Bolthole Index

Erie County, New York

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

The Town of Collins, New York requires a building permit for work covered by the state Uniform Code, and the Code Enforcement Officer issues it1. The town has its own zoning plan for its unincorporated area2. Septic permits are not a town matter: Erie County's Department of Health issues them3. Travel trailers on private land may not be occupied longer than 14 days4.

At a glance

Building permit
Required for work covered by the NYS Uniform Code; issued by the town Code Enforcement Officer1
Exempt structures
Certain one-story detached sheds and similar structures of 144 square feet or less1
Zoning
Yes, a town zoning plan (Chapter 305) covers the unincorporated area2
Septic
Erie County Department of Health construction permit; licensed design professional required for new homes; $300 fee3
RV living
Travel trailers on private land: no occupancy longer than 14 days4
Certificate of occupancy
Required for permitted work5
Owner-builder
State BP-1 rules apply; new primary residences need workers' compensation coverage6
Tiny homes, ADUs, setbacks
Not confirmed; ask the Code Enforcement Officer7

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Collins Code Enforcement

Building permits, inspections, certificates of occupancy and zoning enforcement inside the Town of Collins; the building permit application packet is on this page

(716) 532-4874

Septic permits

Erie County Department of Health — Division of Environmental Health

Onsite wastewater treatment (septic) construction permits for every address in Erie County, including the Town of Collins

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

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Does the Town of Collins, NY have zoning?

Yes. The Town of Collins has a comprehensive zoning plan for its unincorporated area, set out in the text and map of Chapter 305 of the town code2. That means lot size, setbacks, building height and allowed uses depend on the zoning district a parcel sits in. We could not confirm the district-by-district numbers, so get the zoning map and the district schedule from the Code Enforcement Officer before you buy7.

Farm buildings are treated differently in the zoning chapter, but the exception is conditional and does not cover dwellings, garages used for non-farm vehicles or roadside stands8. Erie County does not set zoning for the town; New York gives zoning power to cities, towns and villages, not counties9.

Do you need a building permit in the Town of Collins, and who issues it?

Yes. The Town of Collins requires a building permit for any work that must conform to the New York State Uniform Code or Energy Code, and the permit must be in hand before work begins1. The Code Enforcement Officer issues it under Chapter 144 of the town code10.

Exempt categories include certain one-story detached sheds, playhouses and similar structures of 144 square feet or less, plus minor work and some repairs1. A permit lapses if work does not start within six months and expires 12 months after issuance unless renewed1. Fees are due when you submit the application, and the amount comes from § 144-16 of the town code11.

Once you have a permit, the work must stay exposed until the Code Enforcement Officer inspects and accepts it12. A certificate of occupancy is required for all permitted work5.

Who is the Collins building department and how do you reach it?

The Town of Collins Code Enforcement office handles building permits. It is in the basement of Town Hall, and the page lists phone (716) 532-4874 ext. 1117. The town posts a Building Permit Application Packet on the same page7. The application is written, signed by the owner or an agent, and must include at least two sets of construction documents13. Where it applies, the site plan must show the well or septic system and distances to lot lines13.

The town's Code Enforcement page lists limited office hours, so call before you drive over7.

How do septic permits work in the Town of Collins?

Septic permits for the Town of Collins come from the Erie County Department of Health, not from the town3. For a new home that needs an onsite wastewater system, a licensed design professional prepares an engineer's report and plans, and the application goes to the county with a $300 fee314. The county issues the construction permit after reviewing the plans15.

Plan on an engineered system. Only 0.3% of soils in Erie County rate as not limited for a conventional drain field, so most lots need a site evaluation and often something more than a standard field16. Selling later brings another county step: a property transfer certification is required before title transfers on a property with a septic system or private well17. We could not confirm any town rule on private wells; ask the Erie County Department of Health14.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in the Town of Collins?

Not for long in a travel trailer. The town code allows travel trailers to be parked for storage on private property outside the Village of Gowanda, but they may not be used or occupied longer than 14 days4. Other laws, ordinances and parking rules still apply4. Plan on a 14-day limit for any travel trailer you bring onto the land4.

We could not confirm a rule for tiny homes or accessory dwellings. Ask the Code Enforcement Officer before buying with that plan7. A manufactured home installation still needs a building permit and a certificate of occupancy18.

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

  1. Get the zoning district and zoning map for the parcel from the Code Enforcement Officer7.
  2. Ask Erie County Department of Health about septic and well requirements before closing, and hire a licensed design professional for the septic design14.
  3. If the parcel is being split, check Chapter 267 of the town code on subdivisions and lot-line revisions19.
  4. Submit the building permit application with at least two sets of construction documents and the fee1311.
  5. Submit the septic application with the $300 fee and the engineer's report3.
  6. Keep work exposed for each inspection12.
  7. Obtain the certificate of occupancy before moving in5.

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

Erie County handles septic permits and property-transfer septic inspections for every address in Collins17. Driveways onto a state highway need a permit from the New York State Department of Transportation20. Floodplain development is locally permitted where land lies in a mapped flood hazard area21, but we could not confirm the town's own floodplain permit requirement, so ask the Code Enforcement Officer.

Owner-builders: New York's BP-1 form lets a homeowner skip workers' compensation paperwork only in limited cases, and it may not be filed for new construction of a personal primary or secondary residence6. We could not confirm a separate town owner-builder rule.

For land outside the town, see the Erie County page. Erie County's effective property tax rate is 2.1%22.

Watch-outs

  • Collins is a town with a village inside it: the travel-trailer rule applies outside the Village of Gowanda, so check which jurisdiction a parcel is in4.
  • We could not confirm numeric setbacks, height limits, minimum home size, accessory dwelling rules or short-term rental rules; ask the Code Enforcement Officer before relying on any of them7.
  • A building permit does not cover septic: the Erie County Department of Health issues the septic construction permit separately3.

Sources

  1. Town of Collins Code, Chapter 144: Construction Codes, Uniform (Town of Collins), quoted and re-checked
  2. Town of Collins Code, Chapter 305, Article I: General Provisions (Town of Collins), quoted and re-checked
  3. Septic and Onsite Wastewater Systems, quoted and re-checked
  4. Town of Collins Code, Chapter 210: Mobile Homes and Travel Trailers (Town of Collins), quoted and re-checked
  5. Town of Collins Code, Chapter 144: Construction Codes, Uniform (Town of Collins), quoted and re-checked
  6. Workers’ Compensation Requirements for Government Issued Permits, Licenses and Contracts, quoted and re-checked
  7. Town of Collins Code Enforcement (townofcollinsny.gov)
  8. Town of Collins Code, Chapter 305, Article I: General Provisions (Town of Collins), quoted and re-checked
  9. documents.dps.ny.gov (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  10. Town of Collins Code, Chapter 144: Construction Codes, Uniform (Town of Collins), quoted and re-checked
  11. Town of Collins Code, Chapter 144: Construction Codes, Uniform (Town of Collins), quoted and re-checked
  12. Town of Collins Code, Chapter 144: Construction Codes, Uniform (Town of Collins), quoted and re-checked
  13. Town of Collins Code, Chapter 144: Construction Codes, Uniform (Town of Collins), quoted and re-checked
  14. Erie County Department of Health — Division of Environmental Health (www3.erie.gov)
  15. Septic and Onsite Wastewater Systems, quoted and re-checked
  16. 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
  17. Septic and Onsite Wastewater Systems, quoted and re-checked
  18. Division of Building Standards and Codes Frequently Asked Questions, quoted and re-checked
  19. Town of Collins, NY Code of Ordinances — Table of Contents (Town of Collins), quoted and re-checked
  20. Residential Driveway Permits (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  21. Floodplain Management - NYSDEC (New York statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  22. Effective property tax rate: 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 Collins

Town of Collins’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Work in the Town of Collins that must conform to the Uniform Code or Energy Code.

    • Exempt categories in § 144-4B include certain detached structures of no more than 144 square feet, specified minor work, and certain repairs.
    • A permit must be obtained from the Code Enforcement Officer before work begins.
    • Permits become invalid if work does not commence within six months and expire 12 months after issuance unless renewed.

    detached-structure exemption threshold: <= 144 square feet (One-story detached tool/storage sheds, playhouses, or similar structures associated with covered dwellings.)

    “Except as otherwise provided in Subsection 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”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Buildings, structures, and premises in the Town of Collins, excluding the Village of Gowanda as defined by Chapter 144.

    • Except as otherwise provided in the Uniform Code, other state law, or Chapter 144, all buildings, structures, and premises regardless of use or occupancy are subject to Chapter 144.
    “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 this Town.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted construction in the Town of Collins.

    • Work must remain accessible and exposed until inspected and accepted.
    • Applicable inspections include site, footing/foundation, slab preparation, framing, systems, fire-resistant work, solid-fuel appliances, Energy Code compliance, and final inspection.
    • Inspection fees must be paid before or at the time of each inspection.
    “Work shall remain accessible and exposed until inspected and accepted by the Code Enforcement Officer or by an inspector authorized by the Code Enforcement Officer.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Building-permit work and conversions of use or occupancy classification in the Town of Collins.

    • The certificate issues only after compliant completion and pre-issuance inspection.
    • A temporary certificate may permit temporary occupancy if safety, operational fire/smoke or protection equipment, and required egress conditions are met; it may not exceed six months.

    maximum temporary certificate period: <= 6 months (Period determined and specified by the Code Enforcement Officer.)

    “A certificate of occupancy/certificate of compliance shall be required for any work which is the subject of a building permit and for all structures, buildings, or portions thereof, which are converted from one use or occupancy classification or subclassification to another.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land in the Town of Collins covered by the Town's zoning plan; the cited text specifies the Town's unincorporated area.

    • The zoning plan is set forth in Chapter 305 text and map.
    “There is hereby established a comprehensive zoning plan for the unincorporated area of the Town of Collins which plan is set forth in the text and map that constitute this chapter.”
  • Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

    Travel trailers stored on private property in the Town of Collins outside the Village of Gowanda.

    • The travel trailer may not be used or occupied longer than 14 days.
    • The use remains subject to other applicable law, ordinance, or parking regulation.

    maximum occupancy period: <= 14 days (Private-property travel-trailer storage.)

    “The parking of travel trailers for storage on private property as long as the travel trailers are not used or occupied for longer than a fourteen-day period shall be permitted in the Town of Collins, outside the Village of Gowanda, but shall be subject to any other restriction imposed by law, ordinance or parking regulation.”
  • Agricultural exemptionConditional

    Farm buildings or structures in the Town of Collins zoning plan.

    • The exception is expressly subject to later provisions of the zoning chapter.
    • It does not exempt dwellings, garages used for non-farm vehicles, or roadside stands from the zoning definition of farm structure.
    “Except for farm buildings or structures and as hereinafter provided, no building, structure, or land shall hereafter be used or occupied, and no building or structure, or parts thereof, shall be erected, relocated, extended, enlarged, or altered except in conformity with the permitted use, height, area, and off-street parking regulations specified for the district in which it is located.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision plats and lot-line revisions in Collins town.

    • Chapter 267 contains procedures for minor subdivisions, preliminary and final major-subdivision plats, required improvements, lot-line revisions, applications, and waivers.
    “Chapter 267 Subdivision of Land (§ 267-1 – § 267-25)”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Building-permit applications, amendments, renewals, and construction inspections in Collins town.

    • Building-permit, amended-permit, and renewal fees are due upon application submission.
    • Inspection fees are due before or at the time of inspection.
    • The amount is specified or determined under § 144-16.
    “The fee specified in or determined in accordance with the provisions set forth in § 144-16, Fees, of this chapter must be paid at the time of submission of an application for a building permit, for an amended building permit, or for renewal of a building permit.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building-permit applications in Collins town.

    • Application is in writing on a form provided by or acceptable to the Code Enforcement Officer and signed by the owner or authorized agent.
    • Required information includes proposed-work description, tax-map number, street address, occupancy classification, and at least two sets of construction documents.
    • Where applicable, the site plan must show existing/proposed buildings, well or septic system, intended work, and distances to lot lines.

    construction-document sets: >= 2 sets (Required with the application unless otherwise applicable under § 144-4D(5).)

    “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.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction in Collins town.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings in Collins town zoning districts.
  • Setbacks — Residential development in Collins town.
  • Lot coverage — Residential development in Collins town.
  • Building height — Residential development in Collins town.
12 more unanswered
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Driveway access
  • 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 Collins publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Erie County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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