Bolthole Index

Logan County, West Virginia

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in the Town of Man, West Virginia

The Town of Man in Logan County, West Virginia has its own zoning, with Residence A, Residence B, Business A and Business B districts12. Building permits are confirmed for construction in the town's Floodplain District, issued by the town's Building Permit Officer3. Septic and well permits are state-run: West Virginia requires a written septic permit before installation4, and the Logan County Health Department is the local contact5.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes, Chapter 153 of the town code: Residence A and B, Business A and B districts12
Building permit
Required in the Floodplain District, from the town's Building Permit Officer; townwide process not confirmed36
Building code
Town adopts the 2018 International Property Maintenance Code as its State Building Code adoption7
Minimum dwelling size
Residence A: at least four rooms8
Setbacks (Residence A)
20 ft from the street; 5 ft or 7 ft from lot lines by height9
Septic
Written permit required before installation; ask the Logan County Health Department410
Wells
Permit from the local health department before drilling5
Owner-builder
Exempt from contractor licensing, not from permits11

Who to call

Health department

Logan County Health Department

Septic and well permits for Logan County; ask whether the same office serves addresses inside Man

304-792-8630

300 Stratton Street, Room 203, Logan, WV 25601

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 Town of Man means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Man, WV have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes, lot size and setbacks?

Yes. The Town of Man's code includes Chapter 153, Building Zone Regulations1. The code lists Residence A, Residence B, Business A and Business B districts, and district rules sit in individual sections rather than one table2.

In the Residence A District, no dwelling may consist of fewer than four rooms8. Buildings must sit at least 20 feet back from the street, and at least 5 feet from lot lines for one or one-and-one-half stories or 7 feet for two or two-and-one-half stories9. Accessory buildings go in the rear yard, stand no taller than 12 feet and sit at least 3 feet from adjoining lot lines129.

In the Residence B District, the lot-line and accessory-building rules match, but new buildings cannot sit nearer the street than the building lines already established on that street13. We could not confirm a minimum lot size, a lot-coverage limit, or any town rule on RV living, tiny homes or temporary camping, so ask the town clerk before planning any of those.

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

Inside Man's Floodplain District, new construction, substantial improvement or relocation of any structure, including mobile homes, is unlawful without the necessary permits from the town's Building Permit Officer3. Subdivisions and other development there also need an approved site plan first6.

The town also adopts the 2018 International Property Maintenance Code as its adoption of the State Building Code7. We could not confirm a townwide building-permit process, application form, fee schedule or inspection schedule outside the floodplain, so call the Town of Man's clerk before you build anywhere in town.

West Virginia's contractor-licensing exemption lets an owner personally perform work on a structure, but it does not waive building permits, floodplain requirements or septic approvals11.

How do septic permits work inside Man?

West Virginia requires a written permit before anyone installs or establishes a septic system, and new systems and modifications need approval of the application, plans and specifications4. In Logan County, a health department permit is required before building a dwelling on a site that needs onsite sewage disposal10.

The Logan County Health Department is the local contact14. We could not confirm whether that office or another body administers septic permits at addresses inside the town, or whether a new home in town must connect to public sewer where it is available, so ask both the health department and the town before you buy.

Any well also needs a permit from the local health department before drilling, modifying or abandoning it5.

Building a home in Man: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the lot's zoning district with the Town of Man clerk, and ask whether the lot is in the Floodplain District2.
  2. Ask the town whether a building permit applies to your project; in the Floodplain District, permits come from the Building Permit Officer3.
  3. If the lot needs a septic system, apply to the Logan County Health Department before construction1014.
  4. Check district setbacks and the minimum dwelling size before drawing plans98.
  5. If the driveway meets a state highway, get a Division of Highways driveway permit, which is free15.

What stays with Logan County, and what to check before you buy in Man

Septic and well permits run through the local health department, not the town514. Logan County's own answers apply to unincorporated land: the county reports no formal zoning ordinance there16, and those answers do not apply inside Man. See the Logan County page for land outside town limits.

West Virginia lets a municipality's zoning be overridden on one point: ordinances in effect on or after January 1, 2027 may not restrict at least one accessory dwelling unit on a lot with a single-family dwelling17. Logan County's effective property tax rate is 0.6%18, and the county's median property tax bill is $591 a year19.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm a townwide building-permit process, fee schedule or inspection requirement for Man, so call the Town of Man clerk before you start work6.
  • We could not confirm whether the Logan County Health Department handles septic and well permits for addresses inside Man, so call14 before you buy.
  • Man's code has no confirmed rule on RV living, tiny homes or temporary camping, and Logan County's unincorporated-land answers do not carry into town16.

Sources

  1. Title XV: Land Use (Town of Man), quoted and re-checked
  2. Title XV: Land Use (Town of Man), quoted and re-checked
  3. § 152.060 Building Permit, Site Plan Approval Required (Town of Man), quoted and re-checked
  4. West Virginia Code §16-1-9 (West Virginia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  5. Individual Water Supplies, quoted and re-checked
  6. § 152.060 Building Permit, Site Plan Approval Required (Town of Man), quoted and re-checked
  7. § 150.15 Adoption (Town of Man), quoted and re-checked
  8. § 153.16 Residence “A” District (Town of Man), quoted and re-checked
  9. § 153.16 Residence “A” District (Town of Man), quoted and re-checked
  10. On-Site Wastewater Management, quoted and re-checked
  11. West Virginia Code §30-42-6. Necessity for license; exemptions., quoted and re-checked
  12. § 153.16 Residence “A” District (Town of Man), quoted and re-checked
  13. § 153.17 Residence “B” District (Town of Man), quoted and re-checked
  14. Logan County Health Department (dhhr.wv.gov)
  15. Encroachment Permits (West Virginia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. Frequently Asked Questions – Logan County Commission Code Enforcement Division, quoted and re-checked
  17. West Virginia Code §8-42-1. Definitions (West Virginia statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  19. 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 Town of Man

Town of Man’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    New construction, substantial improvement, or relocation of any structure, including mobile homes, within Man town’s Floodplain District.

    • Necessary permits must be obtained from the Building Permit Officer.
    • For subdivision, mobile-home-park, subdivision, or other development, a site plan must also be submitted to and approved by the Building Permit Officer before development.
    “It shall be unlawful for any person, partnership, business, or corporation to undertake, or cause to be undertaken, the new construction, substantial improvement, or relocation of any structure (including mobile homes) within the Floodplain District, unless the necessary permits have been obtained from the Building Permit Officer.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Buildings and structures inside Man town.

    • The town adopts the 2018 International Property Maintenance Code as the town’s adoption of the State Building Code.
    • The adopted code may be amended or revised by the West Virginia Fire Commission.

    code edition: 2018 International Property Maintenance Code (as amended or revised by the West Virginia Fire Commission)

    “The town hereby adopts and incorporates by reference as if fully restated herein the 2018 Edition of the International Property and Maintenance Code, as it may be amended or revised from time to time by the West Virginia Fire Commission, and all model codes and standards adopted thereunder, which are also incorporated by reference as if fully restated herein, which shall constitute the town’s adoption of the State Building Code pursuant to W. Va. Code § 8-12-13”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Man town; the town code contains Chapter 153, Building Zone Regulations.

    “TITLE XV: LAND USE [...] 153. BUILDING ZONE REGULATIONS”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Man town’s published building-zone districts.

    • The code lists Residence A, Residence B, Business A, and Business B districts.
    • The reviewed code does not publish a dimensional table; district requirements appear in individual sections.
    “Districts and Uses; Non-Conforming Uses [...] 153.15 Districts [...] 153.16 Residence “A” District [...] 153.17 Residence “B” District [...] 153.18 Business “A” District [...] 153.19 Business “B” District”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Dwelling houses in Man town’s Residence “A” District.

    • The rule is district-specific.
    • The source states a room-count minimum, not a square-foot minimum.

    minimum rooms: >= 4 rooms

    “No dwelling shall consist of less than four rooms.”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Buildings in Man town’s Residence “A” District.

    • One- or one-and-one-half-story buildings must be at least five feet from lot lines; two- or two-and-one-half-story buildings must be at least seven feet from lot lines.
    • All buildings must be at least 20 feet back from the avenue or street.
    • Accessory buildings must be in a rear yard and at least three feet from adjoining lot lines.

    street setback: >= 20 feet · lot-line setback, one or one-and-one-half stories: >= 5 feet · lot-line setback, two or two-and-one-half stories: >= 7 feet · accessory-building lot-line setback: >= 3 feet (rear-yard placement required)

    “No accessory buildings shall be erected in any yard except a rear yard. Accessory buildings shall not exceed 12 feet in height and shall be a distance of at least three feet from all lot lines of adjoining lots. [...] All buildings shall be at least 20 feet back from the avenue or street. [...] All buildings one or one and one-half stories in height shall be a distance of at least five feet from the lot lines, and all buildings two or two and one-half stories in height shall be a distance of at least seven feet from the lot lines.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Buildings in Man town’s Residence “B” District.
      “No accessory building shall be erected in any required court or yard, or in any yard except a rear yard. Accessory buildings shall not exceed 12 feet in height and shall be a distance of at least three feet from all lot lines of adjoining lots. [...] All buildings one or one and one-half stories in height shall be a distance of at least five feet from the lot lines, and all buildings two or two and one-half stories in height shall be a distance of at least seven feet from the lot lines. [...] No building shall be erected eraser to the street line than the established building lines already established on said street.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Accessory buildings in Man town’s Residence “A” District.

    • The 12-foot limit applies to accessory buildings; no general principal-building height limit was located in the opened section.

    accessory-building height: <= 12 feet

    “Accessory buildings shall not exceed 12 feet in height and shall be a distance of at least three feet from all lot lines of adjoining lots.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Accessory buildings in Man town’s Residence “B” District.
      “Accessory buildings shall not exceed 12 feet in height and shall be a distance of at least three feet from all lot lines of adjoining lots.”
  • Subdividing landLimited

    Subdivision and other development inside Man town’s Floodplain District.

    • A site plan must be submitted to and approved by the Building Permit Officer before development.
    • Proposed subdivision and other new development greater than 50 lots or five acres, whichever is lesser, must include base flood elevation data.
    • The site-plan rule is from the floodplain chapter and does not establish a townwide subdivision code in the reviewed material.

    base-flood-elevation-data threshold: more than 50 lots or five acres, whichever is lesser

    “The owner or developer of any proposed subdivision, mobile home park, or subdivision or other development shall submit a site plan to the Building Permit Officer which includes the following information. [...] In addition, it is required that all subdivision proposals and other proposed new developments greater than 50 lots or five acres, whichever is the lesser, shall include base flood elevation data.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Development within Man town’s Floodplain District.

    • New construction, substantial improvement, or relocation of any structure, including mobile homes, requires necessary permits from the Building Permit Officer.
    • Subdivision, mobile-home-park, subdivision, or other development also requires a site plan approved before development.
    • For proposed subdivisions and other new developments greater than 50 lots or five acres, whichever is lesser, base flood elevation data is required.
    • Other codes and ordinances apply insofar as consistent with the floodplain chapter.

    base-flood-elevation-data threshold: more than 50 lots or five acres, whichever is lesser

    “It shall be unlawful for any person, partnership, business, or corporation to undertake, or cause to be undertaken, the new construction, substantial improvement, or relocation of any structure (including mobile homes) within the Floodplain District, unless the necessary permits have been obtained from the Building Permit Officer. In addition, where land is to be subdivided, utilized for a mobile home park, or subdivision or otherwise developed, a site plan must be submitted to, and approved by, the Building Permit Officer prior to any development.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Development inside Man town’s Floodplain District.

    • Necessary permits are obtained from the Building Permit Officer.
    • Subdivision, mobile-home-park, subdivision, or other development requires site-plan submission and approval before development.
    • The reviewed material does not establish the complete general building-permit process or application forms.
    “It shall be unlawful for any person, partnership, business, or corporation to undertake, or cause to be undertaken, the new construction, substantial improvement, or relocation of any structure (including mobile homes) within the Floodplain District, unless the necessary permits have been obtained from the Building Permit Officer. In addition, where land is to be subdivided, utilized for a mobile home park, or subdivision or otherwise developed, a site plan must be submitted to, and approved by, the Building Permit Officer prior to any development.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders constructing inside Man town.
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Man town.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy for buildings inside Man town.
  • Minimum lot size — Lots in Man town’s Residence “A” and Residence “B” Districts.
  • Lot coverage — Lot coverage in Man town.
15 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
  • Driveway access
  • Short-term rentals
  • 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 Man publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Logan County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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