Building permits, zoning and septic rules in the Town of Rush, New York

At a glance

Building permit

Required for work that must conform to the Uniform Code; issued by the town¹³

Zoning

The town zones its own land; uses not listed in a district are prohibited there²

Septic

Monroe County Department of Public Health issues permits⁴

Certificate of occupancy

Required before use of a building after permitted work⁵

Building permit fees

Set by town board resolution⁶

Subdivision

Regulated by the town's subdivision chapter⁷

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 Town of Rush, NY?

Yes, for most construction. The Town of Rush Code states that "a building permit shall be required for any work which must conform to the uniform code and/or the energy code"¹. No one may start that work without first getting a building permit from the building inspector⁸.

The town's building department lists what typically needs one: additions, garages and sheds, decks, pools, fences, re-roofing, new electrical service and a new driveway⁹. New York's state rules let a town exempt small categories, such as detached one-story storage sheds up to 144 square feet, but excluded work must still meet the code¹⁰. Ask the town which exemptions it has actually adopted; we did not confirm the exemption list in the town code¹.

Who issues building permits in the Town of Rush, and how do you reach them?

The Town of Rush issues its own building permits. The town administers and enforces the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code and the Energy Code through its Code Enforcement Officer and Building Inspector³. The Building Department reviews permit drawings, issues permits, runs the required inspections and issues certificates of occupancy⁹.

The office is at 5977 East Henrietta Road, Rush NY 14543, and the town hall number is 585-533-1312⁹. Questions about certificate of occupancy or permit fees go to the building inspector at town hall⁹. The town sets its fee schedule by town board resolution⁶; we could not locate the schedule itself, so ask the Building Department for current fees.

Does the Town of Rush have zoning, and what does it mean for your lot?

Yes. The Town of Rush has its own zoning chapter, and land may be used only as that chapter permits within each district shown on the official zoning map². The town is divided into zoning districts, and the zoning map is kept in the town offices¹¹. Any use not specifically listed as permitted in a district is prohibited in that district².

Monroe County itself does not zone: local towns, villages and the City of Rochester control land use¹². We have not confirmed the Town of Rush's rules on minimum lot size, setbacks, minimum home size, RVs, tiny homes or accessory dwellings. Those are set district by district in the town's zoning chapter, so get the district for your parcel and ask the Building Department before you buy.

How do septic permits work in the Town of Rush?

Septic permits are a county matter. Monroe County's Department of Public Health administers the onsite wastewater program under the Monroe County Sanitary Code¹³. Constructing, altering or repairing a private sewage disposal system requires a permit from the county's permit-issuing official⁴.

A county health representative must inspect the installation, and no part may be backfilled until it is inspected¹⁴. Where a public sanitary sewer is available and accessible, a private system generally cannot be built¹⁵. Soils matter too: only about 11% of Monroe County soils rate as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system¹⁶. We could not confirm any town-level well permit rule.

Building a home in the Town of Rush: the steps, in order

1. Ask the Town of Rush Building Department which zoning district your parcel is in and what the district allows¹¹⁹.
2. If you are dividing land, check the town's subdivision chapter first⁷.
3. Get septic approval from the Monroe County Department of Public Health⁴.
4. If the driveway meets a county road, Monroe County's Highway Permits Section issues permits for development in the county right-of-way¹⁷.
5. Apply for the building permit; no work may start without it⁸.
6. Keep work exposed for inspection¹⁸.
7. Get the certificate of occupancy before using the building⁵.

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

The town handles building permits and zoning; the county handles septic permits¹³. For land outside the town, see the Monroe County page. Monroe County reviews some land-use and subdivision actions near Lake Ontario shorelines and along listed 100-year floodplains in an advisory role¹⁹. The county also requires subdivision plan approval under its sanitary code once the fifth residential lot in a three-year period is reached²⁰.

County figures: the effective property tax rate is 2.8% and the median bill is $5,495 per year²¹²². Farmland averages $4,622 per acre²³.

Watch-outs

• We could not confirm the Town of Rush's rules on RVs, tiny homes, accessory dwellings, setbacks or minimum lot size; ask the Town of Rush Building Department at 585-533-1312 before you buy⁹.
• Excluded work such as a small shed must still conform to the Uniform Code, and the town may require permits for all code work²⁴.
• The town fee schedule is set by town board resolution and may change; confirm current fees with the Building Department⁶.

Sources

1. Town of Rush Code, Ch. 36 Building Construction and Fire Prevention (Town of Rush), quoted and re-checked
2. Town of Rush Code, Ch. 120 Zoning, Art. I (Town of Rush), quoted and re-checked
3. Town of Rush Code, Ch. 36 Building Construction and Fire Prevention (Town of Rush), quoted and re-checked
4. Monroe County Sanitary Code, Article IIA, Private Sewage Disposal Systems, quoted and re-checked
5. Town of Rush Code, Ch. 36 Building Construction and Fire Prevention (Town of Rush), quoted and re-checked
6. Town of Rush Code, Ch. 36 Building Construction and Fire Prevention (Town of Rush), quoted and re-checked
7. Town of Rush Code, Ch. 100 Subdivision of Land, Art. V (Town of Rush), quoted and re-checked
8. Town of Rush Code, Ch. 36 Building Construction and Fire Prevention (Town of Rush), quoted and re-checked
9. Town of Rush Building Department (townofrush.com)
10. Part 1203 Uniform Code and the Energy Code: Minimum Standards for Administration and Enforcement (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
11. Town of Rush Code, Ch. 120 Zoning (Town of Rush), quoted and re-checked
12. Plan Forward: Why Plan?, quoted and re-checked
13. Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems, quoted and re-checked
14. Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems, quoted and re-checked
15. Monroe County Sanitary Code, Article II-A, Private Sewage Disposal Systems, quoted and re-checked
16. 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
17. Monroe County, NY - Highway and Bridge Engineering, quoted and re-checked
18. Town of Rush Code, Ch. 36 Building Construction and Fire Prevention (Town of Rush), quoted and re-checked
19. Development Review Guide, quoted and re-checked
20. Monroe County Sanitary Code Article III, Realty Subdivisions, quoted and re-checked
21. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
22. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
23. Farmland value per acre (USDA census): Bolthole Index county data
24. Administration and Enforcement of the Uniform Code, quoted and re-checked

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.