Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Pembroke, New Hampshire
Town of Pembroke is a town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire. Town of Pembroke adopts its own zoning, so inside its limits Town of Pembroke’s rules apply, not the county’s. Septic permits inside Town of Pembroke come from the county and state together. 8 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 Pembroke
Town of Pembroke’s own rules
Local zoningPresent (with conditions)
Land inside Pembroke town limits, under the town's own zoning ordinance (Chapter 143 of the town code)
Zoning use and dimensional rules apply to lots inside the town; the ordinance itself states its provisions apply to all building lots in the town of pembroke.
Not a county or state zoning rule; unincorporated county zoning does not apply here.
“town of pembroke zoning ordinance adopted: march 5, 1975 superseded: march 14, 1995 last amended: march 10, 2026”
Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)
Zoning districts inside Pembroke town (table of uses lists R1, R3, B1, B2, C1, LO; SR appears in dimensional table)
District boundaries are in the zoning map under §143-11 and rules in §143-13; the map itself was not opened.
“article iii establishment of zoning districts §143-9 division into districts §143-10 overlay districts §143-11 zoning map”
Minimum lot sizeSpecified
All building lots in Pembroke town, in addition to the district minimum lot size
Buildings and any septic systems must be sited within the 70% minimum contiguous buildable area but not within any setback or buffer.
Town code enforcement officer reviews and accepts new septic plans before state approval.
minimum contiguous buildable area: 70 percent of district minimum lot size
“in addition to the required minimum lot size there shall be a minimum contiguous buildable area on each lot which shall equal or exceed seventy percent (70%) of the minimum lot size for that zoning district.”
Living in an RVLimited
Occupancy of a recreational vehicle outside a licensed campground on land inside Pembroke town
Temporary occupancy requires a permit from the code enforcement officer.
Storing or parking an RV during non-use on the owner's premises needs no permit, or for occupancy not to exceed 60 days per year.
A property owner or lessee may host one RV of a nonpaying guest for up to 60 days per year; the code enforcement officer may extend this in extenuating circumstances.
Temporary RV licensing fees are set by the selectmen (§ 143-26).
guest RV occupancy limit: <= 60 days per year (code enforcement officer may increase in extenuating circumstances)
“a property owner or lessee may accommodate one recreational vehicle of a nonpaying guest for a period not in excess of 60 days in any one year.”
Camping on your landLimited
Temporary camping using a recreational vehicle outside a licensed campground in Pembroke town; tent camping and campground rules not verified
Temporary RV occupancy needs a code enforcement officer permit, except the storage and guest provisions above.
Campground use is governed separately (§143-35) and was not opened.
“it shall be unlawful for any person to occupy a recreational vehicle on a temporary basis, who does not possess a permit from the code enforcement officer.”
Accessory dwellingsLimited
One accessory dwelling unit on a lot with a single-family detached dwelling, in zones that allow single-family detached dwellings in Pembroke town
Accessory living space may not exceed 750 square feet.
Septic design/capacity must be approved by NHDES and provided to the town.
A minimum of one off-street parking space is required; no new curb cut from the street.
Only one water and sewer service for both units.
All appropriate town building codes must be followed; ADU may be within, attached to, or detached from the house; owner-occupancy requirements noted in ordinance summary not verified in the opened text.
maximum accessory living space: <= 750 sq ft
“such accessory living space shall not exceed 750 square feet and all appropriate town building codes shall be followed.”
Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)
New septic systems for lots inside Pembroke town
Town code enforcement officer reviews and accepts new septic system plans before they go to state approval, and stamps and signs accepted plans.
NHDES approves the septic system design; the town does not replace state approval.
“the code enforcement officer will be responsible for reviewing and accepting new septic system plans prior to the plans being submitted for state approval.”
Permit processPartial
Building permit application process for land inside Pembroke town
The town homepage links to a building permits online service; the forms, fees, and steps behind that link were not opened.
“assessments & maps building permits online library pembroke town information vital records voter registration”
Still unanswered
We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Pembroke or Merrimack County directly.
Building permit — Building permit for new construction inside Pembroke town
Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from licensing for work in Pembroke town
Building code adopted — Building code adopted for construction inside Pembroke town
Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Pembroke town
Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes inside Pembroke town
15 more unanswered
Minimum dwelling size
Setbacks
Lot coverage
Building height
Tiny homes
Manufactured homes
Septic inspection
Off-grid sanitation
Well permit
Agricultural exemption
Subdividing land
Driveway access
Building in a floodplain
Short-term rentals
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 Pembroke 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 Pembroke means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:
