Bolthole Index

Sullivan County, New York

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

The Town of Forestburgh in Sullivan County, New York requires a building permit for work that must conform to the state Uniform Code1. Forestburgh also has its own zoning code, Chapter 1802. Sullivan County does not set zoning for town land3. Septic approval for homes in Forestburgh is not confirmed on the town's pages; ask the Sullivan County Public Health Department4.

At a glance

Building permit
Required for work that must conform to the NYS Uniform Code; issued by the town15
Zoning
Yes, the town's own Chapter 180; uses not listed for a district are prohibited2
Inspections and certificate of occupancy
Required on permitted work67
Septic
County or state health officials; confirm with Sullivan County Public Health4
Short-term rentals
Annual town permit and inspection8

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Forestburgh Code Enforcement Officer and Building Department

Building permit applications, inspections and certificates of occupancy inside the Town of Forestburgh

(845) 794-0611

[email protected]

332 King Road, Forestburgh, NY 12777

Septic permits

Sullivan County Public Health Department

County health department; its front desk connects callers to the right program, including septic questions

845-292-5910

50 Community Lane, PO Box 590 Liberty, New York 12754

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 Town of Forestburgh 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 Forestburgh, NY?

Yes, for most construction. The Town of Forestburgh requires a building permit for any work that must conform to the New York State Uniform Code or the Energy Code1. The town administers both codes itself5.

The exemptions are narrow: a one-story detached storage shed or playhouse under 144 square feet that is not served by electricity, fences not around pools, retaining walls, painting and similar finish work, and certain repairs1. An exemption is not permission for work that breaks the code1.

Permitted work is inspected at stages such as footing and foundation, framing and systems, with a final inspection where applicable6. A certificate of occupancy or certificate of compliance is required for work under a building permit7. We could not confirm whether the town offers an owner-builder exemption; ask the code enforcement office.

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

The Town of Forestburgh's own Code Enforcement Officer issues building permits, not Sullivan County5. Applications are made in writing on a form acceptable to the code enforcement officer, signed by the owner or an authorized agent9.

The office is at 332 King Road, Forestburgh, NY 12777, phone (845) 794-0611, and posts a building permit application and a fee schedule on its page10. We could not confirm the current fee amounts; the schedule on the town's page is the source.

Does Forestburgh have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes and setbacks?

Yes. The Town of Forestburgh divides the town into zoning districts under Chapter 180, adopted by Local Law 3 of 2023, and any use not listed as permitted or special in a district is prohibited2. The zoning map is kept in the office of the town clerk11.

Sullivan County does not zone this land: New York counties lack authority to adopt zoning for unincorporated land3.

We could not confirm what Chapter 180 says about RV occupancy, tiny homes, accessory dwellings, minimum home size or setbacks, because those rules sit in the code's use and bulk tables of Chapter 1802. Because unlisted uses are prohibited, ask the Code Enforcement Officer before you assume a use is allowed on a given lot10.

How do septic permits work in Forestburgh?

We could not confirm who issues septic permits inside the Town of Forestburgh. For Sullivan County generally, the New York State Department of Health sets residential onsite wastewater standards and directs applicants to the local health department, so the Sullivan County Public Health Department is the office to ask412.

In the part of Sullivan County inside the New York City watershed, New York City DEP review may also apply13. Confirm whether a parcel is in the watershed before you design a system.

Building a home in Forestburgh: the steps, in order

  1. Ask the town Code Enforcement Officer which zoning district the parcel is in and whether your use is permitted there210.
  2. Call Sullivan County Public Health about the septic approval for the parcel4.
  3. Apply in writing for a building permit with the town9.
  4. Schedule inspections as work proceeds6.
  5. Obtain a certificate of occupancy or certificate of compliance before use7.

What stays with Sullivan County, and what to check before you buy in Forestburgh?

Septic and any watershed review sit with county and state health officials rather than the town4. The county's pages and rules for unincorporated land elsewhere are on the Sullivan County page.

For land value and tax context, Sullivan County's effective property tax rate is 2.2%14, and the median property tax bill is $5,082 a year15. Sullivan County's wooded share of land is 89.1%16, so check access and driveway ownership: driveways onto a New York State highway need a state permit17. We could not confirm the town's own driveway, well or floodplain rules; the town code has chapters on streets and on flood damage prevention that you should ask the town about.

Watch-outs

  • Unlisted uses are prohibited in Forestburgh zoning districts, so confirm a use with the Code Enforcement Officer before you buy2.
  • Short-term rentals in Forestburgh need an annual town permit, county occupancy tax registration and an annual health and safety inspection8.
  • We could not confirm septic, well, RV or tiny-home rules inside the Town of Forestburgh; call the town office and Sullivan County Public Health1012.

Sources

  1. Town of Forestburgh Code, Ch. 68 Building Code Administration (Town of Forestburgh), quoted and re-checked
  2. Town of Forestburgh Code, Ch. 180 Zoning, Article II District Regulations (Town of Forestburgh), quoted and re-checked
  3. documents.dps.ny.gov (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  4. Septic System Operation and Maintenance, quoted and re-checked
  5. Town of Forestburgh Code, Ch. 68 Building Code Administration (Town of Forestburgh), quoted and re-checked
  6. Town of Forestburgh Code, Ch. 68 Building Code Administration (Town of Forestburgh), quoted and re-checked
  7. Town of Forestburgh Code, Ch. 68 Building Code Administration (Town of Forestburgh), quoted and re-checked
  8. Town of Forestburgh Code, Ch. 180 Zoning, Article VI Special Supplemental Regulations (Town of Forestburgh), quoted and re-checked
  9. Town of Forestburgh Code, Ch. 68 Building Code Administration (Town of Forestburgh), quoted and re-checked
  10. Town of Forestburgh Code Enforcement Officer and Building Department (forestburgh.net)
  11. Town of Forestburgh Code, Ch. 180 Zoning, Article II District Regulations (Town of Forestburgh), quoted and re-checked
  12. Sullivan County Public Health Department (sullivanny.gov)
  13. Regulations - DEP, quoted and re-checked
  14. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  15. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  16. Wooded share of land: Bolthole Index county data
  17. Residential Driveway Permits (New York statewide rule), 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.

Answers from the rulebook for Town of Forestburgh

Town of Forestburgh’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction and other work subject to the Uniform Code inside Forestburgh town

    • Exemptions include one-story detached storage sheds/playhouses under 144 sq ft not served by electricity, fences not around pools, retaining walls, painting and similar finish work, and certain repairs
    • Exemption is not authorization for noncompliant work

    shed exemption floor area: < 144 sq ft (not served by electricity)

    “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 buildings and structures inside Forestburgh town

    • Administers the NYS Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code and the State Energy Conservation Construction Code
    “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.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted construction inside Forestburgh town

    • Inspections of footing/foundation, framing, systems, energy code compliance and a final inspection, where applicable
    “work shall remain accessible and exposed until inspected and accepted by the code enforcement officer or by an assistant authorized by the code enforcement officer.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Work under a building permit and use/occupancy conversions inside Forestburgh town

    • Certificate of occupancy or certificate of compliance depending on permit scope; temporary certificates available
    “a certificate 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

    All land inside Forestburgh town

    • Chapter 180 Zoning adopted by L.L. No. 3-2023; uses not explicitly listed as permitted or special uses in a district are prohibited
    “the town of forestburgh is hereby divided into the following classes of districts”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts in Forestburgh town

    • Zoning map kept in the office of the town clerk
    • Planned development districts approved before L.L. 1 of 2020 are prior nonconforming uses
    “rr residential recreation district rc rural conservation district b-1 neighborhood business district b-2 gateway business district b-3 four corners business district”
  • Short-term rentalsLimited

    Short-term residential rentals inside Forestburgh town

    • Annual permit renewal; fee set in town fee schedule
    • Proof of Sullivan County occupancy tax registration
    • Annual health and safety inspection before operation and annually
    • On-site parking only; 911 address sign; no advertising signs
    • Must keep guest records; may not adversely affect residential character
    “a short-term residential rental permit from the code enforcement officer is required (annual renewal).”
  • Permit processPartial

    Building permits inside Forestburgh town

    • Application in writing on a form acceptable to the code enforcement officer, signed by the owner or authorized agent
    “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 Town of Forestburgh or Sullivan County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Forestburgh town
  • Minimum dwelling size — RR and RC districts, Forestburgh town
  • Lot coverage — Forestburgh town districts
  • Building height — Forestburgh town districts
  • Living in an RV — RV occupancy inside Forestburgh town
15 more unanswered
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • 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
  • 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 Town of Forestburgh publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Sullivan County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Sullivan County: county rules, score and offices