Bolthole Index

Madison County, New York

Building permits, zoning and land rules in the Town of Madison, NY

The Town of Madison, New York, requires a building permit before a building or structure is erected, placed or structurally modified, with an exemption for agricultural structures that still must meet setbacks.1 The Town also sets residential land-use rules and issues septic permits, while Madison County Public Health reviews alternative onsite wastewater systems.234

At a glance

Building permit
Required before erecting, placing or structurally modifying a building or structure1
Land-use rules
Town rules govern residential use, lot size, setbacks and manufactured housing2
Septic permit
Required from the Town Code Enforcement Officer for installation or replacement35
Single-family lot
Minimum 1 acre6
Manufactured home
HUD data plate and a state-code-compliant foundation required7
RV or tiny home
Long-term occupancy rules could not be confirmed; ask Town Code Enforcement2
Agricultural building
Exempt from the Town building-permit requirement, but setbacks still apply8

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Madison Code Enforcement Office

Town building permits, land-use compliance, setback inspections and septic permits and inspections

(315) 893-1890

P.O. Box 66, Madison, NY 13402

Septic permits

Madison County Public Health

Alternative onsite wastewater-system design review, septic placement guidance, and percolation and deep-hole test observation

315-366-2361

[email protected]

138 N Court Street - Building 5, Wampsville, NY 13163

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 9, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Do you need a building permit in the Town of Madison, NY?

Yes. The Town of Madison requires the Code Enforcement Officer to issue a building permit before a building or structure is erected, put in place or structurally modified.1 New York's Uniform Code is automatically effective in the Town, and applications submitted from December 31, 2025 must comply with the 2025 Uniform Code.910

Agricultural structures and buildings are exempt from the Town building-permit requirement, but they still must comply with the Town setbacks.8 This exemption is narrow: it does not make an agricultural building exempt from the applicable setback rules.11

Who issues building permits in the Town of Madison?

The Town of Madison Code Enforcement Office is the first stop for a building permit and can be reached at (315) 893-1890 or P.O. Box 66, Madison, NY 13402.12 The Town publishes downloadable permit forms and directs applicants to print, complete and submit them to the appropriate location.13

Permitted construction must remain accessible until required inspections are complete.14 A certificate of compliance is required for work subject to a building permit and for a change in occupancy classification, and the Town application is made alongside the building-permit application.1516

Does the Town of Madison have zoning and land-use rules?

The Town of Madison regulates residential land use, building placement, lot size, setbacks, manufactured housing, permits and certificates through its local land-use law.2 An older Madison County table lists the Town as having no zoning ordinance but having subdivision regulations, site-plan review and a planning board, so buyers should use the current Town law and confirm parcel-specific treatment with Town Code Enforcement.1718

A single-family dwelling needs at least 1 acre.6 Residential buildings require 25-foot side and rear setbacks, while all structures require 30 feet from an existing highway right-of-way.19 Manufactured homes must display the HUD data plate and sit on a foundation that meets the New York State Building Code.7

How do septic permits work inside the Town of Madison?

No septic system may be installed or replaced in the Town of Madison until the Town Code Enforcement Officer issues a septic permit, and a New York State professional engineer must design and certify the septic plans.35 The Town Code Enforcement Officer must visually inspect the system before it is covered, and the contractor or owner must provide at least 24 hours' notice.20

Madison County Public Health also reviews and approves alternative onsite wastewater-system designs and construction, offers placement guidance, and observes percolation and deep-hole tests.421 For an alternative household system, plans should be submitted at least 30 days before construction with a $125 review-and-inspection fee and engineer-drawn plans.22

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in the Town of Madison?

We could not confirm a Town of Madison rule that specifically allows residential or long-term RV occupancy on private land, so ask the Town Code Enforcement Office before buying or moving an RV onto a parcel.12 We also could not confirm a separate tiny-home occupancy rule or a minimum dwelling floor area; a dwelling would still need to satisfy the Town's building-permit, land-use, lot-size and setback rules.12619

A tiny home sold or installed as manufactured housing must display the required HUD data plate and be placed on a foundation meeting the New York State Building Code.7

Building a home in the Town of Madison: what are the steps?

  1. Confirm that the parcel can meet the 1-acre single-family lot minimum and the applicable frontage, depth and setback rules with Town Code Enforcement.2319
  2. Print the Town's application and submit it to the appropriate Town office before starting work.13
  3. Obtain the Town building permit before erection, placement or structural modification begins.1
  4. Have a New York State professional engineer design and certify the septic plans, then obtain the Town septic permit before installation or replacement.5
  5. Keep construction accessible for required building inspections and arrange the septic inspection before covering the system.1420
  6. Obtain the certificate of compliance before occupying work for which a building permit was required.16

What should you check before buying land in the Town of Madison?

Confirm lot boundaries and whether a subdivision, special-use approval or site-plan review affects the parcel; the Town has subdivision regulations and site-plan review even though the older county table lists no zoning ordinance.1817 A flag lot needs access to a public right-of-way through a strip or driveway at least 30 feet wide, plus Planning Board review and a special-use permit.24

Plan septic feasibility early: only 11.9% of Madison County soils are rated without severe limitations for a conventional drain field.25 Ask Madison County Public Health about percolation and deep-hole testing and alternative-system review.21 If the driveway meets a state highway, a New York State Department of Transportation permit is required to build or modify it.26

Watch-outs

  • Do not start building before the Town permit is issued; Town fees may be doubled when construction begins first.27
  • Do not cover a new or replacement septic system before the Town inspection, or the system must be uncovered for inspection.20
  • We could not confirm a Town rule allowing long-term RV living or a separate tiny-home occupancy category; ask Town Code Enforcement before relying on either use.12

Sources

  1. Town of Madison Land Use Law (Town of Madison), quoted and re-checked
  2. Town of Madison Residential Use Law (Town of Madison), quoted and re-checked
  3. Town of Madison Fee Schedule (Town of Madison), quoted and re-checked
  4. Water & Septic - Individual Systems | Madison County, NY (Town of Madison), quoted and re-checked
  5. Town of Madison Fee Schedule (Town of Madison), quoted and re-checked
  6. Town of Madison Land Use Law (Town of Madison), quoted and re-checked
  7. Town of Madison Land Use Law (Town of Madison), quoted and re-checked
  8. Town of Madison Land Use Law (Town of Madison), quoted and re-checked
  9. NYS Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code: What Elected Officials Need to Know (Town of Madison), quoted and re-checked
  10. Notice of Adoption (Town of Madison), quoted and re-checked
  11. Town of Madison Boundary Regulations (Town of Madison), quoted and re-checked
  12. Town of Madison Code Enforcement Office (townofmadisonny.org)
  13. Permits & Forms (Town of Madison), quoted and re-checked
  14. Administration and Enforcement of the Uniform Code (Town of Madison), quoted and re-checked
  15. Town of Madison Residential Use Law (Town of Madison), quoted and re-checked
  16. Administration and Enforcement of the Uniform Code (Town of Madison), quoted and re-checked
  17. Land Use / Zoning | Madison County, NY (Town of Madison), quoted and re-checked
  18. Land Use / Zoning | Madison County, NY (Town of Madison), quoted and re-checked
  19. Town of Madison Land Use Law (Town of Madison), quoted and re-checked
  20. Town of Madison Fee Schedule (Town of Madison), quoted and re-checked
  21. Madison County Public Health (madisoncounty.ny.gov)
  22. Alternative/Household Wastewater Treatment System Application (Town of Madison), quoted and re-checked
  23. Town of Madison Boundary Regulations (Town of Madison), quoted and re-checked
  24. Town of Madison Land Use Law (Town of Madison), quoted and re-checked
  25. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  26. Residential Driveway Permits (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  27. Town of Madison Fee Schedule (Town of Madison), quoted and re-checked

Written October 9, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Town of Madison

Town of Madison’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Erection, placement, or structural modification of buildings and structures in Madison town.

    • Agricultural structures or buildings are exempt from this town permit requirement but must comply with the local-law setbacks.
    • A permit must be issued before the work begins.
    “No building or structure shall be erected, put in place or have structural modifications constructed until the Code Enforcement Officer has issued a building permit”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Work subject to a building permit and changes of occupancy inside Madison town.

    • A certificate of compliance is applied for with the building-permit application under the town residential-use law.
    • New York State requires a certificate for permitted work and occupancy-classification changes.

    certificate fee: No Charge USD

    “A Certificate of compliance shall be applied for coincident with the application for a building permit.”
  • Local zoningAbsent (with conditions)

    Zoning ordinance status inside the Town of Madison, New York.

    • The county table identifies Madison as having subdivision regulations and site-plan review despite listing no zoning ordinance.
    • The county page identifies its table source as a 2008 survey, with a notation that some information was updated after that survey.
    “The tables show which municipalities have comprehensive plans, zoning ordinances, subdivision regulations, site plan review and those that have established a planning board. [...] Madison | Yes | No | Yes | Yes* | Yes”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Present — Land inside Madison town.
      “No building or land shall hereafter be used or occupied and no building or part thereof shall be erected, extended or put in place unless in conformity with the regulations herein specified.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    All residential structures in Madison town; the town document separately specifies single-family, two-family, and multi-family sizes.

    • Two-family dwellings require 1.5 acres.
    • Multi-family dwellings require 1.5 acres plus 10,000 square feet per unit beyond the first housing unit.
    • The document also specifies 100-foot minimum road frontage and 125-foot minimum lot depth.

    single-family minimum lot size: 1 acre · two-family minimum lot size: 1.5 acres · multi-family minimum lot size: 1.5 acres + 10,000 square feet per unit (Beyond the first housing unit)

    “Minimum Lot Sizes: All Residential Structures in the Town of Madison shall have the following lot sizes: Single family dwelling 1 acre Two family dwelling 1.5 acres Multi-family dwelling 1.5 acres + 10,000 sq. ft. per unit Beyond the first housing unit.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — One single-family dwelling on a residential lot inside Madison town.
      “All residential structures in the Town of Madison shall have the following minimum lot sizes: a) One (1) single-family dwelling: 1.0 acre”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Residential structures and accessory structures inside Madison town.

    • All structures require 30 feet from an existing highway right-of-way, measured from the building foundation.
    • Residential structures require 25-foot side and rear setbacks, measured from the building foundation.
    • Accessory structures over 200 square feet require 25-foot side and rear setbacks; smaller accessory structures require 5 feet measured from the eaves.
    • Site-plan uses may receive additional yard, driveway, entrance, exit, landscaping, location, or height requirements from the Planning Board.

    highway right-of-way setback: 30 feet · residential side/rear setback: 25 feet · accessory structure side/rear setback over 200 square feet: 25 feet · accessory structure side/rear setback under 200 square feet: 5 feet

    “All residential structures shall have a minimum side yard and rear yard setback of 25 feet, measured from the building foundation.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Manufactured housing placed inside Madison town.

    • The housing must display a HUD data plate conforming to 24 CFR Part 3280.
    • It must be installed on a foundation meeting the New York State Building Code.
    • Applicable state permits and inspections remain required.
    “All manufactured housing placed within the Town shall display the HUD Seal (data plate) conforming to HUD CODE (24 CFR Part 3280).”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Limited — Manufactured housing placed inside Madison town.
      “All manufactured housing placed within the Town shall display the HUD Seal (data plate) conforming to CODE (24 CFR Part 3280).”
  • Accessory dwellingsLimited

    Properties with accessory dwelling units inside Madison town.

    • The property must be owner-occupied or family-occupied in either the accessory unit or the principal unit.
    “Properties with ADUs are required to be owner or family occupied, either in the accessory unit or the principal unit.”
  • Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

    On-site septic systems inside Madison town.

    • The Town of Madison Code Enforcement Officer issues the town septic permit and conducts the required visual inspection.
    • New York State standards and professional-engineer design requirements also apply.
    “No septic system shall be installed or replaced in the Town of Madison except upon the issuance of a permit by the Code Enforcement Officer of the Town of Madison”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Installation or replacement of a septic system inside Madison town.

    • Permit fee must be paid.
    • Permit is valid for one year from issuance; if construction has not commenced, the permit is void and no refunds are allowed.
    • A New York State professional engineer must design and certify septic plans.
    • Modifications from and including the distribution box require professional-engineer approval.
    “Permit is valid for one year from date of issuance. If construction has not commenced, the permit is void and no refunds shall be allowed.”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    Septic systems installed or replaced inside Madison town.

    • The Code Enforcement Officer must visually inspect before covering.
    • If the system is covered before inspection, it must be uncovered.
    • Contractors or owners must give at least 24 hours' notice for inspections.

    inspection notice: >= 24 hours

    “The Codes Enforcement Officer, before covering, must visually inspect all systems. Failure to do so will mean the system must be uncovered for inspection.”
  • Agricultural exemptionConditional

    Agricultural structures or buildings inside Madison town.

    • Agricultural structures or buildings are exempt from the town building-permit requirement.
    • They must comply with the setbacks in the Land Use Law.
    • The fee schedule separately states no permit fee for an agricultural building and requires setback inspections.
    “Agricultural structures or buildings are exempt from this permit requirement but must comply with the setbacks set forth in this local law.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Available (with conditions) — Agricultural structures or buildings inside Madison town.
      “Article VII, #3 also states agricultural structures or buildings are exempt from this permit requirement but must comply with the setbacks as written in this local law.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision activity inside Madison town.

    • The county table identifies Madison as having subdivision regulations.
    “The tables show which municipalities have comprehensive plans, zoning ordinances, subdivision regulations, site plan review and those that have established a planning board. [...] Madison | Yes | No | Yes | Yes* | Yes”
  • Driveway accessLimited

    Flag lots and access strips inside Madison town.

    • A flag lot must connect to a public right-of-way through a minimum 30-foot-wide property strip or driveway.
    • The strip may be owned or secured by a recorded legal easement.
    • Planning Board application and a special use permit are required.

    flag-lot access strip width: >= 30 feet

    “Application has to be made to the Planning Board and a Special Use Permit obtained.”
  • Short-term rentalsLimited

    Transient rental properties inside Madison town located within one-quarter mile of Madison Lake or Lake Moraine shorelines.

    • A transient-rental permit is required under Local Law #1 2024.
    • The application states rental may not begin before permit issuance.
    • The permit is valid for one year and is not transferable to a new owner.
    • The application lists a $200 fee and $150 annual-renewal fee.

    permit fee: 200 USD (Transient Rental Permit) · annual renewal fee: 150 USD (Transient Rental Permit)

    “A Transient Rental Permit is required for the establishment and use of transient rental properties in the Town of Madison located within a distance of one-quarter (1/4) mile from the shorelines of Madison Lake and Lake Moraine”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Town planning, subdivision, agricultural-building, and septic permit fees inside Madison town.

    • The fee schedule states it is effective July 10, 2025.
    • Fees may be doubled if construction begins before permit issuance.
    • The schedule states fees are payable to the Town of Madison.

    subdivision: 150 USD plus 50 USD per lot · special use permit residential: 100 USD

    “Special Use Permit- Residential. ............................................. $100.00 Subdivision ............................................................. $150.00 + $50.00 per lot”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Town permit applications inside Madison town.

    • The town provides downloadable permits and forms.
    • Building work requires submission to the appropriate town location and issuance by the Code Enforcement Officer where required.
    “The following permits and forms are available as a downloadable pdf. Please print, fill out and submit to the appropriate location.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Madison

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

  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction and regulated building work inside Madison town under New York State's Uniform Code.

    • The 2025 Uniform Code and Energy Code became fully effective December 31, 2025.
    • Local code-enforcement administration remains applicable.
    “New York State has adopted the 2025 Uniform Code of New York State and the 2025 Energy Conservation Construction Code of New York State”
    2 more reviewed findings on this topic
    • Adopted (with conditions) — Building work inside Madison town is subject to the New York State Uniform Code, administered locally through the town code-enforcement program.
      “Beginning on December 31, 2025, regulated parties submitting building permit applications are required to comply with the 2025 NYS Uniform Code.”
    • Adopted (with conditions) — Building construction inside Madison town, which is outside New York City.
      “The Uniform Code is automatically in effect in each city, town, and village in the State (except New York City) by directive of the State Legislature.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Work subject to the New York State Uniform Code inside Madison town.

    • Permit holders must notify the authority when work is ready for inspection and keep work accessible and exposed until inspection and acceptance.
    • Noncompliant work must remain exposed until corrected and re-inspected.
    “The code enforcement program must require building permit holders to notify the authority having jurisdiction when construction work is ready for inspection”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder work inside Madison town.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Single-family residential dwellings inside Madison town.
  • Lot coverage — Residential lots inside Madison town.
  • Building height — Buildings inside Madison town.
  • Living in an RV — Residential or long-term RV occupancy on private land inside Madison town.
6 more unanswered
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Building in a floodplain

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 Madison publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Madison County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Madison County: county rules, score and offices