Centre Island, NY Building Permits, Zoning & Septic Rules

The Village of Centre Island in Nassau County, New York has its own zoning chapter¹, and its own Department of Building and Code Enforcement enforces the New York State building code and issues building permits inside village limits². Septic systems are a county matter: Nassau County's Department of Health regulates on-site sewage disposal³. We could not confirm the district rules, so call the village building inspector before you plan anything.

At a glance

Building permit: Issued by the village Department of Building and Code Enforcement²
Zoning: Village zoning chapter (Chapter 122); district rules not confirmed¹
Subdivision: Regulated by the village code (Chapter 100)⁴
Septic: Nassau County Department of Health³
Property tax (Nassau County): Effective rate about 1.5%⁵
Certificate of occupancy: Issued by the village after a favorable building department determination²

Who to call

Building permits

Village of Centre Island Building Inspector

Building permit applications and instructions for construction inside the village

922-2428

buildinginspector@centreisland.org

Also useful

Village of Centre Island Village Clerk

Village Hall; general questions and routing to village boards

516-922-0606

centreislandvillage@centreisland.org

303 Centre Island Road Oyster Bay, NY 11771

Septic permits

Nassau County Department of Health, Bureau of Environmental Engineering

On-site sewage disposal plan approval and SPDES permits in Nassau County

516-227-9692

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 Village of Centre Island means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in Centre Island, NY?

Yes. Inside the Village of Centre Island, the village Department of Building and Code Enforcement enforces the New York State fire prevention and building code, and building permits and certificates of occupancy are signed and issued by the building superintendent or the department's staff². The village building inspector's page offers a building permit application and instructions⁶. We could not confirm an inspection schedule, fee amounts or an owner-builder exemption inside the village, so ask the building inspector.

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

The Village of Centre Island's own building inspector handles building permits, not Nassau County and not the Town of Oyster Bay. Reach the building inspector at 922-2428 or buildinginspector@centreisland.org⁶. The Village Clerk at 516-922-0606 can route other questions⁷. Village Hall is at 303 Centre Island Road, Oyster Bay, NY 11771⁷.

Does Centre Island have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes and lot size?

Yes. The village code includes Chapter 122, Zoning¹. We could not read the chapter text, so we cannot confirm district lot sizes, setbacks, minimum dwelling size, accessory dwellings, or whether RVs, tiny homes or manufactured homes may be lived in. Do not assume any of these are allowed. The village also regulates subdivision of land under its own Chapter 100⁴. Ask the building inspector which district a parcel is in and get the answer in writing before you buy.

How do septic permits work inside Centre Island?

Septic is not a village function. Nassau County's Department of Health regulates on-site sewage disposal systems³. The county requires plan approval before construction or modification of a commercial on-site system with a design flow of 1,000 gallons per day or more, and a SPDES permit before discharge⁸. For residential systems, New York requires approval from the State or county health department official having jurisdiction for alternative systems⁹. We could not confirm whether a given Centre Island lot is on a septic system; call the Bureau of Environmental Engineering at 516-227-9692¹⁰.

Building a home in Centre Island: the steps, in order

Ask the village building inspector which zoning district the parcel is in and what Chapter 122 allows¹.
Confirm septic or sewer service with the Nassau County Department of Health¹⁰.
File the village building permit application with the building inspector⁶.
Build to the New York State building code under village inspection².
Obtain the certificate of occupancy, which the village issues after a favorable determination of the building department².

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

Septic and sewage disposal stay with Nassau County's Department of Health³. For land outside village limits, the county's answers are on the Nassau County page. Before buying, ask the village about flood damage prevention rules, fees, and any driveway or road-access requirement; we could not confirm those. Nassau County's effective property tax rate is about 1.5%⁵.

Watch-outs

Village zoning text was not confirmed, so lot size, setbacks, height and RV or tiny-home rules are open: ask the building inspector⁶.
Septic or sewer service for a specific lot was not confirmed: ask the Nassau County Department of Health¹⁰.
Building permits come from the village, so Town of Hempstead or Town of Oyster Bay pages do not answer for a Centre Island parcel².

Sources

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.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Village of Centre Island publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Nassau County’s page lists the county offices to call.

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in the Village of Centre Island, New York