Bolthole Index

Brooke County, West Virginia

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Wellsburg, West Virginia

Wellsburg, West Virginia has its own zoning districts1, and building work inside city limits needs a city building permit2. Septic and well permits are not a city matter: Wellsburg's sewer ordinance requires hookup to public sewer where it is close3, and the Brooke County Health Department handles onsite septic applications4. Brooke County itself has no zoning5.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes, the city divides Wellsburg into zoning districts (R-1 through INST)16
Building permit
Required for construction, repair, remodeling, demolition and excavation; ordinary repairs exempt2
Permit issued by
Collector-Treasurer or the Building Inspector2
Septic
Brooke County Health Department takes onsite septic applications; public sewer hookup may be required43
Owner-builder
Owner may do the work without a contractor but still gets any required permit and pays the fee7
R-1 minimum lot
10,000 sq ft, 80 ft wide, 125 ft deep8
RV and tiny homes
Not confirmed; ask the City Inspector9

Who to call

Building permits

City Inspector, City of Wellsburg

Building inspection and enforcement of city building, zoning and other ordinances

1-304-737-2104

70 Town Square Wellsburg, WV, 26070

Septic permits

Brooke County Health Department

Onsite sewage (septic) applications and well permits for Brooke County

(304) 737-3665

Courthouse 2nd Floor, 204 Courthouse Square Wellsburg, WV 26070

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 15, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Wellsburg means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Wellsburg, WV have zoning?

Yes. The City of Wellsburg divides the city into zoning districts1: R-1 Single Family Residential, R-1A Townhouses, R-2 Multi-Family Residential, R-3 High Density Residential, C-1 Highway Commercial, C-2 General Commercial, C-3 Restricted Commercial, M-1 Industrial, REC Recreational and INST Institutional6. The list has no agricultural or rural-residential district, so Wellsburg is a poor fit for a large-lot homestead.

In the R-1 single-family district, the minimum lot is 10,000 square feet, 80 feet wide and 125 feet deep8. Yards are at least 10 feet in front, 20 feet in the rear, and 5 feet on one side with 10 feet combined on both sides10. Height is capped at 2 1/2 stories of livable area and 35 feet11. Those R-1 figures cover principal permitted uses only, and other districts differ10.

We could not confirm Wellsburg's rules for RVs, tiny homes, manufactured homes or accessory dwellings. Ask the City Inspector9 before you plan around any of them.

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

Yes. Wellsburg's city code bars any improvement, repair, construction, demolition, excavation, remodeling or erection on premises within the city until the person obtains a building permit from the Collector-Treasurer or the Building Inspector2. "Ordinary repairs" as the code defines them do not need a permit2.

Application must be made at least three days before construction begins2. The Building Inspector may inspect at any reasonable time in connection with a building permit or a use and occupancy certificate12. The code does not spell out every case that triggers a certificate13, so ask the inspector.

An owner who does the work without a contractor still obtains any required permit and pays a fee based on estimated cost; the city may ask for receipts or invoices for materials7. West Virginia's contractor-licensure exemption for work an owner performs personally does not by itself remove the permit requirement14.

Who is the Wellsburg building department and how do you reach it?

The City Inspector handles building inspection and enforces the city's building codes, zoning regulations and other ordinances9. The office is at 70 Town Square, Wellsburg, WV 26070, phone 1-304-737-21049.

For building permits and zoning inside city limits, start there rather than at a county office: Brooke County says it has no zoning and sends anyone building in an incorporated area to that city's hall5. We could not confirm which building-code edition the city enforces, so ask the inspector.

How do septic permits work inside Wellsburg?

Septic is not decided by the city. West Virginia law requires a written permit from the state health commissioner or an authorized representative before any sewage disposal system is installed15, and the Brooke County Health Department publishes the local sewage system application4. Call the Health Department at (304) 737-366516.

Public sewer comes first inside the city. Wellsburg's code requires a property used for human occupancy to connect to a public sewer that is within 100 feet of the property line, within 90 days after official notice, at the owner's expense3. The code also bars new privies, septic tanks and cesspools, subject to exceptions in the sewer article17. In practice, a lot near a city sewer line is unlikely to get a septic system. We could not confirm the city's own septic or well permitting procedure, so ask both the Health Department and the City Inspector.

Building a home in Wellsburg: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the zoning district for the lot and its lot, yard and height limits with the City Inspector9.
  2. Ask the City Inspector whether public sewer reaches the lot; the city requires connection when sewer is within 100 feet3.
  3. If no sewer applies, apply to the Brooke County Health Department for a septic permit16.
  4. Apply for the city building permit at least three days before work starts2.
  5. If the driveway meets a state highway, get a Division of Highways driveway permit, which is free18.
  6. Expect inspections during construction12.

What stays with Brooke County (and what to check before you buy)

The county's own answers apply outside city limits. Unincorporated Brooke County has no zoning19; see the Brooke County page if you are looking at land beyond Wellsburg.

County and state offices keep septic and well permits: West Virginia requires a local health department permit before a well is drilled, modified or abandoned20. Development in designated floodplain areas needs a county or community floodplain permit21, and we could not retrieve Wellsburg's own flood-damage-prevention requirements, so check with the City Inspector if the lot is near a creek or the Ohio River.

Taxes are county-level: Brooke County's effective property tax rate is 0.5%22, with a median bill of $690 a year23.

Watch-outs

  • Zoning limits for R-1 shown here do not apply in other Wellsburg districts, so confirm the lot's district with the City Inspector8.
  • Wellsburg's rules for RVs, tiny homes, manufactured homes and accessory dwellings are unconfirmed; ask the City Inspector before buying for that purpose9.
  • Private septic tanks inside the city are restricted where public sewer is within 100 feet of the lot17.

Sources

  1. 1323.01 Zoning Districts Established (Wellsburg), quoted and re-checked
  2. 1707.01 Building Permit; Fee (Wellsburg), quoted and re-checked
  3. 915.04 Use of Public Sewers Required (Wellsburg), quoted and re-checked
  4. On Site Septic Systems, quoted and re-checked
  5. brookecountywv.gov, quoted and re-checked
  6. 1323.01 Zoning Districts Established (Wellsburg), quoted and re-checked
  7. 1707.01 Building Permit; Fee (Wellsburg), quoted and re-checked
  8. 1323.01 Zoning Districts Established (Wellsburg), quoted and re-checked
  9. City Inspector, City of Wellsburg (cityofwellsburg.us)
  10. Schedule II Basic Regulations Governing the Size of Lots, Yards and Buildings (Wellsburg), quoted and re-checked
  11. Schedule II Basic Regulations Governing the Size of Lots, Yards and Buildings (Wellsburg), quoted and re-checked
  12. 1707.01 Building Permit; Fee (Wellsburg), quoted and re-checked
  13. 1707.01 Building Permit; Fee (Wellsburg), quoted and re-checked
  14. West Virginia Code §30-42-6. Necessity for license; exemptions, quoted and re-checked
  15. West Virginia Code §16-1-9, quoted and re-checked
  16. Brooke County Health Department (brookecountyhealthdepartment.com)
  17. 915.04 Use of Public Sewers Required (Wellsburg), quoted and re-checked
  18. Encroachment Permits, quoted and re-checked
  19. brookecountywv.gov, quoted and re-checked
  20. Individual Water Supplies, quoted and re-checked
  21. Floodplain Permits, quoted and re-checked
  22. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  23. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 15, 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 Wellsburg

Wellsburg’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Improvement, repair, construction, demolition, excavation, remodeling, erection, or other work on premises inside Wellsburg city limits.

    • Ordinary repairs as defined in subsection 1707.01(j) do not require a permit.
    • Application must be made at least three days before commencement of construction for which a permit is required.
    • A permit is issued by the Collector-Treasurer, Building Inspector, or authorized representative.
    “No person shall perform any improvement, repair, construction, demolition, excavation, remodeling, erection or otherwise perform work on any premises within the City unless such person first obtains a building permit from the Collector-Treasurer or the Building Inspector or his authorized representative. "Ordinary repairs" as defined hereinbelow in subsection (k) shall not require a permit.”
  • Owner-builder exemptionConditional

    An owner performing permitted work without employing a contractor inside Wellsburg city limits.

    • The owner must obtain any required permit.
    • The owner pays the fee based on estimated cost of construction, repair, or alteration.
    • The city may require receipts or invoices for materials.
    “without employing the services of a contractor”
  • InspectionsLimited

    Building-permit and use-and-occupancy-certificate work inside Wellsburg city limits.

    • The Building Inspector or representative is authorized to inspect at any reasonable time pursuant to issuance, renewal, or revocation of a building permit or use and occupancy certificate.
    “conduct inspections at any reasonable time”
  • Certificate of occupancyLimited

    Use-and-occupancy certificates associated with building work inside Wellsburg city limits.

    • The reviewed section refers to a use and occupancy certificate and provides inspection and surcharge provisions, but does not establish every circumstance requiring issuance.
    “The Building Inspector or his representative is hereby authorized to conduct inspections at any reasonable time pursuant to the issuance, renewal or revocation of a building permit or a use and occupancy certificate under this section.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Wellsburg city limits.

    • The city code contains planning and zoning provisions and establishes city zoning districts.
    “The City is divided into the following zoning districts:”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts inside Wellsburg city limits.

    • The listed districts are R-1 Single Family Residential, R-1A Townhouses, R-2 Multi-Family Residential, R-3 High Density Residential, C-1 Highway Commercial, C-2 General Commercial, C-3 Restricted Commercial, M-1 Industrial, REC Recreational, and INST Institutional.
    “The City is divided into the following zoning districts: R-1 Single Family Residential. R-1A Townhouses. R-2 Multi-Family Residential. R-3 High Density Residential. C-1 Highway Commercial. C-2 General Commercial. C-3 Restricted Commercial. M-1 Industrial. REC Recreational. INST Institutional.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Privies, privy vaults, septic tanks, cesspools, or other wastewater-disposal facilities inside Wellsburg city limits.

    • The prohibition is stated as subject to exceptions provided later in the sewer article.
    • Where a qualifying public sewer is within 100 feet of the property line, direct connection is required after official notice.
    “no person shall construct or maintain any privy, privy vault, septic tank, cesspool”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    Properties used for human occupancy, employment, recreation, or other purposes inside Wellsburg city limits.

    • The property must abut a street, alley, or right of way containing or later containing a public sanitary or combined sewer.
    • The public sewer must be within 100 feet (30.5 meters) of the property line.
    • Connection must occur within 90 days after official notice.
    • Connection is at the owner's expense.

    sewer distance from property line: <= 100 feet · connection deadline after official notice: 90 days

    “within ninety days after date of official notice to do so”

Rules another office applies inside Wellsburg

Wellsburg 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 Wellsburg city limits.

    • Schedule II applies to principal permitted uses only.
    • Existing-lot application is subject to Section 1329.02.
    • R-1 minimum width is 80 feet and minimum depth is 125 feet.

    minimum lot area: >= 10000 square feet · minimum lot width: >= 80 feet · minimum lot depth: >= 125 feet

    “MINIMUM LOT SIZE Area (sq. ft.) | 10,000 | 6600 | 6600 | 6600 | 5000 | 5000 | 15,000 Width (ft.) | 80 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 50 | 50 | 100 Depth (ft.) | 125 | 110 | 110 | 110 | 100 | 100 | 100”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    R-1 Single Family Residential District inside Wellsburg city limits.

    • Schedule II applies to principal permitted uses only.
    • Existing-lot application is subject to Section 1329.02.

    front yard: >= 10 feet · rear yard: >= 20 feet · one side yard: >= 5 feet · both side yards combined: >= 10 feet

    “MINIMUM YARDS Front (ft.) | 10 | 10 | 10 | 20 | 20(f) | 20(f) | 30 Rear (ft.) | 20 | 15 | 15 | 10(a) | 20(g) | 20(g) | 25(c) Side Yards: One Side (ft.) | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6(b) | -- | -- | --(c) Both Sies (ft.) | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12(b) | -- | --”
  • Building heightSpecified

    R-1 Single Family Residential District inside Wellsburg city limits.

    • Schedule II applies to principal permitted uses only.
    • R-1 maximum height is 2 1/2 stories of livable area and 35 feet.

    maximum height: <= 35 feet · maximum height: <= 2 1/2 stories of livable area

    “MAXIMUM BUILDING HEIGHT Stories (livable area) | 2 1/2 | 2 1/2 | -- | 3 | 4 | | -- Feet | 35 | 35 | -- | 38 | 50 | | --”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Wellsburg or Brooke County directly.

  • Building code adopted — Building-code adoption for construction inside Wellsburg city limits.
  • Lot coverage — Lot coverage inside Wellsburg city limits.
  • Living in an RV — Residential or long-term RV occupancy inside Wellsburg city limits.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Wellsburg city limits.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Wellsburg city limits.
11 more unanswered
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Well permit
  • 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 Wellsburg publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Brooke County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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