review.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Temple town.
• Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings inside Temple town.
• Minimum lot size — Residential lots inside Temple town.
• Lot coverage — Lots inside Temple town.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Temple 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.