Building permits, zoning and septic rules in the Village of Hilton, New York

At a glance

Building permit

Required for all construction, from the village building department¹

Zoning

Yes, the village's own zoning law (chapter 275)²

Zoning districts

R, MR, C, CB, L-I, PRD, PRD-S, TMD and I⁴

Minimum lot, R district

8,000 sq ft and 60 ft wide⁵

Septic permits

Monroe County Department of Public Health³

Accessory dwelling

Specially permitted in the R district⁶

Short-term rental

Specially permitted in R, C, CB and TMD districts⁷

Who to call

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 14, 2026.

Do you need a building permit in the Village of Hilton, NY?

Yes. The Village of Hilton's building department states that a building permit is required for all construction, including sheds, pools, decks, fences, garages, additions, remodeling, demolition and new buildings¹. Permit fees vary by project, so ask the department for the current fee schedule¹.

This follows the state rule: New York requires building permits for work that must conform to the Uniform Code, though a local authority may exempt a one-story detached shed of 144 square feet or less⁸. Whether Hilton uses that exemption is something we could not confirm, since the village's building permit chapter was not available to review; the department's statement that a permit is required for sheds suggests it does not. A certificate of occupancy is also required before a permitted building can be used⁹.

Who issues building permits in Hilton, and how do you reach them?

The Village of Hilton Building Department, a code enforcement officer and building inspector who also serves as fire marshal, handles building inspection and code enforcement for property inside the village¹. Applications and information are available at the village office, 59 Henry Street, Hilton, NY 14468, or by calling 585-392-4144¹.

The department's page lists a building permit application, permit information sheets for decks, fences, pools and sheds, and a fee schedule¹. Inspections are part of the process: permit holders must keep work accessible and exposed until it is inspected and accepted¹⁰.

Does Hilton, NY have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Yes. The Village of Hilton has its own zoning law, chapter 275 of the village code, and the village zoning board of appeals handles variances and conditional use permits²¹. The village's zoning districts are R, MR, C, CB, L-I, PRD, PRD-S, TMD and I⁴. The village was updating the law in 2025, so confirm the codified text before you rely on a figure².

In the Residential (R) district, the minimum lot is 8,000 square feet and 60 feet wide⁵. A dwelling there may be 35 feet tall, a shed 16 feet and a garage 25 feet¹¹. The village zoning law requires a minimum separation of 8 feet from side and rear property lines, and 5 feet for sheds¹.

An accessory dwelling unit is a specially permitted use in the R district⁶. Short-term rentals are specially permitted in the R, C, CB and TMD districts⁷.

How do septic permits work in the Village of Hilton?

Septic permits for Hilton addresses come from the Monroe County Department of Public Health, which administers private sewage disposal under the Monroe County Sanitary Code³. The county must inspect new installations and repairs, and the county says inspections are completed within 48 hours of request¹². Nothing may be backfilled until it has been inspected¹².

Where a public sanitary sewer is available and accessible, the county code bars building a private sewage disposal system on that property¹³. Because the village has a sewer use chapter, most village lots are probably expected to connect; we could not confirm which Hilton addresses are served, so ask the village office before planning a septic system.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Hilton, NY?

We could not confirm. The village code has a chapter on recreational vehicles, but its text was not available to review, and the village's land use table has no row for RVs or tiny homes. Ask the Village of Hilton Building Department at 585-392-4144 before parking or living in an RV or placing a tiny home on a lot¹.

New York's statewide campground rule covers campgrounds, not living on your own lot¹⁴. Any dwelling still needs a village building permit and certificate of occupancy¹.

Building a home in Hilton: the steps, in order

1. Confirm the zoning district and lot and setback rules with the Village of Hilton Building Department¹.
2. If a public sewer serves the lot, confirm connection with the village; if not, apply for a septic permit from the Monroe County Department of Public Health³.
3. Apply for a village building permit with construction documents¹⁵.
4. Request inspections as work proceeds and keep work exposed until accepted¹⁰.
5. Obtain a certificate of occupancy before moving in⁹.

What stays with Monroe County, and what to check before you buy in Hilton

Septic permits and inspections stay with the Monroe County Department of Public Health, not the village³. Monroe County itself does not have authority over local zoning; each municipality sets its own¹⁶. For land outside village limits, see the Monroe County page and check the zoning of the town that covers the parcel.

County advisory review applies within one-quarter mile of Lake Ontario and Irondequoit Bay and in listed 100-year floodplains¹⁷. Monroe County's effective property tax rate is 2.8%¹⁸ and the median property tax bill is $5,495 a year¹⁹.

Watch-outs

• The village was amending chapter 275 in 2025 and labels the amended schedules a final draft, so confirm the codified zoning text on eCode360 or with the building department before relying on a lot or height figure².
• Septic permits come from Monroe County, not the village, and a private system is barred where a public sewer is available and accessible³¹³.
• Rules for RVs, tiny homes, manufactured homes, minimum dwelling size and driveways inside Hilton are unconfirmed; ask the Village of Hilton Building Department¹.

Sources

1. Village of Hilton Building Department (hiltonny.gov)
2. Village of Hilton, NY eCode360 table of contents (Village of Hilton), quoted and re-checked
3. Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems, quoted and re-checked
4. Village of Hilton Zoning 275 Attachment 2: Schedule 1 Land Uses or Activities (Village of Hilton), quoted and re-checked
5. Village of Hilton Zoning 275 Attachment 3: Schedule 2 Lot and Bulk Requirements (Village of Hilton), quoted and re-checked
6. Village of Hilton Zoning 275 Attachment 2: Schedule 1 Land Uses or Activities (Village of Hilton), quoted and re-checked
7. Village of Hilton Zoning 275 Attachment 2: Schedule 1 Land Uses or Activities (Village of Hilton), quoted and re-checked
8. Part 1203 Uniform Code and the Energy Code: Minimum Standards for Administration and Enforcement (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
9. Part 1203 Uniform Code and the Energy Code: Minimum Standards for Administration and Enforcement (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
10. Part 1203 Uniform Code and the Energy Code: Minimum Standards for Administration and Enforcement (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
11. Village of Hilton Zoning 275 Attachment 3: Schedule 2 Lot and Bulk Requirements (Village of Hilton), quoted and re-checked
12. Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems, quoted and re-checked
13. Monroe County Sanitary Code, Article II-A, Private Sewage Disposal Systems, quoted and re-checked
14. Campground Rules and Regulations (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
15. Administration and Enforcement of the Uniform Code (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
16. Plan Forward: Why Plan?, quoted and re-checked
17. Planning Development Review, quoted and re-checked
18. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
19. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 14, 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.