Bolthole Index

Broome County, New York

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in the Town of Chenango, New York

The Town of Chenango in Broome County, New York requires a building permit for any work that must meet the state Uniform Code, and the town's own Code Enforcement Officer enforces it1. Chenango adopts its own zoning districts2. Septic permits inside the town are tied to the Broome County Sanitary Code and handled by the Broome County Health Department34.

At a glance

Building permit
Required for work that must conform to the Uniform Code or Energy Code; issued by the Town of Chenango1
Permit exemption
Small detached sheds and playhouses of 144 square feet or less may be exempt, but the exempt work must still meet the code1
Building permit fee
$0.15 per square foot for a single-family home or addition5
Zoning
The town has its own zoning districts, including Flood Management and Aquifer Districts2
Septic
A permit is required; standards come from the Broome County Sanitary Code and the county health department34
Mobile homes
Allowed in an approved mobile home park only6

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Chenango Building Code Office

Building permits, sign, demolition and timber permits, planning board and zoning board of appeals applications inside the Town of Chenango (town hall line, option 5 for the code office)

(607) 648-4809

1529 State Route 12 Binghamton NY 13901

Septic permits

Broome County Health Department, Division of Environmental Health

Residential onsite wastewater standards and sewage-disposal construction permits in Broome County, including inside the Town of Chenango

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

These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Bolthole Index earns from qualifying purchases.

Do you need a building permit in the Town of Chenango, NY?

Yes. The Town of Chenango requires a building permit for any work that must conform to the New York State Uniform Code or Energy Code, including construction, enlargement, alteration, removal or demolition of a building or structure1. The town's own building page says a permit is needed for all structures, alterations and demolitions, and that the Ordinance Office is the place to ask when in doubt6.

The town exempts only narrow categories, such as a one-story detached tool or storage shed or playhouse of 144 square feet or less, and exempt work must still follow the code1. No work that needs a permit may start before the town issues it1.

The fee for a single-family home or addition is $0.15 per square foot5. Once the work is done, the Code Enforcement Officer issues a Certificate of Occupancy or Certificate of Compliance if it was built to the code7.

Who issues building permits in the Town of Chenango, and how do you reach them?

The Town of Chenango Building Code Office issues building permits inside the town; the town adopted a local law to administer and enforce the state Uniform Code and Energy Code itself8. Call the town hall at (607) 648-4809 and choose option 5 for the code office6. Town Hall is at 1529 State Route 12, Binghamton NY 139016.

The application must be in writing on a form the Code Enforcement Officer accepts, signed by the property owner or an authorized agent9. Permit applications for a house or addition are reviewed in a minimum of two weeks6.

The Broome County Health Department does not issue building permits; its role here is septic and wells. The Town of Chenango's rules also do not apply to land in other Broome County towns, which run their own code offices; see the Broome County page for the county-wide picture.

Does the Town of Chenango have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes and setbacks?

Yes. The Town of Chenango is divided into zoning districts shown on the town's Zoning Map, and it also has Flood Management and Aquifer Districts2. New York gives zoning power to cities, towns and villages, not counties, so Broome County does not zone land for the town10.

Dimensional rules depend on the district. In the A Agricultural District, accessory buildings may be up to 25 feet tall provided side and rear yard setbacks are 25 feet11. Check the Schedule of Regulations for your parcel's district before you plan a barn or garage.

The town's zoning board of appeals handles relief from the zoning ordinance and special permits such as home occupations6. Mobile homes are allowed only in an approved mobile home park6. We could not confirm town rules on tiny homes or on living in an RV or camping on private land, so ask the code office before buying.

How do septic permits work in the Town of Chenango?

A permit is required to discharge private wastewater inside the Town of Chenango, and every private system must meet the Broome County Sanitary Code3. The Broome County Health Department's Division of Environmental Health enforces the state onsite wastewater standards in the county4.

For a new system, the county requires a sewage permit application, a licensed engineer to submit plans, and a $50 permit fee; a replacement for a failed system costs $19012. The county does not perform percolation tests or design systems; a New York State licensed engineer does that4.

Before you plan a system, ask the town whether public sewer reaches the lot: a privy, septic tank or cesspool is unlawful where Town public sewer service is available13. Broome County's soils also matter. USDA rates 0% of the county's soils as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system14.

Building a home in the Town of Chenango: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the lot's zoning district and whether it lies in the Flood Management or Aquifer District with the Town of Chenango code office2.
  2. If you are dividing land, expect subdivision approval first; the town's subdivision chapter has approval, standards and review-fee provisions15.
  3. Find out whether town sewer is available; if not, apply to the Broome County Health Department for a sewage permit with engineer-prepared plans12.
  4. Apply in writing for the building permit, signed by the owner or an authorized agent, with construction documents9.
  5. Build with inspections along the way; the town's code enforcement office conducts construction inspections before certificates are issued16.
  6. Get the Certificate of Occupancy or Certificate of Compliance before you move in7.

What stays with Broome County, and what to check before you buy in Chenango

Septic permits and private water-supply approvals stay with Broome County. A new or replacement private water supply needs preliminary approval from the Commissioner of Health before construction17, and septic permits come from the Environmental Health division4. For land outside the town, see the Broome County page.

Building in a mapped flood hazard area needs a separate development permit from the town before work starts18. If the lot fronts a state highway, building a driveway needs a permit from the New York State Department of Transportation19; we could not confirm a separate town driveway permit.

Broome County's effective property tax rate is 2.6%, with a median bill of $3,824 a year2021.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm town rules on an owner-builder exemption, private wells, temporary camping, tiny homes or short-term rentals, so ask the Town of Chenango code office; the Broome County Health Department requires preliminary approval for a new private water supply17.
  • A permit-exempt shed of 144 square feet or less must still meet the Uniform Code, and the zoning rules still apply1.
  • Building permits and septic permits are separate approvals: the town issues the building permit and the Broome County Health Department handles the sewage permit112.

Sources

  1. Local Law Building Construction and Fire Prevention (Town of Chenango), quoted and re-checked
  2. Article II: Zone Districts - Town of Chenango, NY (Town of Chenango), quoted and re-checked
  3. Chapter 56: Sewers - Town of Chenango, NY (Town of Chenango), quoted and re-checked
  4. Wastewater Treatment, quoted and re-checked
  5. Building Code - Permits & Zoning Information | Town of Chenango (Town of Chenango), quoted and re-checked
  6. Town of Chenango Building Code Office (townofchenangony.gov)
  7. Local Law Building Construction and Fire Prevention (Town of Chenango), quoted and re-checked
  8. Local Law Building Construction and Fire Prevention (Town of Chenango), quoted and re-checked
  9. Local Law Building Construction and Fire Prevention (Town of Chenango), quoted and re-checked
  10. documents.dps.ny.gov (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  11. § 73-45. Attachment II: Schedule of Regulations, A Agricultural District (Town of Chenango), quoted and re-checked
  12. Wastewater Treatment, quoted and re-checked
  13. Chapter 56: Sewers - Town of Chenango, NY (Town of Chenango), quoted and re-checked
  14. 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
  15. Chapter 62: Subdivision of Land - Town of Chenango, NY (Town of Chenango), quoted and re-checked
  16. Local Law Building Construction and Fire Prevention (Town of Chenango), quoted and re-checked
  17. Broome County Charter and Code, Chapter 305, Sanitary Code, quoted and re-checked
  18. Chapter 39: Flood Damage Prevention - Town of Chenango, NY (Town of Chenango), quoted and re-checked
  19. Residential Driveway Permits (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  20. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  21. Median property tax bill: 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 Town of Chenango

Town of Chenango’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Work inside the Town that must conform to the Uniform Code or Energy Code.

    • Exempt work includes specified small detached structures of 144 square feet or less and other listed work.
    • No work requiring a permit may commence before the Town issues it.

    detached-structure exemption maximum gross floor area: <= 144 square feet (One-story detached tool/storage sheds, playhouses, or similar structures associated with one- or two-family dwellings or townhouses.)

    “Building Permits Required. Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (b) of this section, a Building Permit shall be required for any work which must conform to the Uniform Code and/or the Energy Code, including, but not limited to, the construction, enlargement, alteration, improvement, removal, relocation, or demolition of any building or structure or any portion thereof, and the installation of a solid fuel burning heating appliance, chimney, or flue in any dwelling unit.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Buildings, structures, and premises inside the Town of Chenango.

    • Except as otherwise provided in the Uniform Code, Energy Code, or other state law.
    “This chapter provides for the administration and enforcement of the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code (the Uniform Code) and the State Energy Conservation Construction Code (the Energy Code) in the Town of Chenango (“Town”).”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted construction and certificates inside the Town of Chenango.

    • Remote inspection may be substituted when the authorized official determines it can be performed to the same level and quality as an in-person inspection.
    “to conduct construction inspections; inspections to be made prior to the issuance of Certificates of Occupancy, Certificates of Compliance, Temporary Certificates of Occupancy, and Operating Permits; fire safety and property maintenance inspections; inspections incidental to the investigation of complaints; and all other inspections required or permitted under any provision of this chapter;”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Work subject to a Town building permit inside the Town of Chenango.

    • Work must be completed in accordance with applicable Uniform Code and Energy Code provisions; a conversion must comply with those Codes.
    “The Code Enforcement Officer shall issue a Certificate of Occupancy or Certificate of Compliance if the work which was the subject of the Building Permit was completed in accordance with all applicable provisions of the Uniform Code and Energy Code and, if applicable, that the structure, building or portion thereof that was converted from one use or occupancy classification or subclassification to another complies with all applicable provisions of the Uniform Code and Energy Code.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts inside the Town of Chenango.

    • District boundaries are shown on the Town's Zoning Map; special districts include Flood Management and Aquifer Districts.
    “For the purpose of this chapter, the Town of Chenango is hereby divided into the following types of districts:”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Private wastewater discharge inside the Town of Chenango.

    • All private systems must comply with the Broome County Sanitary Code.
    “No person shall discharge private wastewater within the Town of Chenango unless a permit has been obtained, and all private systems must comply with the standards set forth in the Broome County Sanitary Code.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Private sewage disposal inside the Town of Chenango.

    • Private wastewater requires a permit and compliance with Broome County Sanitary Code standards.
    • A privy, septic tank, cesspool, or other sewage-disposal facility is unlawful where Town public sewer service is available.
    “unlawful to construct or maintain any privy”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision of land inside the Town of Chenango.

    • Chapter 62 includes approval-required, procedure, standards, waiver, review-fee, and penalty provisions.
    “§ 62-6 Approval required. [...] § 62-11 Standards and requirements.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Construction or other development in an area of special flood hazard inside the Town of Chenango.

    • Development permit is required before work starts.
    • Application may require plans and listed elevation, floodproofing, engineering, and watercourse information.
    “A development permit shall be obtained before the start of construction or any other development”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Town building permits and specified planning/zoning applications.

    • Town page lists distinct fees by permit/project type.

    single-family residential or addition permit fee: per 0.15 USD per square foot · manufactured-home permit fee: per 0.15 USD per square foot

    “Residential Single Family or Additions | Fifteen cents ($0.15) per square foot [...] Manufactured Homes | Fifteen cents ($0.15) per square foot”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Town building-permit applications.

    • Application must be written and signed by the owner or authorized agent.
    • Application must include the required information and construction documents sufficient for code-compliance determination.
    “Applications for a Building Permit shall be made in writing on a form provided by or otherwise acceptable to the Code Enforcement Officer. The application shall be signed by the owner of the property where the work is to be performed or an authorized agent of the owner.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Chenango

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

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder residential construction inside the Town of Chenango.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside the Town of Chenango.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside the Town of Chenango.
  • Septic inspection — Private septic systems inside the Town of Chenango.
  • Well permit — Private wells inside the Town of Chenango.
3 more unanswered
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • 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 Town of Chenango publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Broome County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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