Bolthole Index

Nassau County, New York

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

The Village of Woodsburgh, in Nassau County, New York, requires a building permit for any work that must conform to the state Uniform Code or Energy Code, and the village's own Code Enforcement Officer issues it1. Woodsburgh also runs its own zoning, with six residence districts2. Septic systems in Nassau County are administered by the county Department of Health3.

At a glance

Building permit
Required for work that must conform to the Uniform Code or Energy Code; issued by the village Code Enforcement Officer1
Zoning
Village zoning with six residence districts (2A, 1A, A, B, C, D)2
Minimum lot (Residence 2A)
Two acres (87,120 square feet), 200 feet of frontage4
Minimum home size (Residence 2A)
2,400 square feet of habitable floor area5
Septic
Nassau County Department of Health3
Certificate of occupancy
Required after inspection6

Who to call

Building permits

Village of Woodsburgh Code Enforcement Officer

Building permits, inspections and certificates of occupancy inside the village

Septic permits

Nassau County Department of Health, Bureau of Environmental Engineering

On-site sewage disposal system plans and SPDES permits

516-227-9692

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

Off-grid gear

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

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

Yes. The Village of Woodsburgh adopted its own building zone ordinance, and the village clerk keeps the building zone map2. The village has six residence districts: 2A, 1A, A, B, C and D7.

In the Residence 2A District, a building needs a lot of at least two acres (87,120 square feet)4. The front wall must sit at least 70 feet from the street line, the rear yard needs at least 50 feet and each side yard at least 40 feet8. A building may be at most 28 feet high with a gable, hip or gambrel roof, or 25 feet with other roofs, or 2 1/2 stories, whichever is less9. A main dwelling in Residence 2A must have at least 2,400 square feet of habitable floor area5.

The remaining districts have their own figures that we could not confirm; ask the village clerk which district a parcel is in before relying on the Residence 2A numbers7.

Do you need a building permit in Woodsburgh, and who issues it?

Yes. Inside the Village of Woodsburgh, a building permit is required for any work that must conform to the Uniform Code or Energy Code1. The village enforces the New York State Uniform Code and Energy Code itself10, and the village Code Enforcement Officer issues the permit1.

Some small jobs are exempt, such as awnings on one- or two-family dwellings, low partitions, and painting and finish work, but repairs that remove load-bearing elements, change egress, alter building systems or take fire protection out of service still need a permit1.

Work stays open for inspection until the Code Enforcement Officer accepts it11, and a certificate of occupancy is required for permitted work and for changes of use6. Applications are made in writing, with at least two sets of construction documents12. Woodsburgh is not covered by the Town of Hempstead building office; contact the village's Code Enforcement Officer13.

How do septic permits work in Woodsburgh?

Septic permits for Nassau County are handled by the county, not the village. The Nassau County Department of Health, Bureau of Environmental Engineering, administers on-site sewage disposal systems and SPDES permits314. Areas served by public sewers must connect to the sewer, and existing septic systems and cesspools in those areas must be abandoned15.

We could not confirm from the village code whether a given Woodsburgh lot is on public sewer or has additional village septic rules. Ask the Nassau County Department of Health and the village Code Enforcement Officer before buying a lot.

Sites in a Special Groundwater Protection Area face a density cap of one dwelling unit per 40,000 square feet of net area for new developments on individual septic systems16.

Building a home in Woodsburgh: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the zoning district with the village clerk, then check lot area, frontage, setbacks and height for that district7.
  2. Confirm sewer or septic status with the Nassau County Department of Health3.
  3. Apply in writing to the village Code Enforcement Officer for a building permit, with construction documents12.
  4. Keep work exposed and accessible for inspections at footing, framing and the other stages the officer requires11.
  5. Obtain the certificate of occupancy before moving in6.

What to check before you buy land in Woodsburgh

Zoning comes first: the village sets its own district rules, and the Residence 2A figures above differ from the other districts4. Next is septic and sewer status through the county health department3.

Cost matters too. Nassau County's effective property tax rate is 1.5%17, and its median property tax bill is $10,001 a year18. The county's typical home value is about $859,54419.

For land outside the village, the rules differ; see the Nassau County page for the county's answers.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm RV, tiny home, accessory dwelling, fence, well or short-term rental rules in the village code; ask the Code Enforcement Officer before planning any of these1.
  • We could not confirm the village's building permit fees or driveway permit rules; ask the village for its current fee schedule12.
  • The Residence 2A figures apply to that district only; the other districts have not been confirmed4.

Sources

  1. Village of Woodsburgh Code, Ch. 55 Building Construction, Art. I Building Construction Code (Village of Woodsburgh), quoted and re-checked
  2. Village of Woodsburgh Code, Ch. 150 Zoning, Art. I General Provisions (Village of Woodsburgh), quoted and re-checked
  3. On-Site Sewage Disposal System and SPDES Permit, quoted and re-checked
  4. Village of Woodsburgh Code, Ch. 150 Zoning, Art. IA Residence 2A District (Village of Woodsburgh), quoted and re-checked
  5. Village of Woodsburgh Code, Ch. 150 Zoning, Art. IA Residence 2A District (Village of Woodsburgh), quoted and re-checked
  6. Village of Woodsburgh Code, Ch. 55 Building Construction, Art. I Building Construction Code (Village of Woodsburgh), quoted and re-checked
  7. Village of Woodsburgh Code, Ch. 150 Zoning, Art. I General Provisions (Village of Woodsburgh), quoted and re-checked
  8. Village of Woodsburgh Code, Ch. 150 Zoning, Art. IA Residence 2A District (Village of Woodsburgh), quoted and re-checked
  9. Village of Woodsburgh Code, Ch. 150 Zoning, Art. IA Residence 2A District (Village of Woodsburgh), quoted and re-checked
  10. Village of Woodsburgh Code, Ch. 55 Building Construction, Art. I Building Construction Code (Village of Woodsburgh), quoted and re-checked
  11. Village of Woodsburgh Code, Ch. 55 Building Construction, Art. I Building Construction Code (Village of Woodsburgh), quoted and re-checked
  12. Village of Woodsburgh Code, Ch. 55 Building Construction, Art. I Building Construction Code (Village of Woodsburgh), quoted and re-checked
  13. Village of Woodsburgh Code Enforcement Officer (ecode360.com)
  14. Nassau County Department of Health, Bureau of Environmental Engineering (nassaucountyny.gov)
  15. On-Site Sewage Disposal System and SPDES Permit, quoted and re-checked
  16. Nassau County Public Health Ordinance Article X: Groundwater Protection; Regulation of Sewage and Industrial Wastewater, quoted and re-checked
  17. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  18. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  19. Typical home value (Zillow): 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.

Answers from the rulebook for Village of Woodsburgh

Village of Woodsburgh’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction, alteration, removal or demolition work inside Woodsburgh village that must conform to the Uniform Code or Energy Code

    • Exemptions in § 55-4B include awnings on one- or two-family dwellings, low partitions, painting and finish work, listed portable equipment, like-for-like equipment replacement, and certain repairs.
    • Repairs are not exempt if they remove load-bearing elements, change egress, alter building systems, or remove fire protection from service.
    • Permit issued by the village Code Enforcement Officer.
    “a building permit shall be required for any work which must conform to the uniform code and/or the energy code”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    All construction inside Woodsburgh village; village enforces the NYS Uniform Code and Energy Code

    • Adopted 2-26-2007 by L.L. No. 3-2007 under § 10 of the Municipal Home Rule Law.
    “this chapter provides for the administration and enforcement of the new york state uniform fire prevention and building code (the uniform code) and the state energy conservation construction code (the energy code) in this village.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted construction work inside Woodsburgh village

    • Inspected elements, where applicable: work site, footing and foundation, slab preparation, framing, building systems, fire-resistant construction and penetrations, solid-fuel appliances, energy code compliance, and final inspection.
    “work shall remain accessible and exposed until inspected and accepted by the code enforcement officer or by an inspector authorized by the code enforcement officer.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Work under a building permit and change of use or occupancy inside Woodsburgh village

    • Issued by the Code Enforcement Officer after inspection; temporary certificates are available under § 55-7D.
    “a certificate of occupancy/certificate of compliance shall be required for any work which is the subject of a building permit and for all structures, buildings, or portions thereof, which are converted from one use or occupancy classification or subclassification to another.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Woodsburgh village

    • Six residence districts (2A, 1A, A, B, C, D) shown on the building zone map kept by the village clerk.
    “this chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "building zone ordinance of the village of woodsburgh, inc."”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts inside Woodsburgh village

    • Building zone map is on file in the office of the village clerk.
    “residence 2a district residence 1a district residence a district residence b district residence c district residence d district”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Main dwelling in the Residence 2A District inside Woodsburgh village

    • Other districts (1A, A, B, C, D) not read.

    minimum habitable floor area: >= 2400 sq ft

    “no main dwelling shall be erected unless it has habitable floor area of at least 2,400 square feet.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Lots in the Residence 2A District inside Woodsburgh village

    • Frontage of at least 200 feet on at least one street (200 feet on two streets for corner lots); 100 feet on a dead-end turnaround.
    • Other districts (1A, A, B, C, D) not read.

    minimum lot area: >= 87120 sq ft (two acres) · minimum frontage: >= 200 ft (100 ft on a dead-end turnaround)

    “no building shall hereafter be erected or altered on a lot of less area than two acres (87,120 square feet)”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Buildings in the Residence 2A District inside Woodsburgh village

    • Rear yard minimum depth 50 feet (§ 150-4.6); each side yard at least 40 feet (§ 150-4.8).
    • Height/setback ratios: front 0.300, side 0.525.
    • Waterfront buildings at least 50 feet from high-water mark.

    front yard: >= 70 ft (front wall to street line) · rear yard: >= 50 ft · side yard: >= 40 ft (each side)

    “no building shall be hereafter erected or altered which shall have its front wall nearer to the street line than 70 feet.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Buildings in the Residence 2A District inside Woodsburgh village

    • Whichever is less of the feet or story limit.
    • Principal building must have a height of at least one story or 20 feet, whichever is less.
    • Chimneys and antennas may extend four feet above roof height (§ 150-4 definition).

    max height gable/hip/gambrel roof: <= 28 ft (or 2 1/2 stories, whichever is less) · max height other roofs: <= 25 ft

    “the maximum height of any building or any part thereof shall be 28 feet in the case of a gable, hip or gambrel roof, or 25 feet in the case of all other roofs, or 2 1/2 stories, whichever is less.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Building permit applications inside Woodsburgh village

    • Application signed by owner or authorized agent; includes work description, tax map number and address, occupancy classification, and at least two sets of construction documents.
    • Architect/engineer seal where required by Education Law.
    “applications for a building permit shall be made in writing on a form provided by or otherwise acceptable to the code enforcement officer.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Woodsburgh village
  • Living in an RV — RV occupancy inside Woodsburgh village
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping inside Woodsburgh village
  • Tiny homes — Tiny home occupancy inside Woodsburgh village
  • Manufactured homes — Manufactured home occupancy inside Woodsburgh village
13 more unanswered
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • 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 Village of Woodsburgh publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Nassau County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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