Bolthole Index

Monroe County, New York

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

The Town of Perinton, in Monroe County, New York, requires a building permit for construction and alterations, issued by its Director of Building and Codes1. The town adopts and enforces its own zoning under Chapter 208 of the town code2. Septic permits come from the Monroe County Department of Public Health, not the town3.

At a glance

Building permit
Required; issued by the town's Director of Building and Codes1
Zoning
Town zoning (Chapter 208) with residential, business and open-space districts24
Building code
NYS Uniform Code and Energy Code, administered by the town5
Inspections
Required before a certificate of occupancy67
Septic
Monroe County Department of Public Health3
Minimum dwelling size
District-specific; 1,000 to 1,400 sq ft of ground area in the residential transition districts8
Minimum lot (RT 2-5)
2 acres with public water, 5 acres with neither sewer nor water9

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Perinton Building and Codes Department

Building permits, construction and electrical inspections, certificates of occupancy and compliance, and zoning complaints inside the Town of Perinton

(585) 223-0770

building@perinton.org

1350 Turk Hill Road, Fairport, NY 14450

Septic permits

Monroe County Department of Public Health, Bureau of Public Health Engineering

Plan review, field testing, approvals and construction inspections for onsite wastewater treatment (septic) systems under the Monroe County Sanitary Code

585 753-5060

111 Westfall Road, Room 844, Rochester, NY 14620

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 14, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Town of Perinton 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 Perinton, NY?

Yes. Inside the Town of Perinton, no one may start work that needs a building permit without first getting one from the Director of Building and Codes1. The permit covers construction, alteration, and plumbing, electrical and mechanical work, with a short list of exemptions such as playground swings and shallow above-ground pools1.

The town enforces the New York State Uniform Code and Energy Code through Chapter 88 of its code5. Finished work is inspected before a certificate of occupancy or certificate of compliance is issued, and a certificate is required for any work under a building permit67. The town's own page adds that a permit is required for any new building, any addition, and any alteration that affects structure, heating, cooling, ventilation, electrical or plumbing systems10.

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

The Town of Perinton Building and Codes Department issues building permits, does construction and electrical inspections, and issues certificates of occupancy and compliance10. The department sits in Perinton Town Hall at 1350 Turk Hill Road in Fairport; call (585) 223-0770 or email building@perinton.org10.

This is the town's office, not Monroe County's. Monroe County's planning department only reviews referred municipal planning actions; it does not issue building permits or set local zoning11.

Does Perinton have zoning, and what does it mean for homes and lots?

Yes. The Town of Perinton zones land under Chapter 208 of the town code, with residential, restricted business, industrial and commercial districts, limited-development and open-space districts, and an Erie Canal conservation overlay24. Monroe County itself has no countywide zoning, so the town's code is the one that governs12.

Rules differ by district. In the Residential Transition 1-2-5 district, a conventional lot needs 1 acre with public sewer and water, 2 acres with water only, and 5 acres with neither13. In Residential Transition 2-5, the minimum is 2 acres with public water and 5 acres with neither sewer nor water; the front setback is 100 feet with sewer and water and 140 feet without, with side setbacks of 30 feet914. The main structure in the residential transition districts must have a ground area of at least 1,400 square feet for one story, 1,200 for one-and-a-half stories, and 1,000 for two stories8. We did not confirm the standards for the town's other residential districts, so check the zoning map and district text with Building and Codes before you buy.

How do septic permits work inside Perinton?

Septic systems in Monroe County are handled by the Monroe County Department of Public Health, under Article II-A and Article III of the Monroe County Sanitary Code3. The county reviews plans, issues approvals, witnesses percolation tests and deep holes, and inspects construction of new systems and repairs1516.

Because lots without public sewer in Perinton's residential transition districts need 5 acres13, and only about 11% of soils in Monroe County are rated not limited for a conventional drain field17, expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system. We could not confirm whether the town requires connection to public sewer where it is available; ask Building and Codes.

Building a home in Perinton: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the parcel's zoning district and whether public sewer and water reach it, since lot size depends on utilities13.
  2. If there is no public sewer, contact the Monroe County Department of Public Health about perc tests and septic approval15.
  3. Apply to the Perinton Building and Codes Department for a building permit1.
  4. Build under the NYS Uniform Code with inspections along the way6.
  5. Get the certificate of occupancy or compliance before use7.

What stays with Monroe County, and what to check before you buy

Septic permits and plan review stay with the Monroe County Department of Public Health15. Work on a driveway that connects to a county highway needs county highway access approval18, and development in mapped flood hazard areas needs local floodplain approval19.

Taxes matter here: Monroe County's effective property tax rate is 2.8% and the median bill is $5,495 a year2021. For land outside the Town of Perinton, see the Monroe County page.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm Perinton's rules on RV occupancy, tiny homes, accessory dwellings, building height or lot coverage; ask the Building and Codes Department10 before relying on any of them.
  • The Village of Fairport lies inside the town and is excluded from the town's clustering authority2, so confirm which municipality's office applies to an address near the village.
  • Building permit fees were not confirmed; ask the Building and Codes Department for the current fee schedule10.

Sources

  1. Town of Perinton Code Chapter 88 Building Code Administration (Town of Perinton), quoted and re-checked
  2. Town of Perinton Code Chapter 208 Zoning (Town of Perinton), quoted and re-checked
  3. Monroe County Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (2026 county census)
  4. Town of Perinton Code Chapter 208 Zoning (Town of Perinton), quoted and re-checked
  5. Town of Perinton Code Chapter 88 Building Code Administration (Town of Perinton), quoted and re-checked
  6. Town of Perinton Code Chapter 88 Building Code Administration (Town of Perinton), quoted and re-checked
  7. Town of Perinton Code Chapter 88 Building Code Administration (Town of Perinton), quoted and re-checked
  8. Town of Perinton Code Chapter 208 Zoning, Article VI Residential Districts (Town of Perinton), quoted and re-checked
  9. Town of Perinton Code Chapter 208 Zoning, Article VI Residential Districts (Town of Perinton), quoted and re-checked
  10. Town of Perinton Building and Codes Department (perinton.gov)
  11. Monroe County Planning Development Review, quoted and re-checked
  12. Monroe County, NY - Plan Forward: Why Plan?, quoted and re-checked
  13. Town of Perinton Code Chapter 208 Zoning, Article VI Residential Districts (Town of Perinton), quoted and re-checked
  14. Town of Perinton Code Chapter 208 Zoning, Article VI Residential Districts (Town of Perinton), quoted and re-checked
  15. Monroe County Department of Public Health, Bureau of Public Health Engineering (monroecounty.gov)
  16. Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems, quoted and re-checked
  17. 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
  18. Monroe County, NY - Highway and Bridge Engineering, quoted and re-checked
  19. Floodplain Management - NYSDEC (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 14, 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 Perinton

Town of Perinton’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction, alteration, plumbing/electrical/mechanical work and similar work inside Perinton town

    • Exemptions listed in subsection d(2), e.g. playground swings, shallow above-ground pools, certain retaining walls
    • Permit issued by the Director of Building and Codes
    “no person shall commence any work for which a building permit is required without first having obtained a building permit from the director of building and codes.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Buildings and structures inside Perinton town; town administers the NYS Uniform Code and Energy Code under Chapter 88

    • Chapter 88 amended by L.L. No. 4-2024
    “contrary to any applicable provision of the uniform code, energy code, the design criteria and construction specifications for land development or the codes of the town of perinton”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted work inside Perinton town

    • Inspection before issuance of certificate of occupancy/compliance; reinspection fee may be charged for failed inspections
    “the director of building and codes or an inspector authorized by the director of building and codes shall inspect the building, structure or work prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy temporary certificate/certificate of compliance.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Work under a building permit and change of use/occupancy inside Perinton town

    • Fee paid at application; failure to obtain before use or occupancy is a violation
    “a certificate of occupancy/certificate of compliance shall be required for any work which is the subject of a building permit”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside the Town of Perinton (Chapter 208 Zoning; Village of Fairport excluded from town clustering authority)

    • Chapter 208 amended repeatedly, most recently L.L. No. 6-2026 adopted 2026-09-21
    “[history: adopted by the town board of the town of perinton 8-12-1976 by l.l. no. 7-1976 as ch. 148 of the 1976 code. amendments noted where applicable.]”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts in Perinton town

    • Residential, restricted business/industrial/commercial, limited development, open space/planned development districts and Erie Canal conservation overlay are listed; zoning map is on file with the town clerk
    “article vi residential districts (§ 208-29 – § 208-38) article vii restricted business, industrial and commercial districts (§ 208-39 – § 208-45)”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Residential transition / residential sensitive districts (Article VI, § 208-29 to 208-38) inside Perinton town; main single-family Class AA and similar districts not read

    • Minimum ground area of main structure by stories

    one-story minimum ground area: >= 1400 sq ft · one-and-one-half-story minimum ground area: >= 1200 sq ft · two-story minimum ground area: >= 1000 sq ft

    “e. size of building. the minimum ground area of the main structure shall be: (1) one-story building: 1,400 square feet. (2) one-and-one-half-story building: 1,200 square feet. (3) two- or two-and-one-half-story building: 1,000 square feet.”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Residential Transition 1-2-5 district inside Perinton town (conventional lots)

    • Lot size depends on utilities available
    • Clustering under Town Law § 278 permits smaller lots if public water/sewer

    min lot size with public sewer and water: >= 1 acre · min lot size water only: >= 2 acre · min lot size no sewer or water: >= 5 acre

    “lands with both public sewer and water shall be developed at a minimum conventional lot size of one acre, land without both sewer and water shall be developed with minimum lot sizes of five acres, and land with water only shall be developed with minimum conventional lot sizes of two acres.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • District specific (with conditions) — Residential Transition 2-5 district inside Perinton town (conventional lots)
      “lands with both public sewer and water or public water only shall be developed at a minimum conventional lot size of two acres, and land without both sewer and water shall be developed with minimum lot sizes of five acres.”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Residential Transition 2-5 district inside Perinton town (conventional lots; columns sewer+water / water only / neither)

    • Agricultural structures: front 140 ft, side 30 ft, rear 50 ft
    • Main single-family Class AA/A district setbacks not read

    front setback (sewer and water): >= 100 ft · front setback (no sewer or water): >= 140 ft · side setback: >= 30 ft · rear setback (sewer and water): >= 30 ft · rear setback (no sewer or water): >= 50 ft

    “utilities available dimension sewer and water water only no sewer or water size (acres) 2 2 5 width at setback line standard (feet) 160 200 240 corner (feet) 200 200 240 setback front (feet) 100 100 140 side (feet) 30 30 30 rear (feet) 30 30 50”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder work inside Perinton town
  • Lot coverage — Lot coverage inside Perinton town
  • Building height — Building height inside Perinton town
  • Living in an RV — RV occupancy inside Perinton town
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping inside Perinton town
14 more unanswered
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured 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
  • Permit fees
  • Permit process

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 Perinton publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Monroe County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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