Bolthole Index

Orleans County, New York

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

The Town of Yates in Orleans County, New York requires a building permit for work that must meet the state Uniform Code, and the town's Code Enforcement Officer issues it1. Yates also has its own zoning chapter with published districts and a separate zoning permit23. Septic systems are reviewed by the Orleans County health office, not the town4.

At a glance

Building permit
Required for work covered by the NYS Uniform Code, issued by the town Code Enforcement Officer1
Small sheds
One-story detached sheds, playhouses and similar structures of 144 square feet or less are among the listed exemptions1
Zoning
Yes, the town has its own zoning with published districts2
Zoning permit
Applied for with the Code Enforcement Officer; fee schedule posted at the Town Clerk and Code Enforcement offices35
Septic
County health office (GO Health, Orleans County)46
Certificate of occupancy
Required for work done under a building permit7
RV living, tiny homes
Not confirmed; rules depend on the zoning district, so ask the Code Enforcement Officer2
Driveways
Culverts on county or town roads need highway superintendent approval8

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Yates Code Enforcement Officer

Building permits, zoning permits, inspections and certificates of occupancy inside the Town of Yates

(585) 765-9146

8 South Main Street, Lyndonville, NY 14098

Septic permits

Orleans County Health Department (GO Health), Environmental Health

Design review and permits for septic systems, plus private well questions, for Orleans County addresses including Yates

(585)589-3278

14016 State Route 31, Albion, NY 14411

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Town of Yates 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 Yates, NY?

Yes. The Town of Yates requires a building permit for any work that must conform to the New York State Uniform Code or Energy Code, including construction, enlargement, alteration, removal or relocation of a building1. The town administers that code through its own construction-codes chapter9. The permit is required before work starts1.

The town's listed exemptions cover small and finish-work categories, such as a one-story detached tool or storage shed or playhouse of 144 square feet or less1. An exemption does not excuse work from meeting the code1. Work stays exposed until the Code Enforcement Officer inspects and accepts it10, and a certificate of occupancy is required before the building is used7.

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

The Town of Yates Code Enforcement Officer handles building permits, zoning permits and inspections inside the town311. The office can be reached at (585) 765-9146, and the town hall is at 8 South Main Street in Lyndonville11. The town's page lists the Code Enforcement Officer's hours as by appointment, so call first.

Forms are available at the offices of the Code Enforcement Officer and the Town Clerk3. Applications go to the Code Enforcement Officer on Town Board-approved forms3. The fee is nonrefundable, and the Town Board's fee structure is posted at the Town Clerk and Code Enforcement offices5.

Does the Town of Yates have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes and setbacks?

Yes. The Town of Yates publishes its own zoning districts, including Hamlet, Agricultural/Residential, Rural Residential, General Business and Light Industrial, along with waterfront and flood-hazard districts2. Orleans County does not zone: New York counties have no general zoning power, so the town's chapter is the one that applies to a parcel in Yates12.

A zoning permit application for a one- or two-family dwelling needs a scaled sketch map plus water and sewage documentation3. Floodplain development must also satisfy the local flood-hazard law before any permit is approved13.

We could not confirm the town's rules on RV occupancy, tiny homes, accessory dwellings or minimum house size. Ask the Code Enforcement Officer at (585) 765-9146 which district your parcel is in before you buy11.

How do septic permits work in the Town of Yates?

Septic systems in Yates go through the Orleans County health department, not the town4. The department's Environmental Health staff are responsible for the design of onsite wastewater treatment systems and help homeowners obtain permits for new systems, repairs and replacements6. Call (585)589-32786.

The town's zoning permit process requires water and sewage documentation, so expect to line up county health approval before the town will process a zoning application for a house3. County-wide, only about 2% of soils rate as not limited for a conventional drain field, so plan on a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system14. We could not confirm any separate town septic rule or well-permit rule.

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

  1. Call the Code Enforcement Officer to confirm your zoning district and what the town requires11.
  2. Get county health approval for the septic design6.
  3. File the zoning permit application with a scaled sketch map and water and sewage documentation3.
  4. If the lot is part of a land division, check the town's subdivision chapter first15.
  5. Get the driveway pipe or culvert approved by the County or Town Highway Superintendent8.
  6. Obtain the building permit before work starts1.
  7. Keep work exposed until inspected, then obtain the certificate of occupancy107.

What stays with Orleans County, and what to check before you buy in Yates

Orleans County handles septic through its health department4. For land outside the town, see the Orleans County page.

Before you buy, confirm the parcel's zoning district with the Code Enforcement Officer11. Check flood-hazard status, since development in a flood area needs the Code Enforcement Officer's inspection and compliance with the local flood-hazard law13. A driveway onto a state highway needs a permit from the NYS Department of Transportation16. In Orleans County the effective property tax rate is about 3%17.

Watch-outs

  • The town's recreational-vehicle, camping, short-term rental and accessory-dwelling rules are not confirmed here; ask the Code Enforcement Officer before planning to live in an RV or add a second dwelling11.
  • Zoning ordinances can be amended, and the county's own directory warns linked codes may not reflect the latest changes, so confirm current rules with the town18.
  • The town code requires county health approval documents with a zoning application, so start with the county health office before spending on plans3.

Sources

  1. Town of Yates Code, Chapter 120: Construction Codes, Uniform (Town of Yates), quoted and re-checked
  2. Town of Yates Code, Chapter 240, Article V: District Regulations (Town of Yates), quoted and re-checked
  3. Town of Yates Code, Chapter 240, Article III: Permits and Procedures (Town of Yates), quoted and re-checked
  4. Orleans County NY - Health Department (2026 county census)
  5. Town of Yates Code, Chapter 240, Article III: Permits and Procedures (Town of Yates), quoted and re-checked
  6. Orleans County Health Department (GO Health), Environmental Health (geneseeny.gov)
  7. Town of Yates Code, Chapter 120: Construction Codes, Uniform (Town of Yates), quoted and re-checked
  8. Town of Yates Code, Chapter 240, Article III: Permits and Procedures (Town of Yates), quoted and re-checked
  9. Town of Yates Code, Chapter 120: Construction Codes, Uniform (Town of Yates), quoted and re-checked
  10. Town of Yates Code, Chapter 120: Construction Codes, Uniform (Town of Yates), quoted and re-checked
  11. Town of Yates Code Enforcement Officer (townofyates.org)
  12. documents.dps.ny.gov (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  13. Town of Yates Code, Chapter 240, Article III: Permits and Procedures (Town of Yates), quoted and re-checked
  14. 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
  15. Town of Yates Code, Chapter 200: Subdivision and Land Development (Town of Yates), quoted and re-checked
  16. Residential Driveway Permits (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  18. Orleans County Municipal Zoning Regulations Directory, quoted and re-checked

Written October 24, 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 Yates

Town of Yates’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Work in Yates that must conform to the Uniform Code or Energy Code, including residential construction.

    • Exemptions include listed small or finish-work categories in § 120-4B.
    • conditions do not authorize noncompliant work.
    • Permit is required before commencement.

    small detached-structure exemption threshold: <= 144 square feet (One-story detached tool, storage, playhouse, or similar structure associated with one- or two-family dwellings or townhouses.)

    “Except as otherwise provided in Subsection B of this section, a building permit shall be required for any work which must conform to the Uniform Code and/or the Energy Code, including, but not limited to, the construction, enlargement, alteration, improvement, removal, relocation, or demolition of any building or structure or any portion thereof.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Buildings, structures, and premises in the Town of Yates.

    • Except as otherwise provided in the Uniform Code, Energy Code, other state law, or Chapter 120.
    “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 Town of Yates.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted construction in Yates where the listed inspection element is applicable.

    • Work must remain accessible and exposed until inspected and accepted.
    • Remote inspection may be used when it meets the Code Enforcement Officer's required level and quality; otherwise an in-person inspection is required.
    “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 subject to a building permit and structures converted to another use or occupancy classification in Yates.

    • A certificate of occupancy or certificate of compliance is required.
    • Use or occupancy is granted only by issuance of the certificate.
    “A certificate of occupancy or 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.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts inside Yates.

    • The code separately publishes district regulations, including Hamlet, Agricultural/Residential, Rural Residential, General Business, Light Industrial, Industrial, Flood Hazard Overlay, Historic, Waterfront Residential, Waterfront Development, and Planned Industrial/Commercial Development districts.
    “§ 240-28 Hamlets (HA). § 240-29 Agricultural/Residential District (AR). § 240-30 Rural Residential District (RR). § 240-31 General Business District (GB). § 240-32 Light Industrial District (LI).”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision and land development inside Yates.

    • The chapter includes approval procedures for minor subdivisions of more than four and fewer than 10 lots, and major subdivisions of more than 10 lots.
    “§ 200-5 Approval of minor subdivision (more than four lots, fewer than 10 lots). § 200-6 Preliminary plat for major subdivision (more than 10 lots). § 200-7 Plat for major subdivision.”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    Driveway pipes or culverts on county or Town roads inside Yates.

    • Approval is by the County Highway Superintendent or Town Highway Superintendent, as applicable.
    “Approval of the County Highway Superintendent or Town Highway Superintendent is required for any driveway pipes or culverts on county or Town roads.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Permit applications involving floodplain development inside Yates.

    • Applicant must notify the Code Enforcement Officer for inspection.
    • Applicant must comply with the local flood-hazard law before permits are approved.
    “The applicant shall notify the Code Enforcement Officer for inspection. The applicant shall comply with local flood hazard law before any permit(s) are approved.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Zoning permit applications inside Yates.

    • The fee is nonrefundable.
    • The Town Board's fee structure is filed and posted at the Town Clerk and Code Enforcement Officer offices.
    “The appropriate nonrefundable fee established by the Town Board in its fee structure shall be collected at the time of application. This fee structure shall be filed and posted at the offices of the Town Clerk and the Code Enforcement Officer.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning permit applications inside Yates, including one- and two-family dwellings.

    • Applications must be made to the Code Enforcement Officer on Town Board-approved forms.
    • A scaled sketch map is required for one- and two-family dwellings, customary accessory uses, and farm use.
    • Water and sewage documentation must accompany the application.
    “Application for a zoning permit shall be made with the Code Enforcement Officer on forms approved by the Town Board. Forms shall be made available at the offices of the Code Enforcement Officer and the Town Clerk.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-performed residential construction inside Yates.
  • Minimum dwelling size — One- and two-family dwellings in Yates Agricultural/Residential District.
  • Living in an RV — Private-land RV occupancy inside Yates.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Yates.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Yates.
8 more unanswered
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Short-term rentals

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

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