Bolthole Index

Ulster County, New York

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

The Town of Olive, in Ulster County, New York, requires a building permit for work that must meet the state Uniform Code, including new homes1. The town adopted its own zoning law in 19752. Septic plans are reviewed and approved by the Ulster County Department of Health, not the town3.

At a glance

Building permit
Required from the Town of Olive for work under the state Uniform Code; sheds of 144 square feet or less are exempt from the building permit but still need a zoning permit1
Zoning
Town of Olive has its own zoning law (Chapter 155)2
Septic
Ulster County Department of Health reviews and approves plans3
Inspections
Required; work must stay exposed until inspected4
Subdivision
Must conform to the town Official Map and zoning law5

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Olive Building and Zoning Department

Building permits, inspections, zoning permits and the zoning map for land inside the Town of Olive

(845) 657-8118

PO Box 180 West Shokan, NY 12494

Septic permits

Ulster County Department of Health, Environmental Health Division

Septic (OWTS) plan review, permits and construction inspection

(845) 340-3010

239 Golden Hill Lane, Kingston, NY 12401

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 Olive 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 Olive, NY?

Yes. The Town of Olive requires a building permit for any work that must conform to the New York State Uniform Code or Energy Code, including new residential construction1. The permit must be in hand before work begins6.

The main exemption is a small detached shed or playhouse of 144 square feet or less, and even that still needs a zoning permit1. The application is a written form signed by the property owner or an authorized agent6. Fees are due when you submit the application, and the Town Board sets the amounts, so ask the Building and Zoning Department for the current schedule7.

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

The Town of Olive Building and Zoning Department issues building permits inside the town1. Call (845) 657-8118 and ask for the Building and Zoning Department, or write to PO Box 180, West Shokan, NY 124948. The office keeps hours Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 3 PM, and appointments are strongly suggested8.

The town's code enforcement officer inspects permitted work, which must stay exposed until inspected and accepted4. A certificate of occupancy or compliance is required before a permitted building is used9.

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

Yes. The Town of Olive has its own zoning law, Chapter 155 of the town code, adopted by the Town Board in 19752. Ulster County does not zone for the town, because New York gives zoning power to cities, towns and villages, not counties10.

We could not confirm the town's rules on long-term RV occupancy, temporary camping or accessory dwellings, so ask the Building and Zoning Department before you buy or park anything on the land8. A tiny house built to the Residential Code of New York State and its Appendix BB is a recognized category under state code, but town zoning and septic rules still apply11. Any subdivision must conform to the town Official Map and the zoning law5.

How do septic permits work in the Town of Olive?

Septic permits for every address in the Town of Olive come from the Ulster County Department of Health, not the town3. A design for the onsite wastewater system and at least two copies of the drawings go to the county, and a permit is issued once the drawings are approved12. Most townships want approved septic plans before they will issue a building permit, so start with the county13.

The county reports that review can take up to 6 months on smaller residential properties13. Ulster County's soil survey rates 0% of its soils as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system14. County field representatives verify the design during construction15. Contact the Environmental Health Division at (845) 340-301013.

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

  1. Ask the Building and Zoning Department about zoning district, setbacks and any use limits for your parcel8.
  2. Hire a licensed design professional and submit septic plans to the Ulster County Department of Health12.
  3. Apply for the building permit on the town's form, with fees paid at submission67.
  4. If a new driveway meets a state highway, get a NYSDOT permit16.
  5. Keep work exposed for inspection4.
  6. Obtain the certificate of occupancy or compliance before moving in9.

What stays with Ulster County, and what to check before you buy in the Town of Olive

Septic and well questions sit with the county health department and the state, not the town3. We could not confirm a town rule on private wells, so ask the county health department. For land outside the town, see the Ulster County page.

County-level figures: Ulster County's effective property tax rate is 1.9%17, and its median property tax bill is $6,124 a year18. About 88.7% of the county's land is wooded19. Also ask whether any part of the parcel lies in a mapped flood hazard area; development there needs a local floodplain permit20.

Watch-outs

  • Town of Olive building-permit fee amounts are set by the Town Board and were not published in the code text we reviewed, so ask the Building and Zoning Department for the current schedule7.
  • We could not confirm town rules on RV occupancy, camping, accessory dwellings or driveway permits; call the Building and Zoning Department at (845) 657-8118 before relying on any of them8.
  • A septic design can take up to 6 months to be approved on smaller residential properties, so start it before you commit to a build date13.

Sources

  1. Town of Olive Code, Chapter 93: Fire Prevention and Building Code Administration and Enforcement (Town of Olive), quoted and re-checked
  2. Town of Olive Code, Chapter 155: Zoning (Town of Olive), quoted and re-checked
  3. Ulster County Department of Health: Water & Wastewater Regulation (Town of Olive), quoted and re-checked
  4. Town of Olive Code, Chapter 93: Fire Prevention and Building Code Administration and Enforcement (Town of Olive), quoted and re-checked
  5. Town of Olive Code, Chapter 133: Subdivision of Land (Town of Olive), quoted and re-checked
  6. Town of Olive Code, Chapter 93: Fire Prevention and Building Code Administration and Enforcement (Town of Olive), quoted and re-checked
  7. Town of Olive Code, Chapter 93: Fire Prevention and Building Code Administration and Enforcement (Town of Olive), quoted and re-checked
  8. Town of Olive Building and Zoning Department (townofolive.org)
  9. Part 1203 Uniform Code and the Energy Code: Minimum Standards for Administration and Enforcement (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  10. documents.dps.ny.gov (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  11. Notice of Adoption, quoted and re-checked
  12. Sewage Disposal System Application — Ulster County, quoted and re-checked
  13. Ulster County Department of Health, Environmental Health Division (ulstercountyny.gov)
  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. Sewage Disposal System Application — Ulster County, 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. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  19. Wooded share of land: Bolthole Index county data
  20. Floodplain Management - NYSDEC (New York statewide rule), 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 Olive

Town of Olive’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

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

    • Statutory Chapter 93 exemptions apply, including certain detached accessory structures not exceeding 144 square feet; the listed shed exemption still requires a zoning permit.
    • Permit must be obtained from Town of Olive before work begins.

    detached accessory-structure building-permit exemption threshold: <= 144 square feet (Tool/storage sheds, playhouses, or similar structures associated with one- or two-family dwellings or townhouses; zoning permit required.)

    “Building permits required. 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”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted construction in Olive town where applicable.

    • Work must remain accessible and exposed until inspected and accepted.
    • Remote inspection may replace in-person inspection at the Code Enforcement Officer's or authorized inspector's discretion when it provides the same level and quality.
    “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.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside the Town of Olive.

    “[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Olive 6-16-1975. Amendments noted where applicable.]”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Proposed subdivisions inside Olive town.

    • Must conform to the Town Official Map and Chapter 155 Zoning Law.
    “All proposed subdivisions shall conform to the Official Map of the Town and shall conform to the Zoning Law set forth in Chapter 155 of the Town of Olive Town Code.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Town building permits and inspections.

    • Building-permit, amended-permit, and renewal fees are due at application submission; inspection fees are due before or at inspection.
    • Amounts are set by the Town Board rather than specified in the opened code text.
    “The fee specified in or determined in accordance with the provisions set forth in § 93-18, Fees, of this chapter must be paid at the time of submission of an application for a building permit, for an amended building permit, or for renewal of a building permit.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building-permit applications in Olive town.

    • Application is written, on a form provided by or acceptable to the Code Enforcement Officer, and signed by the property owner or authorized agent.
    • Work cannot begin until a building permit is issued.
    “Applications for a building permit shall be made in writing on a form provided by or otherwise acceptable to the Code Enforcement Officer. The application shall be signed by the owner of the property where the work is to be performed or an authorized agent of the owner.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Olive

Town of Olive does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Buildings, structures, and premises in Olive town.

    • Except as otherwise provided in the Uniform Code, Energy Code, other state law, or Chapter 93.
    “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 Olive.”
  • Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

    Residential, commercial, and small permitted community wastewater systems inside Olive town, which is in Ulster County.

    “Services include the plan review and approval of residential, commercial, and small permitted community wastewater systems and realty subdivisions.”
  • Septic inspectionLimited

    On-site septic systems at regulated facilities inside Olive town.

    • County describes inspections during routine facility inspections for food service establishments, hotels, motels, children's camps, mobile-home parks, and campgrounds.
    “The division follows up on complaints and inspects on-site septic systems at food service establishments, hotels, motels, children's camps, mobile home parks, and campgrounds during their routine facility inspections.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction in Olive town.
  • Living in an RV — Long-term RV occupancy on private land in Olive town.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land in Olive town.
  • Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units in Olive town.
  • Off-grid sanitation — Off-grid sanitation for residences in Olive town.
4 more unanswered
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access

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

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