Bolthole Index

Auglaize County, Ohio

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in the Village of New Bremen, Ohio

The Village of New Bremen, Ohio has its own zoning, divided into six districts1, and asks anyone planning a construction project to file a permit with the village2. Septic and well permits for Auglaize County homes come from the Auglaize County Health Department, not the village3. We could not confirm the village's building-code, inspection or RV rules, so call the village before you buy.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes: six village zoning districts1
Permit to build
Village permit required for construction inside village limits4
Permit fee
$20 zoning compliance certificate, including buildings, signs, structures and fences5
Permit decision time
Zoning Administrator has 7 days after a complete filing6
R-1 minimum lot
9,000 square feet with 75 feet of frontage7
Septic permits
Auglaize County Health Department, Environmental Division3
Well permits
Required in Auglaize County; $250 fee8

Who to call

Building permits

Village of New Bremen (zoning and building permits)

Zoning and building permit applications and forms for construction inside village limits

Septic permits

Auglaize County Health Department, Environmental Division

Household sewage treatment system design review, permits and inspections

419-738-3410

[email protected]

813 Defiance Street, Wapakoneta, OH 45895

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 Village of New Bremen means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does New Bremen, Ohio have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Yes. The Village of New Bremen is divided into six zoning districts, with boundaries set on the official village zoning map19. Land annexed later is treated as R-1 unless Village Council rezones it at annexation9.

Rules depend on the district. In the R-1 Single-Family Residential District, lots need at least 9,000 square feet and 75 feet of frontage at the setback line7, and buildings may cover no more than 25 percent of the lot10. In the A-1 Agricultural District, a single-family dwelling must sit at least 25 feet from any lot line11.

We could not confirm a minimum dwelling size, accessory dwelling rules or manufactured-home rules; ask the village zoning office.

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

Yes. The Village of New Bremen states that anyone planning a construction project must file a permit with the village2, and the zoning chapter requires a permit for buildings it regulates4. A zoning compliance certificate, including for buildings, signs, structures and fences, costs $205.

The application goes in duplicate with scale drawings, and the Zoning Administrator has seven days after a complete filing to issue the permit or refuse it in writing with reasons6. Permits expire if construction has not started within 12 months4.

How do septic and well permits work for a home in New Bremen?

Septic permits are issued by the Auglaize County Health Department's Environmental Division, which evaluates designs, issues permits and inspects household sewage treatment systems3. After site approval, a new home needs a sewage permit and a well permit12. The county well permit carries a $250 fee8.

We could not confirm whether a new home inside New Bremen must connect to village sewer when it is available; the village publishes wastewater tap charges, but the rule on mandatory connection was not found. Ask the village before planning a septic system on a lot near a sewer line.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in New Bremen?

We could not confirm. No village provision on RV occupancy, temporary camping or tiny homes turned up, which means the answer is unconfirmed rather than allowed. Ask the New Bremen zoning office, which handles village permits2, before parking an RV on a lot or building a tiny home.

Building a home in New Bremen: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the lot's zoning district with the Village of New Bremen9.
  2. File a village permit application in duplicate with scale drawings6.
  3. Get site approval and a sewage permit and well permit from the Auglaize County Health Department if the lot is not on village sewer and water12.
  4. Call Ohio Utilities Protection Service at 1-800-362-2764 before any excavating13.
  5. Ask the village about building-code inspections and a certificate of occupancy, which we could not confirm.

What stays with Auglaize County, and what to check before you buy

Septic and well permits stay with the Auglaize County Health Department38. The village's rules apply only inside village limits; for land outside them, see the Auglaize County page, where townships zone separately14.

Before buying, confirm the district, ask about floodplain rules and driveway access, which we could not confirm for the village, and check taxes: Auglaize County's effective property tax rate is about 1 percent15.

Watch-outs

  • Village rules stop at the village limits; outside them, Auglaize County township zoning and trustee permits apply instead14.
  • We could not confirm building-code adoption, inspections or certificates of occupancy in New Bremen; ask the village office that issues permits2.
  • Annexed land defaults to R-1 unless Council rezones it, so check the district before assuming agricultural use9.

Sources

  1. § 152.04 Zoning Districts; Zoning Map (Village of New Bremen), quoted and re-checked
  2. Village of New Bremen (zoning and building permits) (newbremen.com)
  3. Sewage Treatment Systems | Auglaize County Health Department, quoted and re-checked
  4. § 152.55 Enforcement by Zoning Administrator (Village of New Bremen), quoted and re-checked
  5. § 152.56 Applications for Permits, Variances (Village of New Bremen), quoted and re-checked
  6. § 152.56 Applications for Permits, Variances (Village of New Bremen), quoted and re-checked
  7. § 152.35 Schedule of District Regulations (Village of New Bremen), quoted and re-checked
  8. Private Water Systems | Auglaize County Health Department, quoted and re-checked
  9. § 152.04 Zoning Districts; Zoning Map (Village of New Bremen), quoted and re-checked
  10. § 152.35 Schedule of District Regulations (Village of New Bremen), quoted and re-checked
  11. § 152.45 A-1 Agricultural Zone (Village of New Bremen), quoted and re-checked
  12. New Home Construction | Auglaize County Health Department, quoted and re-checked
  13. Building in Rural Auglaize County, quoted and re-checked
  14. Zoning Regulations | Auglaize County, quoted and re-checked
  15. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data

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 Village of New Bremen

Village of New Bremen’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Buildings regulated by New Bremen's zoning chapter inside village limits.

    • Permit expires if construction has not commenced within 12 months; after commencement, exterior construction must be complete within 12 months.
    “If you are planning a construction project, you will need to file a permit with the Village of New Bremen.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside New Bremen village limits.

    • District boundaries are established by the official village zoning map; territory annexed later is R-1 unless Council rezones it.
    “the village is divided into six zoning districts.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts inside New Bremen village limits.

    • The official zoning map is on file in the Zoning Administrator's office; annexed territory defaults to R-1 unless Council rezones it at annexation.
    “The boundaries of these districts are hereby established as shown on the official zoning map of the village.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning-compliance certificates, buildings, signs, structures, and fences inside New Bremen village limits.

    • Planning Commission or Board of Zoning Appeals proceeding requiring publication of legal notice is $75.

    zoning compliance certificate fee: 20 USD (Including buildings, signs, structures and fences.)

    “Zoning compliance certificates, including buildings, $20 signs, structures and fences”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building and zoning permits, conditionally permitted uses, and variances inside New Bremen village limits.

    • The application must be in duplicate and include the listed scale-drawing information; the Zoning Administrator has seven days after a fully compliant filing to issue or provide written refusal and reasons.

    Zoning Administrator decision period: <= 7 days (After filing in full compliance with applicable requirements.)

    “within seven days after these are filed in full compliance with all the applicable requirements”

Rules another office applies inside Village of New Bremen

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

  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    R-1 Single-Family Residential District inside New Bremen village limits.

    minimum lot area: 9000 square feet · minimum lot frontage at setback line: 75 feet

    “R-1 | 2½ stories | 75 | 9,000 | 9,000 | 25 | 5 | 15 | 10* | 25”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    A-1 Agricultural District inside New Bremen village limits.

    single-family dwelling distance from any lot line: >= 25 feet

    “Single-family dwellings, located not nearer than 25 feet from any lot line.”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    R-1 Single-Family Residential District inside New Bremen village limits.

    • Coverage is measured using foundations of the house, garage, and other existing buildings; unenclosed porch or patio does not count.

    maximum lot coverage: <= 25 percent

    “Maximum Lot Coverage (%) [...] R-1 [...] 25”
  • Building heightSpecified

    R-1 Single-Family Residential District inside New Bremen village limits.

    • The chapter's height limits do not apply to the listed farm structures, church spires, belfries, cupolas, domes, monuments, transmission towers, chimneys, smokestacks, flag poles, radio towers, aerials, water towers, monitors, grain elevators, and structures requiring excessive height to function properly.

    maximum height: 2½ stories

    “R-1 | 2½ stories | 75 | 9,000 | 9,000 | 25 | 5 | 15 | 10* | 25”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Village of New Bremen or Auglaize County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built homes inside New Bremen village limits.
  • Building code adopted — Building-code adoption for construction inside New Bremen village limits.
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside New Bremen village limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside New Bremen village limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — R-1 Single-Family Residential District inside New Bremen village limits.
16 more unanswered
  • Living in an RV
  • 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
  • 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 Village of New Bremen publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Auglaize County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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