Bolthole Index county-legal census · checked 2026-10-07
10 of New Hampshire's 10 counties — 100% — let an owner build their own home without a licensed contractor. That is the 46th-largest count of any state. The strongest of them on the Bolthole Index is Grafton County (83/100). Every entry below cites the county’s own official source.
Rules change, and cities inside these counties set their own — treat this as a verified starting point, not legal advice. All 2952 counties nationwide → New Hampshire: no zoning → New Hampshire: no minimum home size → Full New Hampshire profile →
10 of 10 New Hampshire counties · sorted by Index score
Statewide rule. State building-permit and inspection requirements for owner-builders performing construction or renovation work in New Hampshire. Before starting work described …
RSA 155-A:4 — Permit Required ↗Statewide rule. State building-permit and inspection requirements for owner-builders performing construction or renovation work in New Hampshire. Before starting work described …
RSA 155-A:4 — Permit Required ↗Statewide rule. State building-permit and inspection requirements for owner-builders performing construction or renovation work in New Hampshire. Before starting work described …
RSA 155-A:4 — Permit Required ↗Statewide rule. State building-permit and inspection requirements for owner-builders performing construction or renovation work in New Hampshire. Before starting work described …
RSA 155-A:4 — Permit Required ↗Statewide rule. State building-permit and inspection requirements for owner-builders performing construction or renovation work in New Hampshire. Before starting work described …
RSA 155-A:4 — Permit Required ↗Statewide rule. State building-permit and inspection requirements for owner-builders performing construction or renovation work in New Hampshire. Before starting work described …
RSA 155-A:4 — Permit Required ↗NHDES exempts homeowners installing a septic system for their own primary domicile from the requirement to use a permitted installer, a state owner-builder allowance.
NH Department of Environmental Services - Septic Systems ↗Statewide rule. State building-permit and inspection requirements for owner-builders performing construction or renovation work in New Hampshire. Before starting work described …
RSA 155-A:4 — Permit Required ↗Statewide rule. State building-permit and inspection requirements for owner-builders performing construction or renovation work in New Hampshire. Before starting work described …
RSA 155-A:4 — Permit Required ↗Statewide rule. State building-permit and inspection requirements for owner-builders performing construction or renovation work in New Hampshire. Before starting work described …
RSA 155-A:4 — Permit Required ↗Every county here has a full profile — water, land prices, hazard safety, seclusion, and the rest of its building rules. See the New Hampshire state page for all 10 counties ranked, or go back to the national list.
Off-grid gear
Building on land in one of these New Hampshire counties? The kit we'd start with:
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General guidance, not legal advice. Off-grid, building, and land-use rules are often set at the county level and change often. Verify with your county and state before acting. Data reviewed 2026-06-26.
