Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Charlestown, New Hampshire
Town of Charlestown is a town in Sullivan County, New Hampshire. Town of Charlestown adopts its own zoning, so inside its limits Town of Charlestown’s rules apply, not the county’s. Septic permits inside Town of Charlestown come from the state health agency. 23 rules below are quoted from official sources and independently re-checked, most recently on October 29, 2026. Rules for unincorporated land are on the Sullivan County page.
Answers from the rulebook for Town of Charlestown
Town of Charlestown’s own rules
Building permitRequired
Construction, renovation, alteration or erection of buildings inside Charlestown town limits
Permit issued by the town building inspector before construction starts (section 7.3.2).
Ordinary repairs, maintenance, replacement, or in-kind upgrade of existing building materials do not require a building permit (section 7.3.1).
A zoning permit issued by the zoning administrator is also required before any building is moved, altered or erected and before any land is used (zoning ordinance section 8.7.2).
“it shall be unlawful to start any construction or renovations in the town of charlestown without first obtaining from the building inspector an approved building permit”
Building code adoptedAdopted
Work requiring a permit inside Charlestown town limits
Adopts the New Hampshire building code and New Hampshire fire code by reference, as defined in RSA 155-a.
Town Section 7 provisions control over inconsistent provisions of the adopted codes (section 7.5.1).
Practical-difficulty modifications may be granted by the building inspector after consulting the fire chief (section 7.5.2).
“in accordance with rsa 674:52, all work requiring a permit shall hereafter conform to the requirements contained within the new hampshire building code and the new hampshire fire code as defined in rsa 155-a”
InspectionsRequired
Permitted construction inside Charlestown town limits
Inspections are made as the building inspector finds necessary to enforce the building code; the code text reviewed does not set a fixed inspection schedule.
A certificate of occupancy is issued only after inspection (section 7.5.4).
“the building inspector shall make or cause to be made such inspections as are necessary to see to the enforcement of this building code”
Certificate of occupancyRequired
Any building or addition in Charlestown town limits before use
Certificate is issued by the building inspector after inspection of the property.
No permit or certificate of occupancy is valid unless it complies with the zoning ordinance, subdivision approval, site plan approval, zoning board variance or exception, and other town ordinances (section 7.4.2).
For manufactured housing, the HUD serial number must be accessible before a certificate of occupancy issues (section 7.3.3 c).
“prior to use of any building or addition, a certificate of occupancy shall be issued by the building inspector, after inspection of the property”
Local zoningPresent
Land inside Charlestown town limits. The Town of Charlestown adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance, which divides the town into zones A through G.
The copy reviewed is marked 'as amended through March 14, 2017'; a later amendment may exist and was not located within the search budget.
Zoning is administered by the zoning administrator appointed by the board of selectmen (section 8.7.1); the Zoning Board of Adjustment hears special exceptions (section 8.10).
“the following ordinance is hereby enacted by the voters of said town in town meeting convened in accordance with authority conferred by chapter 51”
Zoning districtsPublished
Land inside Charlestown town limits: zones A, A-1, A-2, B, C, D, E, F-1, F-2, G-1 and G-2 as defined in the town zoning ordinance.
Zone boundaries are described in narrative text; the zoning map was not opened.
Section 8.4.5 says land within 100 feet of a zone line may be treated as either zone at the owner's choice.
“for the purpose of this ordinance, the town of charlestown shall be divided into zones as follows”
Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific
Zone E (mixed use) lots served by municipal water and/or sewer inside Charlestown town
Lots must have deeded access to a town road.
Lot-size averaging (section 8.5.11) may allow reduced lot sizes with planning board approval on tracts of 20 acres or more.
minimum lot area: >= 0.5 acre (Served by municipal water and/or sewer)
“each new lot served by either municipal water and/or sewer, shall have a minimum of one-half acre and deeded access to a town road”
2 more reviewed findings on this topic
District specific — Zone E (mixed use) lots not served by municipal water or sewer inside Charlestown town
“each new lot which is not served by municipal water or sewer, shall have a minimum of one acre and deeded access to a town road”
District specific — Zones F-1 and F-2 (business/industrial) in Charlestown town
“a. lot size – 80,000 square feet, 40’ set back any side.”
SetbacksDistrict specific
Zone E (mixed use) in Charlestown town
Fences are exempt from setbacks but must not obstruct visibility.
front setback: >= 20 feet · other lot line setback: >= 10 feet
“every structure new to a site shall be set back from the front property line a minimum of twenty (20) feet and from all other property lines a minimum of ten (10) feet”
3 more reviewed findings on this topic
District specific — Zone D (watershed protection area) in Charlestown town
“setbacks from all lot lines shall be a minimum of twenty-five (25) feet”
District specific — Zones F-1 and F-2 (business/industrial) in Charlestown town
“a. lot size – 80,000 square feet, 40’ set back any side.”
District specific — Zone G-1 (southwest street area) in Charlestown town
“e. every building new to a site shall be set back from all property lines a minimum of ten (10) feet.”
Lot coverageDistrict specific
Zones F-1 and F-2 (business/industrial) in Charlestown town; measured as first-floor area against lot area
Performance standards in section 8.5.8.4 apply.
maximum first-floor area as percent of lot area: <= 40 percent
“b. floor area – first floor area shall not exceed forty percent (40%) of lot area.”
Building heightDistrict specific
Zones F-1 and F-2 (business/industrial) in Charlestown town
Performance standards in section 8.5.8.4 apply.
maximum building height: <= 50 feet
“c. height – no building or part thereof shall exceed 50’ in height.”
One more reviewed finding on this topic
District specific — Zone G-1 (southwest street area) in Charlestown town
“b. no building or part thereof shall have exceeded 50 feet in height.”
Living in an RVLimited
Recreational vehicles on private land inside Charlestown town limits
RVs may not be occupied in conjunction with a commercial or industrial use except in approved RV parks or campgrounds (section 8.4.11 a).
Owners may store up to two RVs as accessory to a primary residence; occupancy is limited to 45 days per calendar year unless the unit is attached to state-approved on-site water and septic or sewer, then up to six months per calendar year (section 8.4.11 b).
RVs used this way must stay legally registered for over-the-road use and may not be used as a primary residence (section 8.4.11 b).
occupancy days per calendar year (not attached to approved septic/water): <= 45 days (Up to six months if attached to state-approved on-site water and septic or sewer)
“such occupancy shall not exceed 45 days during any calendar year unless the unit is attached to state approved on-site water and septic or sewer facilities”
Camping on your landLimited
Temporary recreational camping by a property owner on vacant land inside Charlestown town limits
One unit may be placed on vacant land for temporary recreational use by the owner or immediate family for not more than 45 days per calendar year.
The unit may not be attached to any structure or the ground and must use a manufacturer-installed self-contained wastewater system.
If attached to state-approved on-site water and septic or sewer, the unit may stay up to six months per calendar year.
temporary occupancy on vacant land per calendar year: <= 45 days (Up to six months if attached to state-approved on-site water and septic or sewer)
“property owners may place one unit on their vacant land for temporary recreational use by themselves or members of their immediate family for not more than 45 days during any calendar year”
Manufactured homesLimited
Manufactured housing placed on individual lots inside Charlestown town limits
Only manufactured housing units assembled or built within the last 5 calendar years may be placed on an individual lot or in an existing park (section 7.3.3 a).
Existing units already installed in Charlestown are exempt (section 7.3.3 a).
Units must meet HUD standards, 24 CFR part 3280 (section 7.3.3 b).
Existing units older than 5 years may be relocated within town under RSA 47:22-a (section 7.3.3 b).
Vacated manufactured homes with no habitable living area and not connected to approved sanitary facilities must be removed within 30 days unless located in an approved manufactured home sales area (zoning section 8.4.2).
maximum age of manufactured housing unit on an individual lot: <= 5 calendar years (Existing units already installed in Charlestown are exempt; older existing units may be relocated under RSA 47:22-a)
“only manufactured housing units assembled or built within the last 5 calendar years shall be allowed on any individual lot or existing manufactured home park or pre-approved sites thereof in charlestown”
Driveway accessRequired
New building projects that need a driveway or entrance onto a town or state road inside Charlestown town limits
An approved construction permit application for an entrance approach on an approved town or state road must be submitted with the building permit application (section 7.3.2 item 4).
Zoning section 8.5.7 items a and b require deeded access to a town road for zone E lots.
“an approved construction permit application for an entrance approach on an approved town or state road”
Permit processPublished
Building and land-use permits inside Charlestown town limits
Building inspector acts on a completed building permit application within 30 days; a disapproval is given in writing (section 7.4.1).
Zoning administrator issues or denies a zoning permit within 10 working days of a completed application (zoning ordinance section 8.7.2).
Building permit application must include the minimum items in section 7.3.2, including septic permits and an entrance approach permit.
building permit decision period: 30 days · zoning permit decision period: 10 working days
“upon receipt of a completed application, the building inspector shall act to approve or disapprove a building permit within thirty (30) days”
Rules another office applies inside Town of Charlestown
Town of Charlestown 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
Septic systems for land inside Charlestown town limits. The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services prescribes the septic system permits that the Charlestown building permit application must include.
The town building code does not set its own septic permit standard; it requires the state septic permits (section 7.3.2 item 2).
Zoning ordinance section 8.4.7 says disposal of waste must conform to state requirements.
“all septic system permits prescribed by the new hampshire department of environmental services”
Septic permitRequired
New construction or renovations inside Charlestown town limits that need an on-site septic system; the NHDES septic permit is required with the town building permit application
Permit issued by NHDES, not by the town; the town requires the permit to be included in the building permit application (section 7.3.2 item 2).
“all septic system permits prescribed by the new hampshire department of environmental services”
Still unanswered
We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Charlestown or Sullivan County directly.
Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption inside Charlestown town limits
Tiny homes — Tiny home occupancy inside Charlestown town limits
Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units inside Charlestown town limits
Septic inspection — Septic inspection for land inside Charlestown town limits
7 more unanswered
Off-grid sanitation
Well permit
Mandatory utility hookup
Agricultural exemption
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 Charlestown publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Sullivan County’s page lists the county offices to call.
Off-grid gear
Going off-grid in Town of Charlestown means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:
