Building permits, zoning and land rules in Washington County, Maine

At a glance

Building permit

Generally required for a new house, camp or residential expansion in LUPC territory; ask the municipality elsewhere¹³

Building code

MUBEC compliance is statewide; local enforcement depends on municipal population and choice⁴

Zoning

LUPC zones the unorganized/deorganized territory; organized municipalities administer their own land-use rules⁶³

Septic

Septic permit from a Local Plumbing Inspector in towns and LUPC territory alike; statewide rules apply⁵⁷

RV camping in LUPC territory

Personal-use campsite stays are capped and require checking the parcel's subdistrict and flood status⁸

Tiny homes in municipalities

Allowed where single-family homes are allowed, subject to the same applicable land-use rules⁹

Accessory dwellings

Municipal law generally allows an ADU where residential uses are permitted; LUPC territory follows separate rules¹⁰

Who to call

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 9, 2026.

Do you need a building permit in Washington County, Maine?

In Washington County's LUPC service area, a new house, camp or expansion of an existing residential structure generally requires an LUPC building permit¹. A qualifying accessory structure may avoid a permit, but the owner must notify LUPC and verify that the project meets its standards¹¹. Construction cannot begin until LUPC issues the permit¹. Incorporated municipalities handle their own permit administration, so ask the town code office what application and inspections apply³. MUBEC applies statewide; larger municipalities must enforce it, while smaller municipalities may choose whether to enforce it locally⁴. In municipalities above 2,000 inhabitants, a building subject to required inspections may not be occupied until the building official issues a certificate of occupancy¹².

Who issues building permits, zoning approval and septic permits in Washington County, Maine?

For building permits and zoning approval on land in the unorganized or deorganized territory, contact the Maine Land Use Planning Commission's Augusta office at (207) 287-2631¹³. The required LUPC form depends on the development, and floodplain work needs the floodplain supplement with the underlying permit application¹⁴. For building permits and zoning approval in an incorporated municipality, start with that town or city's code office because local administration varies³. Septic permits stay separate: they are issued by a Local Plumbing Inspector, appointed by the town in organized municipalities and assigned for the unorganized territories, whichever side of the line the parcel is on⁵¹⁵. The Washington County Commissioners' / County Manager's Office handles general county administration at 207-255-3127, but it is not a substitute for LUPC or a municipal code office¹⁶. The Registry of Deeds holds land records at 85 Court Street in Machias and can be reached at 207-255-6512¹⁷. The Office of Washington County Unorganized Territories handles local roads and other municipal-style services at (207) 255-8919¹⁸.

Does Washington County have zoning?

Washington County does not have one zoning answer for every parcel. LUPC is the planning and zoning authority for the unorganized and deorganized territory, including 34 townships and 3 plantations covering approximately half the county⁶. LUPC zoning subdistricts and the current land-use guidance map control there; confirm the official map with LUPC because published tabloid and digital maps are not definitive¹⁹. Organized municipalities administer their own land-use ordinances, and their zoning status varies³. In LUPC territory, a typical residential minimum lot is 40,000 square feet with on-site wastewater or 20,000 square feet with off-site common or community sewer, subject to the parcel's subdistrict and exceptions²⁰. Municipal ADUs generally must be allowed where residential uses are permitted and must be at least 190 square feet, but those standards do not extend to LUPC territory²¹.

How do septic permits work in Washington County?

A new, expanded or replacement septic system anywhere in Washington County, including LUPC territory and organized towns, requires a septic permit from the Local Plumbing Inspector before work begins, except for normal maintenance and repair⁵. The application generally requires a licensed site evaluator, or a professional engineer or licensed site evaluator for an engineered system, and work must start within 24 months after permit issuance⁵. Installation requires a site-preparation inspection before work and another inspection before final backfilling; give the inspector at least 24 hours' notice when the system is ready⁷. Off-grid does not mean permit-free: permanent alternative toilets require permits, and primitive or limited graywater systems remain subject to system and setback rules²². Only about 1% of Washington County soils are free of severe limits for a conventional drain field, so obtain the site evaluation before committing to a building location²³.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in Washington County?

In incorporated municipalities, a tiny home must be permitted on an individual house lot where single-family homes are allowed, subject to the applicable rules for a single-family home or accessory structure⁹. We could not confirm a distinct tiny-home occupancy rule for LUPC territory, so ask LUPC about the parcel's subdistrict and permit path. For a personal-use campsite in LUPC territory, tents, trailers and RVs may be present for no more than 120 days per calendar year; the stated limit in a P-FP flood area is 90 consecutive days⁸. Separate LUPC flood-prone-area standards allow an RV for no more than 150 consecutive days if it remains licensed and highway-ready, unless it meets the applicable manufactured-home elevation and anchoring route²⁴. Those provisions do not establish a general right to live full-time in an RV. Manufactured homes in LUPC flood-prone areas face elevation, permanent-foundation and anchoring requirements²⁵.

Building a home in Washington County: the steps, in order

1. Confirm whether the parcel is in an organized municipality or LUPC territory because zoning and permit administration differ³.
2. Check the deed and parcel history with the Washington County Registry of Deeds¹⁷.
3. In LUPC territory, confirm the official zoning subdistrict and choose the application matching the project¹⁹¹⁴.
4. Obtain any required state-highway or local-road driveway permit and include it with the LUPC application²⁶.
5. Do not begin regulated residential construction until LUPC issues the permit¹.
6. In an organized municipality, ask the code office which permits and inspections it administers; MUBEC compliance remains mandatory⁴.
7. Arrange the septic evaluation, permit and installation inspections through the Local Plumbing Inspector⁵⁷.
8. Complete LUPC self-certification; if the permit requires a Certificate of Compliance, obtain it before occupancy²⁷²⁸.

What to check before you buy land in Washington County

Soils: only 1% of Washington County soils are free of severe limits for a conventional septic drain field, so obtain a site evaluation before fixing the home site²³. Jurisdiction: verify whether the parcel is in an organized municipality or LUPC territory before assuming any permit or zoning rule³. Dimensions: in LUPC territory, the applicable subdistrict can change lot size, coverage, height and allowed uses; the baseline building coverage is 30%, but exceptions apply²⁹. Access: a driveway onto a state or state-aid highway may need MaineDOT approval, while a local-road permit may come from the county, town or plantation²⁶. Flood: mapped flood-hazard work uses the LUPC floodplain supplement with the underlying application¹⁴. Taxes: the effective property tax rate is about 1.1%, with a median annual bill around $1,654³⁰³¹.

Watch-outs

• Do not treat a small town's choice not to enforce MUBEC as an exemption from the statewide code; ask the municipal code office how compliance is documented⁴.
• An owner-occupant may perform electrical installation in a newly built single-family home only after obtaining the required certificate and arranging inspection before wiring is enclosed; this does not waive building or land-use permits³².

Sources

1. Your Building Permit Application, quoted and re-checked
2. Washington County Region - Community Guided Planning and Zoning, quoted and re-checked
3. About LUPC - Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, quoted and re-checked
4. Division of Building Codes and Standards, quoted and re-checked
5. Subsurface Wastewater System Permitting, quoted and re-checked
6. About LUPC, quoted and re-checked
7. Subsurface Wastewater System Permitting, quoted and re-checked
8. Land Use Districts and Standards, Chapter 10, quoted and re-checked
9. Title 30-A, §4363: Regulation of tiny homes, quoted and re-checked
10. Title 30-A, §4364-B: Accessory dwelling units, quoted and re-checked
11. Land Use Planning Commission Announces Rule Changes, quoted and re-checked
12. Title 25, §2357-A: No occupancy without certificate; appeal, quoted and re-checked
13. Maine Land Use Planning Commission (LUPC), Augusta Office (maine.gov)
14. LUPC Application Forms, quoted and re-checked
15. Subsurface Wastewater Unit, quoted and re-checked
16. Washington County Commissioners' / County Manager's Office (washingtoncountymaine.com)
17. Washington County Registry of Deeds (washingtoncountymaine.com)
18. Office of Washington County Unorganized Territories (wcut.maine.gov)
19. Washington County Region - Community Guided Planning and Zoning, quoted and re-checked
20. Guide to the Building Permit Application: Dimensional requirements, quoted and re-checked
21. Title 30-A, §4364-B: Accessory dwelling units, quoted and re-checked
22. Subsurface Wastewater Disposal Rules, 10-144 CMR Ch. 241, quoted and re-checked
23. 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
24. Land Use Districts and Standards, Chapter 10, quoted and re-checked
25. www1.maine.gov, quoted and re-checked
26. Maine Land Use Planning Commission Building Permit Application (Maine statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
27. LUPC Self-Certification Form, quoted and re-checked
28. Buying and Selling Property, quoted and re-checked
29. Washington County Region - Community Guided Planning and Zoning, quoted and re-checked
30. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
31. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
32. Title 32, §1102-D: Single-family dwelling exception; certificate required, quoted and re-checked

Written October 9, 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.