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

Town of Canterbury’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Canterbury town limits, administered by the town under its own zoning ordinance (Town of Canterbury Zoning Ordinance, rev 01/15/2025 copy).

  • The copy opened is labeled rev 01/15/2025 under a draft file name. The town page lists a 2026 zoning ordinance download that was not opened, and the March 2026 Town Meeting amendments were not verified.

  “This ordinance shall be known as the Zoning Ordinance of the Town of Canterbury, New Hampshire”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Land under the Shaker village conservation easement building areas (b, c, and d) in Canterbury town. Does not apply to ordinary residential lots.

  • Applies within the conservation-easement building areas only.

  maximum lot coverage by structures: <= 50 percent (within each designated building area in the conservation easement)

  “Structures shall cover not more than 50 percent of the land area within each designated building area”

• Building heightSpecified

  All zones in Canterbury town, including Rural Residential and Agricultural/Conservation.

  • Excludes chimneys, ventilators, silos, and other accessory features required above the roof.
  • Commercial and industrial zones may exceed the limit by conditional use permit.

  maximum building height: 40 feet (measured from average finish grade to highest point of roof or parapet; excludes chimneys, ventilators, silos)

  “In all zones, no dwelling or other structure may be greater than 40 feet in height”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Recreational vehicles on sites inside FEMA special flood hazard areas in Canterbury town.

  • Allowed if on site fewer than 180 consecutive days, or fully licensed, on wheels or jacking system, attached by quick-disconnect utilities, and without permanent additions, or meeting the manufactured home standards of the ordinance.
  • Subject to the floodplain ordinance (Article 12).

  maximum consecutive days on site (flood hazard area): < 180 days (or licensed, wheeled RV meeting the stated attachment rules)

  “Recreational vehicles placed on sites within special flood hazard areas shall either (1) be on the site for fewer than 180 consecutive days”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory dwelling units on a lot with a principal single-family dwelling in Canterbury town, under Article 18.

  • An ADU is accessory to a principal single-family dwelling in accordance with article 18 accessory dwelling units.
  • In a commercial zone, one attached ADU may be a permitted accessory use to an allowed business (Section 2.5.1).
  • Article 18 detailed standards were not opened and are not summarized here.
  • If the lot is subdivided, the ADU lot must meet the regular subdivision requirements.

  “One ADU is permitted per lot, provided the lot is an existing legal lot of record.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision of land inside Canterbury town, administered by the Planning Board.

  • Lots must meet the regular requirements in the zoning ordinance and the Canterbury subdivision regulations.
  • The town's subdivision regulations were not opened.

  “meet all the regular requirements for subdivision in the Canterbury Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Regulations.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  New lots and building work requiring access inside Canterbury town.

  • A driveway permit for a new lot must be attached to the building permit application.
  • Frontage on an accepted town road, or highway entrance approval from the state road agent, must be attached.

  “PLAN: Attach a true and legible copy of: [...] Driveway Permit new lot”

• Short-term rentalsLimited

  Short-term lodging in a dwelling in Canterbury town. Permitted in all zones except industrial, under the conditions listed.

  • The principal use of the lot shall be a single family home.
  • No more than one short term rental unit per lot.
  • A special exception from the Zoning Board of Adjustment is required.
  • Joint fire and building code inspection, including smoke and CO detectors and fire extinguisher in kitchen.
  • Maximum occupancy shall not exceed state approved septic loading per bedroom.
  • On-street parking shall not be allowed; driveway capacity sets the number of vehicles.
  • The ZBA may set other conditions.

  “Permitted in all zones except Industrial, providing the following conditions are met:”

• Permit feesPublished

  Plumbing and HVAC permits in Canterbury town. The building permit fee is not shown on the form.

  • The fee is listed on the town's plumbing and HVAC permit form.

  plumbing / HVAC permit fee: 35 USD

  “PERMIT TO INSTALL PLUMBING / HVAC $35.00”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Canterbury

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

• Septic permitRequired

  Septic systems inside Canterbury town for new construction, conversions, and changes that add load.

  • An approval for construction and an approval for operation are both needed before the system is used.
  • Many changes to systems require an approval for construction.

  “Before you use your septic system, you need both an approval for construction and an approval for operation.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit rules in Canterbury town.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of newly built or altered buildings in Canterbury town.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Canterbury town.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land outside a licensed campground in Canterbury town.
• Tiny homes — Tiny homes used as dwellings in Canterbury 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.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Town of Canterbury means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

• Water Crystal Quest Filter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.
• Power Bluetti Solar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.
• Septic Soil percolation test kit Run your own perc test before paying an engineer — the first thing a septic office asks about.
• Water Well water test kit Bacteria, nitrates, hardness — know what the well on a parcel is really pumping.

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