Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Bow, New Hampshire
Town of Bow is a town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire. Town of Bow adopts its own zoning, so inside its limits Town of Bow’s rules apply, not the county’s. Septic permits inside Town of Bow come from the state health agency. 15 rules below are quoted from official sources and independently re-checked, most recently on October 29, 2026. Rules for unincorporated land are on the Merrimack County page.
Answers from the rulebook for Town of Bow
Town of Bow’s own rules
Building permitRequired
Construction, remodeling and improvements inside Bow town limits
The page lists decks, dormers, electrical, HVAC, gas fitting, most renovations, plumbing, porches, sheds over 200 sq ft, swimming pools, and roof installation as permit items.
Plans must be submitted electronically and must include approvals from local land use boards.
“Most construction activity requires a permit.”
Building code adoptedAdopted
New construction and renovation inside Bow town limits
Bow's permit page lists the International codes (IBC, IEBC, IECC 2018, IMC, IPC, IRC, ISPSC, all 2024 except IECC 2018) each 'with new hampshire amendments', and the National Electrical Code 2023.
The page links the NH state building code (NH Fire Marshal) as the adopted-codes reference.
“The Town of Bow Building Code includes the State of New Hampshire Building Code as contained within NH RSA 155-A, as may be amended by the State of NH.”
Certificate of occupancyRequired
New construction, additions, interior fit-up or alteration, and changes of occupancy or use inside Bow town limits
The page lists certificate of occupancy for projects changing the occupancy or use of a building, interior fit-up, alteration or renovation of existing buildings or building systems, and new construction and additions.
Commercial, industrial and multi-family structures are listed as a category with additional requirements.
“It shall be unlawful to use or occupy any structure or lot for which a building permit is required herein without receiving from the Building Inspector a certificate of use and/or occupancy.”
Local zoningPresent
All land inside Bow town limits; Bow adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance by town meeting vote
The ordinance text in the PDF was amended through 2025 (amendment history on the cover pages).
“BE IT ORDAINED BY TOWN MEETING OF THE TOWN OF BOW, PURSUANT TO ALL RELEVANT RSA'S, THAT THIS ORDINANCE BE ADOPTED AND FROM TIME TO TIME AMENDED AS NEEDED TO MAINTAIN ITS INTEGRITY.”
Zoning districtsPublished
Zoning districts of the Town of Bow
The ordinance includes a legend of districts; the district map itself was not opened.
Article 15 to 18 (business development, impact fees, Bow Mills and South Bow mixed use) are published separately per the town's site.
“legend of districts ru = rural r = residential r-1 = residential one family c = commercial cv = civic i-1 = limited industrial i-2 = general industrial”
Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)
Lots inside Bow town limits; the numeric minimum is set district by district in the section 6.07 table, which was not readable in the text returned
Where the lot is not served by municipal sewer and on-site disposal is required, the lot must be at least the NH DES area or the table figure, whichever is larger.
Numeric minimums per district (including the single-family residential r-1 and rural ru districts) are not yet extracted.
“where the lot is not served by a municipal sewer system and an on-site subsurface disposal system is required, the lot size shall not be less than the area required by the new hampshire department of environmental services or as specified in the table of dimensional regulations (section 6.07), whichever is the larger.”
SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)
Main residential and rural zones inside Bow town limits (the town's permit page names 'residential and rural zones'); commercial, business development and industrial zones differ
Wetland setbacks apply in addition, per zoning article 10.01d, as the page states.
The page says business development, industrial and commercial zones differ; those figures were not extracted.
Figures come from the town's permit-page summary; the section 6.07 table itself was not read.
front yard setback: 35 ft (residential and rural zones) · side yard setback: 20 ft (residential and rural zones) · rear yard setback: 20 ft (residential and rural zones)
“Minimum setbacks for Residential and Rural Zones are: Front 35 ft; Side and Rear 20 ft; Wetlands Have Minimum Required Setbacks Per Zoning Ordinance Article 10.01D”
Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)
Lots inside Bow town limits; the maximum percentage is set per district in the section 6.07 table
Impervious areas count toward coverage, including parking, vehicular access, outside storage and developed walkways.
Per-district percentages were not extracted from the table.
“no structures, or impervious surfaces shall be constructed on a lot such that the area of the lot covered by such structures, and impervious surfaces when calculated as a percentage of the total lot area, shall exceed the maximum percentage as specified in the table of dimensional regulations (section 6.07).”
Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)
Structures inside Bow town limits; the story and height maximum is set per district in the section 6.07 table
Spires, steeples, cupolas, domes, chimneys, smokestacks, flagpoles and antennae not designed for human occupancy are excluded from the height limit.
Per-district figures were not extracted from the table.
“No structures shall be constructed in excess of the number of stories and the maximum height as specified in the Table of Dimensional Regulations (Section 6.07).”
Accessory dwellingsLimited
Accessory dwelling units on a lot with a single-family dwelling inside Bow town limits
Section 7.04 conditions (b) and (c) are quoted; the lead-in conditions (a) on separate septic capacity and municipal utility permission were only partly captured.
The ADU must be 800 square feet or less of habitable floor area.
At least one of the two dwelling units must be occupied by a deeded owner of the property.
The 1981 amendment history states ADUs must meet the same frontage and area requirements as if on their own lot.
habitable floor area maximum: <= 800 square feet
“The accessory dwelling unit shall not exceed 800 square feet of Habitable Floor Area;”
Mandatory utility hookupConditional
New homes inside Bow town limits, for water and sewer connection charges at permit time
The permit page lists a sewer connection fee 'if applicable' and a water connection fee to be determined after application, which indicates connection charges apply to public utility connections.
The zoning ordinance's dimensional section ties lot size to whether a municipal sewer system serves the lot (section 6.01); no distance-to-main or mandatory-connection rule for new single-family homes was located.
“Sewer Connection Fee (if applicable), to be paid when obtaining the building permit.”
Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)
Land divisions inside Bow town limits, reviewed under the zoning ordinance's subdivision provisions
The subdivision regulations themselves (section 5.08) are a separate document and were not opened.
Planned business subdivisions in non-residential districts may be approved by the Planning Board with lots that do not meet minimum size or frontage, per section 6.07 text.
“The development or change or expansion of any use that includes a subdivision of a lot, tract, or parcel of land is subject to the approval of the Planning Board pursuant to the Land Subdivision Regulations of the Town of Bow, N.H.”
Building in a floodplainRequired
Building permits for land inside Bow's flood district (article 10 floodplain overlay)
The amendment history records a 2006 change requiring a waiver of liability before building permits issue in the flood district; the current article 10 text was not opened to confirm it is unchanged.
Flood district permitting beyond the liability waiver was not verified.
“All proposed development in any special flood hazard area shall require a permit.”
Permit processPublished
Building permit applications inside Bow town limits
Plans must be submitted electronically; the town page says permitting is handled through Cloudpermit (per the search snippet, not opened).
Certain approvals from local land use boards must accompany plans; a licensed engineer or third-party plan review may be required.
“To make the process run smoothly, please submit all plans electronically when applying for a permit.”
Rules another office applies inside Town of Bow
Town of Bow 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)
Septic design approval for new homes in Bow town, by NH DES Subsurface Bureau, in addition to the town approval
The Bow page gives the Subsurface Bureau phone number 603-271-3501 and says the approval is also required by the state.
“Septic design is to be approved by Town of Bow and also the State of NH (DES) -Sub Surface Bureau phone number 603-271-3501.”
Still unanswered
We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Bow or Merrimack County directly.
Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction inside Bow town limits
Inspections — Building inspections inside Bow town limits
Living in an RV — Recreation vehicle living on private land inside Bow town limits
Tiny homes — Tiny homes used as dwellings inside Bow town limits
4 more unanswered
Septic inspection
Off-grid sanitation
Agricultural exemption
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 Bow publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Merrimack County’s page lists the county offices to call.
Off-grid gear
Going off-grid in Town of Bow means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:
