Bolthole Index

Erie County, New York

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

The Town of Cheektowaga in Erie County, New York requires a building permit from its Building Department for new construction, additions, alterations and demolition1. The town also has its own zoning chapter2. Septic permits are not a town matter: the Erie County Department of Health issues them3.

At a glance

Building permit
Required from the Town of Cheektowaga Building Department; the Inspector decides within 60 days14
Zoning
Town zoning law (Chapter 260) applies, except in villages within the town2
Septic
Erie County Department of Health issues construction permits; the fee is $30035
Inspections
Inspector examines work before a certificate of occupancy or compliance is issued6
Owner-builder
Statewide homeowner rules use form BP-1 or CE-200; town plumbing exemption waives only the plumbing license78
Mobile homes
Only in the RMH district, which requires a 20-acre park site9
Minimum home size
900 square feet of livable ground floor in the R Residence District10

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Cheektowaga Building Department

Building permits, plumbing, code enforcement and land-use questions inside the Town of Cheektowaga; submit applications and fees at the department office

(716)686-3470

buildingclerks@tocny.org

275 Alexander Avenue Cheektowaga, NY 14211

Septic permits

Erie County Department of Health — Division of Environmental Health

Onsite wastewater treatment system (septic) construction and repair permits countywide in Erie County

716-961-6800

sewage@erie.gov

ECDOH Building, 503 Kensington Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14214

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

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

Yes. Under the Town of Cheektowaga's code, no one may begin erecting, enlarging, altering, renovating, demolishing, converting or installing a building or structure, or change its occupancy, without first getting a permit from the Inspector1. The only carve-out is repairs that are not structural and do not involve plumbing, electrical, heating or venting1.

The town code puts a limit on the wait: the Inspector approves or disapproves an application within 60 days of submission4. Applications go on Building Inspection Department forms, and the Inspector may ask for more documents4. Fees come from a Permit Fee Schedule approved by the Town Board; we could not confirm the dollar amounts, so ask the Building Department11.

The permit requirement rests on the New York State Uniform Code, which applies statewide outside New York City12. Which edition the town has adopted is something we could not confirm.

Who issues building permits in Cheektowaga, and how do you reach them?

The Town of Cheektowaga Building Department issues building permits inside the town, not Erie County13. The department describes itself as the first stop for everything building and land use related in the town14. Submittals and fees go to the department office at 275 Alexander Avenue, Cheektowaga, NY 14211; email buildingclerks@tocny.org or call (716)686-347014.

Work the Inspector permits is also inspected. Before issuing a certificate of occupancy or compliance, the Inspector examines the buildings and sites for which a permit application was filed, and may inspect during and after the work6.

Does Cheektowaga have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes and mobile homes?

Yes. The Town of Cheektowaga has its own zoning law in Chapter 260 of the town code, which covers land in the town except villages within it2. The chapter sets residence, business, manufacturing and special aggregate districts, with zoning maps and boundary rules15. Your lot's district decides what you can build, so look it up before you buy.

Two district rules stand out. In the R Residence District, a dwelling needs at least 900 square feet of livable ground floor, and 800 square feet where the dwelling has an integral garage and living space above the ground floor10. Mobile homes belong in the RMH Residential Mobile Home District, which is planned as mobile-home parks on a site of at least 20 acres with at least 50 serviced lots before anyone moves in9.

We could not confirm the town's rules for living in an RV, tiny homes, accessory dwellings or temporary camping. Ask the Building Department before you plan any of these.

How do septic permits work in the Town of Cheektowaga?

Septic permits for Cheektowaga come from the Erie County Department of Health, not the town3. For a new home that needs an onsite wastewater system, you hire a licensed design professional and submit the application, an engineer's report, plans and a $300 fee; the department issues the construction permit after review5. The town code says wastewater that does not go to a public sewer must be treated or disposed of as the Erie County Health Department and the state recommend16.

Much of the town may be on public sewer, but we could not confirm which streets are; ask the Building Department and the county health department. A sewer connection in an Erie County sewer district needs a written permit from the district and inspection17. Septic permits and the town's building permits are separate approvals, so expect both.

Can you build or do the work yourself in Cheektowaga?

New York State lets a homeowner act as their own contractor on a building permit for an owner-occupied residence by filing form BP-1, and the state notes an alternative of Form CE-200 filed with the local building department7. BP-1 is not available if paid workers put in 40 or more aggregate hours in any week, or for new construction of the homeowner's own primary or secondary residence7. Cheektowaga's own plumbing exemption lets an owner install plumbing in a single-family or double dwelling unit, but it waives only the plumbing-license requirement and the work must still meet code8.

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

  1. Find the lot's zoning district under Chapter 260 and confirm your use is allowed15.
  2. Ask the Building Department whether the street has public sewer; if not, contact the Erie County Department of Health3.
  3. For septic, hire a licensed design professional and file the application, plans and $300 fee with the county5.
  4. Apply for the building permit on Building Inspection Department forms; the Inspector decides within 60 days4.
  5. Build with the Inspector's inspections along the way6.
  6. Get the certificate of occupancy or compliance before you move in6.

What stays with Erie County, and what to check before you buy in Cheektowaga

Septic permits, and property-transfer septic inspections, stay with the Erie County Department of Health3. Where a property uses septic or a private water supply, an inspection is required before title transfers, and with a private well the inspection fee is $49618. Floodplain, well and subdivision rules inside the town are ones we could not confirm; ask the Building Department.

For land outside the town's limits, see the Erie County page. Countywide, USDA rates only about 0.3% of soils as not limited for a conventional septic drain field, so expect a site evaluation or an engineered system19. Erie County's effective property tax rate is 2.1%20.

Watch-outs

  • Villages inside the Town of Cheektowaga are excepted from the town's zoning chapter, so a village address follows the village's own offices2.
  • Which rules apply to an RV, tiny home or accessory dwelling depends on the lot's zoning district, and we could not confirm those rules; ask the Building Department before you buy15.
  • Short-term rentals in Erie County face a separate county registration and a 3% occupancy tax21.

Sources

  1. Town of Cheektowaga Code, Article II: Building Construction (Town of Cheektowaga), quoted and re-checked
  2. Town of Cheektowaga Code, Chapter 260: Zoning (Town of Cheektowaga), quoted and re-checked
  3. Septic and Onsite Wastewater Systems, quoted and re-checked
  4. Town of Cheektowaga Code, Article II: Building Construction (Town of Cheektowaga), quoted and re-checked
  5. Septic and Onsite Wastewater Systems, quoted and re-checked
  6. Town of Cheektowaga Code, Article II: Building Construction (Town of Cheektowaga), quoted and re-checked
  7. Workers’ Compensation Requirements for Government Issued Permits, Licenses and Contracts, quoted and re-checked
  8. Town of Cheektowaga Code, Article II: Building Construction (Town of Cheektowaga), quoted and re-checked
  9. Town of Cheektowaga Code, Article II: Residence Districts (Town of Cheektowaga), quoted and re-checked
  10. Town of Cheektowaga Code, Article II: Residence Districts (Town of Cheektowaga), quoted and re-checked
  11. Town of Cheektowaga Code, Article II: Building Construction (Town of Cheektowaga), quoted and re-checked
  12. Legal Memorandum LG03: NYS Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code: What Elected Officials Need to Know (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  13. NYS Department of State - Building Standards and Codes (2026 county census)
  14. Town of Cheektowaga Building Department (tocny.org)
  15. Town of Cheektowaga Code, Chapter 260: Zoning (Town of Cheektowaga), quoted and re-checked
  16. Town of Cheektowaga Code, Article II: Building Construction (Town of Cheektowaga), quoted and re-checked
  17. Sanitary Sewer Connection Permits, quoted and re-checked
  18. Septic and Onsite Wastewater Systems, quoted and re-checked
  19. 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
  20. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  21. Hotel Tax Instructions and Registration, quoted and re-checked

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 Cheektowaga

Town of Cheektowaga’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Erection, construction, removal, enlargement, alteration, renovation, improvement, demolition, conversion, installation, or change in occupancy of a building or structure inside Cheektowaga town.

    • Structural repairs and repairs entailing plumbing, electrical, heating, or venting require a permit; nonstructural repairs that do not entail those systems are excepted.
    • Application is made to the Inspector on Building Inspection Department forms; the Inspector may require information and documents.
    • The Inspector approves or disapproves an application within 60 days of submission.

    application review period: <= 60 days (Measured from submission of the application.)

    “No person, firm or corporation shall commence erection, construction, removal, enlargement, alteration, renovation, improvement, demolition, conversion or installation therein of any building or structure or change in nature the occupancy of any building or structure without first obtaining an appropriate permit from the Inspector, except that no permit shall be required for the performance of repairs which are not structural in nature and do not entail plumbing, electrical, heating or venting.”
  • Owner-builder exemptionConditional

    Owner-installed plumbing within a single-family or double dwelling unit in Cheektowaga town.

    • All plumbing must comply with the code.
    • The exemption waives the plumbing-license requirement only.
    “Plumbing may be installed by an owner himself, within a single-family dwelling or double dwelling unit, provided that all plumbing complies with the requirements of this code, and in such event the word "owner" shall be substituted for the word "plumber" throughout this code, with the exception that the license requirement will be waived.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Buildings, structures, and sites for which an application has been filed for a building permit in Cheektowaga town.

    • Inspection occurs before issuance of a certificate of occupancy or compliance.
    • The Inspector may conduct inspections during and upon completion of work.
    • A final inspection must find work completed in accordance with applicable requirements before issuance of the certificate.
    “Before issuing a certificate of occupancy or compliance, the Inspector shall examine or cause to be examined all buildings, structures and sites for which an application has been filed for a building permit to construct, enlarge, alter, repair or change the use or nature of occupancy, and he/she may conduct such inspections as he/she deems appropriate from time to time during and upon completion of the work for which a building permit or plumbing permit has been issued.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside the Town of Cheektowaga, except villages within the Town as specified by Chapter 260.

    • Chapter 260 identifies villages within the Town as excepted in § 260-3.
    “Chapter 260 Zoning [...] § 260-3 Villages within Town excepted.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts established by Chapter 260 inside Cheektowaga town, subject to Chapter 260's village exception.

    • The chapter lists residence, business, manufacturing, and special aggregate districts.
    • District maps and boundary interpretation are addressed in §§ 260-5 and 260-6.
    “§ 260-4 Establishment of Zoning Law and Map; establishment of districts. § 260-5 Zoning District Maps. § 260-6 Interpretation of zoning district boundaries.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Mobile homes in the RMH Residential Mobile Home District inside Cheektowaga town.

    • Site-plan review is required for proposed or amended mobile-home-district development.
    • The district is planned as mobile-home parks and permits single-family detached mobile dwelling units on individual lots.
    • Minimum site size is 20 acres with at least 50 fully serviced mobile-home lots available before initial occupancy.

    minimum mobile-home-park site size: >= 20 acres · minimum fully serviced lots before initial occupancy: >= 50 lots

    “Minimum site size: 20 acres, with a minimum of 50 mobile home lots fully serviced and available prior to initial occupancy.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Liquid waste from plumbing not discharged to a public sewer inside Cheektowaga town.

    • Treatment or disposal must follow recommendations of the Erie County Health Department and NYS Department of Environmental Conservation.
    “Where the liquid wastes from any plumbing are not discharged into a public sewer, such wastes shall be so treated or disposed of as recommended by the Erie County Health Department and the State of New York Department of Environmental Conservation.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Building, plumbing, and electrical permits in Cheektowaga town.

    • Fees are specified in a Permit Fee Schedule approved by Town Board resolution; dollar amounts were not in the opened code text.
    “Fees collected shall be as specified on the Permit Fee Schedule for building, plumbing, and electrical, as approved by Town Board resolution.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building-permit applications in Cheektowaga town.

    • Application is made to the Inspector using Building Inspection Department forms.
    • Applicants provide information and documents required by the Inspector, applicable policy, rules, regulations, code, or ordinances.
    • The Inspector reviews the application and approves or disapproves it within 60 days; upon approval and payment of fees, the Inspector issues the permit.

    application decision period: <= 60 days (From submission.)

    “Application for a permit shall be made to the Inspector on forms available in the Building Inspection Department. Applicants shall provide information and documents as may be required at the discretion of the Inspector or required in accordance with his/her established policy and procedure or rules and regulations and as otherwise required by this code or other applicable codes and ordinances, rules or regulations of the Town.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Cheektowaga

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

  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Dwelling buildings in the R Residence District inside Cheektowaga town.

    • Where a dwelling has an integral garage and livable floor space above ground floor, the livable ground-floor minimum is 800 square feet.

    minimum livable ground-floor area: >= 900 square feet (800 square feet where a dwelling has an integral garage and livable floor space above the ground floor.)

    “Minimum livable ground floor area. Any building used principally as a dwelling shall have at least 900 square feet of livable ground floor area; provided, however, that where a dwelling has an integral garage and has livable floor space above the ground floor, the livable ground floor area shall not be less than 800 square feet.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building code adopted — Construction inside Cheektowaga town.
  • Living in an RV — Occupancy of recreational vehicles on private land inside Cheektowaga town.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Cheektowaga town.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Cheektowaga town.
  • Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units inside Cheektowaga town.
7 more unanswered
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • 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 Town of Cheektowaga publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Erie County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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