Bolthole Index

Ulster County, New York

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in the Town of Wawarsing, New York

The Town of Wawarsing, New York requires a building permit for any work that must meet the state Uniform Code, issued by the town's Code Enforcement Officer1. Wawarsing also has its own zoning districts and zoning code2. Septic approval is separate: the Ulster County Department of Health reviews and approves septic plans for Wawarsing addresses3.

At a glance

Building permit
Required for work under the Uniform Code or Energy Code; a few exemptions such as small sheds1
Who issues it
Town of Wawarsing Building Department, through the Municollab portal4
Zoning
Town zoning districts and a zoning map2
Septic
Ulster County Department of Health3
RV living
Not permanent; temporary only while building a home on the same lot5
Certificate of occupancy
Required for work under a building permit6

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Wawarsing Building Department

Building permit applications, inspections and certificates for the Town of Wawarsing

845-647-7800 ext. 5

108 Canal Street P.O. Box 671 Ellenville, NY 12428

Online permits →

Septic permits

Ulster County Department of Health, Environmental Health Division

Septic (onsite wastewater) plan review, permits and construction inspection countywide

(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 Wawarsing means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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

The Town of Wawarsing divides itself into zoning districts and publishes an official zoning map2. Lot size and height depend on the district: a lot conforms only if it meets the minimum area in the town's Appendix A schedule, and a lot that falls short needs an area variance7. Building height is likewise set district by district in that schedule8.

On RVs, Wawarsing does not allow cellars, tents, camp trailers or recreational vehicles as permanent homes in any district5. The Code Enforcement Officer may grant a temporary certificate of occupancy for an RV used as living quarters while you build a house on the same lot, for up to one year, and the RV must meet the district's setbacks5. The Zoning Board of Appeals may approve one further extension of up to one year5.

A change in land use needs a building/zoning permit even with no new construction, though agricultural harvesting and tilling are exempt from permit requirements9. We could not confirm town rules on tiny homes, accessory dwelling units or manufactured homes; ask the Building Department before you buy.

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

Yes. A Wawarsing building permit is required for any work that must conform to the Uniform Code or Energy Code, including construction, enlargement, alteration, removal or demolition of a building, and installing a solid-fuel heating appliance1. The town's exemptions include certain detached sheds of 144 square feet or less and specified minor work1. A certificate of occupancy or compliance is required for any work covered by a building permit6.

The Town of Wawarsing Building Department handles building permit applications, inspections and certificates through the Municollab online portal4. The application is written, on a form acceptable to the Code Enforcement Officer, and signed by the owner or an authorized agent10. Fees are set by Town Board resolution, so ask the Building Department for the current schedule11.

We could not find an owner-builder exemption in the town's construction code chapter; confirm with the Building Department.

How do septic permits work in Wawarsing?

Septic permits for Wawarsing come from the Ulster County Department of Health, not the town: the county reviews and approves residential wastewater system plans3. Plans must be prepared by a New York-licensed professional engineer or registered architect, and the county issues the permit only after approving the drawings12. The county says most Ulster County townships require approved septic plans before issuing a building permit, so ask the Wawarsing Building Department whether it does13.

County field representatives check the installed system during construction14. Soils matter here: USDA rates 0% of the soils in Ulster County as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system15. For an RV used during construction, the county health department must approve the water supply and sewage disposal before the town grants the temporary certificate16.

Building a home in Wawarsing: the steps, in order

  1. Ask the Building Department which zoning district the parcel is in and whether the lot meets the minimum area for that district7.
  2. Start septic design with the Ulster County Department of Health, since approved plans come before the building permit in most Ulster County towns13.
  3. Apply for the building permit through the town's Municollab portal4.
  4. Schedule the town's inspections during construction17.
  5. Get the certificate of occupancy before moving in6.
  6. If part of the parcel is in the Special Floodplain Overlay District, check that district's added rules first18.

What stays with Ulster County, and what to check before you buy in Wawarsing?

Septic plan review stays with the county health department, and subdivision filings carry county steps after the town planning board approves; the map must be filed with the County Clerk within 61 days of that approval19. Wawarsing's own subdivision rules are in Chapter 95 of the town code20. For land outside Wawarsing's limits, see the Ulster County page.

Before you buy, check the zoning map, the floodplain overlay and septic feasibility. A driveway onto a state highway needs a permit from the NYS Department of Transportation21. We could not confirm a town driveway rule, a private well rule, or town sewer connection requirements; ask the Building Department. Ulster County's effective property tax rate is 1.9%22.

Watch-outs

  • The 2025 NYS Uniform Code applies to building permit applications submitted on or after December 31, 202523.
  • The Wawarsing zoning schedule sets setbacks and lot sizes by district; we could not confirm the district figures, so get them from the Building Department before you design24.
  • A temporary RV certificate is only for the construction period on the same lot; living in an RV on vacant land is not permitted5.

Sources

  1. Town of Wawarsing, NY, Chapter 42 Construction Codes, Uniform and Energy Conservation (Town of Wawarsing), quoted and re-checked
  2. Town of Wawarsing, NY, Chapter 112, Article III District Regulations (Town of Wawarsing), quoted and re-checked
  3. Water & Wastewater Regulation — Ulster County, quoted and re-checked
  4. Town of Wawarsing Building Department (wawarsingny.gov)
  5. Town of Wawarsing, NY, Chapter 112, Article III District Regulations (Town of Wawarsing), quoted and re-checked
  6. Town of Wawarsing, NY, Chapter 42 Construction Codes, Uniform and Energy Conservation (Town of Wawarsing), quoted and re-checked
  7. Town of Wawarsing, NY, Chapter 112, Article III District Regulations (Town of Wawarsing), quoted and re-checked
  8. Town of Wawarsing, NY, Chapter 112, Article III District Regulations (Town of Wawarsing), quoted and re-checked
  9. Town of Wawarsing, NY, Chapter 112, Article III District Regulations (Town of Wawarsing), quoted and re-checked
  10. Town of Wawarsing, NY, Chapter 42 Construction Codes, Uniform and Energy Conservation (Town of Wawarsing), quoted and re-checked
  11. Town of Wawarsing, NY, Chapter 42 Construction Codes, Uniform and Energy Conservation (Town of Wawarsing), 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. Sewage Disposal System Application — Ulster County, quoted and re-checked
  15. 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
  16. Town of Wawarsing, NY, Chapter 112, Article III District Regulations (Town of Wawarsing), quoted and re-checked
  17. Town of Wawarsing, NY, Chapter 42 Construction Codes, Uniform and Energy Conservation (Town of Wawarsing), quoted and re-checked
  18. Town of Wawarsing, NY, Chapter 112, Article III District Regulations (Town of Wawarsing), quoted and re-checked
  19. Make a Land Use Referral, quoted and re-checked
  20. Town of Wawarsing, NY, Chapter 112, Article III District Regulations (Town of Wawarsing), quoted and re-checked
  21. Residential Driveway Permits (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  22. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  23. Notice of Adoption — New York State Uniform Code, quoted and re-checked
  24. Town of Wawarsing, NY, Chapter 112, Article III District Regulations (Town of Wawarsing), 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 Wawarsing

Town of Wawarsing’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Work in Wawarsing that must conform to the Uniform Code or Energy Code.

    • Exemptions apply under § 42-4B, including certain detached sheds no greater than 144 square feet and specified minor work.
    • parameters=[],
    “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, including, but not limited to, the construction, enlargement, alteration, improvement, removal, relocation, or demolition of any building or structure or any portion thereof, and the installation of a solid fuel burning, heating appliance, chimney, or flue in any dwelling unit.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted construction and issuance of occupancy, compliance, temporary occupancy, and operating certificates in Wawarsing.

    • Inspections are conducted by the Town Code Enforcement Officer under Chapter 42.
    “Elements of work to be inspected. The following elements of the construction process shall be inspected, where applicable:”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Buildings or structures for which a Town certificate of occupancy is issued in Wawarsing.

    • The required pre-issuance inspection applies; the chapter defines a certificate as certifying approved documents and suitability for occupancy.
    “Certificates of occupancy and certificates of compliance required. 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)

    Town of Wawarsing zoning districts.

    • The official zoning map establishes district locations and boundaries; overlay and planned-unit districts have additional rules.
    “The Town of Wawarsing is hereby divided into the following types of zoning districts:”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Lots in Wawarsing zoning districts.

    • Minimum lot area is subject to the Appendix A schedule and net-acreage exclusions for environmentally constrained lands; an area variance is required if the resulting lot area does not meet the applicable minimum.
    “A lot shall be deemed conforming as to lot area only if it meets the minimum lot area set forth in Appendix A, Schedule of District Use and Bulk Regulations, or as otherwise required in this chapter after subtracting those areas listed in § 110-12F(1) above. Any lot area not meeting the minimum requirement shall require an area variance.”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Structures and uses in Wawarsing zoning districts.

    • District controls are in Appendix A and supplemented by Chapter 112; the retrieved schedule did not expose district-specific setback figures.
    “Be located not less than 10 feet from any side or rear lot line or in such a fashion as to prevent emergency firefighting access or to shade a residential dwelling on an adjoining lot. Any structure over 200 square feet in floor area shall meet setbacks for principal buildings.”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Buildings and structures in Wawarsing zoning districts.

    • The maximum is set by the Schedule of District Use and Bulk Regulations; agricultural structures, communications towers, certain mechanical spaces, and accessory energy-generation equipment are excluded unless otherwise regulated.
    “No building or structure shall exceed the maximum building height, in stories or feet, as set forth in the Schedule of District Use and Bulk Regulations for the district where such building or structure is located.”
  • Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

    Camp trailers and recreational vehicles on private land in Wawarsing.

    • Permanent dwelling use is prohibited. A temporary certificate may be granted only during construction of a residence on the same lot, for no more than one year; the Zoning Board of Appeals may approve an additional extension of up to one year; setbacks and County Health Department water/sewage approval apply.

    initial temporary occupancy term: <= 1 year (During construction of a residence on the same lot) · additional extension: <= 1 year (May be approved by the Zoning Board of Appeals)

    “The use of cellars, tents, camp trailers or recreational vehicles for permanent dwelling purposes shall not be permitted in any district, except that a temporary certificate of occupancy for a camp trailers or recreational vehicle to be used as temporary living quarters during the construction of a residence on the same lot may be granted by the Code Enforcement Officer for a period not to exceed one year, and further provided that the trailer or vehicle meets all setback requirements for the district within which it is located.”
  • Agricultural exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

    Agricultural harvesting and tilling in Wawarsing.

    • The exemption is from Chapter 112 permit requirements and does not establish exemption from other applicable laws.
    “A building/zoning permit shall be required whenever a change in land use occur regardless whether any new construction is involved or not, excepting that agricultural harvesting and tilling shall be exempt from all permit requirements.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Creation of subdivisions and lots in Wawarsing.

    • Chapter 95 of the Town Code regulates subdivisions and lots.
    “These provisions shall apply to the creation of subdivisions and lots as regulated by Chapter 95, Subdivision of Land, of the Town of Wawarsing Code.”
  • Building in a floodplainLimited

    Development in the Special FP Floodplain Overlay District in Wawarsing.

    • The overlay district is regulated by § 112-19; individual parcel applicability depends on overlay location.
    “Special FP Floodplain Overlay (FP-O) District. Section 112-19 of this chapter sets forth the regulations applicable to this overlay district.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Town Chapter 42 permitting and code-enforcement services in Wawarsing.

    • Fees are set by the Town Board; no amount was established in the retrieved excerpt.
    “A fee schedule shall be established by resolution of the Town Board of the Town of Wawarsing. Such fee schedule may thereafter be amended from time to time by like resolution.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building-permit applications in Wawarsing.

    • Application is written, on an acceptable form, and signed by the owner or authorized agent; it must provide sufficient information for code-compliance determination.
    “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 Wawarsing

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

  • Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

    Water supply and sewage disposal for temporary RV or camp-trailer occupancy in Wawarsing.

    • The condition applies before the Town may grant the temporary certificate of occupancy for a trailer or vehicle.
    “A temporary certificate of occupancy shall not be granted until a water supply and a sewage disposal system have been approved by the Ulster County Health Department for use by the trailer or vehicle and certified to be in proper operating condition.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-performed residential construction inside Wawarsing.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy in Wawarsing.
  • Manufactured homes — Manufactured-home occupancy in Wawarsing.
  • Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units in Wawarsing.
  • Off-grid sanitation — Off-grid sanitation for residences in Wawarsing.
3 more unanswered
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • 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 Wawarsing publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Ulster County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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