Building permits in Rockland County, New York come from the town or village where the property sits, and that municipality also administers zoning12. New York's statewide Uniform Code applies, while local offices enforce it3. The Rockland County Department of Health must approve septic plans before construction, alteration or repair begins4.
At a glance
- Building permit
- Required, but issued by your town or village, not the county15
- Zoning
- Set by each town/village, not by Rockland County government26
- Septic permit
- Required; plans reviewed and approved by the Rockland County Department of Health78
- Owner-builder
- In Clarkstown, an owner-occupant may do their own plumbing, but must obtain a building permit when required9
- Subdivision health review
- County fees apply per lot, with a separate inspection fee10
- Clarkstown permit fees
- $150 for the first $1,000 of job cost, then $18 per additional $1,000 or part11
- Certificate of occupancy
- Required statewide before a permitted structure can be used12
Who to call
Building permits
Town of Clarkstown Building Department
Building permits and inspections for the Town of Clarkstown, one of Rockland County's towns; each Rockland town/village runs its own building department
10 Maple Ave., Room 101, New City, NY 10956
Zoning
Town of Clarkstown Planning Department
Zoning, the Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Appeals for the Town of Clarkstown; each Rockland town/village has its own zoning administration
10 Maple Ave., New City, NY 10956
Septic permits
Rockland County Department of Health, Environmental Health
Reviews and approves septic system plans, inspects installations, investigates wastewater complaints, and reviews realty subdivisions of 3 or more lots countywide
Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on September 29, 2026.
Do you need a building permit in Rockland County, New York?
Yes. Building permits in Rockland County are issued by the town or village with jurisdiction over the parcel, not by one county building department1. New York's 2025 Uniform Code has applied since December 31, 2025, and local authorities administer and enforce it313. In Clarkstown, new construction, renovations and remodeling require permits when covered by the town code, Uniform Code or Energy Code, subject to the town's listed exceptions14. Clarkstown also requires a certificate of occupancy for a new building, an alteration, a change in use or occupancy, or work for which a building permit was issued15. The certificate follows an inspection showing no uncorrected deficiency or material code violation16.
Who issues building permits in Rockland County, and how do you reach them?
Start with the town or village shown for the parcel, because Rockland County has municipal rather than countywide building-permit administration1. For Clarkstown property, contact the Town of Clarkstown Building Department at 10 Maple Ave., Room 101, New City, NY 10956, or (845) 639-21005. An owner, agent or contractor may apply in Clarkstown, and the application may need a survey plus construction plans or drawings11. Clarkstown checks applications against its building, housing, plumbing, zoning, preservation and other applicable codes11. Clarkstown's published fee is $150 for the first $1,000 of estimated job cost, plus $18 for each additional $1,000 or part thereof11. Owners outside Clarkstown should obtain the applicable forms and fee schedule from their own municipality.
Does Rockland County have zoning?
Zoning in Rockland County is administered by towns and villages rather than through one countywide zoning office2. In Clarkstown, building-permit applications are checked against the town's zoning code, and the Planning Department supports the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals116. We could not confirm one countywide rule for minimum lot size, minimum dwelling size, setbacks, lot coverage or building height. Ask the parcel's town or village planning office for its zoning map, use table and dimensional standards before designing a house or dividing land. For Clarkstown, the Planning Department is at 10 Maple Ave., New City, NY 10956 and can be reached at (845) 639-20706.
How do septic permits work in Rockland County?
The Rockland County Department of Health must approve a plan before a private sewage-disposal system is built, rebuilt, altered or repaired4. The system cannot be used until it matches the approved plans, passes county inspection and receives a certificate of approval4. Where an accessible public sanitary sewer is available, a subsurface system cannot be installed, and the Commissioner may order a connection within 30 days4. In non-sewered areas, Rockland requires residential systems to use two septic tanks in series, with the second holding at least 1,000 gallons4. Only 4.3% of county soils rate without severe limitations for conventional drain fields, so make septic feasibility an early contract contingency17. For help with a failing system, call Environmental Health at 845-364-26568.
Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in Rockland County?
We could not confirm a countywide rule allowing residential or long-term RV occupancy, temporary camping, or tiny-home occupancy. Zoning is administered by the town or village where the parcel sits, so permission depends on that municipality's use and dimensional rules2. Ask the local planning office whether the proposed unit is treated as a dwelling, accessory structure, manufactured home or recreational vehicle, and whether temporary occupancy during construction is allowed. For Clarkstown land, start with the Town of Clarkstown Planning Department at (845) 639-20706. Any Clarkstown construction covered by the town code, Uniform Code or Energy Code still follows the town's permit process14.
Building a home in Rockland County, New York: the steps, in order
- Identify the parcel's town or village, because that municipality handles building permits and zoning12.
- Ask the municipal planning office to confirm the use, setbacks and site-plan or variance needs; Clarkstown's Planning Department supports its land-use boards6.
- Determine sewer availability before designing septic, because Rockland bars a subsurface system where public sanitary sewer is available and accessible4.
- Submit any septic plan to the Rockland County Department of Health and obtain approval before work begins4.
- Apply to the local building department with the required survey and plans; Clarkstown accepts applications from an owner, agent or contractor11.
- Keep permitted work available for required inspections18.
- Obtain county approval after the septic inspection and the local certificate of occupancy before using the completed home412.
What to check before you buy land in Rockland County, New York
Confirm the town or village, zoning district, legal access and utility status before making an offer, because permits and land-use rules are municipal12. Make septic feasibility a contract contingency: only 4.3% of Rockland County soils rate without severe limitations for a conventional drain field17. If a parcel is in an approved subdivision, the county must inspect individual water-supply and sewage-disposal installations before completion19. County sanitary-code subdivision approval carries a per-lot fee, and the requester also pays an inspection fee10. We could not confirm a general countywide private-well permit, driveway-access rule or floodplain-development rule, so ask the municipality and Environmental Health what applies to the parcel. The median property-tax bill is about $10,001 a year, with an effective rate near 1.8%, so verify the parcel's current assessment and exemptions2021.
Watch-outs
- Clarkstown lets an owner-occupant perform their own plumbing in a single-family dwelling, but a building permit is still required when applicable; this is not a general exemption from permits9.
- A newly constructed residential septic system requires a $2,000 performance bond for 12 months unless the future resident submits the allowed waiver4.
- Living in an RV or tiny home on private land is not confirmed countywide; ask the parcel's town or village planning office before buying or moving a unit onto the site26.
Sources
- Town of Clarkstown - Building Permits (2026 county census)
- Town of Clarkstown - Planning Department (2026 county census)
- Notice of Adoption, quoted and re-checked
- Rockland County Sanitary Code, Article IV – Waste Facilities and Disposal, quoted and re-checked
- Town of Clarkstown Building Department (clarkstown.gov)
- Town of Clarkstown Planning Department (clarkstown.gov)
- Rockland County Sanitary Code, Article VII (2026 county census)
- Rockland County Department of Health, Environmental Health (rocklandcountyny.gov)
- Building Permits, quoted and re-checked
- Rockland County Sanitary Code, Article VII, quoted and re-checked
- Building Permits, quoted and re-checked
- Part 1203 Uniform Code and the Energy Code: Minimum Standards for Administration and Enforcement (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- Part 1203 Uniform Code and the Energy Code: Minimum Standards for Administration and Enforcement (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- Building Permits, quoted and re-checked
- Certificates of Occupancy, quoted and re-checked
- Certificates of Occupancy, quoted and re-checked
- Share of soils without severe limits for a conventional septic drain field (USDA SSURGO): Bolthole Index county data
- Part 1203 Uniform Code and the Energy Code: Minimum Standards for Administration and Enforcement (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- Rockland County Sanitary Code, Article VII, quoted and re-checked
- Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
- Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
Written September 29, 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.