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

Town of New London’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Erecting, relocating, or altering a building, sign, or structure within New London town limits.

  • For a new structure or addition other than a sign, the application must include a plan showing lot size, structure location, and sewage and wastewater disposal.

  “it shall be unlawful to erect, relocate any Building, Sign or Structure, or Alter any Building without first obtaining a Building permit”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land within New London town limits.

  • District and overlay requirements apply according to the Town zoning ordinance.

  “The Town of New London Zoning Map shows a division of the town into the following districts:”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts within New London town limits.

  • The official map in the Selectmen's Office is the final authority for the current zoning status of land and water areas.

  “the official zoning map located in the Selectmen s Office shall be the final authority as to the current zoning status”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  R-1 Urban District lots within New London town limits.

  • The 10,000-square-foot standard applies with water and sewer; the two-acre standard applies without water and sewer.
  • Other ordinance and subdivision provisions may further limit dwellings per parcel.

  minimum lot area with water and sewer: 10000 square feet (R-1 with water and sewer) · minimum lot area without water and sewer: 2 acres (R-1 without water and sewer)

  “R-1 w/o water & sewer 150 ft. - - 2 ac. 1 Family/acre”

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Agricultural and Rural Residential (ARR) District lots within New London town limits.

  • The quick reference says it is not a substitute for the full zoning ordinance.

  road setback: 50 feet (ARR District) · rear setback: 25 feet (ARR District) · side setback: 25 feet (ARR District)

  “ARR 200 ft. - - 4 ac. 1 Family/4 acres 50 ft. 25 ft. 25 ft.”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • District specific (with conditions) — R-1 Urban District lots without water and sewer within New London town limits.

    “R-1 w/o water & sewer 150 ft. - - 2 ac. 1 Family/acre 25 ft. 15 ft. 20 ft.”

• Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

  The portion of a lot within the Shore Land Overlay District in New London town limits.

  • Impervious surface may reach 30% only if a qualifying stormwater management system is designed, Planning Board approved, implemented, and maintained.

  maximum impervious surface: <= 20 percent (Shore Land Overlay District) · conditional maximum impervious surface: <= 30 percent (Qualifying Planning Board-approved stormwater management system)

  “may exceed 20%, up to a maximum of 30%, provided a storm water management system is designed”

• Building heightSpecified

  Structures in all New London zoning districts.

  • A variance is needed to exceed 35 feet unless an enumerated exception applies.
  • Chimneys may exceed 35 feet only as necessary to comply with state and federal fire codes; stated special-exception and amateur-radio-tower provisions also apply.

  maximum structure height: <= 35 feet above grade (Unless a variance is approved or a stated exception applies)

  “In all districts, Structures shall not exceed 35 feet in Height above Grade unless a Variance is approved”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  A recreational vehicle or travel trailer used as a non-paying guest accommodation within New London town limits.

  • One trailer may be accommodated for a non-paying guest for no more than 30 days in a year.
  • Construction-related temporary trailer use requires Selectmen approval and is limited to the construction period.

  guest trailer duration: <= 30 days per year (One trailer of a non-paying guest)

  “Any property owner or lessee may accommodate one Trailer of a non-paying guest for a period not exceeding 30 days in any one year.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes within New London town limits.

  • Manufactured homes must meet area and density requirements in the zones where permitted.
  • They are not allowed in R-1 Residential, Institutional, or Commercial zones.

  “Manufactured Homes are allowed in all except the R-1 Residential, Institutional and Commercial Zones.”

• Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

  Individual sewage disposal systems within New London town limits.

  • The local health regulation is effective January 1, 2026.

  “These regulations shall be administered by the Health Officer or by the designee of the Board of Selectmen.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision of real property within New London town limits.

  • The regulations include major- and minor-subdivision application procedures, fees, public-hearing procedures, design standards, and inspection provisions.

  “the New London Planning Board adopts the following regulations governing the subdivision of real property in the Town of New London.”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Building-permit fees within New London town limits.

  • The official forms page directs applicants to include applicable fees with hard-copy applications.

  “Building Permit Application/Instructions Building Permit Fee Schedule Zoning Permit Application/Instructions”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Town permit applications within New London town limits.

  • Applications must be delivered in hard copy by mail, drop box, or in person, with applicable fees included.

  “All permit applications must be delivered hard copy by mail, drop box or in person with applicable fees included.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of New London

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

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Proposed construction and other development, including placement of manufactured homes, within New London's mapped floodplain overlay areas.

  • The floodplain overlay supplements the Town zoning ordinance.
  • Recreational vehicles in Zones A and AE must be on site fewer than 180 consecutive days, be fully licensed and ready for highway use, or meet the cited floodplain elevation and anchoring standards.

  RV site duration in Zones A and AE: < 180 consecutive days (Unless fully licensed or compliant with the referenced elevation and anchoring standards)

  “All proposed Development in any Flood hazard area shall require a permit.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built construction within New London town limits.
• Building code adopted — Building-code adoption for construction within New London town limits.
• Inspections — Construction inspections within New London town limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy for ordinary residential construction within New London town limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Principal dwellings within New London town limits.

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 New London 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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