Bolthole Index

Erie County, New York

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in the Village of East Aurora, New York

The Village of East Aurora, in Erie County, New York, requires a village building permit for work that must meet the state Uniform Code, including new homes1. The village adopted its own zoning chapter2. Septic permits are not a village matter: the Erie County Department of Health issues them3.

At a glance

Building permit
Required from the Village for work covered by the state Uniform Code, with exemptions in the village code1
Zoning
Village-adopted zoning with residential, commercial and manufacturing districts24
Septic
Erie County Department of Health construction permit; the application fee is $30053
RV living
Needs a village permit before dwelling occupancy beyond 48 hours6
Owner-builder
The state lets an owner-occupant act as general contractor with an owner-builder form; the village's own exemption was not confirmed7
Subdivision
Reviewed and approved by the Village Board of Trustees8

Who to call

Building permits

Village of East Aurora Building Department (Code Enforcement)

Village building permits and code enforcement; the Village Hall address above is where the village lists its offices

716-652-7591

585 Oakwood Avenue, East Aurora, NY 14052

Septic permits

Erie County Department of Health — Division of Environmental Health

Septic (onsite wastewater) construction permits countywide in Erie County, including inside the village

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 Village of East Aurora 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 Village of East Aurora?

Yes. The Village of East Aurora 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 relocation of a building, and the installation of a solid-fuel heating appliance, chimney or flue1. Work may not start until the village permit is issued, and the village code lists exemptions that the Code Enforcement Officer can confirm for a small job1.

The village enforces the state Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code and the Energy Code inside village limits9. Applications are in writing, on a form acceptable to the Code Enforcement Officer, signed by the owner or an authorized agent10. The permit fee is due when you submit the application11. The county does not issue these permits; in Erie County the towns, villages and cities administer the building code12.

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

The Village of East Aurora's own Code Enforcement Officer administers the building permit process10. The village directory lists a Building Department under Village Hall, which is at 585 Oakwood Avenue13; call the number on this page before you go. The village's site also links to the neighboring Town of Aurora's code enforcement page, so ask the Building Department whether an address on the village edge is handled by the village or the town.

Once work starts, the permit holder must leave work accessible and exposed until the Code Enforcement Officer, or an inspector the officer authorizes, inspects and accepts it, and must notify the officer when listed work is ready14.

Does East Aurora have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs and tiny homes?

Yes. The Village of East Aurora adopted its own zoning chapter through the Board of Trustees2, and the chapter sets residential, commercial and manufacturing districts, along with overlay and special-purpose districts4. Erie County does not set zoning for the village; zoning across the county is administered by its towns, villages and cities15.

For RVs, the village requires a permit before anyone occupies a recreational vehicle for dwelling purposes longer than 48 hours anywhere in the village6. We could not confirm village rules on tiny homes, manufactured homes, accessory dwellings, minimum house size, lot size or setbacks; those vary by district, so ask the Village Code Enforcement Officer which district an address sits in before you plan. Subdividing a lot goes through the Village Board of Trustees8.

How do septic permits work inside East Aurora?

Septic permits for East Aurora addresses come from the Erie County Department of Health, not the village. The county reviews plans for new, repair and replacement onsite wastewater systems and issues the construction permit, with a $300 application fee3. A licensed design professional prepares the engineer's report and plans, and later completes inspections during construction1617. Contact the Environmental Health division at the number listed for the Erie County Department of Health18.

We could not confirm whether the village requires a home to connect to a village sewer main or restricts a private septic system, so ask the Village Code Enforcement Officer and the Department of Health which applies to a specific lot. Erie County also requires a property transfer certification from the Department of Health before title transfers on property with a septic system19. County figures for soils cover the whole county: only a very small share of Erie County soils rate as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation20.

Building a home in East Aurora: the steps, in order

  1. Ask the Village Code Enforcement Officer which zoning district the lot is in and what the zoning chapter allows there4.
  2. Confirm the sewer or septic path with the Village and the Erie County Department of Health before you design the house5.
  3. For septic, hire a licensed design professional and apply to the Department of Health for a construction permit3.
  4. Apply in writing for the village building permit and pay the fee at submission1011.
  5. If you will act as your own general contractor, the state's owner-builder rule applies to an owner-occupied home7.
  6. Keep work exposed and call the Code Enforcement Officer for each inspection14.
  7. Ask the village about the certificate of occupancy before you move in; we could not confirm its village requirements.

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

Septic, onsite wastewater and property-transfer septic inspections stay with the Erie County Department of Health5. For land outside the village, see the Erie County page because village rules do not apply there.

Before you buy, confirm with the village: whether a floodplain development permit applies to the lot, driveway and curb cut rules, well rules, and any short-term rental rule, none of which we could confirm. If the lot fronts a New York State highway, a driveway needs a state Department of Transportation permit21. Property taxes are high: Erie County's effective rate is 2.1%22.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm village dimensional rules (lot size, setbacks, height, minimum house size), so ask the Village Code Enforcement Officer which district and limits apply before you buy4.
  • The village requires a permit for dwelling in an RV beyond 48 hours, so a camper is not a way around the building permit process6.
  • We could not confirm village rules on septic systems inside village limits, owner-builder exemptions, or the certificate of occupancy; the Erie County Department of Health is the confirmed septic authority5.

Sources

  1. Chapter 108: Building Construction and Fire Prevention - Village of East Aurora, NY (Village of East Aurora), quoted and re-checked
  2. Chapter 285: Zoning - Village of East Aurora, NY (Village of East Aurora), quoted and re-checked
  3. Septic and Onsite Wastewater Systems, quoted and re-checked
  4. Chapter 285: Zoning - Village of East Aurora, NY (Village of East Aurora), quoted and re-checked
  5. Septic and Onsite Wastewater Systems, quoted and re-checked
  6. Chapter 252: Vehicles, Recreational - Village of East Aurora, NY (Village of East Aurora), quoted and re-checked
  7. Workers’ Compensation Requirements for Government Issued Permits, Licenses and Contracts (2026 county census)
  8. Chapter 227: Subdivision of Land - Village of East Aurora, NY (Village of East Aurora), quoted and re-checked
  9. Chapter 108: Building Construction and Fire Prevention - Village of East Aurora, NY (Village of East Aurora), quoted and re-checked
  10. Chapter 108: Building Construction and Fire Prevention - Village of East Aurora, NY (Village of East Aurora), quoted and re-checked
  11. Chapter 108: Building Construction and Fire Prevention - Village of East Aurora, NY (Village of East Aurora), quoted and re-checked
  12. NYS Department of State - Building Standards and Codes (2026 county census)
  13. Village of East Aurora Building Department (Code Enforcement) (east-aurora.ny.us)
  14. Chapter 108: Building Construction and Fire Prevention - Village of East Aurora, NY (Village of East Aurora), quoted and re-checked
  15. Municipal Planning Grant Program, quoted and re-checked
  16. Septic and Onsite Wastewater Systems, quoted and re-checked
  17. Septic and Onsite Wastewater Systems, quoted and re-checked
  18. Erie County Department of Health — Division of Environmental Health (www3.erie.gov)
  19. Septic and Onsite Wastewater Systems, quoted and re-checked
  20. 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
  21. Residential Driveway Permits (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 Village of East Aurora

Village of East Aurora’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Work inside the Village that must conform to the Uniform Code or Energy Code, including new residential construction.

    • Exemptions apply under § 108-4B.
    • Work may not commence until the Village permit is obtained.
    “Building permits required. 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, 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 Village.

    • Except as otherwise provided in the Uniform Code, Energy Code, other state law, or Chapter 108.
    “This article 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 Village.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Applicable permitted construction inside the Village.

    • Work must remain accessible and exposed until inspected and accepted.
    • The permit holder must notify the Code Enforcement Officer when listed work is ready for inspection.
    “Work to remain accessible and exposed. 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. The permit holder shall notify the Code Enforcement Officer when any element of work described in Subsection B of this section is ready for inspection.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside the Village of East Aurora.

    • Chapter 285 was adopted by the Village Board of Trustees; amendments are noted where applicable.
    “[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of East Aurora 4-15-2019 by L.L. No. 3-2019. Amendments noted where applicable.]”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts inside the Village.

    • The published zoning chapter includes residential, commercial, manufacturing, overlay, and special-purpose district framework articles.
    “Article 20 Residential Districts (§ 285-20.1 – § 285-20.6) Article 21 Commercial Districts (§ 285-21.1 – § 285-21.6) Article 22 Manufacturing Districts (§ 285-22.1 – § 285-22.6)”
  • Living in an RVLimited

    Recreational-vehicle dwelling occupancy anywhere inside the Village.

    • A permit is required before dwelling occupancy longer than 48 hours.

    occupancy without permit: <= 48 hours (A permit authorizing occupancy is required for longer occupancy.)

    “No person shall park and occupy, for dwelling purposes, longer than 48 hours, any recreational vehicle in any portion of the Village of East Aurora without first obtaining a permit authorizing such occupancy.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision of land inside the Village.

    • The Village Board of Trustees has authority to review and approve subdivision.
    “This chapter is enacted to establish the procedure to be followed in considering applications relative to the subdivision of land within the Village of East Aurora.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Village building-permit applications, amendments, and renewals.

    • The fee must be paid at submission.
    • The amount is specified in or determined under § 108-10.8.
    “Fee. The fee specified in or determined in accordance with the provisions set forth in § 108-10.8 (Fees) of this article 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 inside the Village.

    • Applications must be in writing on an acceptable form.
    • The owner or authorized agent must sign.
    • The Code Enforcement Officer determines whether submitted information is sufficient to establish compliance.
    “Applications for building permits. 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 Village of East Aurora or Erie County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-performed residential construction inside the Village.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of buildings inside the Village.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Residential zoning districts inside the Village.
  • Minimum lot size — Residential zoning districts inside the Village.
  • Setbacks — Residential zoning districts inside the Village.
16 more unanswered
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • 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 Village of East Aurora publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Erie County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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